Posted in: Comics | Tagged: blacks, london, Mark Millar, soho

Mark Millar Buys A London Private Members Club

Well, that was interesting. I've been a member of London's private members club Blacks for several years, I often write Bleeding Cool from the second floor, it's a great place to meet people, and it gets me out of the house. I've written about its significant collection of Hogarth prints up and down the stairs before. Founded in the 18th century by Dr Samuel Johnson, the cartoonist and printmaker Hogarth was one of the club's earliest patrons, and so the modern-day version keeps that connection alive.

I put a little money into the club two years ago during lockdown before theowners sold up to a cryptocurrency organisation, who turned it into the world's first crypto club, though all the previous members were grandfathered in as "legacy" members. And the club itself is pretty much what it always was, a place to hide rather than to peacock, for friends to gather with their little secret, and enjoy the finest mojitos in Soho. After all, Blacks is so named after its early members were those who were blackballed from gentleman's club, Whites. Blacks has also become a place for some comic creators in London to gather before or after an event, with pre-MCM drinks as well as pre-and-post Troopers gatherings, and I was able to host a little shindig with Alex Paknadel, Caspar Wijingaard, Will Mullane, Dan Watters and friends last weekend after a Forbidden Planet signing for All Against All. And cartoonist, cartographer and creator Adam Dant's amazing artwork has become a recent addition to the walls, living up to his reputation as a modern-day Hogarth in the way he records London, including last night's launch of his new work. More on that later.

And now it seems that Mark Millar, who moved from Scotland to Surrey recently, has also bought in. He posts on Instagram, "Here's a fun fact: Did you know I've invested in a sizeable percentage of a London Soho Club? It's called BLACKS on Dean St and I chipped in with my friend when he acquired it recently. You can apply for membership on our website. Instagram doesn't allow links, but we're very easy to find online. Come in and have a drink!"

Here's that link. Presumably, that will have been part of the crypto buyout. Maybe Mark Millar's investment might up the comic book game in this regard? Who will have their first comic book launch at Blacks?

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