SPACE Exhibitor Bios Part 3

Brian Canini:

Brian Canini is a cartoonist that lives and makes comics in and/or around Columbus, OH. He is the creator of the award-winning graphic novel Fear of Flying, the critically-acclaimed crime comic Ruffians, and half the team that produces the award-winning webcomic Drunken Cat. He lives and breathes comics; in fact he may be some sort of comic making robot. He also enjoys root beer floats on special occasions.

Abigail Connor:

Abigail Connor is the co-creator and co-writer, with her father, of the comic book series The Electric Team, and the writer and artist of the mini-comic The Electric Team: The Food Adventure. She is a member of the Cincinnati Junior Roller Girls, a Brownie, and a pianist. She plans to one day be an artist or a veterinarian for turtles and frogs.

Leighton Connor:
Leighton Connor is the co-creator and co-writer, with his daughter Abigail, of the comic book series The Electric Team. He is one of the artists behind the Seeing Calvino tumblr; the illustrator of Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation;  the author of the Ross Fulton, Occult Detective stories; and the creator of the web comic Laser Brigade. He is a co-founder of Hex Games, and has written numerous RPG books, including Laser Ponies and Leopard Women of Venus.

Ken Cooney:
Ken Cooney, the owner of Spark Comics, has been making comics since 2009. Comics include Superball!, The Adventures of Choco and Cocoa, and the 24hr comic mini-series Faith & Honor. You can check out some free comics at sparkcomicbooks.com; just click Free Stuff! Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! You'll see works in progress and other great stuff!


Joel Cramer:

Joel Cramer is a comic artist from Columbus, Ohio who loves aliens, dragons, superheroes, ninjas, fantasy creatures and everything else geeky. His family-friendly series "Adventures of Honzy and Joel" reflects his love for these things.

Kelci Crawford:
I’m a  freelance artist currently based in southeast Ohio, working on some awesome comic projects, including, Thoughtful Dinosaur, Validation (with Christian Beranek), Johnson & Sir, Charlie & Clow, The Case of the Wendigo, and Seeing Him (with Kia Crawford). Other art projects of mine include Mini-Comic Theater and The Women Warriors Project. I’m also a podcaster on the shows Extra ClothesPins and Clothespins & Hand Grenades.
That might sound like I’m working all the time, but I still leave time for playing Dungeons & Dragons with my pals, taking care of my two heathen kitties, and reading lots and lots of books.

Creative Mussel:

Creative Mussel is the publisher of MeSseD Comics.  They are based out of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Creative Mussel focuses on supporting diverse artistic projects.
Creative Mussel is the publisher of MeSseD Comics. We focus on supporting diverse artistic projects. Creative Mussel is based out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
MeSseD Comics answers the question of “What happens after we flush?”
MeSseD puts a spotlight on the answers with sewer worker, Lilliput.  She our tour guide to the weird, wild and unfortunately, wet world beneath our feet.
For more information go to www.messedcomic.com.

Jaime Crespo:

Jaime Crespo has been a published cartoonist for over 35 years. Focusing on bio/autobio stories (ala Harvey Pekar) he has had his comic strip, “Slice O’ Life” (later shorted to ‘Slices’) in weeklies around the US. Upon the downsizing and in most cases the collapse of some weekly papers, Crespo then turned to self-publishing a comic book entitled Tortilla, in which he is finishing the fifth issue. Currently, Jaime is in the midst of his much anticipated first graphic novel, “Turk Street Serenade,” which focuses on his time spent in a San Francisco Tenderloin District SRO hotel as a janitor/maintenance man during the mid-1980’s.

Flor de Canela:

Flor de Canela is a vivacious Latina woman artist and lifelong geek girl. In the 90s, when she was in high school, she saw the X-Men cartoon series and was inspired to create her own superhero comic books. However, she soon had to put that dream aside so she could get on living her life and earn a degree in graphic design. After spending 30+ years in the graphic design industry as well as creating fine arts and illustrations, Flor has recently returned to her first passion and is focused on becoming a comics creator. Her debut webcomic series is “Stuck-Up Unicorn Comics" debuted in 2016. It features Flor and her eclectic sense of humor and observations from her everyday life. It also stars “Unicorn,” a once-upon-a-time celebrity who Flor meets and gets to know over the course of the series. Much like many formerly famous stars, “Unicorn” is nothing like how he was once portrayed back in his heyday. Their conversations reveal how the reality of fame can change over time and lead to some dark/humorous situations. 
Flor has contributed her artwork to the annual “Comics Vs. Art” gallery exhibition since 2016, with her pieces receiving glowing praise and support. She will be exhibiting again in 2018.


Molly Durst:

Graphic and Web Designer by day, comic book artist by night.

Nick Dutro:
Nick Dutro is a life-long comics fan and writer of 'Multi-'. He did his undergraduate work at Ohio Northern University, getting a BA in Journalism. He is currently an editor at the local daily newspaper.

Matthew Erman:
I'm the co-creator and writer of Long Lost, a monthly horror comic published through Scout Comics. In comic stores nationwide, November 2017.

SPACE Exhibitor Bios Part 2

Samantha Albert:
Samantha Albert is a barista by day, and the comic artist for The Electric Team by night. She can often be found drinking coffee, playing D&D, and reading whatever fantasy novels she can get her hands on.

Will Arnold:

Work Press & Publication is an independent print and publishing house based in St. Louis, MO and Champaign, IL. It was founded in 2013 by Will Arnold and Tate Foley.
Work Press started because of a mutual interest in small-press, short-run, desktop publishing and Risograph printing. We are interested in creative projects that situate themselves in a mezzanine between fine artist’s books and efficiently produced zines. While a lot of Work Press’s books and prints contain various printing and production processes, Risograph printing is at the heart of our shop.
The content of our work explores a variety of interests, from photography to comics, fine art, and illustration. It is tied together by a love of the printed page and the physicality of books and zines.
 

Glenn Baskin:

80 Proof Comix has been around since the late 80's in various forms. In 2007 it began a true storyline (Days of Bewilderment) featuring past characters put in a new situation. Taking bits, pieces, fragments, and experiences from working in the DD/Mental Health group home setting, I've worked on creating a comedic realistic look at the staff that work at these homes and some of the situations they face (without getting on a soap-box). Currently working on Chapter 10 (the last chapter), Chapters 1-9 are collected in affordable editions.

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 a comics artist and illustrator from Columbus, Ohio. She is the author of Anemone and Catharus and Love Potion, and is currently writing and illustrating Himawari Share.

Robert Berry:
Co creator of TandRFusion Artist and creator of S.E.E.D.

Byron Black:
From 1995-1998 I created four issues of the small press comic book series The Steppenwolf Chronicles. Currently I've revised my original concept and self-published it as full color, standard format comic book.

Lauren Boeing:

I am kimchi babe

I don't have all the answers

Or really any

Thomas H Boeing:
Thomas H Boeing is stoked to be at SPACE for a second year. He's got three fur babies, a dog, Vincent, and two cats, Lemon and Chaka, and a beautiful wife, Lauren. Everything about his comics (except the coloring) is done by hand with nibs, brushes, and ink- ask to see some of the original pages, he'll show you.His comics include Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Sitting in the Shower, and his newest, Indoor Cat.

www.thomashboeing.com

Christa Boocher:
Hello there! My name is Christa and I am a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design with a Degree in Animation.

While my degree is in animation my passion has always been to create comics and have been making them since high school. I studied to be an animator to have a better understanding of story telling and direction in art.  I specialize in a Disney/Anime art style and focus mostly on high fantasy stories.

Caitlin Cass:
Caitlin Cass makes comics and art installations that folklorize failures throughout history.  She publishes a bi-monthly periodical called The Great Moments in Western Civilization Postal Constituent. Her comics have also appeared in alt-news weeklies like The Chicago Reader and The Public. Caitlin lives and works in Buffalo, NY.

CCAD:

Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) is a private college of art and design located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1879 as the Columbus Art School, CCAD is one of the oldest private art and design colleges in the United States.

Mat Calvert:

Mat Calvert is a comic creator known among his peers as "the scratchboard guy." He draws his books in an engraved line style and formats text as screenplay pages.
He is a Columbus native.

Eric J Cockrell:
Eric has been drawing comics since the age of seven. His works have improved dramatically since that first time he drew a stick figure get digested and subsequently evacuated by a dinosaur. With a couple pieces housed in the archives of his alma mater, The American Academy of Art in Chicago, and a decade of published, professional works, Eric has put together an impressive body of work, with ongoing comics featuring original characters, including Adhesive Man, created a quarter century ago. His latest project is an adaptation of his 2015 novel, Blister: A Punk Rock Memoir. The first issue successfully Kickstarted this year.

SPACE Exhibitor Bios Part 1--Gerhard!

We're starting our exhibitor bios off with our special guest- Gerhard! Sponsored by the Laughing Ogre.

Gerhard is best known for his work on Cerebus with Dave Sim. A 300-issue series, it is a milestone in comic book publishing as the longest running creator-owned comic book series!

For 20 years, Gerhard worked as background artist, environmental designer and cover colorist on the Cerebus graphic novel which has been hailed as, “one of the most sprawling pieces of visual fiction ever created.” His designs and meticulously crafted drawings served to ground even the most fantastic of events, or drastic of stylistic shifts. Under the pressure of a monthly deadline, he honed his skills using the crosshatching technique which has become his particular style and has gained him acclaim throughout Canada, the U.S. and the UK.

Since completing Cerebus in 2004 he has been exploring other creative endeavours including doing commissioned work through his website, GerhardArt.com; contributing to the awesome Winsor McCay tribute book: Little Nemo, Dream Another Dream; doing a variant cover of The Walking Dead and most recently, illustrating a Grant Morrison story ‘Smile of the Absent Cat’ for  Heavy Metal Magazine.

EISNER AWARD WINNER

Best Graphic Album: Reprint 1994 Cerebus: Flight by Dave Sim and Gerhard

JOE SHUSTER AWARD WINNER

Outstanding Achievement 2005 Dave Sim and Gerhard for completing Cerebus in 2004.

·1989 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Art Team: (Cerebus [Aardvark-Vanaheim] - with Dave Sim)

· 1991 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Inker

·1992 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Writer/Artist or Writer/Artist Team: (Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) - with Dave Sim)

·1993 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Cover Artist: (for Cerebus [Aardvark-Vanaheim])

·1993 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication: (Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) - with Dave Sim)

·1993 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Writer/Artist Team: (Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) - with Dave Sim)

·1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Cover Artist: (for Cerebus [Aardvark-Vanaheim])

·1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: (Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) - with Dave Sim)

SPACE 2018!!!

SPACE 2018 is set for April 28 & 29, 2018 at the Northland Performing Arts Center in Columbus.
More info soon.

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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