Lawless Comic Con 2023

Thanks to everyone who came by the Band Of One table on Saturday at Lawless Comic Con, I had a lovely day meeting people and doing sketches for folks. I really appreciated hearing from people who had picked up the Jack Astro book last year and loved it, and had either backed the Warped kickstarter or grabbed it on the day. Definitely made my day!

I will be adding the new Warped book to the store along with some of the sketches I’ve been doing which you can see on Instagram. Subscribe to the newsletter to get notified when new stuff lands in the store.

Lawless Comic Con

Judge Dredd 2000AD

There I am, in the small press room at Lawless Comic Con. The main attractions of the event are drawing the crowds so it’s fairly quiet, but the steady trickle of folks coming by my table seem genuinely interested. Real comic fans looking for new comics. Marvellous.

Lawless is my second con and I feel a bit more relaxed. I’m able to have some real conversations with people, instead of trying to immediately sell them something.

An older gentleman walks up to my table and comments on one of the sketches I’ve got for sale. He compliments my art and asks a few questions, then he points at a Krazy Kat sketch and says he recognises it. “That’s an old one isn’t it?”, Oh boy, if you want to get me chatting about comics then here we go! I’ve just read the biography, “Krazy” about the creator George Herriman. As I’m getting warmed up on the topic, I notice a hush has gone around our little room and attention seems to have focused on my table. As I’m talking, I take in the gentleman’s lanyard which only exhibitors and guests at the show have on. He’s holding it subtly turned away so his name is not visible, and I realise that this is probably one of the big name guests – who I should know, yet am entirely ignorant of. The gentleman seems also to have noticed the change in vibe around the room, we exchange nice to have met you’s, and he moves on. As he approaches another table I hear someone say “Hi, Brian”, and my hunch is confirmed that I did in fact just meet Brian Bolland, whose name I’m aware of, but clearly not as aware as everyone else in this building. Brian WAS the main attraction drawing all the crowds which I mentioned earlier. People were queing for hours to meet him. Thoroughly nice chap, and anytime you’d like to continue a discussion of Krazy Kat Mr.Bolland, I’d be most happy.

Coming from an animation background – and not being a huge 2000AD fan – it was a weekend of admitting my ignorance to people. That moment was the coup de grĂ¢ce.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table either to chat or purchase something. It’s always lovely to meet some new folks and hopefully some of you will find your way here to see what else I have going on.

I’m off to read Batman: The Killing Joke and ease my ignorance for the next Lawless Comic Con.

See you at the next con in September.