SPACE Exhibitors T to W

 

SPACE Exhibitors T to W

Magnus Tatum:
Magnus Tatum was born in Columbus, Ohio, raised on stories and fairytales from all over the world in his sleepy childhood condo. An imaginative graduate from Columbus College of Art & Design, Magnus dedicates himself to character creation and development and considers characters as the backbone of any good story. As a fantasy fanatic, Magnus dwells in the land of folklore, fables, and legends and has no desire to move out anytime soon.

Tessa:
An indie artist and self-published creator, Tessa's comics focus on anything from the horrific to the humorous, spanning the gap between more mature works like her gruesome horror Apology Dinner to goofing off with A Skeleton's Guide to a Ghoul's Night Out. Tessa strives to create a space for everyone with her art and entertain her audience along the way.

Ben Towle:

Ben Towle is a five-time Eisner-nominated cartoonist whose most recent book is Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat (Dead Reckoning, 2021) a collection of real-life stories about the animals that have fought alongside their human counterparts in wars throughout history. His previous work, the rollicking nautical fantasy comic, Oyster War, was published by Oni Press in 2015. His other comics work includes Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean (with Sarah Stewart Taylor), a graphic novel for young adults (Disney/Hyperion Books 2010) which received accolades from such publications as The New York Times and Publishers Weekly and was a Junior Library Guild selection, as well as the historical fiction graphic novel Midnight Sun. He lives in Columbus, OH and is a professor of illustration at The Columbus College of Art and Design.

Anna "Junior" Vigorito:
Junior is a connoisseur of the cute and an expert at their craft.

Peter Walker:
I make mixed-media handmade zines, so each one is unique. Each zine tells a story. Additionally, I'll be selling some of the comics I've made while at CCAD, which fall into the realm of sci-fi and fantasy (and some diary comics)

Em Warren:
I'm Em, I'm a nonbinary artist from southeast Michigan who loves drawing animals and comics. I enjoy creating stories that focus on experiences with depression and finding comfort in others and the world around you.

Blake William:
I go by the name Blake William, I'm a CCAD senior and soon to be graduate with a passion for comics and film! I'm an upcoming comic artist and creator of the comic "Blind", my own take on the subgenre of acid westerns.

Yarrow:
Yarrow F is a trans queer artist living in Akron Ohio who spends their time making zines and macabre art.

SPACE Exhibitors N to S

 

SPACE Exhibitors N to S

Michael R. Neno:
Publisher of comics and zines since 1987 and freelance penciler, inker, letterer and colorist. I also design concert posters, record covers and illustrate books and magazines

Keith Newsome:

Keith Newsome has been doing various kinds of art since he was in 5th grade. He got into comics in the early 80s, met some of his artic heroes. Decided to get into self publishing. Worked with Hunter Productions and Broken Glass Studios. He started doing dragon illustrations early on and it has become one of his favorite things to do. He is currently writing, drawing and creating his own creation GODSENT under the umbrella of a new comic company October Harvest owned by Eugene Layne Jr.. He is also creating a 60 page book of all his short stories. He has been published in various other small press comics and Zines.

Matthew Northrup:
I learned to read via comics, and fell in love with counter-culture works at an early age. I've studied and practiced the language of sequential storytelling for as long as I could hold a pencil, and have been seen by some greats in the field, but all deals fell through. Now, I've just decided to do it on my own, self publishing my first book in 2022 and going back to college to strengthen my writing and illustrative senses.

Candy Ober:
My traveling tool kit holds my dreams of wonder, play, & fun! ..watercolor & brushes to paint; needles, thread, fabric & binding to quilt; paper, pens, ink, nibs, & pencils to draw; cut outs & glue to collage: carving tools to stamp; iPad, Apple Pencil, & Procreate app to digitally imagine.

Maryanne Rose Papke:

Maryanne Rose Papke has been self-publishing short comics since 2010. Her comics are usually weird, often silly, typically cute, sometimes sad, and occasionally epic. She has currently more than 12 minicomics in print.

Koda Peterson:
Koda Peterson is an artist from Wichita Falls, Texas. They are a comic book artist and illustrator. You can often find them getting coffee in Columbus, Ohio where they currently live.

Nate Powell:

Nate Powell is a National Book Award-winning cartoonist who began self-publishing as an Arkansas teenager in 1992. His work includes the new graphic novel Fall Through, a comics adaptation of James Loewen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me, memoir/essay hybrid Save It For Later, civil rights icon John Lewis’s March trilogy, Come Again, Two Dead, Any Empire, and Swallow Me Whole. Powell’s work has received four Eisner Awards, two Ignatz Awards, the Comic-Con International Inkpot Award, multiple ALA and YALSA distinctions, and is a two-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana.

Warren Reed:

Born in England, raised in Europe, college and more adventure in the US, then lived in France and Tanzania, visited a few countries in North, East and West Africa. Comics in college papers, then got into animation, several films in festivals in three continents, moved to Columbus for work, also adjunct teaching at CCAD. Identity and alterity are main themes, with liberal doses of humour, action and romance! Intend to do some HORROR!

Refugee Youth Project:
The Refugee Youth Project (RYP) helps school-aged youth develop the knowledge and skills required for academic success and positive integration. Programs include after-school support, summer school, college access, and community arts. After-school programs focus on homework help, social skills, and building and improving English language skills.  Funding for RYP is provided through the generous support of the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees (MORA), as well as supplemental grant and fundraising dollars. All RYP program services are FREE for eligible students. RYP partners with local colleges, universities, and high schools to recruit more than 250 volunteers each year.

Max Schaller:

Max Schaller is a cartoonist in Columbus OH who writes and draws some wild shit.

Anna Sellheim:
Anna Sellheim is originally from Washington DC. She earned her MFA in comics from the Center For Cartoon Studies in 2016. She has been published by the Nib, Oni Press and Seven Days (Vermont’s Alternative Weekly Newspaper). She also has contributed to a number of anthologies, most notably Dirty Diamonds and Comics For Choice, an anthology of nonfiction comics about abortion that raised over $30,000 for the National Network Abortion Fund. Her work primarily deals with health, trauma, and the healing power of art. She now works at the Refugee Youth Program, where she teaches art and comics to refugee youth ages 5-21 throughout Baltimore City. She helps guide her students into creating their own healing art practices, while also using comics as an opportunity to solidify their English skills. One project of note, the RYP Zine, is an anthology created by her students at Patterson High School. The sales of the initial print run has raised over $1000 for the student snack fund.

Nick Stellanova:

Nick Stellanova is a comic artist and illustrator from Ohio. He loves to play with making comics and creating stories. His work focuses on personal identity, nature, and the queer community.

Laura Shaw:
Laura Shaw is a psychological horror writer and comics artist based in Columbus, OH. Shaw started her career in comics at the Columbus College of Art and Design and achieved her BFA in 2024. She has worked beside many industry writers and editors, such as Shelly Bond, and has participated in multiple comics events such as CXC. Shaw, ever the animal lover, uses her skills to draw attention to the plights surrounding animal conservation and protection which you can read about in her new comic, HYBRID.

So Pro Comics:
So Pro Comics is an independent publisher striving to blend modern storytelling, production and distribution with a retro, anything-goes sense of fun, founded in Marietta, Ohio by long-time indie comic do-it-yourselfers Michael K. Easton and Jordan Lowe.

Joshua Ray Stephens:
VENOMYTHS is Joshua Ray Stephens’ ongoing anthology of cartoon future fantasy. Equal parts sci-fi, fantasy, philosophy, poetry, religious revelation and silly ass comics. Set in a far off future in a psychiatric asylum that everyone calls Magic Moon VENOMYTHS is a mind bending romp through the ravings of an over-active imagination and over-saturated mind.

SPACE Exhibitor Bios K to M

SPACE Exhibitor Bios K to M

Canada Keck:

Ruminera Comics, created by Canada Keck, is an on-going series of comics that look at both the darkness and the light in her experiences. Canada is a sociologist by training who started writing comics more than a decade ago, when she stayed up all night and wrote a 24-page comic in 24 hours. Since then she has self-published several autobio comics as well as having several short comics appear in anthologies. She has edited five anthologies, as well as curating exhibits of comic art for Wild Goose Creative. In 2016, she discovered a love for oral story and has been an active participant in SpeakEasy ever since. In her spare time, she makes the best cat toys in the universe, as well as a host of other tentacled creatures.

Matt Kish:

I'm an artist and librarian in Ohio, where I live with my partner and far too many books.

Jeff Lilly:

Comics writer and editor, part of the Detroit comics scene for over three decades (so far.) Created The Extras with Pam Bliss and Katie Hodges

Lone Crow Studio:
Printing, Promotion and fulfillment for comics and zines.

Caroline Manley:
I'm an illustrator and comic artist who makes work about queer identity and religious trauma-- along with many other, more light-hearted things.

Kenn Minter:

In the colorful world of art, Kenn Minter has worn many hats. Initiating his career as a daily comic strip creator for the Kentucky Kernel newspaper, he soon became a graphic designer, dabbled as a mural painter and magazine illustrator, and served as an Art Director for the University of Kentucky. Using knowledge culled from the world of print and publishing, Kenn began creating comic books and graphic novels under the imprint, Near Mint Press. He is most proud of the books he has co-created with artist, Clarence Pruitt, “the Experts,” “SuperWorld,” and “Tales of the Emerald Yeti.”

T. Perran Mitchell:
T. Perran Mitchell (he/him) is a crafter of stories and a maker of things. Comics are his favorite medium and have been for as long as he can remember. Growing up with ADHD, Dyslexia and several other learning disabilities, comics not only fostered a love of reading, they were the key to learning to read. T. took a circuitous path to writing comics by first graduating from Drexel University with a degree in information science and technology. Every term he took at least one class for himself that had nothing to do with his major; 16 credits cost the same as 20. This led to him accidentally minoring in Philosophy and nearly attaining a minor in literature. He uses these various interests to inform his writing. In addition to comics T. also writes short fiction, paints miniatures and when the mood strikes, knits. T. lives in Phoenixville, PA with his wife and their two wonderful conures, Murphy, and Wallis.

Joseph Morris:

Joseph Morris is the owner and operator of TORC Press, a Small Press Publisher based out of Central Illinois. He is currently publishing a monthly anthology called Spitballz which is devoted to exhibiting the best of the Small Press while also capturing the joy and fun of old Mad Magazine and Harvey Comics. He also does a daily comic strip called Quixote Coyote, and is tinkering away at a bizarre cosmic epic called Cozmic Taco. His work is at torcpress.com.

Wally Maurer:
Artist, robot and coffee enthusiast. I make dark urban fantasy, noir, and high fantasy comics among other things. Feel free to stop by to talk about robots!

Steven Myers:

Steven Myers is by trade an Art Teacher in northern Ohio. He applies his artistic side by making polymer clay statues, painting, and drawing in both pastel and ink. His normal subjects are comics and pop culture subjects. He also writes and draws his own mini and web-comics including the F.E.Ds and a new science fiction series. Plus he regularly contributes to several anthologies.

SPACE Exhibitor Bios G to J

 SPACE Exhibitor Bios G to H

Jandro Gamboa:
Jandro Gamboa is a teacher and comic writer from Santa Maria, CA. His Monty Gomez comics were recently optioned for production as a streaming series.

Gloria Ann Shows:
Gloria Ann Shows is an artist working in printmaking and folded book forms to adapt personal narrative and shared histories. Through her work, she reflects on Eastern and Western approaches in rendering landscapes and shapes them into emotive spaces that hold memories.

Han Hampy:

Han Hampy is a cartoonist from Columbus OH who loves funky little goblins.

Sarah Harris:
Just a comic artist who loves fictional men.

A. E. Hepler:
A. E. Hepler is from Northeast Ohio and adores drawing creatures, beasts, and entities and making money so they can legally eat food. They’ve been drawing since childhood, and writing ever since their mother started taking their sketchbooks as punishment for the numerous Geneva Convention violations one commits as a child. Nowadays, they can be found weeping over Google Docs or Clip Studio Paint with an iced coffee in one hand and an energy drink in the other. Their illustrative work is featured in Pouya Sattari’s Tsel the Shadow of Death and Raav the Endless Famine.

James Herth:
James Herth is an artist making high-energy comics with a raw edge to them. James makes works for every human with a little freak living inside them.

Stephen Hines:

Stephen Hines was spawned and currently lives in Ohio. When he’s not infiltrating the system by teaching high school English he’s writing. So far he’s published one young adult novel (Hocus Focus), a one-shot surrealist horror comic (Icon-O-Plastic), a graphic novel called Zombie Fabulous, another trilogy entitled The Soccer Mom Killer, a book of short stories called An Exile’s Epistle and Other Stories, and a new comic: Snails With Lasers. He has also released a prose memoir (Rebirth Defect: My Journey From Catholic Altar Boy to Teen Atheist to Adult Christian Metal Evangelist and Back to Atheism).

Ellie Hufbauer:
Ellie Hufbauer is an artist and author graduating with a BFA in Comics and Narrative Practice from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2024. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, they ended up in Columbus, Ohio to pursue their artistic education. Their comics and illustrations have been published in CCAD’s COCO #8 anthology and in several editions of Botticelli magazine. Hufbauer’s work is a melting pot of horror, science fiction, and autobio. Most recently, they have been working on In Sickness, a bittersweet memoir comic about their experiences being disabled.

Travis Horseman:

Travis was born in Springfield, Ohio, and discovered comic books at the age of six. Since then, the course of his life has been shaped by his love of comics, theater and classical history. In addition to being a writer, he has been an actor, a director, a produced playwright, and occasionally, all three at once. After writing the first draft of his ancient Roman epic Amiculus: A Secret History as a ten-page play in college, he began adapting it as a comic. Initially intending for it to be a short 32-page project, it took on a life of its own, expanding to a 200-page graphic novel. Since Amiculus, Travis has continued to write, crowdfund and publish comics under his label Amiculus Books, venturing into modern-day horror with Sugar Creek in 2019 and combining horror with ancient history in the vampire story In Noctem in 2021. The first issue of his new mythology-fantasy miniseries Pythia: The Last Oracle debuted in 2023, with new installments coming this year and in 2025.

Felix Hustead:

Felix Hustead is a cartoonist based in Westerville, Ohio. When they’re not chained to their drawing table, they’re probably spending way too much time (and money) on toy collector websites.

Joyous Phantom:
Joyous Phantom is a Cleveland based artist who loves telling stories through imagery. JP's current project is an upcoming Webtoon about a mysterious entity named Misery searching for his lost half. Misery, as well as his unlikely new allies, must decide for themselves what's truly worth believing in as they find answers to questions that humanity has been seeking for centuries.

SPACE Exhibitor Bios D to F

 SPACE Exhibitors D to F

DeathMark :

DeathMark came up with the idea for Burrito Supreme! a couple decades ago and after experimenting with a few other creator-owned titles and the webcomic "prematurely disappointed", he decided last year to give BS! a shot. To everyone's surprise the first issue won the Mark Gruenwald Comic Creation Challenge in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and he decided to take it on the road in 2023. He and his fiancée live in Neenah, Wisconsin, and are owned by at least seven furbabies. Often he can be found cursing at inanimate objects




CN Dillon:

Cleveland area artist CN Dillon creates imaginative paintings, drawings, illustrations, alternative comics, cartoons, and graphic designs. Many of the images are based in science fiction, fantasy, the supernatural, pyschedelia, and surrealism. He is currently working on a comic book series, "Deadball", the first episode of which was published in October of 2023.

Mark Dippel:

I am a musician, writer, artist, and animal lover. My "Quadruped Quorum" comic strip is a combination of all fourpassions, conceptually ambitious, yet visually simple. markdippel.bandcamp.com/markdippel.com/

Easterday Editorial:
Easterday Editorial is a small press and publishing services company based on Columbus, OH specializing in comics, zines, anthologies, and related merchandise. Our publications include Untold Treasures: A Pirate Zine; Far, Faw Away: Stories; and For the Love of Books.

Kurt Erichsen:
Kurt Erichsen has been a prolific fan writer and cartoonist since the late 60s. He edited the comics/fiction zine Endeavor from 1970-1977, contributed to other fanzines and several apas. In the 80s, he syndicated his comic strip Murphy’s Manor to LGBT newspapers, ultimately running 28 years. He also published stories in Gay Comix, Meatmen, and other LGBT publications. Fanzine contributions included Mimosa, File 700, Lan’s Lantern, Ansible, Science Fiction Review, Challenger, Reluctant Famulus, Argentus, Drink Tank, Askance, and Corflu 35. On top of Endeavor and Taciturn, Kurt also published a Murphy’s Manor book, The 30-Year Wedding, and a collection of his Christmas cards: Happy Holidays! (But is it Science Fiction?) Reviving Endeavor in 2019 with issues 14-16, the zine has become an all-comics, all-color anthology. Contributors include Neil Riehle, Dan Burke, Doc Boucher of Interfan, David McDonnell, Starlog editor; Brad Foster, Schirm, and BluRaven C. Houvener. Endeavor 16 features long completed but unpublished final episode of the Jay Zilber & Jim McPherson classic Ear-Fall-off-Floyd; colored by Larry Johnson. Kurt’s contribution is Sis & Sass, stories about a world of dragons, dinos, hmnns, with a mix of fantasy and half-baked sociology. A new issue of Taciturn is coming up with “Valerian the Barbarian” about a blind barbarian boy and Aergol, his seeing-eye dragon. This story dates from 1981, unpublished until now. In 1985 and 1987 Kurt was recognized by the Gay/Lesbian Press Association for Outstanding Achievement in Illustration, and in SF fandom, received the Bill Rotsler Award for fan cartooning in 2002. In January 2024, he was Fan GoH at ConFusion.

Kedra Fairley:
Aziza the Graphic Novelist is an ambitious comic writer with a passion for fantasy and thrillers. New to the indie comic scene she published her first comic “The Kaaiman’s Cry” on Comixology in July 2020, and has proceeded to publish other comics such as “Locket of Devise” and "The Crosswick Snake" as part of the Cincinnati Cabinet of Curiosities Anthology in March 2022. ​A champion for more diversity in fiction, Aziza is focused on writing intriguing stories that feature diverse and unique characters.

Matt Feazell:

Matt Feazell is a freelance cartoonist and retired graphic artist located in Hamtramck, Michigan. His comics and spot illustrations have appeared in Disney Adventures and Nickleodeon Magazine. With four published books, a screenplay, and a feature film to his credit, Feazell continues the minicomic adventures of The Amazing Cynicalman, America's Laid-off superhero. Along with writer Jim Mackey, Feazell is the winner of the 2010 Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo SPACE Prize for best minicomic ("Board of Superheros™"). He's currently publicizing his new book, Mister Comics and the Key Comics Kids.

Aaron Z Felder:
Aaron Z Felder has been experimenting with comics for over 20 years. Aaron enjoys applying mathematical approaches to the creation of comics and experimenting with other forms of non-narrative comics in general.

Katie & Tom Fellrath:

Katie is  a SPACE Prize (Junior division) winner, 2022; Enjoys drawing comics, talking comics and selling more copies of her zine than her dad.

Phoenix Productions is the self publishing label of Tom Fellrath (New Albany, Ohio).  Phoenix has two main titles, Heroes Now and Strange Times, and two minicomic titles, Hologram and Something in the Water.  Tom is a proud member of the United Fanzine Organization and has been voted Best Publisher and Best Comic Writer in 2023 and 2024.  

Mortimer “Morty” Foster:
Mortimer “Morty” Foster is a butch zinester and craftsman from Columbus, Ohio who sees a creature in everything. He’s passionate about making books about his beasts, mythical creatures, interpersonal relationships, and the queer and disabled experiences.

Tim Fuller :

Tim Fuller began self-publishing his cartoons in Hooha Comics in 1978. He contributed the series “The Blue Beagle,” to Fantagraphics’ Critters and “Cap’n Catnip” to Charlton Bullseye. Tim created countless strips and cartoons for various fanzines, mini comics and magazines, including The Comic Buyers Guide and Starlog.

 

In 2006, after a self-imposed exile from making comics, Tim began actively creating and publishing his cartoons again. Tim’s ongoing projects include “The New Adventures of Cap’n Catnip” with Craig Boldman and Daryll Collins, and SHAM Comics, his rewritten golden age satire. 

 

His work can be seen at hoohacomics.com, indyplanet.com/hooha-comics and webcomics, “Zombie Marge” and “The Weekly Sham” at zombiemarge.blogspot.com

 

SPACE Exhibitor Bios A to C

 SPACE Exhibitor Bios A to C

Skye Berggren:
Skye Berggren is a cartoonist and author from Santa Cruz, California. As a student at the Columbus College of Art and Design, they were a contributor and lead designer for the prestigious Spitball Comics Anthology and worked with acclaimed authors such as Andy Warner and Rebecca Mock. The Fish Wizard is the darkly-funny culmination of four years of work and study. They can be found reading strange books and drinking black coffee. When they write, someone always dies. Spoilers.

Brian Canini:

Brian Canini is a cartoonist born from the bosom of the Midwest - Columbus, Ohio. There he lives with his wife, Amy, and their three kiddos. He creates a plethora of comic series including the critically-acclaimed solo anthology series, Airbag. He is also an editor/creator of the Eisner nominated free comics newspaper the Columbus Scribbler.

Lucky Christiansen:
Lucky is a nonbinary illustrator pursuing editorial spaces, extensive deals with the fae, and the Ark of the Covenant. On rare occasions, they may even be sighted in Columbus, Ohio.

Blind Alley Comics:
Blind Alley Comics is an independent comic book production partnership with all-original stories and art. Joe Haines (The Strange Adventures of Bone Boy) and Rick Schlaack (The Human Cannonball) want to push the boundaries of comic books as an art form.

David G Caldwell:

Cartoonist and illustrator from Knoxville, TN who makes genre comics. Horror, sci-fi and everything in between.

CanonWrite Productions:

CanonWrite Productions is the brainchild of cartoonists Rainer Kannenstine and Ben Wright-Heuman. We specialize in organizing comic anthology projects that bring together talented creators from all over. Our products include Less Than Secret and What The Gnomes Know.

Jonas Clagett:
Jonas Clagett is a cartoonist from Kentucky who specializes in character design and comics, as well as dabbling in game design, music, and voice acting. They would like to give you some comics, please.

Comics in the Circle:
Comics in the Circle is a local Cleveland meetup group for anyone interested in making comics. The group’s mission is twofold: To bring local comic makers together for some fun, and to exchange comics knowledge within this community. To date, Comics in the Circle has met every week since September 2020, has hosted several comics-making events in Cleveland, and has published two official anthology zines, with plans to self-publish more frequent zines featuring group-created comics, called Goose Poops.

Joel Cramer:

Joel Cramer is the creator/artist/writer of the comic book series "Adventures of Honzy and Joel". Being a huge fan of all things geeky, his all-ages friendly books feature aliens, dragons, superheroes and supervillains, talking animal people, mutants, ancient mysteries, sci-fi and so much more! Please feel free to check out his work at www.joelcramercomics.com

Blumiere Connor & Leighton Connor:

Blumiere Connor is a writer, artist, and a freshman in high school. They created and co-wrote the comic book series The Electric Team, and co-created, co-wrote, and illustrated the RPGs Swann Castle and Magic Moth Island. They enjoy drawing, psychological horror games, and studying the history of animation.

Leighton Connor is a writer, artist, cartoonist, and public school teacher. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife Alice, two children (Blumiere and Jackson), and a dog. He writes and draws comics like Lightning Man and Fuzzball & Scuzzball, and is the co-creator and co-writer of the comic book series The Electric Team. He is also the co-founder of Hex Games. You can learn more at his website, leightonconnor.com.

Sarah Cooke:

Sarah Cooke is a comics writer living in Columbus, Ohio. She won Mad Cave’s 2023 Talent Search and the 2023 Negative Space Women’s Comic Book Writing Competition. She is the co-creator of the award-winning sci-fi web series My Human Experience. Her published works include No Spell Lasts Forever, Olive and the Ogre, Strays, Chiaroscuro, an essay in How to Analyze & Review Comics: A Handbook on Comics Criticism, and more. As a comics reporter, Sarah has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Women Write About Comics, CBR, Voice of Youth Advocates, WTAP Television, and more.

Charles Crabtree:
Charles Crabtree is the creator of the galactic epic The Space Fiend

SPACE 2017 Exhibitor Bios Part 7

Chris Reed :
Chris Reed has been making mini-comics for 35 years. Before becoming a full-time comics creator, he worked many unfulfilling and ridiculous jobs including pizza dough maker, steel mill worker, tobacco farmer, railroad laborer, paper cup maker, laundry sorter, forklift operator, pop pusher, dog food packager, and writing advisor. He is currently working on the comics series, Gary. He lives in Davison, MI.

Julia Simmons:
Cleveland based comics and illustrations focused on fantasy and supernatural slice of life, fanart, stickers, a handmade books!

Ross Wood Studlar:
Ross Wood Studlar writes and draws comics featuring wildlife, mythic creatures, and robots. He works as a seasonal Park Ranger at Yellowstone, where he tells Native American legends and stories from science and history. He is a graduate of The Center for Cartoon Studies and Denison University. The frogs and guinea pigs which he has kept as pets have been a source of creative inspiration; so have the wild beasts encountered on his treks through the woods. Futuristic inspirations include the Marvel 2099 comics and work on solar electrical systems at a Homestead in Ohio.

Cailey Tervo:
Cailey is an illustrator, comic maker, and overall human based in Columbus, Ohio. Her splits her time between working as a designer for kids apparel, making comics and illustrations, and being a cat mom.

Uni5i Comics
Uni5i Comics started in 2009 with the debut of the teen drama The 5ive footers. With a focus on characters off all different backgrounds Uni5i Comics continues to be a publisher for everyone. In summer 2016 the sci-fi comic Sword of Tora debuted as well to a great response. With anthology slatted for later this year Uni5i Comics continues to make great material for all.

John Vestevich:
John Vestevich is a cartoonist, designer, and illustrator living in Detroit. His comics are marked by experimentation and stylistic variation. Self-imposed restrictions yield telling results, all of which accumulate to either improve the next project, or steer the next experiment. Subjects range from autobiographical relationship analysis, to prehistoric beasts, to trippy dungeon runs.

Eric T. Voigt:
Eric T. Voigt is a member of Black Bear Collective and create zines that range from poetic muses, short stories, and comics.

Wakka :
I've been making comics and art since I was a very small child. I find it's the best outlet to appease the monsters living inside my skull.

Josh White:
Josh White is a Columbus, Ohio based graphic novelist. He has self-published two graphic novels, Vision Quest and Bad Year, and is working on a third, Heart Light Constellation. He is a graduate of the MFA Comics program at the California College of the Arts.

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SPACE 2017 Exhibitor Bios Part 6

Juan Lara:
Juan likes to draw. Sometimes he puts pictures with words. Juan makes comics about robots, super villains, and unlucky creatures of the night.

Brian E. Lau:
Brian E. Lau has worked as a cover artist for Hall of Heroes. The independent comic book company that artists Ethan Van Sciver and Trent Kaniuga also started from. Brian has also worked as a graphic artist, in the automotive industry, co-writing music, & dabbled in animation. He is now launching his 1st independent graphic novel Staunch Ambition. Prepare for the launch of ʺStaunch Ambitionʺ! What happens when human innovation enters the supernatural? A supernatural sci-fi graphic novel by Brian E. Lau, John McNichol, Tyler Thull, Neal Anderson, & Erwin J. Arroza. Cover artist Freddie Williams II and Khoi Pham of DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, & IDW. Welcome… to the new enlightenment!

Michael Laughead:
Michael Laughead Lives: Columbus, Ohio Jobs: Program Liaison, Teacher and Illustrator Hobbies: Argentina national soccer/fútbol team, reading, movie watching and cleaning up after my 3 daughters. A graduate of the MFA program at Columbus College of Art and Design, I teach and advise students in the Illustration program at CCAD. Also, I do freelance work, making comics and creating illustrations in the children's market. I received my BFA in Art with an emphasis in Illustration from Brigham Young University - Idaho. In Idaho, I met my amazing wife, Candace. (She's still the best thing I got out of school). We have 3 beautiful daughters. Before going to college, I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for two years in the north-western part of Argentina. While there I learned Spanish and not to be afraid to ask total strangers to change their lives.

Kandie Lowe:
Everybody loves Bacon... well... maybe... at least everyone should!

Kevin Marion:
Kevin has been documenting the adventures of Cincignat since 2013. Cincignat's drive is do-gooding, his bodacious style, and his love of coupons. Kevin puts these silly adventures into an all-ages minicomic and makes it easy for anyone to color. Each issue hits the streets quarterly, giving Cincignat time to recuperate between battles.

Jeremy Massie:
Jeremy Massie is a cartoonist from the mountains of Virginia. His second graphic novel 'All My Ghosts' was released last year by Alterna comics and he is currently working on an all ages superhero comic called Amazing Age.

Lauren McCallister:
Lauren is a degenerate human being who enjoys making comics and hanging out with her cats. Her works include Bad Sex and Teen Girl Killed.

Nancy McSwiney:
Nancy is a freelance illustrator based in Columbus, OH. She specializes in watercolor work and small sculpture, but also dabbles in stuffies and multimedia work. Her inspirations include Wendy Froud, Yoshitaka Amano, Fiona Staples, and Ray Harryhausen. She founded Rage Studios in 2013 and hopes to actually hire employees someday.

Gabby Metzler:
Gabby Metzler, a reluctant momma’s girl from the midwest who went off to art school and couldn’t avoid the thought, "You know how, basic, well behaved, straight, girls love Love stories? What if criminal, queer, girls love love stories too? And shit what if they really need them? That's how the indie comic Fat Girl Love Club was born.

John Orlando:
John Orlando has been a fixture on the independent pro wrestling scene in Ohio for 14 years. He is most known for his work as the ring announcer for Ohio Championship Wrestling. In 2012, John decided to create The PVDcast podcast to talk about his many passions – comics, hockey, movies and of course, pro wrestling. As an independent podcaster, John has prided himself on creating conversational tone with each of his episodes. Many of the creators featured here at SPACE have appeared as guests on The PVDcast. You can check out The PVDcast by visiting http://pvdcast.com or searching for it on I-Tunes, Google Play, Stitcher Radio or SoundCloud.

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SPACE 2017 Exhibitor Bios Part 4

Samantha Albert:

Samantha Albert is a cartoonist, illustrator, tarot card reader, and barista based in Cleveland, Ohio. She is currently working on The Electric Team, an all-ages comic about a band of friends fighting 1,000 villains in order to restore civilization. There are unicorns, mechanized minotaurs, and the occasional identity crisis.

Dan Anderson:

All for a Punchline th web comic, company, and passion of artist Dan Anderson. He produces it by going to improv shows and taking pictures. He then sorts through the photos, picks one or two that he likes and then puts them into Adobe Illustrator to hand trace them with a pen and tablet adding any props and costumes that he sees fit.

Juan Argil:

Juan Argil is a sociopolitical abstract cartoonist with as much influence from his Latino roots as his admiration for European and Japanese art. He likes long walks on the beach, going to the movies and is fortunately unavailable. He also has a tendency to misplace his glasses so if you please find them contact him immediately.

Suzanne Baumann:

Suzanne makes comics from her attic in Hamtramck, MI. Minicomic titles include the series As Eavesdropped (based on overheard conversations), Turtleneck Boy (She created the character & 25 cartoonists did their take on him) and Ball Point (doodles, tiny and free). She’s currently working on Sucker Street, an online graphic novel. Follow it at fridge-mag.com/suckerstreet.

Harmony Becker:

Harmony Becker is an artist from Columbus, Ohio. She has been making illustrations and comics her whole life, and recently published Love Potion, a zine of sequential illustrations.

Blind Alley Comics:

Producing comic books since 2009, Blind Alley Comics is the most unique and independent of indie comic labels (so far)! Based out of Lansing, MI, artists Rick Schlaack and Joe Haines have joined forces to create fantastic tales of adventure, humor, and horror. Their collaborative project, Die Kätze, combines their love of Lovecraftian horror, silent movies, and pets of the feline variety…don’t miss it!

Thomas H Boeing:

Thomas H Boeing is a self-published comics creator born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Columbia College Chicago where he was inspired by the city and the stories it allowed him to experience. Horseshoes & Handgrenades is his latest, on-going story about the hardships of growing up and accepting adulthood.

Brent Bowman:

Brent Bowman is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art And Design with a degree in Illustration. A lifelong comics fan, Brent has been drawing since he was old enough to pick up a pencil. His work has appeared in publications by Image Comics and Caliber Press, as well as the collectible card game Age of Empires. Brent has been nominated for the small press SPACE prize in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and won for Best Graphic Novel in 2014, and 2nd place for best mini-comic in 2015. He lives in Columbus Ohio with his wife and two boys.

Abigail Connor:

Abigail Connor is the creator and co-writer of the comic series The Electric Team. She is in second grade. She loves comics, drawing, and junior roller derby.

Leighton Connor:

Leighton Connor writes the comic book series The Electric Team (www.electricteamcomic.com) with the assistance of his daughter Abi. He writes and draws the web comic Laser Brigade (www.laserbrigade.thecomicseries.com). He has also provided illustrations for the Seeing Calvino project (www.seeingcalvino.tumblr.com) and the book Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation.

Ken Cooney:

Ken has written comic book scripts for the Superguy mailing list from 1988 - 1992 (https://www.eyrie.org/superguy/). Currently living in a secret lair in Bellevue, Kentucky, Ken makes comics in his spare time. You can follow him on Twitter @Ken_Cooney or Facebook (look for "Ken Cooney - Cartoonist" or "The Adventures of Choco and Cocoa").

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SPACE 2017 Exhibitor Bios Part 5

Andrew Davis:
Andrew Davis's "Samantha Comics" website features over 800 strips from the perspective of "Samantha Ann Peartree, Age 5". His original zines and comics further reveal what lurks in Samantha's young mind (the answer: a playfully surreal mixture of fairy tales, love stories, weirdos, pop culture, death, and puppies!)

Matthew Enstrom:
Matthew Enstrom is the self publishing man of chaos. His first comic book Super Foxy, It's been described as a live action comic. Along with this he's currently working on a new comic book series called Space Cows. travel with the Crew as they take on adventures in Space. Aside from the comics Matthew has other prints done up in his quirky style.

EssenceCartoon:
EssenceCartoon is an animation studio that specializes in the creation of compelling 2D animated stories that effectively engage, explain and express your brand's story.

Landon Faulkner:
From an early age Landon has been fascinated with old westerns. Watching cowboy movies and television shows with his dad only fueled the fire. Upon a visit to see family in Arizona and going to Old Tucson Studios, well that cemented his love for the west. Reading and researching the legends of a gone but not forgotten time has inspired him to take his creativity down the long dust path to restore the western genre to it's glory of days gone by.

Erica Feld:
Erica Feld is an artist from Columbus, Ohio. She is the official artist for Corgi Things.

Joseph Freistuhler:
Joseph Freistuhler is a writer and illustrator from the wastelands of Northeast-Ohio. Joseph started making comics as a by-product of his mid-life crisis because it seemed less self-destructive than other options. The Not So Golden Age is Joseph’s second full length comic. Joseph has also contributed to the anthology series, Ugli Studios Presents. When he’s not making comics, Joseph spends his days in an office chained to a cubicle.

Nichi Hawkins:
Nichi Hawkins Has been creating his own comics since childhood, so the fact that He would one day start his own comic book label was inevitable. He has a love of this medium and sees it as one of the best way to share stories with others. Storytellers have been around since the beginning of time, gathering people around the fire and entertaining them with ideas and concepts that sparked the very core of our creative being. He prides himself on continuing that tradition and enjoys collaborating with others to accomplish the goal of creating mind bending badassery.

Luke Herr:
Luke writes a lot of minicomics, wrote the start of Heroes International for Legacy Rising, and produces the podcasts Exiled and MultiversalQ.

Joe Hunter:
Joe Hunter is an all around talented illustrator, inker, colorist and more, who has done work on books like Radical Guardian Skater X and Boo! Halloween Stories.

Cory Kram:

Cory Kram is a performance and collage artist based in Philadelphia, PA. All of her handmade collage artbook-zines are unique displays of color and composition. Her juxtapositions of food products, beauty products, microchips, and non-sequitur captions will dazzle you, confuse you, and leave you mesmerized.

Chad Lambert:
Chad Lambert is a two-time Harvey Award winning writer for his work in Dark Horse Presents and small press comics, including Return to Point Pleasant. Ray Bradbury referred to Return to Point Pleasant as “superb and frightening! Bravo!” Chad also appeared in the feature-length documentary Eyes of the Mothman, which explores the Appalachian folklore of paranormal activity in West Virginia.

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SPACE 2017 Exhibitor Bios Part 3

Jefffrey Lowe:
Everybody loves Bacon... well... maybe... at least everyone should!

Theodore Mallison:
Theodore Mallison has been self-publishing comic books since he was six and is a professional illustrator and animator. By day, he is the curator of a history museum. He lives and works in Akron, Ohio.

Michael Marcus:
Michael Marcus is a publisher, games designer, and hypnotist who has attended SPACE since 2008, when he first started publishing the IF-X comic book anthology as part of Hamtramck Idea Men.  These days, he publishes a digest-sized book called ONE PUNCH and a whole variety of unlikely games.

Ben Miller:
Ben Miller is an independent comic book writer.  He has self published two books, Judges and Botched.  Judges is supernatural action graphic novel.  And Botched is supernatural wrestling one shot.  His latest graphic, Kaneesha will be published by Alterna Comics.  Kaneesha is a realistic fiction story about a young girl whose brother has been killed by the police.

Brian John Mitchell :
Making matchbook sized mini-comics since before it was cool.

Robert Monsarrat:
Robert Monsarrat is a burgeoning author an artist currently at work on his first book, "FragorDeira." Ohio-born and raised, he graduated from CCAD with a Bacheor's in Illustration, which he's putting to good use. Follow him at robert-monsarrat.tumblr.com!

Joseph Morris:
Joseph Morris is the Owner and Operator of TORC Press, a Small Press Publishing Company based out of mid-Illinois that has been publishing comics for 17 Years.  Notable comics include The Hot Fudge Sundae Adventure Club, SDF, Skull Mob, and Cosmic Pulp, among others.  His current project is "7Worlds", a story that serves as an exploration of various styles and types of comics.

Maryanne Rose Papke:
Maryanne Rose Papke has been self-publishing short comics since 2010. Her comics are usually weird, often silly, typically cute, sometimes sad, and occasionally epic. She has more than 8 minicomics in print, and also produces the fantasy webcomic, Xylobone Tomes.

Stu Rase:
Stu Rase is a thirty-something High School teacher, freestyle rapper, and comic book writer.  His most recent works include Teacher Strips, an auto-bio graphic novel about his experiences as a high school teacher available on Comixology Submit; Billy the Dark Elf, a humorous documentary comic about LARPing illustrated by renound fantasy artist Pat Loboyko; Refugee Road, a comic about the real cost of escaping poverty; and To Boldly Go, an award nominated mini-comic that's a transgender father's tribute to Leonard Nimoy.

Carlos Rivera:

Founder of the Youngstown Indie Creators Expo in Youngstown Ohio.Will be debuting a yet to be named book. More to come.

Bruce Rosenberger:
Bruce Rosenberger has been drawing as long as he can remember. In the early 80's Bruce started creating mini-comics but his two jobs got in the way. In 2004 he asked friend Steven Hager to write him a comic book (but specified NO superheroes!) and Steven did so by writing the first issue of Dutchy Digest. In 12 years Steven and Bruce have managed to put out 10 issues. In 2015, Bruce teamed up with Podcaster Derek Coward to start working on a web strip called Chimera Force.

Zach Sabatino:
Zach Sabatino earned his BFA in Animation at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2014. Shortly after he began work as an Animator and Designer at the start up company Bolster Learning Systems. There he collaborated with a colleague to create an interactive animated screening test designed to assess young children with learning issues. Recently he taught the Intro to Game Animation course at the Cleveland Institute of Art and is now currently working as a freelance animator and independent comic artist.

Sal Sciandra:
Sal Sciandra is an American comics writer & artist based in Buffalo, NY. He is the creator of “The Casebook of Elijah Snugs”, an ongoing mystery comic book series.

His influences include Gabrielle Bell, Richard Scarry, John Byrne, Daniel Clowes, Edward Gorey, and Joe Mathieu.

Ian Shires:
30-year veteran of the small press trenches, publisher of hundreds of comics and zines.

Lee Smith:
Lee Smith, a former teacher, is the creator of Ohio Chronicles, a comic based on Ohio History as well as two comics that teach math, Cosine Cadets; and Sammy Spiffy super robot & Calculator Chicken.

Lauren "Wingéd Elf Girl" Sparks:
Lauren "Wingéd Elf Girl" Sparks is a writer, illustrator, animator and designer.  She illustrated issue #2 of Open Tree, Linus and the Fluke of Love by Chris Charlton for Assailant Comics, writes and draws the silly webcomic Cats Talking Words, wrote and illustrated a short story for the Kickstarter-funded Transitions Anthology, and self-publishes minicomics. She works both digitally and in watercolor, and enjoys drawing humans, cats and Pokemon.

Jeremy Stoll:
Jeremy Stoll is an author, artist, and folklorist who started making superhero comics in college – and then pursued a doctorate on India's comics culture at Indiana University. Stoll currently publishes stories about the ineffable in life as Great Bear Comics, maintains a serialized illustrated mystery novel, Sadie Hawkins & the Girl in Question, and is working on the upcoming comic The Dick Pic of Dorian Gray. His scholarly work has appeared in The Routledge Companion to Comics and the International Journal of Comic Art, among others, and he is currently co-editing The Comics World: Comics, Graphic Novels, & Their Publics.

Alec Valerius:
Alec Valerius is a working illustrator and comix artist in Columbus Ohio. Recently graduating CCAD with his BFA in illustration, he has also contributed to the "CCAD Spitball Anthology", working with Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer. Alec also contributed to the "Shonen Trump" anthology at CXC. At SPACE, Alec is will be selling several of his personal zines and illustrations, including SHITSTACK.

Julia van der Walt :

I have few qualifications as an artist, but the arts have always meant so much to me. I trade in shaking hands for smooth lines, jumbled mind for calm and collected thoughts. Art is an escape from anxiety for me. I am lucky enough to have a family and people around me that support my dreams of being an illustrator. I am so excited to share what I have with you.

Casey Van Heel:
Comedian and comic book writer. Moved from Brooklyn to Columbus to dedicate my time to creating comics.

Hedwig Vinson:
Hello!  My name is Hedwig Vinson, and I am a creator based out of Minneapolis, MN.  My vision is to create work that calls on all elements and genres of storytelling.  Sight, sound, touch, the basest forms of expression, cultural nods, and classical music,  all tied up neatly in comics form.  My beloved Walter the cat is confused, too. 
Check out my exploration of the Minneapolis/St. Paul classical scene, as well as some excellent bike rides, sketches, and reading recommendations on instagram-twitter:  hedwigonatheme

Jack Wallace:
Disposable Fiction is meant to be exactly that. Disposable. It’s short fiction that you read on your way on the subway or the bus on the way to work or school. Comics that you may throw away at the end of your trip, but those stories stick in the back of your mind.
We are a small press publisher comprising of one writer and one colorist and letterer. We collaborate with thoughtful, creative artists rich in talent.

Bill Widener:
Bill Widener has been cartooning since a teenager in the savage '70s. He was co-editor of the underdog anthology NERVE and created the series "Go-Man" and "Mack the Knife" for Caliber Press. Other gigs included editorial cartoonist for the "Kentucky Kernel" during the early 80s and a long-running strip in local alt-weekly ACE. He has self-published his zine COMICS FUNNIES since March of 2014, each issue a combination of new work and stuff from his big ol' pile of art and comics.

Bruce Worden:

When he's not collecting shopping lists and drawing the people he imagines owned them (shoppersunknown.blogspot.com), Bruce Worden continues to toil away on the one and only zombies-at-Woodstock comic series: Woodstalk. Issue 7 is out now, and big changes are on the horizon for issue 8. Stop by his table and ask him what's up!

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