For the second year running, April has been dubbed
“Portland Comics Month“—a handy designation that allows
local artists, bookstores, and publishers to harness the momentum
generated by the annual Stumptown Comics Fest (for more info on
the fest, see our feature on this year’s fest). A generous roster of comics-related events
provide plenty of ways to get involved in what the festival’s website
calls, smugly but not inaccurately, “today’s most vibrant artistic and
cultural movement.”
The festival itself has a lot more going on than just an exhibition
hall. You’ll find workshops on minicomics, starting artistic
businesses, and editing comics; a lecture on the Joker from
Pacific Northwest College of Art comics studies professor Trevor
Dodge; panels spotlighting creators like Gail Simone,
Carla Speed McNeil, and Jeff Smith; and portfolio reviews
from local comics editors and creators. (See stumptowncomics.com for a complete
schedule)
For the well-heeled comic book fan, the Stumptown Comics
Foundation and Comic Book Legal Defense Fund benefit
dinner is a no-brainer: The $100 ticket price offers a chance to
schmooze with Jeff Smith, Gail Simone, Craig
Thompson, Brian Michael Bendis, and others (while enjoying a
well-balanced three-course meal, natch). For the shoddily heeled comic
book fan, of which I suspect there are many, a pre-dinner cocktail hour
at the Art Bar is open to the public; pre-drinking recommended.
(PCPA’s Art Bar, 1111 SW Broadway, Fri April 17, cocktail hour at
5:30 pm, free; dinner at 6:30 pm, $100, reservations required, see
stumptowncomics.com for more
info)
Other festival-sponsored events include Stumptown’s annual Trophy
Awards Ceremony, which is as low-fuss as the festival itself. “I
just thought, it’s a convention, we should have an awards ceremony,”
longtime Stumptown organizer Shannon Wheeler explains. “People
have to be in attendance to get an award, so Chris Ware doesn’t sweep
them without being there. There’s a DIY award, there’s a small press
award, and people can nominate themselves. It’s judged by the
attendees. When you come in you get a ballot, and then there’s a table
with everyone that’s been nominated. So it’s really democratic. The
whole shebang is hosted by one of the most loquacious nerds in town,
KUFO’s Fatboy Roberts, and followed by a comics art battle
pitting audacious creators against one another. (Trophy Awards
ceremony and comics art battle at Cosmic Monkey Comics, 5335 NE Sandy,
Sat April 18, 7 pm, free)
Several galleries around town are exhibiting comics-related work.
Cloistered in Crowds collects original covers and pages from
Paul Hornschemeier, author of The Three Paradoxes,
a beautifully drawn book about a young artist that’s bolstered by
childhood flashbacks and surprisingly funny philosophical
interjections. (Charles A. Hartman Fine Art, 134 NW 8th, Tues-Sat 11
am-6 pm, through May 2) Meanwhile, Floating World is currently
displaying work by artist/comics creator David Mack, best known
for his work on the Kabuki graphic novels. (Floating World
Comics, 20 NW 5th #101.) Also at Floating World, on Thursday, April
16 from 6-8 pm, cartoonist Meredith Gran—creator of
Octopus Pie (octopuspie.com)—will be signing
copies of her third webcomics collection.
The Multnomah County Library, long a supporter of independent and
small presses, is onboard with two comics-themed events: On Thursday,
April 16, freelance cartoonist Carolyn Main gives a presentation
on webcomics—check out her work at carolynmain.com. And their “Zinesters
Talking” series this month focuses on minicomics, with creators
Hellen Jo and Dunja Jankovic on Friday, April 17.
(Both readings held in the US Bank room at the Central Library, 801
SW 10th, 4:30-5:30 pm, free)