The Forbidden Planet International Blog

Please give a warm welcome to James Bacon, who I’m happy to see back here for another guest post. James was fortunate enough to be at the recent celebration of Dodgem Logic event which featured, among others, Kevin O’Neill, Melinda Gebbie, Steve Aylett and, naturally, our great, bearded magus of Albion, Mister Alan Moore, esquire, ittinerant writer and gentleman about town. Many thanks to James for being kind enough to take the time to write up an excellent report and send us some pictures to share on here; over to James:

(outside the rather splendid Clapton Park United Reform Church, venue for the Dodgem Logic celebration)

It’s a nice, sunny, and not too warm evening in east London, Hackney, a borough of renown and distinction, and snaking out from a church, The Clapton Park United Reformed Church, a Grade II listed building, a long queue has formed and coiled out of the grounds of the church and around the corner. Alan Moore commands serious respect, appreciation and even adoration from comic book readers, but this was a celebration of Dodgem Logic, the underground magazine that he funded and brought attention to, that attempted and succeeded  ‘in colliding unlikely things to see what happens’.

(lining up on a nice, spring evening for the Dodgem Logic celebration, pics all by and (c) James Bacon)

The Round Chapel, with its high ceiling and balcony wrapping around all facing a stage set in front of the pulpit and organ, felt airy friendly and welcoming.

The venue filled up, as did the balcony, and to one side, Close Encounters and Dodgem Logic were selling a variety of wares. A nicely paced queue was working its way up to Alan Moore, who was happy to sign everything put in front of him—gentlemanly and engaging, pausing briefly for photos where he always strikes a nice smile and pose, while always having a kind word to say.

The evening began soon enough, once drinks were also purchased, with our Master of Ceremonies – Alan himself on stage, and he has a powerful presence. He is a real entertainer, and is self-deprecating in a way to get laughs, and knows how to keep a crowd’s attention. He is cheerful, excited and smiling, joking and upbeat, yet there is occasionally cynicism and wryness that this mature audience enjoys.

Is this the Moore that you read or think you know of? And here a caveat to all – I cannot ever convey in written words how pleasant and nice this fellow is. I have seen him live at four events now and he has a consummate stage presence, with a real sense of decorum and style, and most importantly a wonderfully dry wit and sharp minded humour , which audiences love and laugh at, as he pauses with perfect timing, a smile or twinkle in his eye. So be aware – this was fun and joyous – if anything seems lacking or grumpy it is my failure as a reporter to take you there – if something seems serious – it may have been but you need to hear the tone on his voice, the look in his eyes and the smile to understand truly his meaning.

Moore started off by explaining that the evening was to celebrate or eulogise Dodgem Logic, the underground magazine that he had a fair hand in bringing to fruition. He spoke of ‘how he used to like em -and had been  waiting 26 years for someone to do one – eventually dawned that everyone was waiting for me.’ He spoke of how the magazine was a fusion a clash of people and ideas, from the world famous to those publishing for the first time. Unfortunately, although he was funding it himself, and many people were obviously working on it very hard, it was making a consistent loss, and so now was time for a break ,a rethink – but Dodgem Logic was far from gone, and he hoped for a relaunch in the future. Then he said; ‘Those of you who read Dodgem Logic – know it! Those who didn’t… You killed my baby.’ And as the hall burst out into open laughter to this awesome humour, he shrugged and with a smile said, ‘Not bearing grudges.’

(Alan on stage, preparing for his new hobby of bingo caller)

Then the first item for this packed evening was a panel, with MC Moore talking to Melinda Gebbe, Steve Aylett ( described as being both baffling and upsetting), Kevin O’Neil and Savage Pencil. This forthright and enlightening discussion was full of comedic value and seemed very honest. Savage Pencil is a buddy of Moore’s from Sounds magazine, truly eccentric in a wonderful way. It was interesting to hear O’Neil talking about how he felt his work for Dodgem Logic had no manacles, as he had been given a brief to ‘do what he wanted’ which he found daunting, and was a bit revealing. ‘Very revealing,’ injected Moore, and with that laughter, O’Neil retorted with a deadpan, ‘I regretted it ever since. ‘ He said he found the lack of a regime enormously liberating. How the one-pages he did for Dodgem Logic made his regular gig on League of Extraordinary Gentlemen better. How he loved it.

Savage Pencil, Melinda Gebbe, and Steve all spoke very well, and it was interesting especially from Savage and Melinda to see how important the underground comic actually was, and how it gave them both massive opportunities. More than a magazine, an outlet for the unusual or unrealised.

Moore was topically asked from the audience what he thought of AV and responded ‘Wouldn’t be my first choice…’
This was followed by a trio of comedians inlcuding Steve Aylett who claimed he wasn’t really a comedian, but still with a small amount of slapstick and incredible social observation had the audience guffawing with his hilarious takes on social behaviour. Robin Ince was very sharp, very confident on the stage and was obviously appreciated, and then Stuart Lee, who was extremely topical and had the audience staggered, flabbergasted and laughing in quick succession. Then Alan was on stage again, and this time, as he said, ‘Here to ramble on.’ He says this, but he doesn’t ramble, when he speaks his flow of thought is so coherent and precise and his direction and ability to deal with something means those listening would be forgiven for thinking he has a planned response.

Mr. Moore spoke of how he came to work with young offenders in Spring Boroughs Northampton, and how he gave a talk and then wrote a strip for OVR2U, a zine they were doing. He spoke of his experience, and spoke of the problems, not just the underage drinking and knife crime, which they did indeed address, but the poor social circumstances and while not removing people’s responsibility, how there just seems to be people worse off, which is generally not good and how this, and behaviours of authority, should be challenged. Although such a challenge led to Dodgem Logic. Which he felt was an ‘incoherent but strangely beautiful underground magazine’, mixing great artists and writers, from Iain Sinclair to Michael Moorcock and recipes, art, comics,  DIY gardening and politics. He reckoned it was ‘Not like old underground magazines but the way I remembered the underground zines.’

He spoke of future plans, and also and his novel Jerusalem, for which he said Dodgem Logic was an elaborate avoidance mechanism, but which he has written four chapters of since Christmas. He was rightly proud of the good things that have come from Dodgem Logic and he spoke of Mitch Jenkins, who was the photographer of the second issue cover—a burlesque –and how he went on himself to write a ten-minute screen play, which he laughingly said was ‘ completely out of control – no idea where it’s heading but it’s peculiar.’ You could see he was pleased at this and spoke of an August shooting.

(one of our very finest comics artists, Mr Kev O’Neill)

Then he was asked if he would do a game…

He spoke of how he writes a comic that is meant to be a comic, and how a bunch of comic industry pros – ‘take my comic and make it into it…’ and everyone knew. ‘I hate films,’ he said sardonically, what with his previous news in everyone’s mind.

He continued and said that it was funny as if he had an idea that was brilliant – but all these other ideas embedded in it – thinking about – expand into multiple platforms. ‘What if I embraced that?’ A ‘concept that I can spin out into lots of things – but the way I want, diabolical’ a ‘coherent mega project.’ There’ll be ‘surprising stuff in the next 12 months.’

Had Alan Moore just said that maybe it was time to embrace a multi-platform project that he could control and make the way he wants… as he said himself previously, instead of just ranting about what people do to his comics which were written to be just comics!

The venue was electrified. Everyone was excited.

This was followed by some more talk about the Big Bumper Book of Magic which is now half finished with Steve Moore, and he talked about Faust and Simon Magus and after quite a while, the audience enraptured, he said ‘And that’s one page!’ There was mention of the regional inserts idea, which for logistic reasons never happened. Not that it’s impossible, but it needs a solution. Moore also spent some time talking about his take on the world.

Following Moore there was a band, the Retro Spankies. These guys were excellent, playing a real mix – kicking off with old school Casio keyboard sounds followed by some heavy rock that then brought in a very indie anthem tune. They were really very good. It was now eleven, and so before I got to see the main man take to the stage in a stunning coat and strut his stuff, I had to dash off for a tube westward.

An excellent evening, and without doubt it brought home the wonderful project that Dodgem Logic was and is and hopes to be, but also, it reminded everyone that here, the greatest living comic book story teller, is an altruistic and generous man who made time, put in effort, and spent energy helping a bunch of young offenders, amongst others, bring something quite wonderful to fruition. A real celebration.

Many thanks to James for his report; you can check out the official Dodgem Logic site here and of course issues can be found in our branches and via our webstore here.