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Comic Mart
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Comic Mart |
| Dates: | 1970, 1972 - ongoing |
| Frequency: | initially roughly bi-monthly; since 2011, monthly |
| Location: | London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool |
| Type: | trade fair |
| Focus: | Comic Books |
| Organization: | Rob Barrow and Nick Landau (1972-1974); Nick Landau/Titan Distributors (1975–1977, 1979–1992); Rob Barrow/Fantasy Domain (1976–2011); Showmasters Ltd (2011-ongoing) |
| Founder: | Frank Dobson |
| Founding Date: | 1970, 1972 |
| URL: | London Comic Mart |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Comic Marts were regular comic book fairs held in the United Kingdom between the 1972 through to the 1990s. They weren't conventions per se, more a combination of dealer's rooms mixed with social elements held for a day. Beginning as a way for comics fans to get access to hard-to-find Golden Age and Silver Age comics, the marts expanded to include comics professionals and gatherings at nearby pubs. Over the years the organisers have changed, but the mart has hung on and is a regular event in London today.
History
The first "comic mart" was a small gathering of comics dealers organised by Frank Dobson, editor of the Fantasy Advertiser. One Saturday in 1970 he and a number of dealers rented out a room in a pub in Clerkenwell, calling it a mini con. Dobson moved to Australia before any other gatherings could be arranged, handing the Fantasy Advertiser over to comics fan Dez Skinner. Skinner planned another mart for December 1972, but cancelled it when he found out Rob Barrow (publisher of the Comic Fandom Bulletin) and Nick Landau (who ran the 5th British Comic Art Convention in August 1972) had arranged one for a week before his proposed date.
Barrow and Landau's gathering in Camden Town was the first "official" comic mart. 250 attended and it included many of London comics fandom's zine publishers and editors, as well as a number of professional sponsors. Through the next three years, they expanded the comic marts in size and regularity, until 1975 when Barrow focussed his energies on the next two British Comic Art Conventions. Landau continued to run the marts until 1978, when he obtained work as a professional editor; he arranged for Mark Conroy to take over in his place. Barrow had also begun his own series of marts ("Rob Barrow's Comicbook Marketplace") in 1976 in competition with Landau, billing them as more "intimate" than the large-scale Landau operations. He also ran several regional marts in Birmingham and Kingston upon Hull between 1976 and 1977.
Landau returned to the comic mart scene in 1979 as Titan Distributors (co-founded with Mike Lake and Mike Luckman) and through the 1980s he and Barrow ran marts on alternating months. With the Comic Art Convention ending in 1981, the comic marts filled the gap that was left, until 1985 and the formation of the United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC).
The 80’s opened with a variety of conventions and marts, including the Westminster marts in London which were a hub for fans and professionals to meet, with often fans crossing the line to become professionals themselves thanks to meeting the right people. These marts were also a hunting ground for organisers of the Glasgow comic marts in the 80’s who would lure the likes of Alan Moore or Steve Dillon north of the border with the promise of curry and beer.
The comic marts continued to be popular, both in London and in other regions - independent marts were being run in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham through this time - until the 1990s, when UKCAC overshadowed the London marts and the internet meant that buying old comics was much easier. Landau sold Titan Distributors in 1992, at which point his marts ended. Barrow continued to host them sporadically through to 2011; in 2012 he was jailed for child pornography for a year, spelling the end of Barrow's association with comic marts.
In 2011, Showmasters Ltd (formed in 2002), who were known primarily for organising the London Film and Comic Con, announced they were taking over hosting the London comic marts, beginning in December[2]. Members of the organisation had assisted Titan Distributors in running the Westminster Comic Mart from 1995-2000 and in 2011 they were officially given the contract[3]. Known as the London Comic Mart, the event has run monthly since then (with a pause due to COVID in 2020, returning in May 2021). As well as the various merchandise tables - comics, toys, trading cards, DVDs, etc - there are comics industry guests and signings, cosplay, and the opportunity to meet other comics fans.
Archives & Resources
- Thread: Britain's Comic Mart
- Wikipedia: Comic Mart
- "Whatever happened to the London Comic Marts?" by Glenn Miller at My Little Underground, June 1/14 (via Wayback Feb 21/25)
- "“A Survivor in the Cosplay Age”: the London Comic Mart" by Anthony Esmond at Down the Tubes, August 2/15 (via Wayback Apr 22/24)
References
- ^ "The Brief History of the British Comic Convention part two: London Calling" by Glenn Miller at My Little Underground, June 4/18 (via Wayback Jan 22/21)
- ^ Comment by Showmasters Admin in "New mysterious forum!", August 13, 2011; London Comic Mart forum at Showmasters Forums (via Wayback Mar 12/25)
- ^ "the monthly London Comic Mart Dates for 2011 to 2012" post by Showmasters Admin, August 10, 2011; London Comic Mart forum at Showmasters Forums (via Wayback Sep 26/21)