Boy Abducted By Aliens Returns - Reviews

It's difficult getting reviews these days and to be honest, I'm rubbish at sorting them out.
I have Gustavo to thank then for sending out PDFs of the comic and getting the book reviewed by the following:-

The first from Pipedreams :- www.pipedreamcomics.co.uk

then Devils and Warriors :- www.daredevilsandwarriors.com

then Mass Movement Magazine :- www.massmovement.co.uk

and finally in the latest issue of Comic Scene :-

All in all they are pretty good.
Some seem a little put out by the misleading title and some wonder at the science (I linked the power to his Y chromosome connecting to another Y chromosomes, so it wouldn't effect women), but I like that.
I like that people have a think about it and question what they've read.
Yep. Happy with these.
Thanks to the reviewers for taking the time to read our comic, and to Gustavo for sending them review pdfs in the first place.
Oh, and if you're a reviewer and would like to review the comic then please email me or contact me through Twitter.

London MCM

The last Con of a very busy May was the London MCM.

Last May's event hadn't been great. We'd had one table, which was stuck in the middle of a row of mostly artists selling prints and we were effectively invisible when approaching from one side due to the wall of prints that the table next to us had put up dividing the tables.

Still, I'm not one to complain and we took this in our stride.

Some Cons are better than others.

This time around we had two tables again and Jemma and I were joined by Colin and Scott.

We were hoping that this May's MCM would be better than the last.

In short, it was.
It certainly got off to a fun start when, on arriving, I found this on my table..

Gary Erskine is a constant at the MCMs and always fun.
Friday was it's usual very slow affair, and really isn't worth a day off work.

Saturday made up for it though and Sunday was almost as solid, so overall we did pretty well.

MCM is under new management and there have been a number of improvements over recent Cons. 

This time around the Stewards were much better organised and attentive.

I liked the way the professional comic creators were placed around the Comic Village so the punters looking for them had to wander a little, and maybe notice something of interest that hasn't had any involvement from Stan Lee.

Yep.

MCM is still a huge corporate monster of a Con.

It still attracts more people looking to spend £70 on 2 seconds and a signed photo from some extra in some Star Wars movie or other.

It still has loads of Cosplayers who just aren't interested in the source of the character that they are dressed as.

But, because it's so big there are still plenty of plenty coming around the Comic Village to see what's on offer.

I think it's trying to raise the profile of Comics and it's not doing a bad job.

The rest is down to us to produce quality comics, engage with browsers and look to build a reader base.

Can't really ask for much more than that.

TCAF!!!

Yep.
Accent UK went to Toronto's TCAF event.
Toronto.
Canada.
These trips are more about meeting completely new creators and making new connections than we were expecting to sell the number of comics needed to turn a profit, but we try to do at least one Convention abroad every year.
It's also about seeing what the independent comic scene is like in other countries.
And how do our books stand up in comparison.

In Canada it's also about the Maple Syrup.
We arrived a day or so before the convention with the intention of just wandering, which is what we tend to do. Checking out the comic shops, in this case the rather impressive Beguiling Comics (who are involved with the Convention itself) and books stores and just, well, wandering.

I like Toronto.
I like the feel of the city.

On Friday we attended a few of the lectures, by other independent creators and registered.
It all took place as billed and was pretty professionally managed.
It all bode well for the Convention itself.

Saturday saw us walking the streets of Toronto again but this time pulling our suitcases, loaded with comics. We took advantage of the underground and it was all pretty straight forward.
The Convention itself was in the Library, on a number of floors, and the range of quality books was very impressive.

And there we were on our own little table in the corner.
Saturday was a slow start, and we did OK sales-wise. We had a lot of fun chatting with the Canadians and surrounding creators and also had the chance to wander around the Con a little ourselves.
Wow.
What a fabulous Convention.
Saturday night we decided to just chill and found, typically, a British themed restaurant where we had a good laugh with the waitress about some of the things that they hadn't got quite right.
Sunday was a better day, we sold out of a number of things and got low on the rest.
Had it been a Con in the UK we would have classed it as a good one for sales.
But it was in Canada.
So we classed it an excellent one.
We met a load of great people, met a lot of new people who now have a copy of at least one of our comics in their homes and had some fun with the creators on adjoining tables, and across the aisle.
Monday's flight back was in the late afternoon so we decided to go and say goodbye to The Thing..

Oh, and try to pay a visit to the Museum of Illusion...

although for some reason we never did manage to find the entrance...

Portsmouth Comic Con

I've a lot of catching up to do, things have been very busy, the day job, life and comics all competing for attention.
May was very very busy for Accent UK, with 3 Cons, which unbalanced my usual balance.
It all started with the second Portsmouth Comic Con.
A Con where I fly solo.
Driving there and back to my flat each day to drive (sorry) down costs.
Last year's event was had all the right signs of this Con growing into something quite special.

And signs were good in that's when I arrived, with about an hour until doors opened, there was already a queue building.

I was happier with my position this year, being in a smaller hall with more independent comic people, rather than the main hall where there were more comic shop and Lego dealers.
There was an extra 'hall' this year, outside in a marquee, which I feared might have a negative effect on sales, but chances were that the Con would attract more visitors, following the good feedback on last year's event, so I kept positive.
Saturday was fairly good. My table was next to Soaring Penguin and it was nice to chat to Tim Pilcher for the first time. Between chats we had plenty of browsers and customers, for me a number of returning customers who picked up issues 5 to 8 of WesterNoir, having bought the TPB last year.
Despite decent sales, the highlight for me was catching up with sculptor Alan Longmore. At least ear's event we had discussed him taking on making a model of Kingdom. I'd not been in touch over the last few months as I don't like to pressure people so imagine my surprise at seeing...

He'd done the job, and brilliantly.
I love his version of Kingdom. A little leaner than Indio! draws him, so its very much Alan's artistic version but having all the ingredients. I love that.

We're looking to get this 3D printed if possible, so if anyone knows a 3D scanner company who aren't too expensive then please let me know.
Saturday night, despite the drive home, was spent chatting comics over a burger and beer, ginger beer as I was driving. I met Chris Sides for the first time that night and spent a nice evening with him, Steve Tanner and Dave Morris.
Sunday was actually pretty much a repeat of Saturday.
Sure the quiet periods were longer but overall sales were pretty much the same and the chat with browsers just as much fun.
Will I go back next year?
I've already sent in my request : o )