I had a fantastic weekend at the Caption Festival in Oxford. It’s an amazing annual comic convention (the UK’s longest running) with a focus on creators talking on panels and running workshops. Lovers of the comic medium and creators alike mingle freely, without hour long queues for book signings or paying to get an autograph from your favourite 1980’s TV star. I enjoy huge shows like MCM Expo and Thought Bubble too, but it’s good to get a picture of the whole spectrum of comic conventions out there!
I’ve been to Caption a few times before (including my first one five years ago, when I had to rush back from Oxford after my wife’s waters broke) but I think this has been my favourite. There was a good mix of smooth running panels, I knew lots of the lovely attendees plus I got to meet for the first time some amazingly talented people…
Some of the casts of panels on editing and Myriad Editions
Above you can see my doodling done during a panel entitled Shedding Light on the Dark Art of Editing Comics. It was great to hear perspectives on editing – a side to comics which is often overlooked by fans and publishers. The panel included Woodrow Phoenix, Corinne Pearlman, John Anderson and Hannah Berry, held together by one of hard working Caption organisers David O’Connell.
This was followed by another great panel on publisher Corinne Pearlman’s Myriad Editions. This included creators who have had their books released by Myriad: Nicola Streeten, Darryl Cunningham and back for more panel fun, Woodrow Phoenix.
Lovers of the comic medium and creators alike mingle freely…
Caption organiser and Journalist Alex Fitch reading the new Almost Naked Animals magazine which I wrote a comic for
Day Two of the show started in a delightfully social way with some familiar friendly faces from the usually London based Comic Gosh!p Book Club, a fantastic graphic novel reading group run by Mike Medaglia and Mark Haylock. In this session we were discussing Maus (Art Spiegelman) and My Cardboard Life (Philippa Rice). The general consensus was they’re both a bit good!
Other Gosh!pers included David O’Connell, Selina Locke & Jay Eales (former Caption organisers who stepped in to help out this year too), Lisa Woynarski and Elliot Baggott.
Gosh!pers try to find stuff to say about Maus and My Cardboard Life
Next up, I was on a panel myself alongside some amazingly skilled creators: Playing in Someone Else’s Sandbox (Self-published vs licensed characters) featuring creators who have done incredible work on their own characters as well as other people’s… The line up featured David Baillie (via Satellite), Charles Cutting (creator of a webcomic based on characters and situations by H. P. Lovecraft entitled The Dream Quest of Randolph Carter), Al Davison (artist for Dr Who comics) and Robin Etherington (who has written for… pretty well everything, including Star Wars, Wallace & Gromit and Transformers).
It was so nice to hear about the process and struggles that other creators go through in working on licensed characters. I talked about capturing animated characters in comic form and the difference between the two mediums, so Wallace & Gromit and Almost Naked Animals came up a lot!
Robin Etherington watches David Baillie discuss his writing work on 2000 AD and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Al Davison, me, Charles Cutting and Robin Etherington
Next up was a panel from creators of the fabulous Phoenix Comic. Great to hear the magic involved in putting that together. Seems like everyone is really having fun working for it! Great to get to meet and chat to these talented folk!
Doodles of some fine Phoenix Comic creators.
The line up featured (as below) Adam Murphy (Corpse Talk), Robin Etherington (writes Long Gone Don), Patrice Aggs (creator of Blimpville), Neill Cameron (artist on Pirates of the Pangaea and Daniel Hartwell (writer on Pirates of the Pangaea).
Real Phoenix Comic creators, and mediator David O’Connell
The final panel of the event was entitled America is not the Only Fruit which discussed looking outside Anglo / American comics for inspiration, with manga creators Rebecca Burgess, Sarah Burgess, Joe Morgan and Jade Sarson, and bandes-desinées-inspired David O’Connell (Tozo) and Garen Ewing (The Rainbow Orchid). All were kept in line by Caption organiser and Comics Journalist, Alex Fitch.
Creators inspired by a world of comics
So well done Caption! Another great year.
Looking forward to hearing some of the panels being broadcast on the Panel Borders Radio Show and podcast over the next few months.
David (above) drew a fantastically evil scientist (below). My secret agent was called upon to sort him out! 
Here’s Laura wowing kids with her drawing talents…
This was definitely a highlight of the day for me – Laura and David having an improptu Tadpole Attack Squad draw off. It was a fierce battle!
When I heard that Laura had an octopus character in her Phoenix comic strip Evil Emperor Penguin, we had to have an Octopus draw off too! Was amazed at Laura’s unplanned linework – so good!
Some more Secret Agent themed art by Laura, myself and visitors to Discover…
Jamie did a mind-blowingly good take on the evil inventor including a Laser Shark!
Hmmm… Well, you try drawing Scooby-Doo without any reference then! I had to explain to the girl who asked for this who Scrappy-Doo is. Kids today, eh?!
Finally here’s a secret message, written using David O’Connell’s secret code!
So good to work with David, Laura and Jamie and especially at such a special place as Discover!
