Caption (comics convention)

Infobox Convention
name = Caption


caption =
status = Active
genre = Comics
venue = East Oxford Community Centre
location = Oxford
country = United Kingdom
first = 1992
last =
organizer = Adrian Cox, Damian Cugley, Jeremy Dennis, and Jenni Scott
filing =
attendance =
website = http://caption.org/

CAPTION is an annual comic convention specialising in British small press comics. It was first held in Oxford in January 1992, subsequently being held in summer each year. Loosely based around a theme, each year's event offers panels and workshops related to small press comics along with the opportunity to buy and sell them. There is also a significant social aspect.

CAPTION has differed from other conventions by breaking down the distinction between named guests and other attendees, avoiding segregation or special treatment of guests. In addition it prioritizes the social interaction of attendees by encouraging comics creators to place their publications on the CAPTION stall, managed by a rota of volunteers.

History

Founded in 1992 by Adrian Cox, Damian Cugley, Jeremy Dennis, and Jenni Scott, CAPTION is currently the longest-running comic convention in Britain. It has undergone a number of changes of organizing committee during that time while continuing to be run by a core of Oxford-based comics creators, fans, and connoisseurs.

Between 1992 and 2003 CAPTION took place in the Oxford Union Society, subsequently moving to Wolfson College for 2004 and 2005. It is currently held at the East Oxford Community Centre.

Themes and guests for the individual years include:
* 1992 No specific theme
* 1993 "Comics: Art or Trash?" Debating the status of comics within culture
* 1994 "Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll" Including Hunt Emerson, Pete Loveday, Bryan Talbot as guests
* 1995
* 1996 "Lazy CAPTION"
* 1997 "EuroCAPTION"' Including France's David B, Spain's Max, and the Netherlands' Maaike Hartjes as guests
* 1998 "The Death of CAPTION"
* 1999 "SpaceCAPTION1999" Including Bryan Talbot as guest.
* 2000 "You cannot kill that which is already dead"
* 2001 "Love is ... CAPTION 2001"
* 2002 "CAPTION Noir"
* 2003 "CyberCAPTION" Including Carla Speed McNeil as guest
* 2004 "CAPTION is History" Including Al Davison and Pat Mills as guests
* 2005 "Bargain Basement CAPTION"
* 2006 "CAPTION Remix"
* 2007 "Dreams and Nightmares"
* 2008 "Timewarp CAPTION"

Other associated British small press names

* Ed Pinsent was an early star of Caption conventions selling his Fast Fiction on his stall.
* In 1993 Andy Roberts moved to Oxford and was able to lend his considerable experience in art and design to the convention [http://www.linusland.co.uk/Andy93.html Andy Roberts on Caption '93] .
* In 1994 Peter Pavement started selling zines from around the world as well as repackaging other small press comics, and his zine "Pavement Pizza" became "Ground Level" [http://caption.org/1994/caption94-mention.txt] .

References

External links

* [http://caption.org/ Caption website including archived websites for previous years]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlycomic/266809071/ Judge Dredd Megazine small press article by Matthew Badham]
* [http://caption.org/1998/jenni-report.html Jenni's report the death of Caption]
* [http://www.alleged.org.uk/ Alleged Literature by Jeremy Dennis]
* [http://uk.geocities.com/cleanskies/ Cleanskies]
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/captioncomicsconvention/ Flickr about Caption comics convention]