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HITLIST HITLIST THE BEST BOOKS, COMICS & EVENTS THE BEST BOOKS, COMICS & EVENTS
Smith (pictured) is a timeless, metaphysical
✽ How to be Both This new novel from Ali ✽ Louise Welsh The ever-popular Glasgow author delivers a lecture entitled ‘Robert Louis Stevenson and the Theatre of the Brain’. If that wasn’t intriguing enough, let us hit you with the event’s subtitle: ‘An Exploration of. tale of two halves. It’s a stunning new work from the author of Hotel World and The Accidental, and a great contender on this year’s The ever-popular Glasgow author delivers Booker longlist. See review, page 47. Out Thu a lecture entitled ‘Robert Louis Stevenson and 28 Aug from Hamish Hamilton. the Theatre of the Brain’. If that wasn’t intriguing enough, let us hit you with the event’s subtitle: ‘An Exploration of.
✽ The Paying Guests A quiet tale of
✽ Louise Welsh
suburban Sapphic passion from Sarah
MCM SCOTLAND COMIC CON Geek-fest goes mainstream
O nly a few short years ago, comic conventions were for a niche audience of passionate comic book fans: a few days in a dusty hall dedicated to superheroes and the writers and artists who brought them to life. Over the last few years their popularity has exploded. ‘They have widened out beyond comic books to take in pop culture, anything that is now, be it a movie, videogame, TV show, trading card game, anime or comics,’ explains Bryan Cooney, managing director at MCM Scotland Comic Con. ‘They appeal to everyone’s inner geek.’
Not only are there stalls selling comics, games, art and action figures but the MCM Comic Con aims to be interactive with tournaments, a costume contest, E Sports and much more on offer, drawing fans deeper into the world they love. However, sci-fi aficionados are sometimes unfairly
mocked for their devotion to the genre. ‘Think about the passion of football fans,’ says Cooney. ‘It’s about buying all the latest kit, all the latest colours and merchandise and getting together in huge numbers to watch a match. Science fiction and fantasy fans are just the same, they just want to explore and be immersed further in what they enjoy.’ Comic Con also offers fans the chance to meet some of their heroes. Guests confirmed include Game of Thrones’ James Cosmo; DC Douglas, the voice of Albert Wesker in the Resident Evil series; and Hannah Spearritt, formerly of S Club 7 and now a star of Primeval, with many more to be announced. ‘Each person is a highlight within their own cult,’ adds Cooney. (Henry Northmore)
SECC, Glasgow, Sat 6 & Sun 7 Sep.
Waters, the author of The Little Stranger and Tipping the Velvet. See review, page 46. Out Thu 28 Aug from Virago; Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, Mon 25 Aug.
SECC, Glasgow, Sat 6 & Sun 7 Sep.
✽ MCM Comic Con See preview, left. ✽ The Bone Clocks David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas and The Thousand Autumns
of Jacob de Zoet, is back with another genre-defying, time-travelling masterpiece, a frontrunner on the Booker longlist. See feature, page 26. Out Tue 2 Sep from Sceptre; talk at Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, Thu 11 Sep.
✽ Michael Palin The Monty Python star and renowned travel documentarian
releases his third volume of journals, Travelling to Work: Diaries 1988–1998, and is on a UK tour to promote it. See Comedy, page 54. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Fri 12 Sep; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 16 Sep.
✽ Deborah Harkness The American author kicked off her All Souls trilogy with
New York Times bestseller A Discovery of Witches – now, she’s releasing the final part, The Book of Life, and will be signing copies around the UK. Waterstones Argyle Street, Glasgow, Fri 12 Sep; Waterstones West End, Edinburgh, Fri 12 Sep.
21 Aug–18 Sep 2014 THE LIST 45