We just made it over to Page 45 in Nottingham, for the Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim signing. This was the only non-London signing Bryan was doing on his short stop in the UK, because Page 45 rock.
We had to head over after Jay finished work so we weren’t sure if we’d make on time as the signing was scheduled for 5-7pm. We arrived at 6pm and were joking that we couldn’t see the signing queue as we headed into the town square…. then we took a few more paces and saw the queue spilling out of the bottom of the road and into the square!
The Queue Spills Out of the Street
Just after we arrived Stephen from Page 45 decided to close the queue so we got had to turn a few people away, with his apologies. We found out that Bryan had even started signing early due to people queuing from 2.30pm.
The Queue Closes
Queueing Down the Street
Front of the Queue Around 6pm
He kindly carried on signing until he got to the end of the queue (us), which was well after 7pm, so that was lovely of him.
Bryan Lee O'Malley - Probably ready to collapse as the end of the queue draws near.
Verity Fair, Sleaze Castle and Petra Etcetera creator Terry Wiley came to visit for a few days after Caption, so we decided it would be a good excuse to visit Nottingham.
The morning of the visit it occurred to us that D’israeli (Matt Brooker) and his partner Lynn would have arrived back from their year living in Greece. They had been travelling back the weekend of Caption, so were unable to come along, but Matt provided us with some art, as usual. A phone call later and we were off to their house.
Being gracious hosts, they’d nipped off to the nearby shops (which included a Chinese grocers) to buy some biscuits. Which is how we came to be trying out Wife Cakes and other strange foodstuffs.
Matt Models Wife Cakes!
Terry is not impressed with liquorice melon seeds
Wife apparently mainly tastes of sesame seeds, if the biscuits are anything to go by. We were regaled with Matt and Lynn’s adventures in Greece, including an Athens comic convention, armed police and flat dogs. Plus what an unopened, year’s supply of 2000ADs look like (with added spider).
Flat Dogs in Greece (Photo by Matt Brooker)
We also got a peek at Matt’s studio, and so can you in his latest video:
After a lovely cuppa and chat we headed into Nottingham, and of course, Page 45. Terry was hoping to see proprietor Stephen Holland, as it was ten years since his last visit to the shop, but alas he wasn’t in. Instead we caught up with Jonathan, got excited about the forthcoming Scott Pilgrim signing and bought yet more swag. I succumbed to The Moomins Cookbook, and will report results when I get a chance to try some recipes. Moomins seem to be very keen on cream and fish.
Jay & Terry outside Page 45
We did joke that, as an end to our Caption run, we should continue to take Caption on the road and visit all the other regulars who hadn’t managed to make it this year…. that should keep us busy until next year….