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¦ News ¦ Dreddcon 2004
Update 3
Pitchfest and more...
Richmond
Clements rounds
up our Dreddcon coverage with a report from the floor, as well as the legendary
Pitchfest...
Like any good convention, the first ten minutes or so are spent
staring shiftily at people from the side, wondering if they might be someone from
the forum...
Then you’ll see someone you know, and by god, you feel
better! You can talk to someone; you don’t look like a dangerous loner anymore!
My first stop was a quick look around the dealers room. Some
interesting stuff there. BlackFlame were represented, as well as Mongoose, the
company who are doing the RPGs. I promised myself I’d get back in later
for a proper look, but of course, by the time I did get back, they’d all
packed up... oh well, next year.
Back in the main
room there was what can only be described as a world class selection of artists,
all selling work, and all prepared to draw a sketch. I came in and saw none other
than Colin MacNeil sitting, with nobody annoying him, but I quickly put a stop
to that by asking for a sketch. And a bloody good one it was too. Not only good,
but done in remarkable time.
Colin was selling a load of stuff that I was amazed to see he still had, including
a lot of pages from his run on Shimura, at knockdown prices, some as little as
£30/£35. A bargain for anyone who was lucky enough to get one (your
correspondent included!).
So, with the ice well and truly broken, I began my circuit
of the artists, gaining sketches and information on the way. Here’s some
of what I was told...
Steve Yeowell and Ian Edginton are going to be doing another,
not one but two, series of The Red Seas, as well as a mini adventure set during
the last series. Steve says that they will be structured like the last one, with
a ten page episode top and tailing the series. Mr. Edginton also informed us that
the series may be linked.
And, as if this was not enough, Edginton is working with the
incomparable D’Israeli on a follow-up to their successful Scarlet Traces,
which they were also selling in a lovely hardback version. When autographed, this
gave an insight into the strange mind of D’Israeli, with his (let’s
be honest) strange, dedications! They also had the first few pages of art from
the second series on display, and by Grud, it was impressive.
Special word must go out to the two above mentioned artists,
who truly sketched to a level above and beyond the call of duty.
Charlie Adlard sketched and chatted away warmly, while awaiting
the next book of Savage, which he is hoping to see sooner rather than later. Sooner,
because his busy schedule would knock it well back if he doesn’t start it
soon.
Meanwhile, sat in the corner by the window was a true comics
legend. Mr. Ian Gibson himself. Now, everyone seems to have come away with their
own Halo Jones titbit, so here is mine. Moore and he had the final book all planned
out, but not the books up to then, so that they knew where they were going. Never
got there though, did they..? Ian is currently working on a forthcoming ten page
RoboHunter tale. Ian Gibson was great, a refreshingly honest artist. Not afraid
to speak his mind, but then, he’s earned that right, hasn’t he?
Sitting and looking down upon this, his creation, was John
Wagner. Now, I don’t mind admitting that I was a bit starstruck at this
point. I’d already walked by him in the bar, but hadn’t built up the
nerve to speak; it’s John Wagner for flipsake! But, following the example
set by the master of the sketch queue, Dan Evans, I chatted to the Great Man himself.
And a more approachable, warm, funny and friendly man you could never hope to
meet. He was genuinely interested in Dave Evans’ ‘Whistler’
comic, telling me that he did indeed read the fanzines, which makes an interesting
juxtaposition with other Founding Fathers. As for the future, he doesn’t
know what’s happening after Total War, but he intends to start working on
his History of the Judges!
There where many
other artists and writers there too, Boo Cook, Teague and Goddard, PJ Holden,
Steve Roberts, Simon Davis, Si Spurrier, Andy Diggle, Al Ewing, Jock, Frazer Irving...
probably more I’ve forgotten. I’d suggest that, with a line up like
that, the con could pull in a lot more than just the 2000ad fans, if they marketed
it right.
But on to the main event of the day: Tharg’s Pitchfest.
I haven’t been to the previous ones, but am told that
the turnout for this one was down on before, with half a dozen or so brave contestants.
They included a few boarders, including our own reviewer and interviewer James
MacKay, who’s valiant attempt was overshadowed by an eye-catching tale of
Judges and semen, a tale in which a relentless series of painful puns and ickiness,
disguised what was in fact, a solid and original sci-fi tale.
This is not, in anyway, belittling the rest of the entries.
Pitching here is hard work, make no mistake. Getting just two minutes to sell
not only your story, but yourself, to a panel made up from the great and the good
from Rebellion and 2000AD must be nerve shredding enough, but then to have them
each in turn, tell you what’s wrong with the tale; I would think that a
thick skin was the greatest asset you could possess at this point!
The comments from the panel ranged from Steve Roberts always
agreeing with whatever had been said just before him, to Colin McNeil’s
astute observation that ‘The best script is the one you’ve been paid
for’. Top honours though must be given to Si Spurrier, who was consistently
insightful, polite and pretty much bang on the money with each of his criticisms.
In the end though, there was never going to be any doubt about
the winner. Even with a stealth entry from Arthur Wyatt, an entertaining tale
involving flesh eating aliens, Paul Glasswell and his magnificent ‘Father
Figure’ was clearly the best thing on offer. Something tells me though,
that this is one Dredd tale we won’t see in the pages of 2000AD. Unless,
that is, they decide to do another ‘Sex’ issue.
And that was basically that. My first Dreddcon over. Was it
worth it? You betcha it was.
Yes, there were problems. An order of events list that could have been entered
in the Pitchfest itself for one thing. And guys, would it kill you to have badges
for the guests? It would save us pointing and whispering among ourselves, wondering
who that guy drawing in the corner is. And in the name of sweet Jovus Grud, hire
a PA system next time, eh?
Hopefully, I’ll see you all there next year.
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