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Creating Conventions: Meet Paul Trimble, the man behind Enniskillen Comic Fest

By David Ferguson on April 4, 2026 • ( 0 )

*Paul Trimble with some British comic industry legends – Cam Kennedy, Carlos Ezquerra and Steve MacManus – at Enniskillen Comic Fest 2017*

Almost every summer, David Ferguson makes the pilgrimage to Enniskillen to visit what is the best comic convention on the island of Ireland. Enniskillen Comic Fest returns in June, with Andy Diggle, Tim Foster and Kev Hopgood already announced as guests, among others.

David caught up with the man in charge, Paul Trimble, about the show and his experiences as a comic book fan…

David: I was wondering about some of the creators you met at your first conventions and what those conventions were like.

Paul: A real trip back in history here! The first Comic Con I attended was Comicana 82 in September of that year. (The convention was organised by Rob Barrow and Paul Hudson, at London’s Regent Crest Hotel – Ed). I had just left school and, after working in a bar all summer to raise money for the trip, had just started my first job.

There were no cheap flights in those days, so a friend and I travelled to London overnight by train with a sleeping compartment. It was my first trip without my parents and the centre of London was very different to home! Frank Miller was the headline guest – he’d just finished his run on Daredevil and Ronin was in the works. I first got to meet Brian Bolland and Kevin O’Neill there and my big purchases were a copy of the first printing of A Contract With God by Will Eisner and a mint copy of Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76, the first by Denny O’Neill and Neal Adams, which set me back the astronomical sum (at the time) of £19. It’s a lot more now!

*The Comicana Convention Booklet 1982, designed by Hass Yusuf (scan with thanks to David Hathaway Price); and headline guests Frank Miller (photo by Paul Trimble); and some memories of the event*

Frank Miller at Comica ‘82 in London. Photo: Paul Trimble — *The Comicana Convention Booklet 1982, designed by Hass Yusuf (scan with thanks to David Hathaway Price); and headline guests Frank Miller (photo by Paul Trimble); and some memories of the event*

*Paul Trimble (in the light blue jacket, meeting Louise Simonson at the Birmingham Comic Art Show in May 1984. Photo via Paul Trimble*

My next Con was the Birmingham Comic Art Show in May 1984. I went overnight by bus this time, so impossible to get any sleep – with headliners Walt and Louise Simonson and Howard Chaykin. Walt was hugely popular at the time as he had recently started his epic run on Thor and Howard was almost a year into American Flagg. I bought Power Pack #1 for Louise to sign and she wrangled me onto the list for a Thor sketch from Walt!

Alan Moore was also a guest – I really enjoyed his work in Warrior, 2000AD and Captain Britain and he was now creating a bit of a stir with the Swamp Thing from DC. I’m not normally a reader of horror comics, but had bought a copy of the then current issue, #24, in the newsagents to get it signed. Alan was very friendly and easy going, he signed everything and thanked me for buying Swamp Thing – we chatted, uninterrupted, for over half an hour.

Next year would be very different. UKCAC (the UK Comic Art Convention) launched in September 1985, which took me back to London on the overnight bus to meet Marv Wolfman (Crisis On Infinite Earths was about halfway through), Steve Bissette and John Totleben, Roy Thomas (legend), Alan Moore (who remembered me from Birmingham the year before!) and a host of British creators.

*Art Adams, John Bolton and Chris Claremont. The Classic X-Men panel at the Birmingham Con 1986. Photo: Paul Trimble*

*Paul’s first ever convention was UKCAC 82 but the first sketch he ever got was at the Birmingham Con in May 1984. Marvelman by Alan Davis*

A Convention in Glasgow had been announced for Glasgow in October 1985 with one of my comics idols Will Eisner headlining. I was tapped out after London but just had to go. So, doing it on the mega cheap I brought sandwiches with me to eat over the weekend rather than buy food and slept in the all-night film show (a staple of cons back then) rather than pay for a hotel room, off I set by train.

What an experience to meet Will Eisner – he gave a talk based around his book Comics And Sequential Art and at the end there was a scramble to nab the pages from the flip chart he’d been using for quick doodles to illustrate what he was talking about. Proud to say I got my hands on one, and it’s still in my collection.

During 1986 I attended both The Birmingham Comic Art Show in Birmingham in May and then UKCAC in September, but I could go on and on here, and I’m probably boring people so I’ll stop now. This has only been the tip of the iceberg, maybe I should write a book!

Were there any particular comic conventions that influenced you when it came to setting up Enniskillen Comic Fest?

I guess you could say that I’ve taken influences from every Comic Con I’ve ever attended, but I think I really began to appreciate the quality, and the work involved, with the Bristol Comics Expo organised by Mike Allwood and the Birmingham International Comics Show and then ICE run by Shane Chebsey and James Hodgkins. These shows were always very well organised, relaxed and friendly every year and I have very fond memories of attending them.

I say it to everyone, Enniskillen is my favourite convention. You’ll confirm I’m there nearly every year so I can back that up. What do you think is the secret to a successful comic convention?

That’s very kind of you to say David, and it’s always a pleasure to have you at ComicFest. The secret? Well, if there is a secret I haven’t found it yet! Hard work and trying to prepare for any eventuality are definitely a big part of it.

I have a number of great memories from Enniskillen. I remember a panel with a bunch of 2000AD creators. I think it has Steve McManus, John Wagner and Alan Grant were on it (amongst others). The Battle collection launch. The post-convention chats at the bar. Are there any memories that stand out for you?

Memories – really too many to mention as every year has so many. The torrential rain during our first show in 2016, being granted official status for 2000AD’s 40th Anniversary in 2017, hosting the launch of Garth Ennis’ new Battle Action special in 2022 and reuniting so many of Battle’s creators and editorial team for the 50th Anniversary last year really stand out.

Then there’s getting to have so many wonderful comic creators to Enniskillen is very special, and the volume of praise and thanks we get from visitors every year.

*Battle Action Launch Panel in Blakes Of The Hollow at Enniskillen Comic Fest 2022, hosted by Michael Carroll. Photo courtesy Paul Trimble*

One by-product of the convention is that a lot of older creators are getting the attention from a younger generation. For me, it was Mike Dorey’s art in particular that wowed me. It was great seeing new work from him published. His art is even better now. It must be great to see some of your heroes getting the spotlight again.

That’s always been an aim for ComicFest, as well as current and upcoming comic creators we always include writers and artists of those great British comics from the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s to give Irish fans a chance to meet those legends. I’m proud to say Enniskillen was the first Convention appearance for Alan Hebden, Dave Hunt and Mike Dorey – and Ian Kennedy enjoyed coming to Enniskillen so much that he always referred to it as one of his favourites in interviews.

*The legendary, much-missed Ian Kennedy, and Paul Trimble*

There were plenty of Battle legends at last year’s Enniskillen event. Pictured alongside Forbidden Planet’s Andrew Sumner (left) are, Gerry Finley-Day, Alan Hebden, event organiser Paul Trimble, Steve MacManus, Mike Dorey John Wagner and David Hunt

I think it is safe to say that the renewed interest in Battle and Action generated by the convention in recent years has led to Rebellion’s interest in releasing new collections. What new collections have you particularly enjoyed?

Since Garth’s relaunch of Battle Action back in 2022 there’s been a number of brilliant Battle releases from Rebellion including two volumes of The Sarge and Rat Pack: Convict Commandos, all of which I’ve enjoyed immensely.

However, special mention must go to Hellman of Hammer Force: Downfall, which summarises the Second World War in three sections, the blitzkrieg through Western Europe, the invasion of Russia in Operation Barbarossa and then the downfall of Hitler’s whole rotten regime. Very powerful stuff by Gerry Finley-Day with Mike Dorey, Jim Watson and Pat Wright sharing the art duties.

Currently I’m enjoying the Action: Before The Ban volume and there’s the Charley’s War Apex Edition (which will be stunning) and the first volume of Johnny Red to look forward to later in the year. Good times.

Enniskillen Comic Fest 2026 Guest Announcement

I see some guests have been announced. Any recommendations to fans of what they should be bringing to get signed?

Recommendations… hmm. Well, Andy Diggle has been one of my favourite writers for ages now and I really enjoy his Green Arrow: Year One. The Losers and his run on Hellblazer are superb reads as well and he’s just completed two volumes of Gotham By Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age and A League For Justice, which I highly recommend.

For Iron Man fans, remember that Kev Hopgood created the visuals for both War Machine and the Hulkbuster armour. Tom Foster illustrated a great Judge Dredd story in “A Penitent Man” and I’m really looking forward to the new Trigan Empire graphic novel he’s working on with our own Mike Carroll.

I could go on and on here as I enjoy the work of each of our Guests – as a tease to finish on I’ll just say that fans of Daredevil, Catwoman, Supergirl, the X-Men, Red Sonja, Batman and Aliens will be happy.

I won’t ask you to reveal the rest of the guest list but is it safe to say there will be more?

I realise that we’ve had a number of the same Guests over the past couple of years so this year it will something different.

More Guests? Yep, we’re just getting started!

• Enniskillen Comic Fest 2026 Takes place Saturday 6th – Sunday 7th June 2026 Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland | Free Entry | Follow the Facebook Group for updates