Alternative Press Fair report!

The Alternative Press Fair took place on Sunday 28th November at the St. Aloysius Social Club, Phoenix Road, London.

@shug_comics All set up at The Alt Press Fair! Here we go again! St. Aloysius Social Club, London.

Being at Thought Bubble was like being part of a Hollywood blockbuster. Being at The Alt Press Fair was like being in a cool indie film.

The venue is gloriously tacky, with tinsel decorations hanging from the ceiling apparently all year round!

Table space was modest, but me and table neighbour James Parsons spread out in the absence of Grave Graham, who was there in his knitted Spider-Man jumper, but decided not to join us. Well, more room for us.

Here's Jimi Gherkin, who paused only to have a quick snap before rushing off again!


There were a few familiar faces from the comics scene (Phillip Spence, Howard Hardiman, Phillippa Rice, Lizz Lunney, Lando, Richard Cowdry, Dickon Harris, Saban Kazim...) but this event casts its net wider than just comics. There was tie dying, crafts, zines, T-shirts and more.

Here's me ol' mate, joedecie, also in attendance with his comics:


Here's Gareth Brookes, active member of the Alternative Press but there selling his and Steve Tillotson's stuff:


@shug_comics Just looked up and noticed it was busy here at the Alt Press Fair!


@shug_comics @joedecie just said something about hipsters that I can't repeat...

James Parsons was energetic and confident, which unfortunately made me shrivvel up a little bit at my end of the table. So I wasn't massively chatty. And what quickly became apparent was that my comics probably weren't quite right for this event. My friend Jono (who turned up to keep me company for the last hour) commented that my table looked very well presented. But that's probably why it wasn't given much more than a cursory glance by most punters! My stuff doesn't have that handmade appeal. Their eyes would scan past my stupid funnies and would light up at the sight of a white, A5 zine! So my glossy collected edition of Find Comet, Hit Comet, Watch Comet, Sleep didn't do the business, as it had at Thought Bubble. In fact, I sold two... To people I know!


It was good to meet Mike Leader, who I've been listening to on the We Are Words + Pictures radio show.
@shug_comics Good to meet @nevskyp at the Alt Press Fair!

Timothy Winchester not only bought my comet book, but gave me a copy of People I Know for nowt! Cheers, Tim!
And since I only sold two copies, I should also give a shout out to Michael Georgiou for shelling out seven quid for it!

My trusty bottle of Surge was on hand again.

@joedecie just had a hit of my SURGE deodorant. Our friend Al Maceachern's here, too!

We've missed Al on the circuit this year so it was good to catch up with him. I've modified/improved this photo of him. His website is here!

These things usually fly by but the six hours went by a little slowly, with plenty of down time for cig breaks.
@shug_comics Come down to The Alt Press Fair. We're only half way through!

The day's highlight was meeting a chihuahua called Dr. Dre:

@shug_comics There's a chihuahua here called Dr. Dre! YES!

Maybe Thought Bubble spoiled me. You try not to compare events in terms of money... But you always do! All in all, a last minute flurry saw me take quite a nice little pot back home to West Yorkshire, but there was a lasting feeling that I didn't really belong.

If this was a relationship, I'd say, 'it's not you... It's me!' And I'd mean it, too. The event was well organised by Jimi Gherkin and Peter Lally and the place seemed busy to me, even if they say it was much quieter this time around. But I think I'd like to visit as a punter, next time. Peter seemed concerned that I'd travelled all that way but truth is, me and Mrs. Shug were going to see a West End show anyway, so the fair was a happy bonus and I liked it a lot!

Sticking around for drinks with Peter, Jimi, Jimi's friend, Amy, Gareth, Lando, Joe, Al (and his friend, Briony) and my friend, Jono was great. Me and Mrs. Shug were even groomed for a threesome by a Scottish lady...