Big Comic Show at the Pickerington Library

Exhibitors include:
Glenn Baskin
Brent Bowman
Alex Clark
Bob Corby
Molly Durst
Ken Eppstein
Terence Hanley
Stephen Hines
Travis Horseman
Max Ink
Lora Innes
Canada Keck  
Michael Neno
Andrew Pena
Lis Huey
Jasmine Rajavadee
Meg Syverud
Valerie Starr
John Steventon
There are still a few spots left for exhibitors.
http://www.pickeringtonlibrary.org/content/big-comic-show-2014


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Tired, Sore & Hoarse

I’m tired, sore and hoarse today… but it was worth it. After seeing all the creative energy this weekend I’m excited to start new projects and start working on SPACE 2015.  I couldn’t ask for a better community of friendly people enjoying our common love for the comics medium. It keeps me going.

Thanks to all the exhibitors for making SPACE such a joy to put on each year and everybody I sucked  into doing panels which provided all the great programming.

 

 

Also thanks to Nate Powell for allowing us an early look at March Book Two before anybody else.  Nate and Ken Eppstein also deserve a hardy thanks for being troopers for singing the night away and then getting up in a few hours to make us look good on local TV.

Thanks to Stang and the crew at the Laughing Ogre for the great party Friday night and to Caitlin McGurk (the unstoppable force) and Kafe Kerouac for the comics reading and karaoke after party on Saturday.

 

Thanks to all the people who came to see all the  incredible work. 

I‘d like to especially thank my wife, Kathy, my brother, Ron, my son, Bob  and Fate Spears for running the show with me.  (Check out the great work Fate does with the Comic Book Connection Initiative https://www.facebook.com/CBCI.Cols

Hope everybody had a safe trip home and hope to see you all again next year.

Bob Corby

 

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SPACE Exhibitor Bios Pt. 8

Jason Strutz
Jason Strutz is the illustrator behind the Cask of Amontillado

and upcoming The House of Montresor graphic novel with Enrica Jang from Red Stylo

Media, colorist on Ehmm Theory from Action Lab Entertainment. He also selfpublishes

a variety of Make Your Own Comics, ABC books, and other comics. You can

find more at StrutzArt.com.

KT Swartz
1876. The newest, sleekest, top-of-the-line train draws a host of

colorful characters on its maiden journey. But what starts out as a peaceful ride

along the rails turns into war when the infamous Red Gang attacks.

What these passengers don't know is that someone hired the Red Gang to rob the

train. The only question is why?

JTW
JTW has been creating mini comics since his pre-teens but,started

doing comics seriously in 2004, when he self-published his first zine/comic

Lunchbox. Since then, as one part of the Local DC Conspiracy comic scene, he has

done work for various anthologies and small press publishers, as well as

continuing his own comic series Black Dayz. He will be showcasing a ton of highly

inventive comix at different conventions, so feel free to keep an eye out for him.

He is also an accomplished illustrator dabbling in acrylics, and Music production/

DJing in the Musique Concrete/Soul Jazz/Hip Hop genre. 

Rochelle and Adrienne Westmoreland

Rochelle and Adrienne are 2 sisters who do various art work and zines."

Max Wheeler
Gnarly As I Wanna Be makes independent prints, music, zines,

comics and more.

Gnarly As I Wanna Be makes independently made comics, zines, books and prints. We

also put out records.

 

Katherine Wirick
Katherine’s topics of interest include war, trauma and baseball. She won the 2012 SPACE Prize for No One is Safe. She is currently working on Nervenkrank.

Dave Woodward
Gordie Gnomo is about a woodland gnome who has spent a long part

of his life on the road as a wandering nomad. After unexpectedly discovering the

first town he's seen in years, Gordie is determined to settle down and establish

his life as an adult for the first time ever, but is in for a rude awakening to

how difficult it will be.

Bruce Worden
Zombies at Woodstock. (that's the REALLY short description!)

Blending comedy, action, and rock-n-roll, "Woodstalk" is the forgotten story of

the zombie outbreak at the seminal music festival of the 1960s.

 

Jessi Zabarsky
Jessi Zabarsky makes comics about food, bunnies, and cool girls.

You can find more things to look at and links to buy them at jessiz.com

 

Jeff Zwirek
Jeff Zwirek, a.k.a Jeffrey Antacid, a.k.a Jeff Z is a self-publishing cartoonist. His comics work includes Jack Rabbit, Black Star, Pinstriped Bloodbath, and Burning Building Comix. He has received a nomination for an Ignatz award, and his comics have been named "Notable Comics" multiple times by the Best American Comics anthology. He's also one of the organizers of CAKE, the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo. He lives and works in Chicago, with his wife and two sons.

 

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SPACE Exhibitor Bios Pt. 7

John Porcellino
John Porcellino was born in Chicago, in 1968, and has been writing, drawing, and publishing minicomics, comics, and graphic novels for over twenty-five years. His celebrated self-published series King-Cat Comics, begun in 1989, has inspired a generation of cartoonists. Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man, a collection of King-Cat stories about Porcellino’s experiences as a pest control worker, won an Ignatz Award in 2005, and Perfect Example, first published in 2000, chronicles his struggles with depression as a teenager. King-Cat Classix and Map of My Heart, published in 2007/2009, offer a comprehensive overview of the zine's first sixty-one issues, while Thoreau at Walden (2008) is a poetic expression of the great philosopher’s experience and ideals. According to cartoonist Chris Ware, "John Porcellino's comics distill, in just a few lines and words, the feeling of simply being alive."
Porcellino's work has been translated into French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, and Korean. He currently lives in South Beloit, Illinois.

Nate Powell
From 1999 to 2009, he worked as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities. Powell began self-publishing comics in 1992 at age 14. He graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1996, briefly attended George Washington University in Washington, DC, and graduated from School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2000 after receiving the Outstanding Cartooning Student award and the Shakespeare & Company Books Self-Publishing Grant, with which he funded the first issue of Walkie Talkie.  Powell lived intermittently in central Arkansas while calling East Lansing, Michigan, South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island home from 2001 to 2003. He settled in Bloomington, Indiana in early 2004.
His 2008 graphic novel Swallow Me Whole won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut and Outstanding Artist, and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Young Adult Fiction category. It received the 2009 Eisner Award for Best Original Graphic Novel, and was also nominated for Best Writer/Artist and Best Lettering.
In 2013 Top Shelf Productions published March, an autobiographical graphic novel trilogy about the life of civil rights leader and United States Congressman John Lewis, written by Lewis and Andrew Aydin, and illustrated by Powell.
Powell has worked on the graphic novel adaptation of Rick Riordan's The Heroes Of Olympus:The Lost Hero, while working on his own next book, entitled Cover and the short comics collection You Don't Say.

Stu Rase

ROCKET MONKEY is the story of an alcoholic monkey and his ability

to turn invisible when exposing himself. Oh. It's also about his quest to become

the greatest hero Chicago has ever seen.

THE UNDAD is a charming tale about a zombie father and his relationship with his

quite-alive daughter.

Joseph Remnant
Joseph Remnant is a Los Angeles based cartoonist, who writes and

draws the comic book series, BLINDSPOT. The 3rd issue was recently published by

Kilgore Books. He's currently working the graphic novel, CARTOON CLOUDS, which is

being serialized at TheExpositorComics.com

Jonathon Riddle
Jonathon Riddle has been writing and drawing comics since childhood, his first comics work being an adaptation of The Return of the Jedi rendered in crayon at the age of four. He is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design with a major in illustration. He currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, where he is a regular contributor to the Ohio-based comic anthology “Oh, Comics!” With Only Five Plums is his first graphic novel.

Ryan Ruffatti

Ryan Ruffatti is glad to be back making comics again escaping the

pressures of the day job to bring pen to paper and create cute doodles. He is

currently working on his on going series Shift and Approaching the Middle.

Sarah Winifred Searle

Sarah Winifred Searle is a cartoonist and cat wrangler from New

England. She was Children's Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library where

she created Under the Apple Tree, a historical coming-of-age graphic novel, and

has some work in Fulcrum Publishing's upcoming Colonial Comics anthologies.

Melody Moore is an Ohio native cartoonist, illustrator, and game developer. She's

currently working on a supernatural-themed comic series about a girl named Olive

and a mystery game project with Los Muertos Games.

K. Sekelsky
K. Sekelsky is an illustrator and author from Johnstown, PA. She wrote and illustrated The Time Traveler's Pocket Guide, and has produced a number of webcomics and minicomics over the years. 

Lee Smith
Lee Smith has been producing Ohio Chronicles for 3 years. An Ohio

University graduate, Lee was an elementary school classroom teacher for 20+ years

in the Columbus City Schools. His interest in helping students learn through

comic books inspired him to create a comic book series devoted to the history of

Ohio. Each of the bi-monthly issues features a historical narrative, an

informational background comic and primary sources based on a specific historic

event. Ohio Chronicles has been featured in newspaper articles throughout Ohio and

is available at numerous Museums across the state.

Marky Starr

Marky Starr has co-created the comics Hammerhead-Head, The Last

Messiah, and Football Dad alongside Mack White. He also co-created The Nocturnal

Mission alongside Italian artist Detrocboi.

Talcott Starr

Rescue Archaeology is a blend of memory, imagination, and observation, filtered

through poetry and poured into a comic. 

Valerie Starr

Octopus Story follows a curious octopus--an adventurous creature who is enjoying

learning about the world around it--who becomes bored with the ocean, and sets off

on a journey through the everyday world. It encounters new people, places, and

modes of transportation, and gains the companionship of one black kitten along the

way. Brave, and a little stubborn, Octopus's first experience outside the ocean

has given it a taste for future adventures.

John Steventon
HappyGlyphs Comics is the home of Cartoonist and Illustrator John

Steventon's creativity, including his two comic strips The Inquiring Minds and

Knight and Day.

 

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Kid Friendly Comics!

Over the years there have been many more children and families attending SPACE.We love to see comic reader of all ages. So to help encouage this many of the SPACE exhibitors will be flying the Kid Friendly sign to help parents find comics for their kids. Our Kid Friendly sign was designed by Heidi Black.

 

 

Back to our Regularly Scheduled SPACE Exhibitor Bios

Scott & Jeffery Kraynak

'Animal Crackers' is a mix of poetry and art, a creative effort by

the brothers Kraynak. While Scott is primarily the artist, and Jeffrey is

primarily the writer, to say that one wrote while the other illustrated would be a

gross generalization. For our creativity has bridged the divide and neither half

would be as good without the input from the other side.

The goal from the start was to create something along the lines of an adult Dr.

Seuss book. And to that end it was written in anapestic tetrameter, the poetic

meter most often used by him. The illustrations were done in the same fashion

typically employed by Scott with his other artwork, a style he has come to

term 'linelism'. At first glance it might seem child-friendly with all the pretty

little animals. And what kid doesn't love animal crackers? But then you open it

and the truth is revealed. This book is not for kids. It is brutal and vulgar and

not for the faint of heart. But neither is what we're doing to the environment.

And that's the point. Though if I may take a step back and recant a prior

statement, this book IS for kids. They need to see what we're doing wrong. While

the change needs to start with us, it must continue with them. They are the

future. They are the unfortunate shoulders upon which our hopes reside. They are

not inheriting the best of worlds, nor an!

easy one to grow up in, but, as noted by Samuel Daniel, "by adversity are

wrought the greatest works of admiration." 

Emily MacMahan
I am a senior illustration/animation major at CCAD, with a

high interest sequential art. I have started working on a possible web series,

about an energetic young girl with a wild imagination. I also like to make

stickers.

Andrew Meyerhoefer

The Ragged Rider: Tales of a Cowboy Mummy is an all-ages comedy

adventure about a mummified bounty hunter and his best friend, an eyepatch-wearing

horse, in the Weird Wild West. They battle tons of crazy monsters like skeletons

with mustaches, werewolves, and normal, ain't-nothin'-wrong-with-'em buzzards.

Joseph Morris
Joseph Morris is the owner and operator of TORC Press, a small

press comic publisher based out of the middle of nowhere in Illinois. A 14 year

veteran, Joseph recently published his 100th Comic Book. His currently impossible

goal is to bring three different comic to the 100 Issue Mark. His books include

the Hot Fudge Sundae Adventure Club, The Skull Mob, and SDF.

Chris Monday
Just come see us as the expo, you're gonna like it. Unless Chris

and Jed are fighting.

Dara Naraghi
Dara Naraghi was born in Iran and educated in the United States. An Ohio State University alum, he works in the information technology field, but his passion is for the comics medium. His debut graphic novel, Lifelike, has garnered many positive reviews, from the likes of award-winning novelist Cory Doctorow, and cartoonist Sam Kieth. His other notable graphic novels include the Terminator Salvation official movie prequel, and Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland (both New York Times Bestsellers), as well as works for Image Comics, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse, and DC Comics. Dara is also a founding member of the comic book writers/artists collective known as PANEL, with whom he has produced 19 volumes of their comics anthology. Dara lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, daughter, and the world’s sweetest hound dog. Last year his Persia Blues was published by NBM.

 

Michael R. Neno
Publisher since 1987 of fine comics and publications. Creator of the online strips Quacky Pig and Friends, The Mesh and Freak Cave. Publisher of The Signifiers, Quacky Pig and Lovey Dovey coloring books and the Xeric Award-granted Reactionary Tales. Have freelanced for Dark Horse, Nix Comics Quarterly, Paul Pope's Horse Press, Caliber and Cracked Magazine. Have illustrated novels for Airship 27 and created posters for musicians like Dawn Landes, Moon High and Billy Cash.

Maryanne Papke
Weird and cute comics.

Jason Pauff
Hope For Normal Romance is a dark comic based on classic Romance Comics.

Brandon Peat
BLACK ROSE is a webcomic that depicts a fantasy world entering an

industrial revolution a world facing war between the magic-using nation of

Ishtakar and the steampunk country of Athelica. The series follows a brother and

sister through the tumultuous evolution of their world. To use some famous

examples, it mixes the rich worldbuilding of high fantasy such as Lord of the

Rings with modern, character-driven storytelling like that of Battlestar Galactica.

Andrew Pena

Andrew Pena is a Bronx-born illustrator and zine maker who lives with no regrets.

His endless zine barrage README feature his playful slice-of-life comics as well

as work and interviews with his artistic peers.

Nick Pendleton
Nick’s comic, Feral Boy and Gilgamesh at the End of the World, is about a mutant boy and a psychic dog, post-apocalypse. Fun, adventure,

thrills, friendship.

 

 

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SPACE Programing!!!!

 

All Weekend:

Nate Powell’s March Book Two Sneak Preview Exhibit See original art from the forthcoming March Book Two before anybody else.  March Book Two is the second book of the phenomenal graphic novel trilogy about US Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis. The books are written by Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, with art by Nate Powell. Nate will be on hand in front of the exhibit.

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
Billy Ireland will be open over the weekend with exhibitions Bill Watterson's Calvin & Hobbes and Richard Thompson's Cul de Sac with extended hours on Friday 1PM to7PM and their usual hours Saturday & Sunday 1PM to 5PM. We’ll be hanging out on Friday 2PM to about 5PM starting the annual SPACE Jam board.  

Friday, April 11:

Laughing Ogre Comic Shoppe
7:30PM-11:00PM SPACE Pre-party at the Laughing Ogre, 4258 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43214 - Meet and talk to many of the SPACE exhibitors before the show. Watch while the annual Jam Panel is created.

Saturday, April 12:

10:00AM- Exhibitor Room Opens

12:00 Noon-1:00PM Self-Publishing (How To) Hosted by Gabriel Dunston with Daniel J. Hogan, Warwick Johnson, Scott Kraynak and Tim Kenyon.  A panel discussion from a few self-publishers and how they do what they do. 

1:00PM- 2:00PM 2013 SPACE Prize Presentations hosted by Bob Corby.

2:00PM-3:00PM Tools & Techniques Panel  Hosted by Tyrell Cannon with Scott Kraynak & Pam Bliss & Matt Kish. The variety of artists from different backgrounds and training levels in indie comics is fascinating. Everyone seems to have a different way of working, leading to an infinite variety of results. This is a discussion & demo of the tools and techniques utilized by a variety of artists exhibiting at S.P.A.C.E. Each will bring some of their tools, give information about them, and then show a quick demo of how they use them.

3:00PM-4:00PM Nate Powell Presentation.  Nate discusses a deluge of projects underway since MARCH: BOOK ONE (including BOOK TWO, of course!). Get the lowdown on his adaptation of Rick Riordan's THE LOST HERO, short comics collection YOU DON'T SAY, collaborations with Scott Snyder and Van Jensen, his next solo book DIAMOND MINE, pinups, anthologies, as well as an upcoming fall exhibit at the Billy Ireland Museum and OSU events with Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin.

4:00PM-5:00PM Memoir Comics hosted by John Steventon with Jimmy Gownley, John Porcellino,  Dara Naraghi  and Jason Young.

6:00PM Exhibitor Room Closes

Saturday Night:

Kafe Kerouac- AFTER S.P.A.C.E. COMICS READING AND KARAOKE PARTY!
Kafe Kerouac 2250 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201
Saturday April 12th, 7:30pm Suggested donation: $5
Join us after the first day of S.P.A.C.E. for an evening of live comics-readings from both local and traveling cartoonists, followed by a karaoke party! Grab a drink from the bar, get on stage, and keep the party going with us until 1am.

Sunday, April 13:

10:00AM- Exhibitor Room Opens

1:00PM-2:00PM Sketch & Kvetch: Ladies Doing Comics Hosted by Canada Keck with Lora Innes, Katie Wright, Maryanne Papke, Enrica Jang, Alex Heberling, Liz Valasco, Coleen Clark and Kathryn Wirick.

2:00PM-3:00PM Using 3D Modeling and Rendering in Comic Book Art hosted by DaShawn Hall

3:00PM-4:00PM Crowd Funding hosted by Tim Kenyon with Ken Eppstein, Brian John Mitchell and Bruce Worden

5:00PM Exhibitor Room Closes.

 

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Taking a Pause and Looking Around

If you know me you know that I pretty much head in one dirction and don't let anything get in the way or distract me from where I'm headed.  For the last two months that single mindedness has been all about SPACE. Today I'm just going to take a pause and tell you about all the great comics related things happening beside SPACE this week. 

This weekend is the best comics convention in Ohio--- Gem City Comic Con. Jesse Noble put on a great show and it's all about comics! make sure you check it out.

  

Next is the Columbus Museum of Art and Thurber House Graphic Novelist Resident, Lilli Carré exhibit at Columbus Museum of Art. I missed the opening but the exhibit will be up until June 8.

And of course don't miss the  Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum's

Exploring Calvin and Hobbes

...and The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object: A Richard Thompson Retrospective

          Breaks over back to SPACE Your regularly schedules SPACE Exhibitor Bios will return on Thursday and there might be a big announcement tomorrow.

 

 

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