Memories of LUC’s early days at Camden Market

I’m clearing up my bedsit, doing a lot of filing, when I come to a sheet of A4 gel pen inks. Its the start of an article I wrote on my first visit to Camden Market in 2007, the 3rd week  London Underground Comics had their stall there. Smith, Baillie and Lambden were in attendance.

A draft of Europeans dander past the new graphic novel of David Baillie and the virgin ink toner ‘tween pages infused with seabreeze. Theres a fantastic mix cd playing courtesy of a modest DJ, a scenario uncommon aside good sales of Tales From The Flat. Oli Smith has made up a song, “Come buy our comics, its where its at, Words and pictures, they’re for everyone.” Camden market, two sales and we break even. About 500 people pass by our table, and only one of them is already familiar. We had no idea she’d be there, she was just passing. Theres something very relieving about being surrounded by comics publishers, editors, writers, artists, colourists.

Then theres just four columns of words listed on page, presumably the basis for some poetry I told Oli when he asked. The words are:

perma-banner, brick and peach, pizza, soaps, mannequin, pineapples, soul, “covered rent”, sculpture, weaved basket, micro-lamps, beechy rafter, cake, peppermint tea, cleantiled floor, bijou, loop trinkets, Shinies, Gift Wrap, Oli Bop, fresh mesh fabrics, round beauty mirrors, homeliness, hand painted, christmas, Batman logos by, perfume fresh cool air, pattern, twinkies, baubles, living lights special lights, women over fifty our loyal audience, attractive, saffron, dress variety, tactile plants, scarves, woolies, herbal tea, rosy cheeked women

London Underground Comics 176 event is not going to have every one of those sensations, though a number: it has been heavily influenced by them. So, June  27th? More details on LUC176 here. Its free entrance, of course.