Bristol Expo 2007

Scarlet Traces poster for Bristol Comics Expo 2007 - the idea of mixing up the colours of superhero costumes was borrowed from Brendan McCarthy's cover for the last issue of the comics magazine Arkensword.

Comics Expo 2007
12th - 13th May 2007
at the British Empire & Commonwealth
Exhibition Hall and The Ramada Plaza Hotel, Bristol

Sat 12th May - 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sun 13th May - 10.30am - 5.00pm

Bristol Comics Expo is soon upon us - this weekend coming in fact - and I’ve been busy making preparations, including doing a Scarlet Traces-themed poster for the event, which Dark Horse are paying for, and which will be given out free as a promotion for the new editions.

Appeal
I know the Comics Expo guys have sent out copies of this image as part of their press pack - if you're a Bristol local and you spot this picture in a local paper, could you save me a copy?

Signing & Sketching

This year Ian and I will have our own table in the main hall, and as usual I'll be signing and sketching for most of the weekend. I arrive on Friday, so lunch hours excepted, I'll be working all day Saturday and up to 4pm on Sunday (though I'll be doing short stints at other tables, depending on what events I'm down for).

Guidelines for getting sketches:

• Yes, I do basic sketches for free (see below).
  
• Yes, I'll have a go at drawing your favourite character (but bring reference, I might not know what he/she looks like).
• Yes, I like drawing daft or weird ideas.
• I do get tired, so the drawings will get simpler (and possibly a bit wibbly) towards the end of the day.
  

For the past few years, I've tended to do very finished sketches at conventions (some of them almost to the level of finished artwork), and I'm finding this is starting to take a toll on my hands (when I sketch at conventions, I tend to work without a break for long periods in a way that I never do when actually drawing comics). To help manage demand a bit, I'm going to divide sketches into two bands:

• Basic Sketches - quick drawings, no solid blacks, you gets 'em for free
• Finished Drawings - fully-rendered, finished artwork-stylee, but I'll charge for 'em
  

I'll do Basic Sketches all day, but if I know I'm tired and not up to it, I may decide not to take on Finished Drawings at the end of the day.

Books for Sale

Ian has managed to secure copies of the new edition of Scarlet Traces for Bristol, but frustratingly, the hardback of The Great Game comes out just too late for us to get stock. We will be doing a special deal which includes War Of The Worlds, Scarlet Traces and a set of issues of The Great Game comic, plus bookplates for all three, so you'll at least be able to read the entire trilogy and have a complete set of bookplates.

We'll also be stocking all our old favourites including Kingdom Of The Wicked, Leviathan and the original edition of Scarlet Traces. I should also be doing an XTNCT signing with Paul Cornell at some point in the weekend.

Draw The World Together

Sketches of Sandman & Judge Dredd for the Draw The World Together charity event.

Draw The World Together are doing a charity sketching event over the weekend, which I'm down for, and I've already done a couple of sketches in advance for them (see above). I'll be signing at their table at some point during the weekend.

So, if you're coming along to Bristol, don't forget to come over and say hello!