Many you will have heard of Lawless, the small but perfectly formed con that for many is the highlight of the comics calendar. Probably as many of won’t have heard of the show that attracts big names like Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons and John Wagner despite taking place on the same weekend as the MCM Mega Cons. When I went along on Saturday 27th May I was wearing two hats (maybe Judges’ helmets would be more appropriate). On the one hand I was going as a comics writer to catch up with friends from titles I’ve written for like The 77 and Dusk Till Dawn and plot further collaborations. I was also going as a fan, looking forward to meeting creators such as the aforementioned Dave Gibbons for the first time.
The talent appearing is impressive by any standards: Chris Weston, Henry Flint, John Wagner, Ian Edgington, D’Israeli, Lew Stringer, Mike Collins, Andy Diggle and some guy called Mick McMahon were just a handful of the names appearing as well as the creative teams behind British comics The 77, Sentinel and Time Bomb Comics. One of the nicest things about Lawless is the lack of pretention. Fans and pros chat freely, frequently it must be said in the bar! The 77 sponsored the event so I spoke to editor Ben Cullis about what makes Lawless stand out from the many other cons.
“Lawless is a truly unique convention. At many creator gatherings, fans can often feel somewhat apart from their heroes, but only at Lawless do you truly feel a part of the event itself. Whether it be rubbing shoulders with creators such as John Higgins or Dave Gibbons at the hotel bar or a thank you from the likes of John Wagner for choosing to spend your valuable time with them, the fans truly are spoilt. This is largely in part to Su Haddrell and her team, who effortlessly guide the hundreds of excited fans throughout the course of the two-day event.” The 77 as a publisher as well as an anthology comic has grown rapidly over the past three years. As the focus of Lawless is British comics creators, specifically 2000AD and other legacy brands like Battle and Action, I asked Ben how the regular attendees had taken to the new titles he was publishing.
“The reason we choose to not only exhibit but also sponsor this amazing event is two-fold. The sales we garner at Lawless are always nice, but the opportunity to mingle with our supporters is priceless. Be it showcasing Ian Gibsons Lifeboat, launching the smash hit 2nd issue of This comic is Haunted or chatting with fans about Pandora, Blazer! or The77, we have been blessed with yet another successful convention.” It helps of course that 2000AD creators such as Steve McManus, Glenn Fabry, Mike Collins, Anna Morozova and of course Ian Gibson are also contributing to the comics The 77 are publishing.
Lawless continues to grow and will soon enter its second decade. Ben was certainly planning to be a part of Lawless in the future. “Next year’s 10th anniversary looks set to be the best yet, and the 77 Publications will be a big part of it.”
Lawless is organised by author Su Haddrell. Not only is Su the face of Lawless, she’s also appeared in two Lawless comics written by Steve Bull! “The first Lawless, previously called Lawgiver, was held in Birmingham in 2014,” Su told me. “It literally began because I was cosplaying at conventions and had met a bunch of guys who dressed up as Judges. I was working with a group to organise games days and geek meets and the Judges said ”Hey, you should do a thing for the 2000AD/Dredd fans.” So we did! “
“I think the show has remained so successful because of its community. We run the show for them and coming up to ten years later, they’re still the guys that are rocking up to see all our creators and to hang with each other.” I’m sure many of us have been to shows overflowing with Funko Pops and soap stars but there have been hardly any comics or comic creators. In many ways Lawless is an antidote to that sort of experience.
“For the creators, a lot of big UK shows fall more into the Pop Culture category. Coming to Lawless means they get a great deal more out of such a close knit gathering of dedicated fans. The show is as much for our creators to catch up with one another as much as to display their work to an audience who truly appreciate it. I think that combination of friendship, community and appreciation is what makes Lawless so successful.”
One of the other highlights of the show was a chance to visit the Steve Dillon Exhibition.
Organised by the late artist’s family, the exhibition features so many iconic covers and pages of original art, from the Thing versus the Hulk to Preachers, Alan Moore’s take on the ABC Warriors and more that it’s almost overwhelming but again the atmosphere in the hall was friendly and welcoming with Steve’s daughter-in-law Tanya Dillon happy to share stories and talk to fans.
For lovers of British comics past, present and far into the future, Lawless is a cut above what most people have come to expect from comic cons. It’s worth making a note in your diary for May 2024 As the best could be yet to come!
Mike Powell
ComicScene magazine 
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