Photo Index
2010 Stumptown Comics Fest Page 1
April 24 & 25,
2010
In addition to the photos from this year's Stumptown Comics Fest, I'll include some background information on the cartoonists' work, so hopefully it'll be a little like a virtual version of the fest—at least the portion I was able to cover.
This year's program cover was drawn by Theo Ellsworth, who was also one of the Fest's Special Guests.
Other Special Guests included Mike Allred, Graham Annable, Kate Beaton, Kurt Busiek, Dean Haspiel, Lucy Knisley, Batton Lash, Hope Larson, Paul Pope, R. Sikoryak, Matthew Southworth, James Sturm, and Craig Thompson.
The show's Director, Shannon T. Stewart, and a horde of volunteers put on a terrific show. Many thanks to Shannon and all the volunteers!
Colleen Frakes traveled to Portland and was tabling next to Jon Chad, who was representing the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. Colleen was selling copies of Woman King, Tragic Relief, Color Comics, Big Sexy Anthology, Tag Team Anthology, and The Trials of Sir Christopher. The 118-page Trials was Colleen's first graphic novel written and drawn during the 2009 NaNoWriMo event last November. Check out Colleen's blog, Tragic Relief to keep tabs on her projects and for a list of comic shops and online distros that carry her comics. Top
Jon had a nice stack of Caboose, a free newsprint tabloid (print run of 3000), featuring the work of many students/alumni of CCS that's edited by Chuck Forsman and Max de Radiguès. If you're wondering where this Caboose is headed, you can follow it, because yes, even the Caboose has a blog. Top
Bert Benson's Art Bureau publishes a variety of comix & zines and prints & postcards. Several back editions of his beautifully produced oblong art zine, Art Bureau are still available from his Etsy Shop, Microcosm, and Quimby's.
Bert has contacts around the world and his publishing efforts often introduce artists to the US zine scene. His more recent projects include Art Bureau #16 and #17, Black Rain print by Ciah, The Hot Dog poster by Andy Smith, and a new anthology, Art Bureau Comix. The anthology features work by Bubi Au Yeung, Rebecca Artemisa, Daria Tessler, Ciah-Ciah, Paul Shih, Junichi Tsuneoka, Zeptonn, Andy Smith, Jim Bradshaw, Jon Sperry, and Sarah Becan. In addition to the website, Bert also maintains the Art Bureau Blog, where you can keep up with his projects and events. Top
Sophie Yanow came up from Oakland for the show and was selling copies of her newest self-published comic, VSNQST. You can sample her comics and prints on the Sophie Yanow website, and order her work online. She also has a LiveJournal blog. Top
Kane Lynch is working on a four-issue series of comic books called The Relics. The first three issues are complete and available from IndyPlanet for $4 each. He's also posted The Relic as a webcomic along with several photo-style comic stories and several short films you can watch online. Check out the Kane Lynch website for everything mentioned above. Top
Jackie Estada and Batton Lash of Exhibit A Press were selling copies of the 3 issue Simpson's/Radioactive Man crossover, written by Batton that spoofs similar "event" series published by Marvel and DC. Batton was awarded an Eisner Award for his work on Radioactive Man for Bongo Comics in 2002, for Best Humor Publication.
Jackie and Batton also had several Archie Freshman Year comics penned by Batton.
Batton's own creation Supernatural Law was represented by multiple collections including:
Tales of Supernatural Law
The Soddyssey
Sonovawitch!
The Vampire Brat
Mister Negativity and
Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre
Episodes of Supernatural Law are available online at Webcomics Nation. Top
Tim Batuik was on hand selling his own self-published comics and representing Microcosm Publishing.
Tim completed the first issue of a four part series, Bill Wuzza Dinosaur, just in time for Stumptown. His comics are available from his shop on the Move! Dance! Create! website. His series include:
Weird Sea Creatures of the Sea
Homobody #1-5
Odd Ends #1 & 2
and a large collection of individual titles.
He peddled a bicycle, with a metal fold-out box mounted up-front, to Stumptown from Microcosm's Shop in SE Portland. The box unfolds into a display rack, ready to load-up with Microcosm's many books, comics, and zines. Although it's hard to tell in the photo, he's actually sitting on the bike. Check out the Microcosm Catalog online.
Portland-based Bowler Hat Comics hosted Alexis E. Fajardo at their table. You can read an 8-page preview of Fajardo's brand new Kid Beowulf graphic novel The Song of Roland at Bowler Hat Comics. Top
Barry Matthews of Secret Acres and Theo Ellsworth
Publisher Secret Acres made their first Stumptown appearance this year with a table filled with their titles. Partners Barry Matthews (pictured) and Leon Avelino (not pictured) hosted Portlander Theo Ellsworth in the exhibit hall. Theo said he was anxious to cut back on some of his side projects and activities so he can devote more time to drawing comics. For news on Theo's work see his blog Thought Cloud Factory News.
Four of Stumptown's rising cartoonists stars: Graham Annable, Julia Gfrörer, Blaise Larmee, and Theo Ellsworth were profiled on Neighborhood Notes this week, by Jeremy Lloyd. Top
Jesse Davidge, one of the Davidge Cousins, and the artist behind the Mathemagick & Mystiphysics graphic novel, came down from Calgary, BC.
Jesse and James were interviewed by Suzette Chan on Sequential Tart a while back about an earlier project called The Wandering Stars.
The new M&M novel is a joint venture published by Bayeux Arts and Rosencrantz Comics. For a book trailer see the Mathemagick & Mystiphysics webpage, where you can also download a PDF of Bayeux's catalog.
Several members of the Cloudscape Comics Collection in Vancouver, BC came down for the show, including Jonathon Dalton and Jeff Ellis. The collective recently completed the Exploded View anthology. Top
Jeremy Sawatsky and San Bell collaborated on a prose zine called Robot Rowboat Club, that San wrote and Jeremy illustrated. You can read Jeremy's webcomic Purple Soul on the Purple Comics website. Top
Dan Dunlap had several collections of his Daily Dans webcomic for sale along with a digest-size comic called Chiaro Scuro Part One. The books are available from the Acts of Dan Store. Dan, Evin Weston, and friends have formed a comic collective in BC called Dorkchop Comics. Top
Evin Weston of Victoria, BC was selling his min comic Bang, which he posted online a few weeks before the Fest. He was also promoting a webcomic called Dr. Octopus-for-a-Hand which you can read on Tranive.ca. Top
Jason Janicki, writer of Wayfarer's Moon
The creative team of Wayfarer's Moon, Jason Janicki writer (pictured), and Leigh Kellogg artist were tabling with copies of their book for sale. Wayfarer's Moon is a high-fantasy that follows the adventures of Iri and Lily in the world of Lachryn. The story can be read online or in a series of comic books. The webcomic is updated every Tuesday. The first five issues of the comic book are available through IndyPlanet for around $4 a copy. The Wayfarer's Moon website also includes a forum where readers can discuss the story with it's creators. For current news visit the Single Edge Studio blog. To see more artwork by Kellogg, visit his DeviantArt page. Top
Gabe Miller signing a copy of Dirt Nap (out of frame)
Double Fine is indie game development studio located in San Francisco. The site features online games, news, a store, and forums as well as comics by Scott Campbell, Tasha, Gabe Miller (pictured), Mark Hamer, and Raz. Top
I talked to Gabe at Stumptown and got a mini comic collection of his webcomic Dirt Nap #1. It's hilarious. I wasn't able to find it in the Double Fine shop, but are selling the Double Fine Action Comics (DFAC) by Scott Campbell along with some great buttons set based on their webcomics.
Graham Annable was a guest of the convention promoting his recently released new book from Darkhorse: The Book of Grickle. You can keep up with all things Grickle at Grickle Things, including the Grickle Channel. Issues of Graham's comic book, Hickee, and other works are available from Last Gasp. Graham was interviewed at the show by the Stumptown Trade Review.
Philip Barasch created a boxed set of color plates entitled Cornelius—A Tale from the House of Bernard that forms the foundation for a new series called Hand Hewn. Each plate inspires the narrative and colors of a different issue. The first issue of Hand Hewn is available from select comic and book stores. See the full listing at Dancing Chapman Studios. Check out the sample pages from Hand Hewn, which can also be ordered directly from the artist. Original painting by Philip are available through the Talisman Gallery in Portland.
Jim Valentino was back this year representing Shadowline Comics and Silverline Books. Jim was interviewed for USA Today late last year. Top
Reid Psaltis (pictured) was tabling with Matt Ocasio, who recently completed the second issue of his anthology, The Matter. At the moment, his website, The Royal Springs Entertainment Company, provides lots of background on the first issue, but only the announcement for issue #2, which debuted in February. Reid's story The Malaise Trap (written by Jack Bracken) is included.
Reid has self-published some terrific comics like The Goat and Carry On, Carrion which are available at selected comic shops. See Reid Psaltis to read some of his stories online. Kenan Rubenstein (whom I'm kicking myself for missing at the fest) introduced Reid to The Five-Page Folded Mini Comic format and Reid created four minis including Outside In, Vicarious Veins, The Naturalist, and Fish Market.
Aidan Koch had an assortment of zines and prints for sale. Vastness was completed early this year. It's a collection of short stories and poems in comic form. Chant is a zine filled with full page drawings. Visit Aidan Koch for artwork, comics, videos, and updates. The Poopsheet Shop is offering her comic about simultaneous events and isolation, Warmer (2008), with preview pages.
Top Shelf Productions' Brett Warnock and Leigh Walton hosted Brett Weldele, Bwana Spoons, Liz Prince, and Craig Thompson, who was an official guest of the fest.
Montréal-based publisher Drawn & Quarterly occupied several tables with a great selection of books. They hosted fest Guests R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics) and James Strum (Market Day). James was interviewed at the Fest by the folks at Stumptown Trade Review. Top
James Michael Williams is a cartoonist, musician, and animator. I first saw his zine, The Journey of Quetzalcoatlus, at Reading Frenzy, which I reviewed for Comic Related. Several of James's comics have been nominated for Outstanding Art at previous Stumptown Fests. He was selling Quetzalcoatlus, Drive In (written by Dan Pope), White Male Neurosis, Book 1, and other zines. Recently he's become fascinated with animation and has begun producing animated shorts using cut-outs. He's compiled a DVD with several episodes of In Hell There's a River of Marinara Sauce. Each episode is inspired from real life adventures working at a pizza place. James also had a CD of his music for sale and a free collection of his artwork called Mechanical Sorcery. I recommend a visit to his website, James Michael Williams, where you will find sample music, artwork, writing, and film & animation work. Top
Jason Levian is the founder of Floating World Comics in Portland. The shop hosts artist's events frequently and stocks mainstream, independent, and international comics and books. Jason is also the publisher of a newsprint tabloid anthology of comic art called Diamond. This year Jason used the Kickstarter funding platform to help increase the print run of Diamond #5 and included a copy with the April 22-28 edition of the Portland Mercury, the dying alternative weekly of kings.
Skylaar Amann was selling an assortment of handbound notebooks and journals and her original comics, which were all bound with string rather than staples. In fact, sewn binding was somewhat of a trend I noticed this year at the fest. Skylaar has over a dozen comics for sale in her shop, Action Bookbinding. To read her comics online visit Action Bookbinding Comix.
Chelsea Baker was tabling with/near Katie Ellis O'Brien. Chelsea is the Olympia Comics Festival director. This year's event will be held on Saturday, June 5 with guest of honor Peter Bagge. Chelsea draws a daily comic strip and has published two collections of the work. You can read her comics on her website, Chelsea the Baker. Top
Katie Ellis O'Brien was selling her comics, which can also be read online at Trumpetflower. Be sure to check out her beautifully painted comic story Fair Weather Friend from 2009. Katie was interviewed at Plaza of the Mind in 2007.
Christina "Blue" Crow told me about Stumptown Underground a zine collective that publishes a monthly anthology zine filled with comics and writing. Edited by Blue, Katy Ellis O'Brien, Katie Ash, and Alicia Moreland each issue follows a different theme. To date their first six issues featured Monsters, Life Off, Heavy Enough to Fall, Terrible Lizards, Slumber Party, and For Your Pleasure. The Stumptown Underground website provides previews of each issue. Three issue subscriptions are $12 and you can buy past issues in various bundles starting at $8. Submissions are open and welcome. Check the site for upcoming themes, deadlines, submission guidelines, or questions.
Ben Bush was one of several folks representing Portland's Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) and selling copies of the center's new anthology From Stella With Love. Ben drew the cover as well as several sketches inside. Other contributors include Pam Cameron-Snyder, Patrick Devine, Harlan, Katie Moody, La Nina, and Virginia Paine.
Top Page 2 Page 3 Show Index 2009 Stumptown Comics Fest
This feature spans three pages. You can navigate via the alphabetical listing in the left sidebar or scroll down each page and use the links at the bottom.
The winners of the 2010 Trophy Awards at Stumptown are:
Outstanding Small Press: Bearfight!,
BT Livermore
Outstanding Debut:
The Complete Ouija Interviews,
Sarah Becan
Outstanding D.I.Y.: Bearfight!,
BT Livermore
Outstanding Writing:
Boilerplate,
Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett
Outstanding Art: Boilerplate,
Paul Guinan
Outstanding Publication Design:
Panorama,
Stephenny Godfrey
Outstanding Webcomic:
Wondermark,
David Malki!
MF.com previous photo reports on Stumptown Comic Fest's
