Flaming_Telepath's London Super Comic Convention Report!!!

[Flaming_Telepath]

It's been some time coming, but finally the wait is over.

 

And it's got pics!!!

 

Friday

Friday started with an 8.30am alarm call. I'd worked through to 3.00pm the previous night, so it wasn't much appreciated. Still, a bucket of coffee, half a pack of cigs and I was ready for anything.

 

First stop was the office, where I loaded the stock that we'd decided to take. I'd done the math on the dimensions, but hadn't taken into account the wheel arches that lost us a few feet of floor space in the trunk. Not prepared to make decisions on what to leave behind, I instead got inventive and finally managed to find a place for everything.

 

Well, almost everything, as Mrs F_T had to sit sideways in the passenger seat, the display boards over her head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[comicdonna]

[blazingbob]

To us US drivers she is where the steering wheel is supposed to be

[Flaming_Telepath]

We finally hit the road at just after 11.00am, heading for the ExCel centre and set-up, and the sat nav told us we'd be there by noon.

 

It lied.

 

It didn't take into account the fact that we'd not gone half a mile when the engine warning light came on. Engine seemed to be running fine and the other gauges looked normal, so I didn't panic and waited until we found a petrol station en route. Oil and water were dispensed and we were soon on our way again.

 

As was the engine warning light.

 

Understanding that we simply had to get to the centre in time, I decided to plough on and sort it - whatever it might be - out later.

 

Traffic diversions put the icing on the cake for the journey, leaving us at the ExCel some 20 minutes late. Getting into the hall, we discovered that operations were already in full swing, John, George and Imran marshalling their work parties with cold-eyed, ruthless focus. Imagine Siberia without the snow...or the vodka.

 

Mrs F_T and I were initially assigned to erecting the partitions and then moved on to tables and chairs once we'd proved our mettle. In a move clearly designed to sap our will and test our endurance, we were then commanded to take down some of said partitions and tables...presumably just for and giggles.

 

By 3.00pm, things were starting to take shape and so it was off to the car to get it from the car park and through Traffic Marshalling into the loading bays. Anybody who hasn't done this at the ExCel...don't. Employ people to do it, teleport, parachute in...just don't inflict this torture on yourself.

 

However, it was whilst suffering this rigmarole that a helpful Marshall geezer identified the problem with my car. Chasing after me across the loading lanes in his forklift, he finally managed to get my attention and point out to me that me two rear wheels were toed-out about 15 degrees from the vertical.

 

Yup, we might have done the math on the space required, but not the weight load!

[Chespirito]

That car would be awesome for left-handers...

[DrWatson]

Was Paris_Fred there trying to sell his new book?

[Flaming_Telepath]

With far too much to concern myself with, I ignored the fact that the car might be dead and we might never escape the ExCel ever again and got on with organising the table.

 

 

 

 

 

Smiler Storms assisted immensely by rooting through the boxes I hadn't even organised, determined to beat Harley Yee to the punch. True to form, Harley ghosted in minutes later, only to discover Bob in pole position. Fortunately, the London air had obvious sedated the pair of them, so the usual knock-down, drag-out was avoided.

[Flaming_Telepath]

Was Paris_Fred there trying to sell his new book?

 

[comicdonna]

That car would be awesome for left-handers...

Unless you run out of water and oil.

[gaz973]

This thread is worthless without stories of sandwiches.

[Flaming_Telepath]

By 6.00pm, the good wife and I were flagging. Everything had been go, go, go and quite physically demanding. We had tickets for Rammstein, who were playing the O2 across the river that evening, but we simply couldn't face it.

 

Instead, we headed over to the Ibis to book in, only to discover it packed to the gills with extremely loud, luminously-dressed Spanish Zumba devotees. Reception looked like an explosion in a paint factory, with much gyrating to cheers of 'Ole!'

 

A quick shower and change and we departed for the calmer waters of the Crowne Plaza, where we met up with Gary (gaz2810i) and Chris (Bane).

 

I say calmer, but that's ignoring an obviously mess-faced Simon Bisley, holding court in the bar area at a decibel level Rammstein would have struggled to match.

 

We decided on a few beers and a bite to eat with the lads. There then followed a scenario straight from the Monty Python/Fawlty Towers playbook.

 

Ordering rare burgers, Mrs F_T and myself discovered ourselves having to sign legal documents - confirming that the decision was all our own work and that we understood the potential dangers - before they'd cook our order. Mad Cow disease became passe around the time we got shut of Thatcher, but at the Crowne Plaza, they're obviously still at Defcon 1. Helmets, the lot of them.

 

Food finally arrived and a couple of beers later, the missus and I were heading back to the Zumba-annexed Ibis and the comforts of a hotel bed. Any port in a storm, I suppose.

[flatrock02]

[Flaming_Telepath]

Sidebar

 

It seems that the latest trend in London hotels is to stop people smoking in the rooms by filling them with smoke alarms and then wiring up the windows.

 

Fear not, because for the dedicated smoker and contortionist, where there's a will...

 

Although the wire lock only allowed around a 4 inch gap in the open window, I discovered that you can get your arm out through it. You'll need a Zippo, or similar wind-proof lighter, but if you press your face to the gap, you can light your cigarette outside the window and with lips puckered to the gap, continue to enjoy your nicotine fix without having to descend 8 floors, battle through the Iberian-occupied reception area, and stand outside on the chilly street in your boxers. (thumbs u

[Flaming_Telepath]

Saturday

 

Despite being exhausted from the previous days' exertions, I woke at 6.15am and couldn't get back to sleep, so up I got. Two of the three Ss duly completed - and some limbering up at the room window - and it was across to the ExCel centre.

 

Doors were due to open for VIP pass holders at 9.30 and at 10.00 for the great unwashed. However, at 8.00am, queues were already starting to build outside. Coffee in hand, we started on the wall display, opening up the boxes, testing the PDQ machine, abusing Smiler and generally crapping ourselves at the thought of what potentially was to come.

 

 

[TupennyConan]

[Flaming_Telepath]

Fortunately, our Girl Fridays arrived on schedule, Fiona coming down from Aylesbury and Caitlin (my step-daughter) making the journey over from St. Omer on the Eurostar.

 

They brought tidings of huge queues now formed outside, running the length of the internal boulevard and outside onto the plaza.

 

This really was the calm before the storm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

Funny, funny post.

 

Sidebar

 

It seems that the latest trend in London hotels is to stop people smoking in the rooms by filling them with smoke alarms and then wiring up the windows.

 

Fear not, because for the dedicated smoker and contortionist, where there's a will...

 

Although the wire lock only allowed around a 4 inch gap in the open window, I discovered that you can get your arm out through it. You'll need a Zippo, or similar wind-proof lighter, but if you press your face to the gap, you can light your cigarette outside the window and with lips puckered to the gap, continue to enjoy your nicotine fix without having to descend 8 floors, battle through the Iberian-occupied reception area, and stand outside on the chilly street in your boxers. (thumbs u

[Flaming_Telepath]

What to say about the levels of business?

 

Manic. Just manic.

 

I had two figures in mind, one to make setting-up at the show worthwhile, another one to make the show a success. We'd passed the first marker by early afternoon Saturday, the second one by 5.00pm on the Saturday. The rest was going to be gravy.

 

What struck me, other than the crowds, was the League Of Nations feel to the customer base. We had Germans, Spanish, French, Italians, Americans and Skandanavians...oh, and some Welsh, too. At times, they were two deep around the whole set-up, waving books and credit cards at us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[electricprune]

Funny, funny post.

 

Sidebar

 

It seems that the latest trend in London hotels is to stop people smoking in the rooms by filling them with smoke alarms and then wiring up the windows.

 

Fear not, because for the dedicated smoker and contortionist, where there's a will...

 

Although the wire lock only allowed around a 4 inch gap in the open window, I discovered that you can get your arm out through it. You'll need a Zippo, or similar wind-proof lighter, but if you press your face to the gap, you can light your cigarette outside the window and with lips puckered to the gap, continue to enjoy your nicotine fix without having to descend 8 floors, battle through the Iberian-occupied reception area, and stand outside on the chilly street in your boxers. (thumbs u

 

Get yourself a good cigar torch lighter. They'll light a cigarette in under a second.

[Flaming_Telepath]

Saturday was utterly exhausting. There was zero time to get around the hall and scope out what was happening elsewhere. It was fun to meet up with a lot of old customers, and a bunch of previously faceless boarders. Kudos to the guys who stood sentry from time to time to allow me to rush outside for a cigarette...Gary, Garry, Chris, Romain, et al, you were life-savers!

 

Things slowed down a touch after 5.00pm and 6.00pm couldn't come soon enough. However, the day was nothing like over at that point. In a moment of madness, I'd suggested a get together for the boarders and US dealers, and we were due over at The Fox at 7.30.

 

Again, it was back to the hotel, shower, change and off into the night. However, Mrs F_T took the opportunity to take some snaps at dusk. The ExCel is in an area of reclaimed docklands, a 'mini-city' built and designed simply to service the centre. However, a lot of the old structures still remain, warehouses converted into flats or bars, etc. It's certainly very interesting for those of you who study urban history. (thumbs u

 

In some of the pictures, you can also see the O2 centre across the Thames.