Comic-ally Pungent!

What a week I have had…ok so this blog post is a little late in coming together but considering how much I have been doing (yes mother…burning the candle at both ends. OOPS!) I am sure you will forgive me! The week days revolved mainly around costume prep as I have lots of new costuming coming through from my VERY talented designer and creator Lynn. The lady is a whizz of a costumier and though I want o keep her all to myself I will forever be shouting her praises to all and sundry. Pretty soon she will be too busy making other people’s garments for little old me….

Friday saw me getting one of my tattoos finished and the next part of my sleeve started! Good old Lord Garth! Thanks a million! See you end of November for the next bit!

I sent the rest of Friday night in the company of a rather dapper man dressed in a kilt and one of my favourite scruffy journalists Rich Johnston of www.BleedingCool.com. Rich had invited me to attend the MCM/Eagle awards at the Excel centre. Now being from a slightly sheltered background (none comic geek zone..though I would hardly call burlesque sheltered.) I had no idea what the Eagles were but a quick Google search showed them to a rather prestigious awards ceremony aimed at the comic/graphic novel market. So there I was plonked next to a hottie highlander and a twitchy journalist who kept accurately predicting the award winners. Then suddenly I was called up to collect an award on behalf of Alan Moore for this League of Extraordinary Watchmen: Century work….this was not included in my invite RICHARD! I feebly shook the hands of the man as he handed me a large piece of glass and walked off stage… A rather random experience given that all those watching me were the gods of Comics (minus Alan who was probably swimming in the ether that is Northampton). I had no idea who these people were to be honest so felt rather ignorant when people introduced themselves to me. I kept wanting to ask  ‘and what comic do you do?’. Rather tasteless I felt so merely shook hands and made daft jokes. The awards were over rather quickly with copious amounts of Japanese sweets eaten. A quick drink in the nearby pub with various comic book gods and this darling was on the DLR heading back to home. I had a good conversation with some really hysterical comic book writers/illustrators/colourists on my way home though rather rudely their names have escaped my memory. I did have a little laugh though as one gentleman recognizing the award in my hand congratulated me on my Eagle award. I didn’t have time to correct him saying it was Alan’s as he jumped off the train….

The next morning I had breakfast with Alan Moore (ok his award was next to me whilst I shoved cornflakes down my throat) and worried what I was about to get myself into. Rich had invited me to come along to the MCM expo to see the show for myself. The journey alone to the venue was an event in itself. With the usual tube strikes, the stations and trains were crammed though not with the usual tourists…oh no…furries, manga, cosplay (these words I learnt later…I was just amused by them at this point). Some of the costuming was immense. Rather embarrassingly these people were asking for photos with me having seen me online grabbing Alan’s award. Oh yeah didn’t I tell you (Rich would say later) it was streamed live on the internet as well as on a big screen in California Comic Con…DEEP JOY!

Nothing could prepare me for when I first immerged myself in the crowd at that place. Imagine lots of screaming excited people in various costumes (some amazing such as the Angel from Dr Who  and some not so…fat man in hot pants was interesting). Add sweaty bodies in polyester suits times about 4,000 and you are almost there. The sound alone in the place was deafening. The smell was something as my friend David said was something I would become acclimatised to…who knew. EEWW. With a swig of David’s smuggled champagne (god awful) I was thrown in to the comic world….aaaaaaaaahhh

I even bumped into some friends such as Sara Westrop who in a former life was a burlesque performer but is now a PR and comic goddess! We had a mooch about the venue and gossiped like old times. God I miss her on the circuit. Still a hottie and still turns heads. Cow. HAHAHA.

Rich and I found ourselves in the green room later on in the day where I sat amongst the cast of Warehouse 13. They seemed pleasant enough though their conversation mainly drifted on about child stars and agents. Not thing too intellectually stimulating for me but I guess when you have to be witty all day at these conventions is nice for down time. I will admit I only knew they were from Warehouse 13 as I was told quietly by some lovely man next to me. Oops. Though the rather striking brunette (lead in the show I think) commented on my new tattoos…

 I did have one rather awkward star struck (trek?!) moment when John De Lancie came into the room. Now even I knew him and some of you will…he is Q from Star Trek. The only character to get away with telling Captain Picard to fook off basically on a pretty regular occurrence. I even went red. Though he did say some lovely things that only made my blushing worse.

After a rather rude team member from the Excel Centre came in and changed the atmosphere in the green room I made myself scarce and headed to the pub with Jon (a comic friend). We decided to right the wrongs of the world but downing mojitos and laughing at the randoms who wandered in and out of our lives. It was really great chatting to someone who made me laugh so much I swear my ribs were going to burst. After a quick lunch with a rather fraught Richard we had planned to head back to the convention but decided to stay put and drink some more.

With much booze flowing, some Nigella Lawson impressions (from me…whoops) and jokes the gang and I were in full swing. Nevs kept making me laugh especially as he got my infatuation with Nigella. I can’t believe his talented artist of a missus Julie (nice plug there for her work….though it’s all worth it check out her work here: http://www.juliascheele.co.uk/ )I also met her mate the tiny but adorable Vici.All in all a fabulous night! Though home beckoned so off I popped…shattered and slightly educated on the world of comics.

Sunday was spent rehearsing and modeling in preparation for my underwater act. Coming along nicely. The  modeling shots were for the lovely company lending me their pool to use in publicity and enter into local diving magazines. I do love Sue and Paddy. With a quick tea drinking session with Baron (the photographer) and his son I was soon home (via dinner with Big S) in my bed ready to tackle the next week.

GOD!!! Why do I do it? Oh yeah because I love it!