United Kingdom Comic Art Convention

United Kingdom Comic Art Convention
Status Defunct
Genre Comic books
Location(s) London (1985–1997)
Manchester (1998)
Country United Kingdom
Inaugurated 1985
Most recent 1998
Attendance 5000 (1990)[1]
Organized by Rusty Staples

The United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) was a British comic book convention which was held between 1985 and 1998.

Most editions of the UKCAC took place in September, over two days, usually on a Saturday and Sunday. The convention featured floorspace for exhibitors, including comic book dealers and collectibles merchants. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, one of the highlights of Comicon was the Saturday all-night film show, as well as regular events like quizzes and a fancy dress contest. The show included an autograph area, as well as a so-called "Artists' Alley" where comics artists signed autographs and sold or did free sketches.

History

UKCAC was a successor to the British Comic Art Convention (commonly known as "Comicon,") which ran, mostly in London, from 1968–1981. UKCAC was organised by Frank Plowright and Hassan Yussuf via their company Rusty Staples starting in 1984. Many others contributed either for a few years or on the convention days themselves (most prominent was Richard Barker, between 1986 and 1990). The initial show attracted about 500 attendees.[1] The 1989 convention was co-sponsored by Marvel Comics, Neptune Comic Distributors, and 2000 AD.

Attendance at the 1990 show was around 5,000 people.[1] The growing popularity of the UKCAC lead Rusty Staples to organize the Glasgow-based Glasgow Comic Art Convention, or the GlasCAC;[1] which was held annually (generally in the spring) from 1990 to 1995.

The UKCAC was held in London until 1997, and in Manchester in its final iteration in 1998.

Legacy

UKCAC was succeeded by Comic Festival, run in Bristol from 1999-2004; and then by Comic Expo, also in Bristol, which began in 2005.

Locations and dates

DatesLocationOfficial guestsProgram booklet contributorsNotes
September 21–22, 1985University of London Union, LondonSteve Bissette, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Sim, Marv Wolfman, Brian Bolland, John Bolton, Eddie Campbell, Alan Davis, Hunt Emerson, Brett Ewins, Dave Gibbons, Ian Gibson, Denis Gifford, Alan Grant, Garry Leach, David Lloyd, Mike McMahon, Alan Moore, Steve Moore, Paul Neary, Kevin O'Neill, Ron Smith, Dez Skinn, Bryan Talbot, and John WagnerCover by Alan Davis and Paul Neary; interior art by Bryan Talbot, Ian Gibson, John Ridgway, Dave Gibbons, Kevin O'Neill, Hunt Emerson, Eddie Campbell, Gary Leach, Alan Davis, Paul Neary, John Wagner, Alan Grant, Robin Smith, Tom Frame, John Bolton, Dicky Howett, Bob Wakelin, John Higgins, Leigh Baulch, Brian Bolland, Phil Elliott, and Glenn FabryAdmission price for both days: £7.50
September 20-21, 1986University of London UnionBill Marks, Seth, Dean Motter, David Lloyd, Frank Miller, Lynn Varley, Steve Leialoha, Lew Stringer, Glen Fabry, Gil Kane, John Bolton, Karen Berger, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jenette Kahn, Dave Gibbons, Kevin O'Neill, Brett Ewins, Carl Potts, Alan Grant, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bryan Talbot, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Chris ClaremontCover by Alan Davis & Dave Gibbons; interior art by Bryan Talbot, Jack Kirby, Greg Theakston, Alan Davis, Paul Neary, Ron Smith, Angus McKie, Ian Gibson, Phil Elliott, Kevin O’Neill, Leigh Baulch, Lew Stringer, Mike Collins, Mark Farmer, Dicky Howett, John Bolton, Barry Windsor-Smith, Kev Hopgood, John Higgins, Brian Bolland, Brendan McCarthy, John Ridgway, Hunt Emerson, Graham Higgins, Cam Kennedy, Eddie Campbell, David Pugh, and Mike Matthews
September 5–6, 1987Will Eisner, Gil Kane, John Byrne, John Totleben, Steve Bissette, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, Ron Smith, John Totleben, Steve Bissette, Alan Grant, Dave Gibbons, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Sim, Paul Duncan, Martin Crocknell, and Carlos EzquerraCover by Jim Baikie; interior work by John Wagner, Alan Grant, Brian Bolland, Bryan Talbot, Kevin O'Neill, Eddie Campbell, Chris Donald, Simon Thorp, and Graham DuryPresentation of the Eagle Awards
September 24-25, 1988Logan Hall, Institute of EducationCover by Jerry Ordway; interior art by Phil Elliott, Lew Stringer, Graham Higgins, Glenn Fabry, Kev Hopgood, John Ridgway, John Higgins, Mike Collins, Ian Gibson, Dicky Howett, John Bolton, Hunt Emerson, Bryan Talbot, Alan Davis, Mark Farmer, Gary Leach, Cam Kennedy, Kevin O'Neill, Brian Bolland, and Dave GibbonsAdmission price for both days: £10.
September 8–10, 1989LondonJim Baikie, Grant Morrison, Jamie Delano, Kev F. Sutherland, John Ridgway, Dickie Howitt, Cam Kennedy, Guy Lawley, Will Simpson, Tim Perkins, Warren Pleece, Gary Pleece, Trina Robbins, Steve Yeowell, Steve Leialoha, Mark Farmer, Karen Berger, John Byrne, Jenette Kahn, Jaime Hernandez, Howard Chaykin, Woodrow Phoenix, Lew Stringer, Richard Bruning, David Lloyd, Susan Catherine, Barry Kitson, Mike Grell, Mark Buckingham, Tom Veitch, Gerhard, Gilbert Hernandez, Garry Leach, Steve Yeowell, Dave Gibbons, Phil Elliott, Myra Hancock, Paul Gravett, Eddie Campbell, Georgiou Bambos, Ed Pinsent, Glenn Dakin, Don Lawrence, Liam Sharp, Bill Marks, Archie Goodwin, Al Davison, Kevin O'Neill, Howard Chaykin, Dennis O'Neil, and Bryan TalbotProgram cover featuring Batman; interior pages by Doug Braithwaite, Jamie Hewlett, Bryan Talbot, Simon Bisley, Mark Farmer, Kevin O'Neill, Philip Bond, David Lloyd, Mark Buckingham, Steve Whitaker, and David Hine
September 22–24, 1990LondonDave GibbonsPresentation of the Eagle Awards by Paul Gambaccini and Dave Gibbons
September 1991LondonMurphy Anderson and Dan JurgensCover by Simon Bisley, interior work by Paul Johnson, David Pugh, Philip Bond, Martin Hand, Mark Buckingham, Paul Grist, Craig Dixon, Mike Gibas, Arthur Ranson, Woodrow Phoenix, Mike Collins, Sean Phillips, Hunt Emerson, Lew Stringer, Phil Elliott, Leigh Baulch, Barry Kitson, Duncan Fegredo, Angus McKie, Murphy Anderson, Peter Doherty, Kevin O'Neill, Bob Lynch, Davey Jones, Darryl Cunningham, John Higgins, Simon Harrison, John McCrea, Rian Hughes, Kev F. Sutherland, Gary Erskine, Martin Griffith, Art Wetherell, Davy Francis, Ed McHenry, Shane Oakley, Alan Davis, Martin Nodell, and Lee Sullivan
March 14–15, 1992Candleriggs Town Hall, GlasgowParticipants in the "Deadline Mini-Tour": Nick Abadzis, Rachel Ball, Philip Bond, Glyn Dillon, D'Israeli, Evan Dorkin, Jamie Hewlett, Alan Martin, Shaky 2000, and Si Spencer3rd annual GlasCAC
September 19–20, 1992Institute of Education, LondonJohn Romita, Jr., Chris Claremont, David Mazzucchelli, Steve Bissette, Mike Mignola, Tom Veitch, Evan Dorkin, Paul Kupperberg, Dave Gibbons, Alan Grant, Peter Milligan, Mike Collins, John McCrea, Lew Stringer, John Beeston, Stephen Sampson, Jamie Hewlett, Doug Braithwaite, Arthur Ranson, Andrew Wildman, Paul Johnson, Richmond Lewis, Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, Mark Buckingham, and Kev Walker
April 24–25, 1993Glasgow City HallsColin MacNeil, Cam Kennedy, Dave Alexander, John Beeston, Jim Shooter4th edition of the GlasCAC; presentation of the U.K. Comic Art Awards; admission price for both days: £15[2]
September 18–19, 1993LondonGrant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Rian Hughes, Steve Yeowell, Jill Thompson, Matt Wagner, Alan Grant, and Carlos EzquerraFeatured a "2000 AD Creators Love-in"
September 1994London
September 1995LondonStan Lee and John Buscema
September 1996London
March 15-16, 1997Institute of Education, LondonJoe Kubert, Dan Clowes[3]Presentation of the inaugural National Comics Awards by Paul Gambaccini and Jonathan Ross
March 21–22, 1998ManchesterJoe Sacco, Alex Ross, Eddie Campbell, Colleen Doran, Woodrow Phoenix, William Messner-Loebs, Alan Grant, and Dave TaylorCover by Alex Ross; interior work by Ed Hillyer, Martin Hand, Woodrow Phoenix, Roger Langridge, Paul Johnson, Henry Flint, Adrian Salmon, Ashley Sanders, David Pugh, Craig Dixon, Dave Windett, Ian Peterson, Rik Rawling, Dom Morris, Lee Townsend, Phil Elliott, Will Kane, Staz Johnson, Lew Stringer, Jake Carney, Dave Taylor, Jon Haward, Colin MacNeil, Phil Gascoine, John Higgins, Colleen Doran, Charlie Adlard, Paul Marshall, Jim Hodgkins, James Murphy, Mark Buckingham, Dave King, Art Wetherell, Mike Perkins, Duncan Fegredo, Sean Phillips, Paul Staples, Glenn Dakin, Stephen Baskerville, and Bryan TalbotPresentation of the National Comics Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sabin, Roger. "From to Bust," in Adult Comics: an Introduction (Taylor & Francis, 1993).
  2. ↑ Black, Ian. "Zap! Kraaak! Pow! Comic culture has landed in Glasgow," The Times (18 Apr 1993).
  3. ↑ "Newswatch," The Comics Journal #193. (Feb. 1997). p. 27.
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