Ben Michael Byrne Kranburn and friends Launch Extravaganza.
17th November 2018 Saturday ALL STAR COMICS Queens St. Melbourne. |
| BMB - Ben Michael Byrne |
As a rule, I never go to book launches or related things but the chance opening in my pre-Christmas schedule meant I could make this one. I've been a fan of BMB’s work for quite some time, especially his fan favourite KRANBURN and chance to meet up was chance not to be missed.
Ben hadn’t been at any of the recent conventions I’d been to in the past as he had stopped doing them just as I started going to them. Now we both don’t do them. So at last our paths were to cross.
I caught an earlier enough train hoping to make it just on opening thinking no one goes all the way into the city that early for a comic and maybe have a nice chat. As I walked up a near-deserted Queen Street, with lots of empty parking spots, I noticed the line stretching up the hill.
“Fuck me!” I thought “Is Ben Michael Byrne the secret Aussie comic rock star?”
As I walked the 50-70 metres to the end of the queue, I saw it was your average comic book shop crowd. Neckbeards, shoulder bags, the odd female, older gents looking uncomfortable, lots of long shorts and runners. It was only a few minutes to the shops opening so I patiently waited, noticing no one else was lining up behind me. Maybe everyone had the same idea, and I was the last to think it. Then the line started to move, and move very quickly.
I’d never been to All-Star Comics before and I will admit, it’s a fine establishment with lots of interesting setups for displays and ephemera. As I walked through the doors some people were checking out the shelves on the ground floor but the majority were making a steady stream up the stairwell to the second floor.
Since a quick scan couldn't see any table with a BMB behind it I kept moving with the throng upwards.
Wow! Were people that big on BMB?
It was then that I realised that this was where the sale was. I failed to see the large “20% off storewide” signs on the front window due to the crowd. It was to celebrate Local Comic Bookshop Day.
I saw Ben sitting at a table from the top of the stairs, new comics neatly placed in rows. The Throng breezed past him on their mad rush to check out the shelves, bargain bin boxes and tables full of old toys and collectables. I should have known better. Give a nerd a big enough discount on anything and they’ll see it as an event and queue for hours.
Ben Michael Byrne, alas, is not a comic rock star, but he is a nice fellow. Very articulate, polite and a damn fine writer and artist. I’ve wanted to meet Ben for some time. We had worked together recently on a short tale to come out in Reverie and contributed to the Game of Kings, that I help write the Librato for. Ben being recruited by project founder Simon Sherry, where Ben contributed some stunning and emotional black and white art.
Ben has three publication currently on sale. Ektype. A new Sci-Fi work, that was written and drawn by Ben in its first edition. NSEW. A massive undertaking up to its eighth edition, written by Ben and starring a cast of dozens of handpicked artists from around the world. The third being KRANBURN. Ben’s incredibly popular dystopic tale sent it n the future and based on the area in which he now lives. Ben had stopped work on this tale a few years ago and now has released several new editions carrying on the story and a fantastic trade containing the first six editions at a great low price.
I introduced myself to the table and he, to my surprise recognised me from bad Facebook photos. Ben is a larger than life personality both figuratively and literally, no mistake this man is big. He’d make a great UFC fighter, what do you expect from a guy who builds tanks in his spare time. Not water tanks, battle tanks.
As we chatted, people started to look in on the table, and it was becoming obvious Ben was well known to the comic-loving public as comics started to move rather quickly off the table. Then I noticed people hanging around. People I recognised, other artists. Who like me took this appearance by Ben to say hello whilst he was in town.
Maybe Ben Michael Byrne is a comic rock star (in waiting).
you can purchase Ben's titles at AllStar Comics in Melbourne & Dee's Comics in Canberra.
You can also order direct from Bem by direct Messaging him at his Facebook pages here:
Ben Michael Byrne
NSEW
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| The Author with BMB. |
