Last Thursday I went to Comica Social Club, which I mostly mention because it was a nice opportunity to catch up with some lovely people, like Alex Milway and Garen Ewing, who both have new books out. I couldn't resist taking this photo (which looks like it was posed, but wasn't) of them comparing the maps in each others' books. Alex is holding Garen's new book, the second volume of The Rainbow Orchid, and Garen is holding Alex's new book, Operation Robot Storm. Both books look great, so you must all rush out and buy them.
I also had a nice chat with Rian Hughes about his new book, featuring loads of vintage lettering and typefaces from the IPC magazine archives, which should be coming out in a couple of months (and which I've been looking forward to seeing since he told us about it at Caption two years ago). Here's a picture of Rian in his groovy shirt made from vintage curtains, that he bought in San Diego. The other chap in the photo is small-press stalwart Mark Stafford, who doesn't have a new book out as far as I know, but you can all go and buy Cherubs!, the comic he did with Bryan Talbot.
Comica Social Club is a low-key, friendly little gathering that happens once a month at the Royal Festival Hall. It's a nice chance to talk to some great creative people and have a relaxed drink whilst discussing such things as maps, type design, knitting (the Stitch London crew were in another corner of the Royal Festival Hall), recent art exhibitions, the new East London Line, and how Desperate Dan would smoke drugs (Man-At-The-Crossroads Paul Gravett assures us it would be through through a lamppost). You should come to the next one.
