This Weekend: Stumptown!

April 25, 2008 on 8:25 pm | In Events

While my lazy ass is still writing about panel’s from the Thursday before NYCC, the rest of the civilized comics world will be turning their eyes toward the fifth annual Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland, OR. Stumptown is one of the remaining indie-centric shows that I’ve yet had a chance to attend, but I think by anyone’s standards, it stands in that elite category of really worthwhile ventures with MoCCA, APE and SPX.

This year’s lineup has a little bit of something for everybody as panels include everything from fan-centric interviews with creators to business-centric workshops on how to launch yourself in the small press. In addition, the Guest of Honor is Dark Horse Publisher Mike Richardson and the rest of the Special Guest list includes talents as diverse as Dave Roman, Craig Thompson (when was the last time he did a show?) and Brian Michael Bendis. For people wondering how that kind of line up can exist in one place, it might have something to do with the fact that Portland has spent years as the inofficial biggest comics town in America, and recently it went all the way to being official as the Mayor declared it comics month there.

Read more about all of that at the Mercury news , and please try to make it out to the show if you can. It’s freakin’ 6 bucks a day. If you’re already in the Portland area, kick the weekend off tonight by going to the cool-looking Sparkplug Party and telling Jason Shiga his comics are dreamy.

Semi-Related:

Speaking of Portland comics, this dude really likes Queen & Country by Portland writer Greg Rucka and Portland Publisher Oni Press.