Having already been in London since Thursday, I was already prepared for the day ahead and this time got to the convention about 30 minutes after the doors opened for the public (though getting any sleep the night before from nerves and the like, plus snoring from my friend who I was staying at didn't help).

As I walked in and automatically bought my anthology book (for the only reason to review it), I was greeted with Ali Graham who had got the perfect table because his was the first you found. And luckily I finally got my hands on the Afterstrife books, both chapters, that was the only thing (baring the poster) that I hadn't got from him.

I was on a mission though, I had three tubs in my bag, two of which had badges inside. The first goal was Beaver & Steve, James Turner, who was in the middle of speaking with someone about badges and said that they were coming later, not realising I was just next door opening my bag to dispose of such items. All 250 badges were inspected by James before he said he was impressed and began to sell them.

Next was the wonderful Lawrence and Oliver from Tales from the Flat. I passed Oli Smith (another of my badge people, but luckily he had ordered his way in advance so he had his on the table). I was worried the Tales from the Flat boys wouldn't like the badges since I had to make them probably different from what they had expected. They loved them completely and paid right there and then, which gave me the cash I required to actually go merrily around and buy some stuff.

I knew Phil was along the way so I left the Tales from the Flat guys to it and talked to Phil, introducing him to my friend Luke and just having general chit-chat.

Me and Luke then went outside to actually have some breakfast - well, for me a smoothie and for Luke some orange juice. After divising a few questions that I would ask Jon (once again), Ivan (pronounced A-van, probably how you say it in Russia), Phil and the delightful Chris and James, I wandered into the table and spent time with each table.

I was there for many reasons. One to catch up with all my friends, some people who I consider friends who I rarely tend to meet until I get to these events. Two to actually interview a few of them and buy tons of webcomic books and merchandise for both my Webcomics in Print and my Wall of Web (which a picture will be forth coming after I've bought more than enough blue tack for these posters, sketches and leaflets that people handed me). And three to get some more business for my button badge company MAD Buttons.

I usually go in a circuit, often stopping by every single table and giving it the respect it deserves. If something catches my eye I'm automatically there. I stopped by Ali's table again first and chatted a bit, only briefly, he did the usual and I was stubborn and did the usual back (he'll know what I mean). Then I went to Jon, cause if I didn't give him any love, nobody else would.



He had quite a packed table, t-shirts (which I so wanted again since my last one I bought went as a competition prize), art, badges AND the new Little Terrors book. Year One, which I was utterly glad about and had to buy, whatever the price was, he was my friend and also I really wanted to see what it was like. We had our usual banter and then I moved on.

I had a brief chat with Liz Greenfield from Stuff Sucks, looking at her table and realising that she was packing two tables rather than one and had a cool looking stand. Although I was on a budget, I did expect to go back and buy something but alas I didn't, however I still have my Stuff Sucks magnet which I was pleased about so... at least I have something.



Next to Jon was Eddie Bowley, so I asked him if it was alright to have an interview later. I purchased a few comics (one of which was exclusive, something I think Eddie is right about, exclusive stuff is a good thing) and continued on my way.



I got to Ivan and he had massive amounts this year, including my badges, tons of canvases and the obvious duck-taped table (which I found out later was covered with a table cloth underneath, which was kinda cool). It looked more full than the previous time last year. It was hard to buy the canvas but I went with Panda rather than Mr Frank. Who knows... Mr Frank may join her someday...

Also finally I got my competition prize that I won last year. There was a competition to see how many meters of duck-tape was used, I was the person who was close to the result so won. But since Ivan was lazy (he was) I had to come and get it myself. A huge Panda t-shirt, which others were jealous of, and I wore over my own jumper, t-shirt and vest. I was sweating but I kept it on!

Turning around I got to the Beaver & Steve table. He was already displaying the badges and he seemed upbeat, which he often is. He also has a lot of fans so I never spent more than a few minutes with him chatting before I moved on.

Lem, I finally met Lem. We got talking and he didn't obviously realise that he had been chatting on various occassions via the email. I really wanted a poster for my wall but instead settled upon a funky little ninja Bunny that would go quite happy with my mandarine orange from last year. Later on when I visited him he realised who I was and we chatted about his book, etc. I so wanted to interview him but didn't feel quite up to asking.

Next to Lem were some brilliant guys, Dingbobik Comics, who I had bought their entire stock last year so this year I didn't buy anything (though I did get a sketch from them later on). They were the first of my badge discussions as I asked them about badges and then handed them on of my match books. They were impressed because they wanted a new set of badges doing but their last guy had disappeared on them. So I stepped in, so that was quite a nice start.

I then moved down the small area of tables looking mostly at badges and asking people the question "who does your badges?" and "how much are they?" and seeing if I was better priced. One person got them from a company in America who outdid me, not sure if the postage and packaging would have effected it any more, but.. I slowly disappeared. I gave me match books to a few people before coming towards Oli Smith.

Oli was great, his first table at the Thing, like with a few others, and he seemed natural on it. He was telling me about how everyone like his badges, even though I make them full praise goes to him for designing them, without designs I'm just nothing. He had a few books so I automatically snatched them off his hands. I had read Lazy Thursday so I already knew what I was expecting from him. I was also surprised, most of the time I was looking at how much my "customers" were selling my badges for, he was actually making a loss, to a point sometimes he was giving them away, which I thought was quite good of him.

I then had a chat with the Tales from the Flat guys, both of who were really great guys. I told them about I was worried about the whole badges but they still loved 'em. Alas they didn't have Issue #2 on them, because someone had forgotten, so I told them I couldn't review others before reviewing the previous issue (a thing I have). But since they were good people I bought one of there small comics and continued on.

Little Gamers were next. I was sad because I hadn't bought the Little Gamers book at all. I had previously preordered every other one, but Book 3 was just at the wrong time in my money field. I also knew I appeared in the back of it, so it had to go on my shelf. I didn't talk much to Pontus, he seemed quite tired / busy.

Turning around I got to Philip Spence once more. I finally grabbed the opportunity to buy everything on his table, all his recent books that I had seen and was soo tempted to buy the Ninja Bunny book again for £2 since on the site it was £5. But I think it was a good price, especially for the content. We had words and then I moved next to Jodie. She had wanted some badges off me so I decided to give her a match book instead to hopefully spur her on, hehe.



I then worked my way towards RPG-TV, where actually nobody I knew was manning it. I was looking at the badges, someone asked did I want one and I just said I was looking at the quality. Then Chris came across and shook my hand, then telling James who was behind the table that I was the guy who made them. We had a bit of a chat, I bought a poster and then I double checked they were alright to do an interview later and they couldn't wait.

Across from them was this beautiful Australian woman from But, Our Empire! a group of people that had met up and basically were making comics together. I tried selling my wares of badges to her but they were already doing badges, but I bought one of her books cause they were bound with ribbon. Sure she told me it was cause she couldn't find a stapler, but... I thought it was different.

I went down that row talking to a few people about badges and at the end of it aquired a bookmark (laminated with a ribbon - well impressed).

Afterwards I finally got to Kelly Hernandez and bought all the comics I had yet to do. We talked about badges and he mentioned about magnets were his main thing so I commented I do them but only for special people, not for the general populous at the moment, so that might be a sale. We discussed Robin William and golf (you had to be there) and they gave me another comic from someone who was just going around so I could review. That was nice of them.

I then moved, not sure how I got to them, the Blue Cat Club. I asked about their badges - 70p each, and enquired about where they got them done, etc. We chatted for ages, mainly the woman's friend who was giving me sound business advice into getting a grant and the like to expand my business of button badges into maybe making packaging and the like. They were both impressed with my match books that I gave them two - one chocolate chip and one flake one.

Sick Puppy Studios were also interested in my badges as well, as they got there's from (if I recall) Cafepress, so... fingers crossed again for that. I randomly went around looking at badges and see if any table took my fancy, doing some research and offering my match books to many people around the place.

I then got back to Phil who wanted a break to go around and I offered my services to help out. As I was about to, one of the Tales from the Flat guys informed me they had got their brother to go and get the 2 comics from their parents to sell at the convention so I earmarked one and when I sat down behind the Ninja Bunny counter, I paid them for it and got Issue #2 to review (FINALLY!)

Whilst on the table I was handing out tons of leaflets and didn't really sell much. Karrie came back (she was sharing Phil's table) and she was moaning how I wasn't getting any sales. Then someone was looking and I was doing my spiel when I asked the question - "would you like me to draw something?"

"Sure" they replied, so then I had to inform them I wasn't connected with Ninja Bunny but I'd draw them something. My first art was Ninja Bunny asleep in white PJs (to be honest I was frightened at using all of Phil's ink). Karrie was shocked I was drawing bootlegged Ninja Bunny's without Phil's knowledge. Each time I signed it with the whole "not the artist nor writer" just in case.

Jodie and her boyfriend thought it was funny I guess and I kept on handing out and offering, shockingly I was quite good at drawing him I thought. Someone wanted a sketch of himself, something I'd never done, so I drew with a Ninja Bunny t-shirt upon him and he was so impressed with it that Phil came back.

Karrie said she'd tell on me so when Phil came back, he was informed by not only Karrie but Jodie as well - EVIL PEOPLE!!! hehe. But Phil seemed alright and then the next time someone came up, I drew Ninja Bunny eating a burger but trying to destroy it cause fast food is bad. Though next time I said that Phil would draw, but somehow it turned into a battle. Me vs Phil on who would create the best drawing.

Our VS battles were :- Ninja Bunny with a banana, Ninja Bunny vs Ninja Elephant (which came to the discussion of Ninja Hedgehog and his adventures and how you never expect a Hedgehog at all and he has spikes to use in defence) and Ninja Bunny commiting suicide. Everyone both believed we were both equal, though they laughed more at mine (but not in a "ha ha he can't draw" more of a "ha ha that's funnier than the real artist's one" and I'm sticking to that).

After that, Karrie left while me and Phil talked about the rules of how to get your comic out, trying to persuade customers to buy stuff (which infact actually happened, we sold quite a few of his books, which I was utterly chuffed about). I even got some guy I had drew came back and had drawn me and also the Ninja Elephant lady came back and drew us both her version of Ninja Elephant.

With only an hour left I had to rush around getting interviews. Jon was first (but he needed a pee), then Ivan (who I got his first name wrong). Whilst with Ivan I started writing questions for Eddie who had kindly agreed to be interviewed. Ivan suggested I ask him about his obsession with stockings. I asked "did he really?" and Ivan replied "no, but just ask" so I did. It was kinda funny to see Eddie look completely shocked.

Then I did the RPG-TV boys, who were already seperate from each other so having them both together was great. I also met Chris' brother who was setting up his own webcomic and hopefully will do well, cause it looked quite impressed (trust me, I've seen a lot of webcomics and his was great). Doing a dual-interview was weird since I was used to one-on-one, but it sounded well and I think they got what they wanted across and they became my James Turner interview of the Thing (very funny indeed).

Rushing, I had to get Phil whilst everyone was packing away. He was pretty tired and so was I, so I kinda rushed the interview a bit, something I shouldn't do and of course the next convention he'll be done again (just like Jon was this time because in Lancaster I didn't have much to ask).

After the Thing, last time I had to rush all the way back home. This time I was staying until the Sunday so I joined the party at a local bar nearby. I chatted to Phil for most of the time, we chatted about various topics. Ali then came to join us in our conversation, we commented about his long hair (or small bit of hair) that he was growing for a year, like a Jedi Knight or something. After a year he was gonna cut it off and sell it on eBay, something which people would say I would buy and heck, it would be a good addition to the "Wall of Web" that's for sure!

Ali left with John Allison and the "elite" webcomic artists of Jonti Pickering and Pontus Madsen and left the indie type people. Eddie said goodbye and shook my hand, then Phil and Jodie left with their gang, then Oli started chatting to me and Luke when the Tales from the Flat guys shivered away (they were cold and I had about 6 layers on).

Oli introduced me to Andrew, a new webcomic artist, well new to the Thing. His webcomic Dubious Tales had been going for a few years now and he had his first comic produced so he gave me one to read (and obviously review) for him. They both seemed nice, we talked about jobs, ages, etc. etc. before finally leaving and going home.

The Thing convention was huge this year, though I was kinda depressed that there were a few tables that weren't really grabbed by some webcomics. It was also nice to meet up with Ivan, Jon and Phil, all of who I constantly talk to online and it's nice to see them in the flesh. It was also brilliant to be able to not only draw for people but man a table like Ninja Bunny and help out! I LOVED IT! Wished it never ended to be honest!