United Kingdom Comic Art Convention
The United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) was a British comic book convention which was held between 1985 and 1998. As a complement to UKCAC (generally in the spring), from 1990 to 1995 the organizers put on the Glasgow-based Glasgow Comic Art Convention (GlasCAC).[1]
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 | 5,000 (1990)[1] |
Organized by | Rusty Staples (1989–1998) |
Filing status | Originally nonprofit; for-profit beginning in 1989[2] |
The largest convention of its kind in the country during the period, the UKCAC and GlasCAC were the sites of annual comics award ceremonies from 1987 to 1998.The UKCAC was the site of the Eagle Awards presentation from 1987 to 1990; the UK Comic Art Awards were presented at one of the conventions — often GlasCAC — from 1991 to 1997; and the National Comics Awards were presented at the UKCAC in 1997–1998.
Most editions of the UKCAC took place in September,[2] 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 annual highlights (until 1989)[2] was the Saturday all-night film show, as well as regular events like quizzes, a fancy dress contest, and a charity auction.[2] 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 as a nonprofit convention "by the fans for the fans" starting in 1984.[2] The original organizers were Frank Plowright, Hassan Yussuf, James Robinson, Jim Constaninou, and Chris Savva (who actually organized the first convention).[2] Many others contributed either for a few years or on the convention days themselves (most prominent was Richard Barker, between 1986 and 1990).[2] The initial show, in September 1985, attracted about more than 500 attendees.[1][2]
The 1988 convention featured more than 30 comics professionals, and had panels on Harvey Kurtzman (in attendance), comic book printing, politics in comics, violence in comics, and technology.[3] After four conventions, the annual UKCAC charity auction had raised over £15,000.[2]
In 1989 organizers Plowright, Yusuf, and Barker converted the UKCAC to a for-profit convention (mostly as a way to keep the show running and fairly compensate them for the work of organizing it) under the name Rusty Staples.[2] The 1989 UKCAC was co-sponsored by Marvel Comics, Neptune Comic Distributors, and 2000 AD Comics Group.[2] It featured an exhibit on the work of the late Frank Bellamy (which had moved over from The Basement Gallery in Brixton).[4]
The 1990 show was co-sponsored by DC Comics among others; attendance at the 1990 show was around 5,000 people.[1]
The first Glasgow Comic Art Convention was held in Spring 1990 at Glasgow City Chambers and featured the first presentation of the UK Comic Art Awards, a comics award voted on by British creators, editors, and retailers. The award was created by Rusty Staples and sponsored by Penguin Books UK.[5]
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 to 2004; and then by Comic Expo, also in Bristol, which ran from 2004 to 2014.
Locations and dates
Glasgow Comic Art Convention locations and dates
Dates | Location | Official guests | Program booklet contributors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 1990[11] | Glasgow City Chambers, Glasgow, Scotland | First annual GlasCAC; presentation of the Speakeasy Awards[11] | ||
Spring 1991 | Glasgow | Steve Gerber, Alan Davis | Cover by Colin MacNeil featuring Judge Dredd; interior art by Matt Broker, David Pugh, Mike Collins, Charles Vess, Bryan Hitch, Gerry Dolan, Caspar Williams, Alan Davis, Davy Francis, Alan Moore | Presentation of the UK Comic Art Awards[5] |
14–15 Mar. 1992 | Glasgow City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow | Peter David[12] and Peter Bagge, as well as participants 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 Spencer | Cover by Jamie Hewlett featuring Fireball; interior art by Evan Dorkin, Colin MacNeil, Peter Bagge, Darick Robertson, Dan Brereton, Angus McKie, Hunt Emerson, David Pugh, Jon Beeston, Paul Johnson, Cam Kennedy, Davy Francis, Paul Grist, Woodrow Phoenix, Philip Bond, John McCrea, Gary Erskine, Tony O'Donnell, Sean Phillips, Dave Alexander, Gerry Dolan, Kev F. Sutherland, Charlie Adlard, Rian Hughes, Padam Singh, Guy Lawley, Paul Peart, Craig Dixon, Bryan Talbot | |
24–25 Mar. 1993 | Glasgow City Halls, Glasgow | Jim Shooter, David Pugh, John Ostrander, Colin MacNeil, Cam Kennedy, Dave Alexander, John Beeston | Cover by Steve Pugh featuring Animal Man; interior art by Tim Perkins, Davy Francis, Mark Buckingham, Bryan Talbot, Philip Bond, John McCrea, Sean Phillips, Phil Elliott, Bob Lynch, Duncan Fegredo, Hunt Emerson, David Pugh, Jim Baikie, Kev F. Sutherland, Charlie Adlard, D'Israeli, Rian Hughes, Stu Jennett, David Lloyd, Frank Quitely, Brett Ewins, Doug Braithwaite, Kevin O'Neill, Tony O'Donnell, Cam Kennedy, John Ostrander, Woodrow Phoenix, Angus McKie, Carl Critchlow, Colin MacNeil, Dave Alexander, Simon Jacob, Paul Johnson | Admission price for both days: £15;[13] presentation of the UK Comic Art Awards[14] |
19–20 Mar. 1994 | Glasgow City Halls, Glasgow | Presentation of the fifth annual UK Comic Art Awards[15] | ||
Spring 1995 | Glasgow | Final edition of the GlasCAC | ||
References
- Sabin, Roger. "From to Bust," in Adult Comics: an Introduction (Taylor & Francis, 1993).
- Hansom, Dick. "Conventional Wisdom," Speakeasy #95 (Feb. 1989), pp. 40, 42, 44.
- NH. "Britain's Largest Con: UKCAC '88," The Comics Journal #129 (May 1989), pp. 25–27.
- Brooks, Brad! "International Spotlight: Frank Bellamy: Dan Dare Artist Exhibited at South London Gallery," The Comics Journal #131 (Sept. 1989), pp. 13–14.
- "British Awards Announced," The Comics Journal #142 (June 1991), p. 17.
- Burton, Lawrence. "Blinky," An Englishman in Texas,"] (14 February 2014).
- "Eagle Awards Return," '"The Comics Journal #139 (Dec. 1990), p. 20.
- "Newswatch," The Comics Journal #193. (Feb. 1997). p. 27.
- Chris Wilson. "Dennis the Menace zaps Dan Dare". Sunday Telegraph London. Retrieved March 16, 1997. Check date values in:
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(help) - "Newswatch: UK Comics Art Awards Announced," The Comics Journal #195 (Apr. 1997), p. 25.
- MCH. "Newswatch: Arkham Leads British Awards," The Comics Journal #137 (Sept. 1990), p. 17.
- David, Peter A. "But I Digress: Glasgow Comic Art Convention, Part 2," PeterDavid.net (24 April 1992).
- Black, Ian. "Zap! Kraak! Pow! Comic culture has landed in Glasgow," The Times (18 April 1993).
- ER. "International Miscellanea: 1993 UK Comic Art Awards," The Comics Journal #161 (August 1993), p. 40.
- MT. "Newswatch: 5th UK Comic Art Awards," The Comics Journal #168 (May 1994), p. 44.
External links
- British Convention Booklets, including covers from UKCAC programs from 1985 to 1994
- Alan Davis UKCAC programme pages