The Sequential Scotland comic convention is a new addition to the shifting lineup of cons here in the exotic lands north of the wall. There is a sharper divide between the autograph/funkopop/labubu type cons and those which feature actual comics these days. This comic-con 2.0 world means there are more great events like Sequential where you can find small press and emerging comic talents. Or so I hope.

I thought it was a great event. With a lot of stalls and creators there were offerings to satisfy most of the tribes of comic heads. We all like different things and the medium of comics has something for everyone – it would have been nice to have a couple of stalls of back issues though! 

Above all these events offer community and contribute towards the comics culture in Scotland, making it stronger and more relevant. We think of comics, especially small press, as being somehow marginal. Having an outsider mentality does promote originality – you can express yourself free from commercial considerations. It is also more accessible and less elitist. Comics is a working class medium and that has been reflected in the global talent that has come from Scotland over the last few decades. 

But comics is also an important industry. The creative sector as a whole contributes £124 billion to the UK economy and 2.4 million jobs. I think comics stands on its own as an amazing medium that can tell stories that others cannot. In many ways comics have never been more popular. But one element of comics is that as well as publishing it also creates IP which ends up in video games, TV shows and movies. Not to mention the multiple spin offs from that. 

Events like Sequential are not really marginal, they are important. The UK government should support the sector in the same way that the French government does – even here via institutions like the Institut Français who backed the recent Auld Alliance con in Edinburgh. There have been positive signs with events at Westminster supporting comics as part of the Creative Industries section of the government’s industrial strategy. More on this from the very interesting Comic Book UK who are aiming to represent the sector as lobbyists.

I neglected to take any photos at the event, sorry. But I did buy lots of great books. Here are my highlights.

I love François Giro’s work. Deeply expressionist they seem to empty their head in furious pen strokes with wild, fluid lines reminiscent of graffiti art. Unique and cathartic.

Tom Humberstone is always thoughtful and it was great to discuss the web, social media and all of that stuff with him. In the attention economy lets spend less time shackled to algorithms that feed on our souls and harm our mental health and more time creating and being in community. More on this and 90’s hacker movies in Tom’s book Jamming with the Console Cowboys in Cyberspace.

I enjoyed Quebec City and the Gaza book from Goblin Purwin. They have a mastery of colour and skillfully evoke a mood with minimal lines on some occasions and lush pages on others. Anthropomorphic characters that tell a tale with empathy and courage.

Also tackling modern issues like immigration and Gaza with wit and skill was Bhavani Bala. Her zines and fold up books use collage and text with original graphics to communicate complex topics in few words. Nice typography too. She also has longer work which I will have to check out. 

I enjoyed chatting to Drekas who has an interesting book out along with writer Jack Monnaf called Hard Cheese. Rats try to survive in a dystopian world drenched with drugs and violence. I’ve not finished the book but I’m enjoying it so far and looking forward to where it is going. Apologies also as I mentioned ‘22 panels that always work’ but said this was by Toth, it was of course by Wally Wood! Do check out Jaime Hernandez though. 

Just a few highlights and of course great to catch up with mega talents whose stuff I have already entirely bought like Gustaffo Vargas, Steven Ingram and Jonny Cannon. Thanks to the organizers of Sequential and I hope we will see more from them in the months and years to come.