Hello Friends and Enemies,
Welcome back to the only newsletter sponsored by the happiness people felt when Margaret Thatcher died, the Midnite Gazette. It’s been just over a month since the last issue so here is my contractually obliged monthly entry so I don’t get shot out of a cannon.
Today’s issue has some interesting updates regarding writing and my actual real life in the real world with real people.
Updates:
Let’s get the major update out of the way that some people probably saw on social media and others maybe didn’t. Last weekend I attended Thought Bubble in Harrogate and was joined by my amazing girlfriend Pam who is now fortunately no longer my girlfriend…
…because she is my fiancé now! A word I don’t like but I do like the meaning.
This made a memorable weekend even more memorable! Lots of excitement and happiness. And lots of Prosecco, turns out people love to buy you that when you get engaged. I’ll speak a little more about Thought Bubble further down and after some writing updates.
Last time we spoke I had finished the last issue of Osaka S.P.D. and it needed to be edited. I haven’t edited it yet… I was taking a break away from the script to come back at it with fresh eyes and to work on some other stuff. That other stuff was another story for my short story collection Emerald Fearscape. I’ve finished up a story called Keys to the Farm and that has me a three stories down and at least seven to go. I’ll be pushing on with that once I finish editing the script for Osaka S.P.D.
I’ll also be focusing on my next comic book project. I know what it is and I know the creators I want to bring on to the project. I just need to jump into the planning stage and get a pitch package together. This project could be a long-running one if successful, as I have an idea for at least three maybe four volumes. It will also be based in Ireland which I’ve wanted to do for awhile. I won’t say much but the working title (not the actual title which I’ve already picked out) will give you some idea of what I want the project to be; Irish Drive.
Thought Bubble:
I was going to do a day-by-day diary of Thought Bubble but I should have done it like my trip to Bologna and actually written it every day. That makes it easier. I’m not too excited about doing it now a week later so I’ll just give a quick overview.
We got in on the Friday, we took one of those small regional planes and I didn’t really fit on it and it wasn’t nice but the bus to Harrogate from the airport was grand but we did get hit with the issue of having an early flight and then not being able to check in until like 3pm. So had to zombie-walk around Harrogate for a bit before finally getting in to nap. We then headed down to the convention centre in the evening to setup for the convention. Very exciting and very fun, we setup on the Saturday morning in 2021 and that was a bad idea.
Then Saturday came along and it was convention day woo. I was in the Bubble Boy Hall with a slew of talented creators. The people on my row of tables were really lovely and were good craic to chat to throughout the weekend. We didn’t really sell much bar a few bookmarks and an A4 print but the free booklets that showed some pages of Osaka Mime and Osaka S.P.D. were a big hit once people were notified they were free. It said it on the table in four different places but it wasn’t until people approached the table and you said “They’re free to take” that people would respond with raised eyebrows “Oh, they’re free?” and would then take some.
There was a mid-con party that evening in a hotel that looked like it was the home for somebody in the 18th century who was richer than God. It was a pretty cool spot and I got to grab a drink with Osaka Mime and S.P.D. letterer Rob Jones. I’ve known Rob for a good few years now but this was the first time meeting him in person and he’s even lovelier in person. I met a few other creators and it was a nice experience.
I went to a pub after with some Irish creators - Dave, Ben and Robert - which was also really nice. That’s the word of the weekend. Nice but in a Borat voice. I’m not very social in comic circles, I usually keep to myself and I rarely do conventions so I enjoyed actually getting out and meeting people and I have to start doing more conventions. Especially in Ireland. If you know of any good ones then please let me know.
And then it was Sunday, despite not drinking much and not feeling drunk I still woke up with a hangover. I’m not even thirty but yet I’m getting really old. For Sunday we had to change tactics, we’d gotten some notice on Saturday but needed to do better. I didn’t have a banner so I decided to concoct a special one with my iPad which we displayed on the table with a message for everyone.
The message and plea for help seemed to have worked as a lot more people came up to the table and we sold some more bookmarks and one or two prints. We also gave away a lot more booklets, I don’t really have a lot left now. Funnily enough, most of the attention to the table seemed to come when I wasn’t there and Pam was looking after the table. God damn comic book nerds would rather speak with a beautiful lady than to a strange gobshite - who’d have thought it?!?
Sunday was a lot of fun, I enjoy Saturday but it’s usually a lot more hectic while Sunday is a bit more chill and you can chat with more people. The convention ended around 5 or half 5 I think and that was another Thought Bubble in the bag. I was happy with how it went and it definitely made me want to get to more conventions. The booklets were a hit and the bookmarks did well, the stickers might as well have been toilet paper nobody wanted it. I was surprised that the prints didn’t do too well but I guess it is art from a small comic that not many people read and the other was from a comic book
that didn’t even come out yet. Ah well!
We took the table down and packed our things then headed off for some dinner and then nothing else happened the entire trip… oh wait that’s not true. I got engaged that night hahaha I’m engaged and you are not losers!
A successful and memorable convention for sure! I’ll hopefully be back next year. 2024 should be a big year for conventions. I’d love to do one in mainland Europe and of course a few in Ireland. Again, let me know if you have any convention suggestions in Ireland.
Alright, stay safe stay hydrated and keep it sexy,
Andy