The Castlefield Artisan Market is a new market for the canal-side area of Manchester’s city centre.

“A monthly (every 1st Sunday of the month) fine food, antique, vintage and craft market. Bringing some of the regions highly acclaimed Artisan food producers with interesting antique and vintage stalls.”

The MCC was there last month and will return again to sell the best of Manchester’s self published comics and a selection of Travelling Man’s small press section.

If you’d like to sell your work on the MCC Comics Stall it is totally FREE! Simply get it to me. Either bring it down, ideally, before 10am on the day or drop it off at Travelling Man (4 Dale Street) before 5pm on Saturday 3rd. Please label your stock ‘FAO MCC’.

Come along for a fine selection of comics as well as award winning food such as chocolate, curries, cakes and pies, plenty of other hand crafted products like jewellery and clothes and there’ll be a Jazz band and Swing Dancing too!

Come on down and get some Christmas shopping done early. Our comics make perfect gifts, waaay better than socks.

Here are some photos from last month:

Here I am (shivering) in the MCC Gazebo! The Hot Vimtos got me through but this month I will actually have a winter coat and thermal underoos, so I won't look quite so curmudgeonly.

Richard Hughes manning the stall in a manly fashion. What a man!

The open area of the market basking in the autumn sun. Our stall was located under the arches.

The Castlefield Market is a new market for the canal-side area of Manchester’s city centre.

“A monthly (every 1st Sunday of the month) fine food, antique, vintage and craft market. Bringing some of the regions highly acclaimed Artisan food producers with interesting antique and vintage stalls.”

Last month was the Market’s first event and I’m glad to say the MCC will be there this month at the second. I will be there selling my own comics (Blood Blokes #1 out now!) and a selection of Travelling Man’s small press section.

If you’d like to sell your work there too just GET IT TO ME, either bring it down before 10am on the day or drop it off at Travelling Man (4 Dale Street) before 5pm on Saturday 5th. Please label your stock ‘FAO MCC’. There is NO CHARGE for the table, it is totally FREE.

Come along for a fine selection of comics as well as award winning food such as chocolate, curries, cakes and pies, plenty of other hand crafted products like jewellery and clothes and (if it’s the same as last month) there’ll be Swing Dancing from 12-2pm.

I hope to see you there!

“The Birmingham Zine Festival returns in July 2011 to celebrate alternative publications! It will feature a varied collection of exhibitors who self-publish books, comics and magazines. Over 30 individual zine-makers and distributors are coming from all over the country to display and sell their work. Members of the public are invited to browse the work on show and take part in our workshops.”

There’s a lot of events happening this year as part of the Zine Festival, so check out the site for all the info, but the highlight for comic fans will be the Zine Fair on the Saturday with badge-making and drawing workshops and refreshments as well!

Comic artists attending will be Marc Ellerby, John Allison, Lizz Lunney, Luke Pearson, Phillipa Rice, Dan Berry, Adam Cadwell, Kristyna Baczynski, Howard Hardiman, Joe List, Katie Green, Timothy Winchester, Sean Azzopardi, oh the list goes on.

If you’re thinking you would have loved to get a table but it’s too late now, there is a communal table on offer to drop off your work and maybe make some sales while spending your cash on other people’s comics.

After the fair will be a BBQ in the courtyard of The Jekyll and Hyde pub from 6pm – 9pm followed by an after-show party above the pub in the Gin Parlour, 8pm – 1.30am.

I can’t wait! See you all there!

Towards the end of last year I posted a summary of all the comic conventions listed in the Calendar section of this site (which you can add to your computer’s calendar btw). This year instead of creating individual posts for events months and months ahead of us, I thought I’d create the summary first and post more info nearer the time of each show. So here’s a list of all the comic conventions, shows, fairs and fests that I am aware of. If you know of any more, please leave a comment.

February 26th – Cardiff International Comic Expo (CICE)

As well as Charlie Adlard (Walking Dead), the fantastic Rob Davis (Don Quixote) and a host of Dr Who artists and writers, Manchester’s own Abigail Ryder (2000AD, TMNT) and Dave Bulmer (Demon Tomato) will there too. Also, premiering at the show will be a double preview issue of Stiffs and The Pride, both by Joe Glass (co-writer and writer, respectively) with art by rising talent Gavin Mitchell.

March 12th – London Small Press Expo

The London SP Expo is the successor to the long running but now defunct Web & Mini Comix Thing (aka The Thing) and will play host to a wealth of British self published talent, far to many to mention here. Special guests are David Hine and Shaky Kane (Bulletproof Coffin).

March 19th – Leeds Alternative Comic Fair

After the success of the first show last year, Steve Tillotson and Hugh Raine bring us another collection of fine artists and writers, selling there wares in the welcoming confines of The Nation of Shopkeeper’s bar.

April 9th-10th – Kapow!

Mark Millar’s newest attempt to make comics cool (though he called it Kapow!) was to envision a Comic Con for London promising big names, movie studio announcements, TV stars and the Stan Lee Awards. All in a hall for 3000 people. Table prices are £140 each, so don’t expect any self published artists or smaller publishers to be there.

May 14th-15th – Bristol Small Press Expo

May 27th-29th – London MCM Expo

The Comic Village section of this movies, games and anime show gets bigger and better each year; it’s a good sized comic show in it’s own right. 50,000-80,000 people are expected to pass through it’s doors over the three day show which will be affiliated with the Green Lantern movie, so expect plenty of film and TV related panels and events. And for exhibitors, tables are just £40!

May 28th-29th – International Alternative Press Fair

As part of a festival of comics running from the 27th May to the 13th June,featuring exhibitions at Orbital Comics and much more.

July 9th – Birmingham Zine Festival

Lizz Lunney & Co. are at it again. A weekend of independent books, comics and magazines.

July 31st – Manchester MCM Expo

This Summer for the first time, the MCM Expo comes to Manchester for a one day show. There will be a dedicated Comic Village portion of the show and the MCC may be involved in organising it. Much more news over the coming months.

October – British International Comics Show

Dates to be confirmed.

October – London MCM Expo

Autumn show. dates to be announced.

November 19th-20th – Thought Bubble

Tim Sale has already been announced as one of this year’s big guests, and the wonderful original art by Becky Cloonan has been revealed. Follow the Official Thought Bubble Blog for more information about what is widely regarded as the best comic show in the UK.

This weekend is the excellent Thought Bubble Sequential Arts Festival in Leeds, as you should well know by now. The Saturday is the big convention day with over 100 small press artists attending plus big names like John Romita Jr and all the wisest publishers. On the Sunday this year the organisers have arranged a number of events so there’s not as many clashing events going on on the Saturday.

One such event is a large scale Drop In ‘n’ Draw event organised by my good self and Matt Sheret of London’s We Are Words + Pictures who do great events promoting comic literature up and down the country. The event will take place as part of the Comic Book Bizarre Fair, a more casual style comics fair, with small press tables and workshops held at the Leeds Art Gallery.

You can expect the same friendly, informal atmosphere as any MCC Drink ‘n’ Draw but with lots of comics fans from the festival and hopefully plenty of exhibitors from the show who are sticking around on the Sunday too. There’ll be Blank Comix, paper and some drawing materials provided, it’s FREE and you’ll be surrounded by all sorts of other comics goings on. All ages and levels of comics making ability are welcome.

Venue:
Leeds Art Gallery
The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AA
01751 477370
(map)

Following on from last week’s post about the Piccadilly Self Publishing Fair and the now passed deadline, the MCC has booked a table at the Fair so if any readers would like to join us on the stall or just sell their self published comics/zines/fancy books made of glass then simply email news@manchestercomixcollective with your name, a contact number, and a link to your website with details of what you’ll be selling.

The table costs £15 which we will split between however many people want to join in. So far it is myself, Adam Cadwell, and the mighty Joe List. If you could let us know sooner rather than later then I can pass on how many of us there are to the organisers who can then put everyone’s name and details in the catalogue if it isn’t too late.

I’ve been sent some more info about the day.

“The fair will be open to the public at 11:00 am, stall holders should arrive between 9:30 and 10:30.”

“The table will be 6ft long and 30 inches wide.” I will bring a bright red tablecloth and an MCC banner so no worries about dressing the table. If you have any stands you’d like to display your books on that’s okay unless they are massive.

“The nearest toilets are at Piccadilly Rail and it will cost you 30 pence (outrageous!). We will have a refreshment table selling cakes and drinks, and there is a Starbucks right outside. The event finishes at 6 pm.”

So, who’s interested then?

Venue:
Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BN
(map)

The lovable Joe List has just informed me on a thing called Twitter about the Piccadilly Self Publishing Fair and Exhibition which will be running as part of the Free For Arts Festival. The Fair will take place at Piccadilly Place on Sunday 3rd October and you can follow them on their Twitter too for any future news.

The excellent comix and zine shop Good Grief! will have a table as will Lucy May Schofield (whose website is a neatly designed charity shop wonderland) so it looks like there’ll be a lot of nice books there and exhibitors will be in very good company.

However, if you are thinking of getting a table the deadline is TOMORROW! So get your skates on.
Email caitlinandsophielee@live.co.uk with a link to your site and examples of your work to apply.
Their site says there may be a small cost for the tables but no amount is mentioned.

Venue:
Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BN
(map)

Another eclectic day of self published material from Jimi Gerkhin & co.

“Alternative Press will be holding another day of Comix, Zines, Book Arts, Printmaking, Radical Literature and everything inbetween!”

“If you’d like table space to sell your wares, or if you have ideas for things to do on the day then we’d love to hear from you. Please email: peterlally@gmail.com”

Entry is free/donation and I couldn’t find any info about table costs so they could be free? I’ve been told tables are £20 each but it’s probably best to email Peter for table bookings and check.

St Aloysius Social Club
Corner of Eversholt Street and Phoenix Road
London
NW1 1TA
(map)

Tube: Euston 12pm to 6pm

There’s a lot of comic shows coming up in the next couple of months though you may have missed them all as I’ve been blogging about them when I’ve heard about them so, I thought a summary was in order. Of course, you can always check the Calendar section of the site or the ever present Calendar in the sidebar. Both of which you can subscribe to to update your computer’s calendar automatically.

Sept 11th – Birmingham Zine Fair

MCC event page
Official website

Sept 18th – Leeds Alternative Comics Fair

MCC event page
Official website

October 16th-17th – British International Comics Show

MCC event page
Official website

October 30th-31st – London MCM Expo

MCC event page
Official website

November 20th – Thought Bubble: Leeds Sequential Arts Festival

MCC event page
Official website

November 28th – Alternative Press Fair

MCC event page
Official website

And that’s the rest of the comic shows for this year in the UK. If there’s any I’ve missed please let me know.

EDIT: I’ve kindly been informed about the Alt Press Fair which I have duly added. If there are any others, get in touch.

It’s only a couple of weeks away now so I thought I’d better put it up on the site, the first annual Leeds Alternative Comics Fair will be held at the spacious Nation of Shopkeepers bar behind the Leeds Art Gallery(map).

It’s free to attend and free to exhibit. For more info on getting a table (and I’d be quick about it as tables are limited) head over to the blog or email Steve Tilotson (Banal Pig) or Hugh Raine (Shug) at the addresses on the above poster. They are also tweetering away and have a Facebook event page too.