Official Press Release

The Official UK Comics Festival, now in its fourth year, returns to Bristol in May/June 2002.

COMICS FAIR - NEW VENUE

The two day Comics Fair (June 1 and 2) will be in our brand new venue, The Empire and Commonwealth Museum, located in the Temple Quay area, next to Bristol Temple Meads railway station.

This new 15,000 sq ft ground floor venue enables us to house more dealers and exhibitors than ever before, with talks, exhibitions, exclusive bar and cafe, all under one roof. A dedicated loading bay gives us direct access into the hall, with an all day Friday set up - and there is no increase in prices.

The dealer and exhibitor space is being booked now by Mike Allwood of Area 51 Comics. Interested dealers, small press and exhibitors should contact him now to reserve space on (UK)0117 924 4655 or email comics2002@talk21.com . Dealer tables remain only 150pounds, small press / artist alley tables just 50 pounds. Bookings needed by Nov 30th, previous Comics 2000/1 customers get preferential booking, full cancellation possible up till April 2002.

OTHER EVENTS

Comics 2002 is now an official part of Bristol 2008, Bristol's bid to become City Of Culture in 2008. As a result, a renewed emphasis will be put on using the comics festival to promote comic art culture to the wider public.

Comics-related events are planned in the week preceding the Comics Fair weekend as well as on the weekend itself, and we shall be increasing the involvement of our partners across the city of Bristol, such as Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, the Cube Cinema, Bristol IMAX, HTV and BBC Bristol and the hotels and art centres that have already hosted our events.

The National Comics Awards will be returning to Comics 2002, and we will be aiming to continue the success of our annual charity projects - Comics 2001's Deck Of Cards has now raised over 10,000pounds for ChildLine.

We are planning events now, including Friday night's launch events, theatrical productions, screenings and talks, and events elsewhere in the country preceding the Comics Fair weekend, and welcome your input now on any event you would like to support that could enhance the profile of the comics business and your comic products. Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

PUBLISHERS - YOU ARE INVITED

Comics publishers are hereby invited to attend Comics 2002, and to let us know their needs and requirements. We realise the current international situation makes it very hard for overseas publishers to make any promises about attending an event in the UK over six months away, however we would very much like to know that you will if you can, and to start discussing the details of how we can accomodate you.

We are planning a new (for us) style of unmanned Exhibition Stand which will enable publishers and their products to be displayed, without the necessity of their being there in person.

Our regular live schedule, of talks, panels, screenings and presentations, is entirely in your hands. As part of our policy of maintaining the lowest door prices in the world and thus building the potential comic reading audience, we offer publishers and comics businesses the chance to book the various talk spaces in order to present the panels of their choice. Contact me now to book those limited and elusive talk slots, all of which will be fully pre-advertised in the advance programme. Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

We are also planning a large format programme, to be published in February 2002 and circulated via comic shops and our mailing list to a minimum of 25,000 customers. Display ad space is already bookable. Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

Publishers, we want you to reach the UK comics market and the vast untapped readership that our event attracts, in the most direct and impactful fashion. Ring or email me now to declare your interest, and we'll hammer out exactly the best way for you to do this.

Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

COMIC CREATORS - YOU ARE INVITED

Comics 2002 extends its invitation to all professional comics creators.

As long as you can assure us of your professional credentials, and are willing to appear on a panel or a signing, free admission to the Comics 2002 Festival is yours. Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

To book Artists Alley spaces, contact Mike Allwood (UK)0117 924 4655 or email comics2002@talk21.com

STAR GUESTS

Every familiar comic creator who can attend the event becomes a named guest in our publicity. It is the policy of Comics 2002 to maintain the lowest door prices in the world in order to boost the potential comic reading audience, therefore the only way we can attract and fund the appearance of Star Guests is with the help of publishers and dealers. If you feel you could help us bring over a Very Big Name, whose attendance would benefit your own comics business, let's start making that happen. Contact Kev F Sutherland (kevf@sitsvac.org) Tel: 0(1144)1275 871856

I look forward to helping you make Comics 2002 the biggest, best and most important comics festival the UK has ever seen.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKE THAT DATE IN YOUR DIARY!

COMICS 2002 - Friday May 31st to Sunday June 2nd 2002. Bristol.

We'll be there . . . will YOU?