A day of receiving.

Sometimes you send work out to various publications, then forget about it. Then, one day, it all arrives back in your hands, and shouts, SURPRISE!.

Saturday was such a day. It was the day of LUC@176. I was messing around getting ready to leave, and as i opened the door, there was the postie and a package. This was my comp copy of Side B, the music anthology. Mighty impressive it is too, and i’m really pleased with how my strip reproduced. Cool.
At 176, i said hi to Kieron, who then gave me my copy of Phonogram v the fans, my contribution  was an illustration. Another publication that I’m really excited to have my work in.
Finally, Daniel Merlin Goodbrey, had issue four of Necessary Monsters, and it looked ace.
So, days like these make me feel as though i’m doing something right.

103. Too Late

LUC@176

(Click above for photos)
Well, that was a fucking success I shouted Into Oli’s ear, as we enjoyed the after show pub session at the enterprise.
For an outsider this could be seen as yet another bold, ego laden and over hyped statement coming out of the rather large mouth of LUC. But this is deserved. Just ask the people who took part either exhibiting or visiting .

The event was a long time in the planning and organizing stage. Six months, after being invited by Matt Stokes to join his three month long festival of events, Club Ponderosa. A long gestation time, sure. But the venue itself is what kept the enthusiasm fresh and tangy. A former Methodist church, with loads of large spaces, and small secret little spaces. LUC were given the use of the spacious back room. This was The main area for Club Ponderosa. The idea being that it would develop organically over the duration, the decor, audio visual equipment and whatever was left behind from theatre groups gigs performances , etc.
So what has this got to do with comics?
Well, the main man behind LUC, Oli Smith has always stressed the desire to bring comics to a non comic reading audience, educating and expanding a new audience. This is also aligned to making the selling and exhibiting of comics for self publishers, making it a low cost and if possible free participation. This last aim was achieved through a combination festival policy and sponsorship from Gosh, that fine comic shop in central London.
So for one day 45 exhibitors have a free space in a pretty amazing setting, with free refreshments. There was no charge to the public, but there never has been at LUC events.
Because there was the aforementioned Audio Visual equipment, there were live DJ’s for the events duration, and animations using the huge screen. One of the achievements that excited me was the amount of people that stayed, sat around chilling, reading comics. It made for a wonderful relaxed atmosphere.  So many conventions I have been to as a punter exhibitor, have no space for people go relax. The only options are buy the comics the leave the venue. I did find myself smiling as a personal goal had been realized, comics music and animation, in a room with people relaxed and enjoying themselves.
One of the lessons learnt from this venture is to take the comic convention into new venues, that cater for different audiences. There are so many art centers galleries in London alone, never mind the potential nationwide.
I would hesitate to review the comics exhibited and sold because I will leave people out. But hey, it’s nothing personal I spent the whole day enabling rather than selling so , I only got to look at a selection.
I brought Paul Rainey’s There Is No Time Like The Present, now on issue 9, and I believe issue ten is complete too!
Bloc, two years in the making by Oli Smith and Oliver Lambden made its debut and got a fantastic reception, well deserved too. Douglas Noble had four new comics, Complex, Live static one to three. The Phonogram team were both in attendance, so I got my hands on issue 2.3 ( it’s excellent) and Kieron had my contributed copy of Phonogram versus the fans (Curated by Matt Sheret), with a brilliant cover by Jamie Mckelvie.
Also Jake Harold selling Justine Thyme, And Marc Ellerby, with his ever expanding range of finely crafted wares.
One final mention for Daniel Merlin Goodbrey, who was selling part four of the excellent Necessary Monsters.
Alongside Douglas was the tag team of terror David Baillie, selling a new collection of his writing and Dan Lester, who was representing Schmurgen Jonerhaffs. Nick Tesco closed the day on the decks with a storming combo of punk and hip hop.
The there DJ’s who deserve a big thank you are larry Sun who also write Tales From The Flat, and Dave Lander who was also selling comics and contributed to the animation showreel.
So sadly the event had to be packed away and as we cleaned up everyone left had little dance excited by the days events, and the prospect of sinking a few beers in the Enterprise.
Every individual has there reasons for participating in the crazy world of comics. But for me, working with people collaborating enabling a collective experience, has been very rewarding.
Rewarding, and fun times.

Finally a big thank you to Matt an Maitreyi, for all the work you put in which enabled this to take place, and all the staff at 176 who were brilliant.
Big shout to Gosh, naturally, and Forbidden Planet, Joe and Richard.
Also, Geek Syndicate, Barry And David
Thank you to all the people that turned up on the day, exhibitors and buyers.
Thanks for making a really special day.

102. The Long Dark

The transparent Longbox

I hope it happens it’s a great idea.

This has generated a lot of comment already, so if you have no idea what longbox is, then there are better informed written pieces  here, here, here.

It throws up all sorts of issues, of pricing distribution and cost. All of this is good, and long overdue. The effect on Diamond will be interesting and the knock on for local comic shops. Not in the selling of monthly issues. but back issues. If back issues become archived and available this will impact on this income stream to an extent, so local comic shops will be squeezed at both ends.

Not being sufficiently well informed of major publishers or distributors policy or financial plans I will step away now, and deal with a subject closer to home. I will also finish with a question.

Small press and the pricing of comics 

I have decided to be up front about my production cost/pricing, see where it leads.
When I attended this years Mini Comic Thing, as a punter, I was in the mood for buying. My budget was £40 and reasoning a few swaps as well should see me leaving with a good haul. 

Boy was In for a shock. As I am slow to catch up with most things, so I am with pricing.
My projected 20 or so comics was reduced to 10. Some of these were over priced and
anorexic in page count. Shame on you indie publisher. To justify  3.60 to 5.50 no matter how nice your card stock or printed sealed bag is, It’s still a photocopy – mass produced to be affordable.
Seven years ago, when I entered the bear-pit of self publishing my comics were priced £1.50 black and white £2.00 colour cover. I did try 2.50 but felt a bit queasy about such a massive hike, returning to the former pricing.  
My price for single issues is still £2. Over the years I have seen my profit per 
issue dwindle from a pound to say around 50 or 60 pence .  
So now you know, what i make on an issue .
Now the book 12 hour shift I priced at 6.95. For 148 pages, grey scaled colour cover.
I have sold 160 of these so far. Not bad for an unkown, with no advertising other than my website and the excellent friends/ reviewer/ word of mouth system.
At conventions, I charge £6, and throw in a sketch.
My unit cost per book is £4.

So there you go, the truth is out, if anyone is interested.

I never make a profit at conventions. Apart from London, which is home turf with no 
expenses other than table cost. Or in the case of Londonundergroundcomics not even that. 
(I am not complaining – it is my choice to attend conventions and i realize i am a poor salesman and poor at business.)
The point is that I figured my initial cartooning goal was not making a living but making a 
presence, that will in time, make a living. That by keeping my prices low, more people would take a punt on my product.
( My approach, i am not trying to transpose this outlook on anyone on else) 
Longbox may enable self publishers to keep prices low, and reach a wider audience, 
making product available, always in stock. Maybe generating a regular revenue stream. 
It’s very exciting.

Oh, my question, how do break your prices down, fellow publishers.

–Sean–

101. All Things Done

Thumbpaintings 2009

 

Thumbpaintings 2009, originally uploaded by sean azzopardi.

Lost days never to be re-lived

 

Lost days never to be re-lived, originally uploaded by sean azzopardi.

100. Just Super

Thumbpaintings 2009

 

Thumbpaintings 2009, originally uploaded by sean azzopardi.