vern's diary

What is going to happen with the DFC? (Here's one idea.) Vern says thanks to writer and illustrator Bridget Strevens for keeping him entertained with the Extreme Shepherding link: (YouTube link) I've had a couple people ask about buying the DFC and I've passed them on to the woman-in-the-know: Maureen Corish, Group Communications Director, The Random House Group, tel 0207 840 8878 The Oxford Literary Festival is still going ahead with the DFC Panel talk on Saturday, 4 April, with David Fickling, the Etherington Brothers, John Aggs and me. It will have to be more of a retrospective event now, but we will talk about comics and people can ask questions of us and David Fickling. (I wouldn't be surprised if all the DFC contributors show up with their own questions, should be well interesting!) Don't miss the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing on Saturday, 28 March, in east London! It's the UK's biggest and best alternative press fair, therefore unmissable! I'll be running a table with David O'Connell (Tozo) and Woodrow Phoenix (Rumble Strip and the DFC). For those of you who love the DFC's Super Animal Adventure Squad, James Turner will also be selling comics from his table. (Will we see a return of Beaver & Steve?) In fact, most of your favourite British small press people (and a few North Americans and an Irishwoman) will be there, so write it in big red letters on your calendar right now. The Thing isn't technically aimed at children, but if you have a kid who wants to get into selling his or her own comics, this is the place to take them to get them excited about ways to get their work out to the public. I was so impressed one year by the ten-year-old who had his own table and was selling minis for 20p, and of course, I bought some. We'll be meeting up for the Post Thing Thing at the nearby Half Moon pub from 5pm til late, organised by ztoical. (Although I'm running off a bit early from the drinks to catch the tail end of Sally Nicholls' launch of her second novel, Season of Secrets.) And some more dashing epaulettes from fellow GOAL Anthology contributor Malte Knaack! Visit his lovely blog here. (And view previous epaulette postings from this blog here.)