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Pond Life #13 by Martin Conaghan – Club Together

If the printed comic is the lifeblood of the comic book industry, conventions its soul and the local shop the beating heart, then comic societies are the kidneys which filter all the goodness from that precious blood and re-circulate it back around the system. Or, at least, societies exist to inflict permanent, irreparable damage to your kidneys – but in a good way.

About 15 years or so ago, I was involved in the running of the Scottish Cartoonists and Comic Artist Members club in Glasgow (SCCAM, for short), which at one point had over 100 paid-up members. We met on the first Wednesday every month in the basement of Blackfriars Bar in the Merchant City area of the city to drink beer and talk about comics. We sent out a monthly newsletter by post (this was in the days before everyone had email) and we charged a measly £10 annual membership fee to cover printing, stamps, functions and other events. Every so often, we would organise a party night, featuring live music and special guests of the calibre of Oscar-winning animator Bob Godfrey, Steve McGarry, Roberta Gregory, Gilbert Shelton, Donna Barr, Billy Tidy, Grant Morrison, Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy – and our opening party night featured none other than the godfather of modern comics, the late Will Eisner – whom I had the pleasure of interviewing at a pre-party meal.

The SCCAM nights were terrific events, presenting an opportunity for like-minded people meet up, share a beer and a laugh, moan about the lack or work, or team up with other creators to produce Scottish comics such as Ganjaman Presents, Northern Lights and Total Fear, among many, many others.

Unfortunately, SCCAM went the way of many other organisations that survive on the goodwill and voluntary efforts of a select bunch of people, and it soon faded away with nothing replacing it. However, its predecessor, the Scottish Cartoon Society, was revived some years later and still regularly meets on that same first Wednesday of the month in the Ingram Bar in Glasgow.

The numbers of creators attending are far fewer these days, but the company is still as lively and engaging as it ever was. Only last week, I went along to meet up with the gang and bumped into Gary Erskine, Alex Ronald, Jim Alexander, Graham Neil Reid, John McShane, Pete Renshaw, Nulsh, Dave Braysher, Jim 'Ganjaman' Stewart, Will Pickering, Jon Haward – and dozens of others too numerous to mention. Due to work commitments, I find it difficult to attend every month, but I try my best to sneak along whenever I can, and it's always an enjoyable night.

I can't say for sure, but I'm fairly certain there's dozens of other societies like the SCS which meet regularly in dank watering holes up and down the country every month or so, fusing together the downtrodden, the ambitious, the famous, the hard-working and the industry's chronic alcoholics alike. For many writers and artists who often find themselves cooped up at home – or in a studio – all day, it's a pleasant way of connecting with your peers and relaxing in decent company.

There's almost certainly a comic book or cartoon society near you, and even if you're just a fan, they'll be happy to have you along – so go out and find out where they meet, and add to their numbers.

It'll do the comic book industry, and your kidneys, the world of good.

Martin Conaghan is a journalist and broadcaster at the BBC and a freelance comic book writer. The views expressed here are his own. He is also the writer of Burke & Hare.

Are you a small press publisher, writer or artist? Do you have something you think might be worthy of mention on Pond Life? If so, tell Martin about it at pondlife@copydesk.co.uk

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