Stumping for Comics

Let’s just dispense with the bullshit, shall we? “Comics
aren’t just for kids anymore,” goes the tired refrain, except for when
they are—Jeff Smith, who’s headlining the Stumptown Comics Fest,
is hugely popular with children thanks to his lauded Bone series, which
is as smart and rewarding as any Pixar film. Meanwhile, X-Men comics
can contain incisive social commentary just as surely as any
black-and-white indie comic. Comics are a vast and varied medium, and
frankly, my biceps are getting a little tired of lowering the cultural
bar for people who haven’t figured that out by now.

“Comics is a format, not a genre,” Stumptown Marketing Director
Aaron Duran dutifully recites, in the tone of someone repeating a
well-worn aphorism. And while to an outsider the world of comics and
graphic novels can seem insular and intimidating, the Stumptown Comics
Festival is an annual invitation from Portland’s close-knit community
of comics creators to come see what all the fuss is about.

The two-day festival is among a handful of comic conventions
in the country—joining the likes of New York’s Museum of Comic
and Cartoon Art Fest and STAPLE! in Austin—that focus almost
exclusively on comics creators, as opposed to the merchandising and
movie tie-ins of larger comic book conventions. Stumptown’s intimate
format allows independent artists to connect directly with their
fans—something that’s increasingly important in an era of web
comics, digitized content, and the distribution challenges of actually
getting one’s work sold in a store.

“The scale is so human,” says longtime Stumptown organizer and Too
Much Coffee Man creator Shannon Wheeler. “Everybody there is creating
their own work, and it’s really personal, and really individual. The
quality is anywhere from ‘amazing genius’ to ‘barely above terrible,’
but that’s great—everybody really believes in what they’re
doing.”

As comics increasingly pervade the mainstream, the profile of
Stumptown has risen. For the second year running, the mayor’s office
has dubbed April “Portland Comics Month,” and last fall, the Wordstock
Festival devoted a portion of their exhibit space to graphic
novels.

“As graphic novels, memoirs, and nonfiction grow in popularity, and
as this form of telling stories gains wider acceptance in literary
circles, Stumptown is going to become more and more important,”
observes Wordstock Executive Director Greg Netzer. “I mean, Portland is
home to more comics creators than anywhere in the US, outside of New
York City. From our perspective, it seemed absolutely ridiculous not to
showcase them at Wordstock. This year, we’re making the Stumptown area
at Wordstock even bigger.”

Of course, with that literary cachet comes a perception among some
comics fans that Stumptown is a snooty indie show, with no room for the
superhero comics or the licensed characters that financially drive the
industry. Duran insists, though, that Stumptown is all about breaking
down perceived boundaries between different types of comics.

“There might be the mentality that we’re the snobby show,” Duran
says, “but in fact, we’re the exact opposite of that. We’re grown
adults with mortgages and we’re organizing a comic book show. We’re all
here because we love it.”

Discrimination between so-called mainstream comics and indie comics
often comes more from fans than from creators, comics journalist Laura
Hudson notes. “With comics, it’s really hard to make a living. You
start doing mainstream stuff to make your money and make your name, and
then you have the freedom to do what you want to do.”

Stumptown’s exhibitor tables will be packed with a full spectrum of
creators, from Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone to indie comics darling
Carla Speed McNeil—but the show also offers an opportunity for
aspiring comics creators to network, and get their work seen. For the
second year, editors from the locally based publisher Dark Horse will
be on hand conducting a talent search, accepting submissions of
previously unpublished work, and two winners will be invited to
contribute a comic to the Eisner-nominated anthology MySpace Dark Horse
Presents (MDHP). “Stumptown embraces the self-published, the
newcomers, and the first-time comics readers who might not find their
fix in the superhero mainstay,” explains MDHP editor Sierra Hahn.
“Dark Horse is fortunate to be situated in the heart of this
vibrant comics community, with some of the top cartoonists right here
in Portland. Whether they’re already established or just getting
started, we want to work with the best and the
brightest.”Stumptown’s diverse number of opportunities and
creators speaks directly to comics’ versatility and potential. “Comics
need to grow, and it needs to become more accessible,” Hudson says. And
with a welcoming two-day roster of comics for every taste, Stumptown
aims to help the medium do just that.