In response to requests from publishers and creators, the deadline for submissions for the annual Stumptown Comic Arts Awards has been extended! Entries now need to be postmarked no later than August 12, 2014 to be considered, and should be mailed or delivered to this address:

Publishers and creators interested in submitting work published between April 2013 and April 2014 should include one physical copy of each title to be considered, accompanied by an official entry form which can be downloaded from the link below:

Please include one form with each work being submitted.

Categories for this year's awards include:

• Best Artist
• Best Writer
• Best Cartoonist
• Best Letterer
• Best Colorist
• Best Publication Design
• Best Small Press
• Best Anthology
• Best New Comic
• Best Webcomic
• Reader's Choice

This year's awards will be held during Things From Another World's Official Rose City Comic Con Kickoff party on September 19, at TFAW's Northeast Broadway store. Portland's favorite pop culture podcaster and producer Bobby Roberts is returning to his longtime role of hosting the awards, and publishers, creators, and convention attendees won't want to miss the fun and fast-paced ceremony during the weekend's biggest party event. Learn more about the party and RSVP for it here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1460819330836161

Anyone with questions about the Stumptown Comic Arts Awards should contact Shawna Gore at .

The Stumptown Comic Arts Awards are sponsored by Things from Another World and Bridge City Comics.

Submissions are now open for the 2014 Stumptown Comic Arts Awards, which will be presented in September during Rose City Comic Con. Publishers and creators interested in submitting work published between April 2013 and April 2014 should include one physical copy of each title to be considered, accompanied by an official entry form which can be downloaded from the link below:

Please include one form with each work being submitted.

Categories for this year's awards include:

• Best Artist
• Best Writer
• Best Cartoonist
• Best Letterer
• Best Colorist
• Best Publication Design
• Best Small Press
• Best Anthology
• Best New Comic
• Best Webcomic
• Reader's Choice

In addition, the Stumptown Comics Fest is proud to announce a new category for 2014, Best Publication for Young Readers.

Any work published after April 2013 and before April 30, 2014 will be eligible. Digital comics (meaning any comic published for online download or mobile reading devices) are also eligible for any category by following the instructions on the submission form. Those submitting their Webcomic and Digital comics work do not need to provide printed copies. Submitters may not submit more than five distinct works per category, but works may be submitted in any number of categories.

Entries need to arrive no later than the submission deadline of August 7 to be considered, and should be mailed to this address:

As with last year, all work submitted will be subject to consideration by a jury of industry professionals. The jury will issue a final ballot in August, which will be available online for voting by any and all professionals, fans, and readers of the comic arts. The votes will determine the final winners of each category, which will be tabulated and awarded at the Awards Ceremony to be held during Rose City Comic Con's kick-off party, on September 19, 2014 at the Portland Things From Another World.

Any questions about the Comic Arts Awards should be directed to Shawna Gore at .

Stumptown Comics, Inc. is restructuring its presentation of the Stumptown Comics Festival in 2014 and joining forces with Rose City Comic Con to make it happen. Beginning next year, the Stumptown Comics Fest will no longer be held as a single convention-style event, as it has been for the past ten years. Instead, Stumptown is moving its panel programming and the annual Stumptown Comic Arts awards to Rose City Comic Con in September while the group's board of directors works on a new schedule of Stumptown community events to debut in 2015.

After achieving its big-picture goal of being granted nonprofit status as a 501(c)3 in April of 2013, the board of directors of Stumptown Comics, Inc. began working toward a new vision for the festival, focusing more on its educational goals and less on staging a consumer-oriented convention.

Chair of Stumptown's board of directors, Shawna Gore, explains the change in approach: "From the very beginning, Stumptown's goals were to bring an artistic and educational focus on comics to Portland. In those early days there was only one other comics convention in Portland, so the Fest eventually took the shape of a more mainstream-style show to give us a place to gather creators and fans together for our workshops and symposiums. But now Portland has multiple comic and pop culture cons. By partnering with Rose City Comic Con as a venue to present both our programming and our awards, we can focus on new ways to pursue our organizations educational mission."

Rose City Comic Con co-founder Ron Brister has been a longtime supporter of Stumptown and has been working closely with the nonprofit's board to implement these changes. "Stumptown is such an important part of the Portland comics community, and Rose City Comic Con is eager and happy to partner with Stumptown for the future. We're looking forward to having a portion of our programming directed in partnership with Stumptown, enabling Rose City Comic Con to offer focused educational panels and workshops. I'm personally excited and looking forward to our September 2014 event to expose more than 25,000 attendees to Stumptown and what it represents."

Beginning in January, Stumptown's board of directors will be recruiting four new members to fill recently vacated positions and further expand its reach into the Portland cultural community. Further announcements on this will be forthcoming, and interviews to fill the available board positions will take place in early 2014.

The 10th annual Stumptown Comics Fest kicked off to a fantastic start and we have the photos to prove it! Pop on over to our Flickr page and see all the wonderful guests and attendees showing just what makes this festival so special.

If you've taken an image or two at the festival, we'd love you to share it with the world. Add your images of the fest to the link above. On to day two!

This is it. Only a few hours before the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest, but in those final hours, one last (but certainly not least) guest profile. Today, we turn our attention to Bill Crabtree

Calling Portland, OR his home, colorist Bill Crabtree first gained acclaim at Image Comics where he colored for the break-away hit Invincible. A 50 issue tenure that earned Crabtree a Harvey award nomination for coloring. Moving to Oni Press, Crabtree would partner with artist Brian Hurtt and color for the fan favorite series The Sixth Gun, recently optioned by NBC as a live-action television series. While at Oni Press, his work on The Sixth Gun earned Crabtree an Eisner award nomination for coloring.

At the festival this weekend we'll be raffling off several great prizes to help benefit development of some new educational programming under the banner of Stumptown Comics, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Tickets for various prizes will range from $1 to $5, depending on the selection. We'll have a full table of items displayed inside the convention center with full details for how to win, so keep a look out!

Raffle tickets will be sold all-day Saturday, April 27th and until 3:30pm Sunday, April 28th. Winners will be drawn at 4:00pm on Sunday, but do not need to be present in order to win.

Check out some of the great things you might be able to win this weekend:

Trek In the Park Prize Package: 2 front-row seats to the August 10 Trek in the Park performance of "The Trouble with Tribbles" (final season!), 2 T-shirts, and a big Kirk print on wood!

$100 TFAW gift card!

The PDX Broadsides will write a custom original song about a geek-oriented subject of the your choice. Do you love LOLcats? Firefly? L'Hopital's Rule? The unexplainable horrors of Cthulhu? No ditties here, this is a 2-4 minute song made for you! They'll record it and post it to YouTube so you can share with the world. Who knows, maybe it will become a staple of their set!

Wacom Intuos5 Graphics Tablet!

Steve Lieber custom sketch of your choice!

Doubleclicks Prize Package: Four CDs (2 for kids) and 2 tickets to an upcoming show!

IPRC Annual Membership!

Mixed case of 22 oz. bottles of Gigantic Brewing beer and a Gigantic Brewing hat!

Joelle Jones Hellboy original sketch!

Plus several other prizes, like books from Top Shelf Productions, Dark Horse Comics, and Oni Press, passes to other great Portland conventions, original art, art supplies, and so much more!

We hope you'll stop by the information booth inside the convention center for your chance to win some of these wonderful prizes and help us raise money for our new educational efforts. Thanks, and see you soon!

Only two more guests to highlight as we enter the final stretch of festival week! Today, we turn our attention to Brian Hurtt.

Coming from St. Louis, Missouri, Brian Hurtt is perhaps best know as the art behind The Sixth Gun, published by Oni Press and written by Cullen Bunn. The Western/Fantasy title has been praised by critics and fans alike, and is set to become a TV show on NBC later this fall. Hurtt has also done work on Captain America, Hard Time, Queen & Country by fellow special guest Greg Rucka, and collaborated on another series with Cullen Bunn titled The Damned. Find out more about Brian Hurtt on his blog: http://thehurttlocker.blogspot.com/

As a part of our ongoing celebration of comics art during the Stumptown Comics Fest, we are again offering free (with a Stumptown Comics Fest badge) guided gallery tours to some of Portland's best galleries.

Tours start from and return to the Fest at the Oregon Convention Center, and are two hours long. Whether you're visiting from out of town and want to see more of Portland, or a local that doesn't make it out to galleries often, these tours are a perfect compliment to the Stumptown Comics Fest. Seating is Limited -- First Come, First Seated. Minors MUST be accompanied by a Parent or Guardian. Sign up at the Info Booth -- Just ask one of our friendly volunteers OR sign up in advance: Email , Subject: Art Tours

SCHEDULE

Saturday

Tour 1: 11:00am-1:00pm
Tour 2: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Tour 3: 2:00pm-4:00pm
Tour 4: 3:00pm-5:00pm

Sunday

Tour 1: 12:30pm-2:30pm
Tour 2: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Tour 3: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Tour 4: 3:30pm-5:30pm

TOUR STOPS
Jupiter Hotel
One Grand Gallery
Floating World Comics
Fotoeffect Gallery
Pony Club Gallery
Sequential Art Gallery

Sponsored by Sequential Art Gallery.

Creator owned comics and podcasting, the peanut butter and chocolate of the creative world. This year, the Stumptown Comics Fest invites back Radio Stumptown with a continuous online broadcast from the festival. If your feet need a break from all the walking and exploring, pop on over to Radio Stumptown's live podcast living room and enjoy a show from any (or all) of the following podcasters:

Saturday
10:30 to 11:30 - Stumptown Trade Review with Sina Grace
12:00 to 1:00 - Geek In The City with Ted Naifeh
1:30 to 2:30 - Ham Fisted Radio with Tradd Moore
3:00 to 4:00 - Chronicles of the Nerds with Justin Jordan
4:30 to 5:30 - Radio Stumptown

Sunday
12:30 to 1:30 - KaijuCast with Bill Willingham
2:00 to 3:00 - Dangerous Kids with Greg Rucka
3:30 to 4:30 - GoingLast

Between these fantastic shows, enjoy a variety of music from Radio Stumptown. As the festival goes live, you can keep up with all the shows at www.radiostumptown.net

See you all on April 27 and 28 at the Oregon Convention Center.

The 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest is just over a week away, but the wonderful guest profiles march on. This week, we turn our attention to Portland creator, Dylan Meconis.

Dylan Meconis published her first work, Bite Me! while attending Wesleyan University, where she graduated in 2005 focus on history, literature, and philosophy. A member of Periscope Studio in Portland, OR., Meconis has also published the popular title Family Man and the short Outfoxed, which earned her an Eisner nomination in 2012 for Best Digital Comic. In addition to her sequential art work, Dylan has provided commercial consultation for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, SyFy, and other respected groups. You can learn more about her work at www.dylanmeconis.com

Photo credit: Lori Matsumoto

With the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest only a few days away, we're nearly drawing to a close with our highlight's of this year's special guests. One of just a few left to cover, we turn our profile feature to Phil Foglio.

Hailing from our rainy sister-city Seattle and best know for the Hugo Award-Winning, ongoing webcomic series Girl Genius (co-created by Kaja Foglio), Phil's work as an illustrator and writer is well known among discerning comic fans. Having adapted MythAdventures into a graphic format, co-authored novels like Agatha H. & The Airship City, created an adult series titled XXXenophile, and even contributed to a book on low-stakes poker, Foglio's talents are as varied as they are unique.

For more about Phil Foglio, please visit: http://www.studiofoglio.com/

(Image: © BrokenSphere / Wikimedia Commons)

Voting is now open for the 2013 Stumptown Comic Arts Awards! Cast your vote today -- or any time until noon on Monday, April 22! -- for your choice among the listed nominees in the following categories: Best Writer, Best Artist, Best Webcomic, Best Small Press, Best New Talent, Best Letterer, Best Colorist, Best Cartoonist, Best Anthology, and Best Publication Design. And don't forget to submit your favorite comics project published between April 2012 and March 2013 for the Readers' Choice Award!

All votes will be tallied next week, and the winners of the awards will be announced the night of Saturday, April 27, during the annual Stumptown Comics Fest Saturday night party at the Jupiter Hotel. Click the link below to cast your ballot:

If you have questions or need more information, contact .

The Art of "HELHEIM" with Joëlle Jones
Phone:
Date: Month of April
Location: Sequential Art Gallery, 328 NW Broadway #113, Portland, OR

Sequential Art Gallery proudly presents the Art of "HELHEIM", by Joëlle Jones. will be displaying original pages and variant cover art from her new series "Helheim", written by Cullen Bunn.

Set in the late 6th Century, "Helheim" blends vikings, witchcraft, and undead monsters into a deliciously violent and horrifying mystery. Following her work on DC/Vertigo's "Madame Xanadu" and Dark Horse's "House of Night", Jones is no stranger to the fantasy genre. With "Helheim", Jones is producing the finest work of her career. In the recently released first issue, Jones expertly depicts the cold northern lands of the vikings, as well as the gore and mayhem of fierce battle, all with her recognizable-yet-clearly-evolving drawing style.

Since her debut in "12 Reasons Why I Love Her" with collaborator Jamie S. Rich, Jones has assembled an impressive body of work ("You Have Killed Me", "Popgun", "Fables", "Ultimate Spider-Man"), with several major publishers (Oni Press, DC/Vertigo, Marvel, and Dark Horse), and worked with other acclaimed creators (Matt Wagner, Brian Michael Bendis, Janet Evanovich). In 2010, she co-created "Spell Checkers" with Rich and Nicolas Hitori de. You can learn more about Jones at her website, www.joellejones.com, and follow her on Twitter, .

The Art of "HELHEIM" will be on display throughout the month of April, with gallery hours on Thursdays from 3pm-7pm, Saturdays from 11am-5pm, and by appointment. The exhibit will close at the end of the tours on Sunday, April 28th.

Art of "HELHEIM" exhibit will be part of the Stumptown Comics Fest's Art Gallery Tours on Saturday, April 27th & Sunday, April 28th. The Fest offers limited-seating guided tours of several Portland galleries, all featuring exhibits by illustrators and comic book artists. The tours are free to Fest attendees.

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David Chelsea One-Man Show at Fotoeffect Gallery
Date: Month of April
Location: Fotoeffect Gallery 625 NW Everett St, #107, Portland, OR, 97209

The show features original art and thumbnail sketches (at very reasonable prices) from several recent comics stories published by Dark Horse; SNOW ANGEL, THE GIRL WITH THE KEYHOLE EYES, THE KIDS MOVIE, and a still-in-progress story, SANDY & MANDY. Stop by and have a cup of wine or a nibble of cheese on your way to one of the many other galleries taking part in Portland's First Thursday gallery event. Copies of SNOW ANGEL, the newly published comic, MAY be available to buy.

Many thanks to gallery owners Vilem Stosek and Kristina Koenig, and to Kaebel Hashitani of Stumptown for setting it all up.

http://www.dchelsea.com/wp/?p=3805

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Task Force Rad Squad #1 release and signing with Caleb Goellner and Ryan Hill
Wed. April 17, 2013
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

Earth's legit-est teenage protectors have vanquished evil and are settling into sleep mode... until their new mentor accidentally unleashes a fresh batch of cosmic monsters, forcing them to engage evil once again as Task Force Rad Squad.

Task Force Rad Squad #1 is a 32-page, full-color calamity by writer Caleb Goellner, artist Buster Moody and colorist Ryan Hill that introduces readers to three teens with radditude, their substance-addled "mentor" and the weary AI known as PhRANCIS. Powered by the specious cosmic tech of an extinct Space Wizard civilization, the team has inherited a universe of messes that they rightfully resent having to mop up. But who knows? Maybe their struggle to protect Earth from sentient birthday cakes and hot garbage will wind up teaching them the true meaning of friendship? Maybe??? Seriously, we have no idea!

"Task Force Rad Squad is hilarious, bizarre, and made of 100% butt kicking radditude."
--Sam Humphries, writer of Our Love Is Real, Sacrifice and Uncanny X-Force

Caleb Goellner is a blogger based in Portland, OR. He's originally from Kansas City, where he first met Buster Moody, colorist of Bayou and Screamland: Death of the Party. The duo bonded with Portland illustrator Ryan Hill, artist and colorist of the Dark Horse Comics Avatar: The Last Airbender Free Comic Book Day 2013 issue, over a shared love of tokusatsu, manga and LEGO. Task Force Rad Squad is the trio's first team-up in an ongoing war against space monsters.

http://www.taskforceradsquad.com/

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RELISH book release and signing with Lucy Knisley
Date: April 18, 2013
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe--many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.

A welcome read for anyone who ever felt more passion for a sandwich than is strictly speaking proper, Relish is a graphic novel for our time: it invites the reader to celebrate food as a connection to our bodies and a connection to the earth, rather than an enemy, a compulsion, or a consumer product.

"Lucy Knisley's delightful drawings don't just tell great stories, they're a crystal-clear how-to guide to everything worth doing in the kitchen. Step aside, Joy of Cooking."
--Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home

Lucy Knisley was born in New York City, raised in Rhinebeck, NY, and educated in Chicago. She has come home to roost in a tiny apartment in Manhattan, where she can be closer to her mom's cooking. Her comics about life, food, travel and her adventures have gained her a devoted audience on the Internet, and she is now doing food comics for the magazine Saveur, who just sent her to Africa. Lucy's first book, French Milk, is a travelogue about a trip to Paris. Relish is her most recent work.

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Comics: Book Buzz
Date: April 24, 2013
Time: 5:30-7:30pm
Location: Multnomah County Library Central Branch, U.S. Bank Room, 801 SW 10th Avenue, Portland OR 97205

What are the editors and publishers of this year's graphic novels talking about? The comics that they want to get into the hands of readers? The newest from your favorite artists and from some up-and-coming new talent? Come to Comics Book Buzz to find out! Join Michael Martens from Dark Horse, Tom Shimmin from Oni Press and Brett Warnock from Top Shelf Comix as they share the titles for adults and children they see their colleagues reading, talking about and promoting. They'll have a nice selection of galleys and fun raffle items! If that isn't enough ... special appearance by not one, but two comics creators: Joshua Williamson and Vinny Navarrete who will be promoting their new books Sketch Monsters V1 & V2! Presented in connection with the Stumptown Comics Festival.

https://multcolib.org/events/comics-book-buzz/7810

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NerdNightOut: Joseph Scrimshaw and The Doubleclicks
Date: April 24-25, 2013
Time: 9:00-10:30pm
Location: Funhouse Lounge - 2432 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Join Portland's own Doubleclicks and Minnesota's Joseph Scrimshaw for an evening of geek-themed music & comedy, sponsored by The Jupiter Hotel! Held at Portland's wonderful Funhouse Lounge, which has cabaret-style table seating, a bar and snacks.

The performers of the evening are:
· Joseph Scrimshaw: Hilarious geek-flavored comedian from Minneapolis.
· The Doubleclicks: Portland's local nerd-folk-sister-duo.

Doors open at 30 minutes before the show. There will be food & drinks available. Show runs Wedneday and Thursday, with the Thursday show starting at 7:30pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/549865901701776/

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Unknown Origins & Untimely Ends book release and signing
Date: April 24, 2013
Time: 5-7pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

Unknown Origins & Untimely Ends: A Collection of Unsolved Mysteries, contains thirty-two true stories of strange disappearances, cold case murders, and unexplained phenomena. These stories come from around the world and range from the familiar, such as the grisly unsolved murder of "The Black Dahlia," to the forgotten, like the mysterious substance that once fell from Washington skies. Check out Hic & Hoc's first anthology for these tales and many more creepy, baffling, bona fide mysteries.

Bio info:
Portland-based editor Emi Gennis, known for her own macabre historical and true crime comics, has pulled together the work of over thirty talented cartoonists from five countries for this collection. The book includes work by the following artists: Aaron Whitaker, Andy Glass, Bobby Mono, Box Brown, Danielle Chenette, Duncan, Doug Slack, Emy Bitner, Evan A, Graham Kahler, J. T. Yost, Jackie Roche, Jason Bradshaw, Jenn Woodall, Julia Gfrörer, Lizz Lunney, Melinda Tracey Boyce, Mike Roy, Nate McDonough, NickSou?ek, Nikki DeSautelle, Noah Van Sciver, Owen Heitmann, Phillip Sevy, Simon Moreton, Sabin Calvert, Sam Alden, Sam Spina, Sarah Benkin, Steve Seck, Tod Parkhill, and William Cardini.

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Cactus Country: New Drawings by Kevin Uehlein
Date: April 25, 2013
Time: 7-9pm
End Date: Late May
Location: Vintage Design Collective, 7126 SE Milwaukee ave

Cactus Country is a series of new colorful drawings by cartoonist Kevin Uehlein (Sweatpants Kid, Dumbass Dog, Visions of the Aporkalypse, Guardrail). An odd collection of characters make their way through a mountainous desert landscape, encountering strange vistas, fearful beasts, and a natural disasters. Drawn in Ink on Bristol Board, colored with color pencils and inkwash in a limited red and blue palettes.

http://kevinuehlein.wordpress.com/events/

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Bill Willingham Fables signing at Portland TFAW
Date: Friday, April 26, 2013
Time: 5:00pm until 7:00pm
Location: Portland Things From Another World, 2916 NE Broadway St. Portland, OR

Fables writer Bill Willingham visits the Portland TFAW April 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. to sign his multiple Eisner Award-winning series! Meet the man behind Vertigo's long-running, legendary series: copies of Fables comics, trade paperbacks, and hardcovers will be available for purchase.

SIGNING POLICY: Get anything purchased at TFAW (with receipt) signed! Outside items (not purchased at TFAW) limited to three per customer.

Immediately after the signing, segue into the Stumptown Comics Fest Kickoff Party from 7 p.m. until ??? Stumptown Comics Fest, the Northwest's most respected independent comic book convention, takes place April 27 and 28, and TFAW is proud to start things off in style. Meet and mingle with special guests from the Fest, enjoy free food and beer (21+ with ID), and enjoy a night of conversation, nerdery, and music!

https://www.facebook.com/events/494745710573119/

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Passing Time with Jon McNaught
Date: April 26, 2003
Time: 6-9PM
Location: ONE GRAND GALLERY 1000 E Burnside Street, Portland, Oregon 97214

RECEPTION FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH, 6-9PM: Reading Frenzy is pleased to present UK artist, Jon McNaught, for a one weekend exhibit coinciding with the 10th Annual Stumptown Comics Fest. Passing Time is a collection of suburban landscapes and everyday vignettes, which provide a deeper exploration of the environments of McNaught's comics; from the windswept shores of Pebble Island to the suburban streets of Dockwood. These prints are loving tributes to ordinary places, from bus stops, to empty beaches, based on quiet corners of Britain. This show collects together screen prints, lithographs, and linocuts, alongside selected original artwork from Dockwood.

Jon McNaught lives in Bristol, England where he works as a printmaking instructor at the University of the West of England. He is the author of the graphic novellas Birchfield Close, Pebble Island and the recently released Dockwood, for which he was awarded the Prix de Revelation which "recognises the work of an author's early artistic career" at the 40th Festival International de la Bande Dessinee d'Angouleme.

"There are few younger comics artists with whom I feel a genuine aesthetic kinship, but the radiant and glowing Dockwood is Jon McNaught's loveliest argument yet for the beauty of just being alive. It's a gem." -- Chris Ware

Special thanks to Nobrow, Stumptown Comics Fest, and One Grand Gallery.

https://www.facebook.com/events/221907677955538/

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Stumptown Kick Off Party
Date: Friday, April 26, 2013
Time: 7:00pm until ??
Location: Portland Things From Another World, 2916 NE Broadway St. Portland, OR

Planning to attend Stumptown Comics Fest at the Oregon Convention Center April 27 and 28? Start the celebration right at the Stumptown Comics Fest Kickoff Party April 26 at the Portland TFAW from 7 to ?? Meet and mingle with guests from the Fest, enjoy music by Switch from Dangerous Kids and Bobby Roberts, and consume free food and beer (for those 21+ with valid ID). Portland's Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade will provide video games for the party!

Before the party, get mythic at our Portland TFAW's signing with Stumptown Comics Fest guest Bill Willingham, creator of the Eisner Award-winning Vertigo series Fables, from 5 to 7 p.m. This event is courtesy of Stumptown Comics Fest, who brought Willingham to Portland for the signing and convention.

Enjoy an evening of music and conversation, pose in front of the green screen, and enter to win prizes from Portland Retro Gaming Expo, OryCon, Ground Kontrol, Dark Horse Comics, Wonder Northwest, TFAW, and more April 26 at the Portland TFAW!

https://www.facebook.com/events/342913475809716/

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Dash Shaw's NEW SCHOOL Tour
Date: Thurs, May 2, 2013
Time: 6:00pm 10:00pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

The creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Bottomless Belly Button and Bodyworld hits the road in support of his new graphic novel, New School, as well as the one-shot comic book, 3 New Stories. At Floating World, Dash Shaw will be signing copies of his new books before their wide release, with a gallery full of original artwork and presentations of his animation works (including the Sigur Rós video, "Seraph").

New School is a full-color, classic coming-of-age story that encapsulates the current generation, both trapped and enthralled by pop culture. Shaw dramatizes the story two brothers, one moving to an exotic country where an ambitious new amusement park recreates historical events and the younger one who goes to find his brother after years of little contact. New School is unlike anything in the history of the comics medium: at once funny and deadly serious, easily readable while wildly artistic, personal and political, familiar and completely new.

Dash Shaw lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is currently writing and directing an animated feature film, The Ruined Cast.

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/25/may-2-dash-shaws-new-school-tour/

As we continue our profiles of this year's special guests, we turn our attention to creator Riley Rossmo.

A graduate of the prestigious Alberta College of Art and Design in 2004, Riley Rossmo soon found critical appeal in 2006 with his first graphic novel - Seven Sons. This brought him the attention of Image Comics and earned him work with the incredibly popular Proof, Green Wake, and Cowboy Ninja Viking; which was recently optioned by Disney for a film adaptation. Rossmo recently teamed up with writer and Stumptown Comics Fest guest Ales Kot to produce the wildly ambitious Wild Children, also with Image Comics.

You can learn more about Riley Rossmo and his work at www.rileyrossmo.com/

As we continue our profiles of this year's special guests, we turn our attention to creator Faith Erin Hicks.

Hailing from Nova Scotia, Hicks first came to prominence with her webcomic Demonology 101, but has been busy with a variety of material since the series ended in 2004. Early last year, publisher First Second released Hick's Friends With Boys and will be releasing Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong (co-created with Prudence Shen) in the coming weeks. Hicks will be participating in the limited-edition art prints project in this year's festival, creating a fantastic image based on her title Adventures of Superhero Girl that was released in hardcover format from Dark Horse Comics earlier this year!

For more about Faith Erin Hicks, please visit her website: http://www.faitherinhicks.com

As we continue with our profiles of this year's special guests for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival, we're proud to highlight the multifaceted Paul Guinan.

A talented multimedia artist, Paul Guinan gained noticed at First Comics where he co-created Cargonauts, a precursor to Firefly. Moving to DC Comics, Guinan co-created the monthly series Chronos. While at Dark Horse Comics, along with his wife and partner Anina Bennett, he co-created, wrote, and drew the ground breaking female action series Heartbreakers. In 2009 Guinan broke new ground with Boilerplate - Histories Mechanical Marvel, seamlessly merging traditional comic techniques with photo manipulation and historical fiction. The critically acclaimed book was recently optioned by Paramount Pictures for J.J. Abrams. Guinan and Bennett recently produced Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention, a tonal sequel to their Boilerplate that focuses on America's first pulp hero. You can learn more about Paul Guinan at http://www.bigredhair.com/

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the the Stumptown Comics Festival, 10 different artists will be creating 10 unique, limited-edition art prints to be sold at this year's event, taking place at the Oregon Convention Center, April 27th & 28th! (Get your tickets online.)

Each print will be limited to only 10 copies and be sold for the low price of just $20. Special guests contributing to the series include:

• Sina Grace
• Paul Guinan
• Morgan Jeske
• Tradd Moore
• Faith Erin Hicks
• Ming Doyle
• Becky Cloonan
• Ted Naifeh
• Chynna Clugston Flores
• Riley Rossmo

With such a terrifically talented line-up, the limited-edition art prints are sure to sell-out, so be sure to arrive bright and early on Saturday, April 27th to get yours! We'll be updating followers on and as new work comes in, but for now please enjoy three of this year's images (click to open larger image in a new window):

As we continue with our profiles of this year's special guests for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival, we're proud to highlight the talented Anina Bennett.

Formerly an editor at Dark Horse Comics, Bennett is the co-creator of critically acclaimed Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel and Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention, along with her husband Paul Guinan. The pair are also the creators of the Image Comics series Heartbreakers. Both Bennett and Guinan are dearly beloved pillars of the Portland comics community and can often be seen hosting events, leading workshops, and appearing in the famous annual Trek in the Park put on by Atomic Arts. For more about Bennett, please visit her website: http://www.bigredhair.com/

As we draw closer and closer to the 10th Stumptown Comics Fest, so to do we continue our spotlight on our special guests for this year's festival. This week we turn our focus toward creator Ted Naifeh.

Calling San Francisco his home, Ted Naifeh first entered the comic book world in 1998 as the co-creator of Gloomcookie. In 2002, Naifeh introduced the world to the Eisner award nominated series Courtney Crumrin for Oni Press, wrapping the series in March of 2013. Also with Oni Press, Ted Naifeh is the creator of the swashbuckling series, Polly and the Pirates. In addition to his creator-owned work, Ted Naifeh worked on the DC digital series Ame-Comi Girls: Duela Dent. You can learn more about his work at www.tednaifeh.com

Continuing with our spotlight on our special guests for this year's festival, this week we turn our focus to artist Morgan Jeske.

Hailing from Vancouver B.C., Jeske is the illustrator of the Image Comics title Change by fellow guest Ales Kot, and an original project called Disappearing Town as part of Study Group Comics. Jeske is one of a select number of artists that will be creating limited edition prints at this year's festival!

For a preview, please click here to see a work in progress. For more about Morgan Jeske, visit his blog: http://morganjeske.tumblr.com/

It's been the main question since we announced the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest, and we are more than excited to announce - You can now purchase your tickets to the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest online!

Online sales are provided via TicketsWest, where you can purchase single passes for Saturday and Sunday, or a full weekend pass. Students with a valid ID will also have the option to purchase passes at the discounted student rate. (Student passes will be required to show a valid student ID before entering).

Stumptown Comics Fest - Saturday pass.

Stumptown Comics Fest - Sunday pass.

Stumptown Comics Fest - Weekend pass.

As always, please be sure to follow Stumptown Comics on (twitter.com/stumptowncomics) and (facebook.com/stumptowncomicsfest) for all the latest news and updates.

We continue to highlight the remarkable creators we have as special guests this year. Next up: Tradd Moore.

Best know as the artist and co-creator behind the Image Comics title The Legend of Luther Strode, whose author Justin Jordan is also a special guest, Moore has gone on to draw for titles like Deadpool for Marvel Comics and Legends of the Dark Knight for DC Comics. His clean, yet detailed work is quickly becoming recognized around the industry, and we expect to see Moore find even greater success over the coming months and years. Find out more about Tradd Moore on his website: http://traddblog.blogspot.com/ (Image via Multiversity Comics)

We're running down the list of our impressive special guests, helping attendees better know the wonderful and talented creators they'll have the chance to meet this year. Next up: Sina Grace!

Sina Grace is possibly best known as the artist of S. Steven Struble's series The Li'l Depressed Boy and Amber Benson's Among Ghosts, but he is also the creator of the series Books with Pictures, the self-published Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Magic, a one-shot titled Self-Obsessed, and the original graphic novel Not My Bag from Image Comics. His art has been used by musicians like Rilo Kiley and Childish Gambino. Find out more about Sina Grace on his website: http://www.sinagrace.com/

As we continue to receive excellent comic work, we wanted to make sure the best in creator-owned content finds it's way to the Stumptown Comic Arts Award. To that extent, we're extending the final cut-off date to March 30. Any item we receive (not post-dated) by March 30 will be eligible for nomination and final voting.

Categories for this year's awards include Best Artist, Best Writer, Best Cartoonist, Best Letterer, Best Colorist, Best Publication Design, Best Small Press, Best Anthology, and Best New Talent.
In addition, the Stumptown Comics Fest is proud to announce a new category for 2013 - Best Webcomic!

Any work published after April 2012 is eligible, including any ongoing Webcomic with continuous or new material posted after April 2012. Digital comics (meaning any comic published for online download or mobile reading devices) are also eligible for any category by following the instructions on the submission form. Those submitting their Webcomic or Digital comic work do not need to provide printed copies. Submitters may not submit more than five distinct works per category, but works may be submitted in any number of categories. Publishers and creators interested in submitting work should include one physical copy of each title to be considered, accompanied by an official Entry Submission form which can be downloaded from the link below:

In addition, we wanted to remind creators that submissions are not limited to those with a table at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest. As long as you're a creator with work produced after April 2012, we want to see your work.

Entries must be received no later than the submission deadline of March 30, 2013 to be considered, and should be mailed to this address:

As with last year, all work submitted will be subject to consideration by a jury of industry professionals. The jury will issue a final ballot on April 12, 2013, which will be available online for voting by any and all professionals, fans, and readers of the comic arts. The votes will determine the final winners of each category, which will be tabulated and awarded at the Awards Ceremony to be held during the Stumptown Comics Fest on April 27 & 28 in Portland, Oregon.

Any questions about the Comic Arts Awards should be directed to Michael Ring at .

With the Stumptown Comics Fest fast approaching, it's time to double-up on our guest profiles, lest we run out of time before we run out of awesome guests. With that in mind, here is part-two and the talented Dash Shaw.

Dash Shaw is a cartoonist and animator in Brooklyn, New York. His graphic novel "New School" comes out in April, 2013, from Fantagraphics Books. His recent books include Bodyworld and Bottomless Belly Button. His animated works include "Wheel of Fortune and the ifc series "The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century AD." In 2008 Diego Cortez curated "Bottomless", an exhibition of Shaw's original drawings, storyboards, color background overlays and a new video animation, for Duke University's John Hope Franklin Center. Shaw is currently working on an animated feature produced by John Cameron Mitchell ("Hedwig and the Angry Inch") and his "Shortbus" producer Howard Gertler ("How to Survive a Plague").

As we draw closer to the 10th Annual Stumptown Comics Festival, we are proud to announce our full guest line-up that will make this fest our best one yet. Please join us as we celebrate terrific comics and their creators at the Oregon Convention Center, April 27th and 28th, 2013.

The 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival includes:

Shawn Aldridge (Vic Boone)
Anina Bennett (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade)
Matt Bors (War Is Boring, debuting Life Begins at Incorporation)
Boulet (The Bouletcorp) [Appearance sponsored by the French Embassy]
Becky Cloonan (Demo, American Virgin, Victor Von Doom, WOLVES)
Bill Crabtree (The Sixth Gun, Invincible, The Irredeemable Ant-Man)
Ming Doyle (MARA)
Chynna Clugston Flores (Blue Monday)
Phil Foglio (Girl Genius)
Sina Grace (Li'l Depressed Boy)
Paul Guinan (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade)
Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl)
Brian Hurtt (The Sixth Gun, The Damned, Queen & Country)
Morgan Jeske (Change)
Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
James Kochalka (American Elf, Superf*ckers)
Ales Kot (Wild Children, Change)
Jon McNaught (Dockwood, Pebble Island, Birchfield Close) [Appearance sponsored by Reading Frenzy & Nobrow Press]
Dylan Meconis (Family Man, Out Foxed)
Erika Moen (DAR!, Bucko)
Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin, Polly and the Pirates, Legends of the Dark Knight)
Riley Rossmo (Proof, Cowboy Ninja Viking, Green Wake)
Greg Rucka (Stumptown, Punisher, Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether, Lazarus)
Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button, The Unclothed Man In the 35th Century A.D., BodyWorld)
Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages, Black Cat, Black Lightning)
Bill Willingham (Elementals, Fables)

Please be sure to follow Stumptown Comics on and for all the latest news and updates. Or, just pop over and say "hi," we like that too.

About Stumptown Comics, Inc
Entering its tenth year as an organization, the annual Stumptown Comics Festival has been a highlight of Portland, Oregon's vibrant comics community that's home to creator collectives like Periscope Studios and Tranquility Base, along with publishers such as Dark Horse Comics, Top Shelf Productions, and Oni Press. Overseen by a board of professionals in the industry, Stumptown Comics, Inc. has progressed thanks to the valuable time and efforts of its volunteers.

With the Stumptown Comics Fest fast approaching, we realized we would run out of time before we ran out of fantastic guest profiles. With that in mind, we kick off our two profiles a week with James Kochalka.

Perhaps best known for his daily webcomic American Elf, which ran from October 1998 to December 2012, this Eisner and Harvey award winning cartoonist James Kochalka is one of the most prolific creators in comics. With a Master of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Kochalka takes a open-flow, near anti-craft, approach to comics that's often landed him in debates with fellow cartoonists who disagree with his style. Between 2005 and 2007, Kochalka received national recognition with SuperF*ckers from Top Shelf Production. The series recently wrapped a 12-episode series online with Cartoon Hangover. In addition to his comic work, James Kochalka is an accomplished musician with his band James Kochalka Superstar. Still residing in his native Vermont, Kochalka teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies and in March 2011 he was named Cartoonist Laureate of Vermont, where he'll serve for three years. You can learn more about James Kochalka at www.americanelf.com

With the Stumptown Comics Festival right around the corner, we're ramping up our profiles of special guests! This week, we're taking a closer look at Erika Moen.

Best known for her webcomic DAR! A Super Girly Top Secret Comic Diary (winner of multiple Stumptown Comics Awards), Moen recently teamed-up with writer Jeff Parker to create Bucko, which was soon released by local publisher Dark Horse Comics in 2012. With work also published by Image Comics and Fantagraphics, Moen is also a member of the illustrious Periscope Studio, and has been a staple of the Portland comics community for years. To learn more about Erika Moen, please visit her website: http://www.erikamoen.com/ (Image by Paige Jones.)

Be sure to fill-out your ballot for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Awards and mail finished entries to Michael Ring at ! Entries due March 15, 2013!

A bit late this week, but please join us as we highlight and celebrate another guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Shawn Aldridge.

Aldridge is a writer, letter, and colorist, but is best known for his creator-owned series Vic Boone, which won the 2012 Stumptown Comics Festival's Reader's Choice Award. The series also earned the Editor's Choice Award from IGN. Originally an entry for DC Comics's Zuda online portal, the futuristic story of an ex-motorcycle daredevil turned private-eye has won over fans and fellow creators. If you're not familiar with the series, Aldridge has generously offered up and for free.

Find out more about Shawn Aldridge on his blog: http://shawnaldridge.blogspot.com (Image by Steve Becker.)

Be sure to fill-out your ballot for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Awards and mail finished entries to Michael Ring at ! Entries due March 15, 2013!

The Stumptown Comics Fest, the largest creator-focused comics convention in the Pacific Northwest, is now accepting submissions of comic work for consideration by our judges for the 2013 Stumptown Comic Arts Awards. Publishers and creators interested in submitting work should include one physical copy of each title to be considered, accompanied by an official Entry Submission form which can be downloaded from the link below:

Please include one form with each work being submitted.

Categories for this year's awards include Best Artist, Best Writer, Best Cartoonist, Best Letterer, Best Colorist, Best Publication Design, Best Small Press, Best Anthology, and Best New Talent.

In addition, the Stumptown Comics Fest is proud to announce a new category for 2013 - Best Webcomic!

Any work published after April 2012 will be eligible. Digital comics (meaning any comic published for online download or mobile reading devices) are also eligible for any category by following the instructions on the submission form. Those submitting their Webcomic and Digital comics work do not need to provide printed copies. Submitters may not submit more than five distinct works per category, but works may be submitted in any number of categories.

Entries must be postmarked no later than the submission deadline of March 15, 2013 to be considered, and should be mailed to this address:

As with last year, all work submitted will be subject to consideration by a jury of industry professionals. The jury will issue a final ballot in March 2013, which will be available online for voting by any and all professionals, fans, and readers of the comic arts. The votes will determine the final winners of each category, which will be tabulated and awarded at the Awards Ceremony to be held during the Stumptown Comics Fest on April 27 & 28 in Portland, Oregon.

Any questions about the Comic Arts Awards should be directed to Michael Ring at .

The 10th annual Stumptown Comics Fest returns to the Oregon Convention Center on April 27th & 28th, and this year promises to be more family-friendly than ever before. To help get people exited for the main event, organizers are teaming up with the Alter Egos Society to put on a special event for children at Guardian Games on February 23rd. Guardian Games co-owner Angel May stated, "The Portland pop culture community has always been so supportive of our store and work, we are more than happy to provide a location for the Alter Egos Society and Stumptown Comics."

Saturday Superheroes at Guardian Games will feature three separate sessions where participants will get to dream-up their own superhero and then work with a team of professionals to make their own comic! Lisa Eisenberg of Tranquility Base and Cat Farris of Periscope Studio will be leading the comic creation, along with a select number of other volunteers, to ensure children learn the basics about creating sequential art. As well, kids will be given a special card for Honorary Membership in the Alter Egos Society, a group of costumed crusaders who work to raise money for nonprofits in the city through cosplay events.

Attendance for a session at Saturday Superheroes at Guardian Games is only $5, and parents staying to supervise their children do not need to pay in order to watch their special ones creating. The three different sessions are scheduled from: 11:00AM - 12:30PM, 1:00PM - 2:30PM, and 3:00PM to 4:30PM. The event is open to kids of all-ages, so there's no need to worry about any inappropriate content, booths, or other potentially offensive items being in sight. So, join us on February 23rd to help support Oregon's premier creator-focused Stumptown Comics Fest and have fun with entire family!

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Stumptown Comics Fest, Portland's premier creator-focused comics festival! To celebrate this milestone, we're planning our biggest and best fest yet. However, we can't do it alone. To pull it off, we need all the help we can get. We need you.

If you're totally into comics and want to help out behind the scenes this year, then we're looking for you! Volunteers have always been the lifeblood of the Stumptown Comics Fest as well as some of the fest-related activities throughout the year, and this year is no different. No matter your skill set, age, or comic preference; if you're motivated, hard-working, and committed to being a part of the local comics community, we want to hear from you!

Please click on the Volunteer link and fill out the form to apply for a spot on our volunteer roster. We'll be accepting applications from now through March 9.

We look forward to hearing from you soon and seeing you at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest!

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Greg Rucka.

Starting in the realm of prose with his Atticus Kodiak novels, Eisner and Harvey award winning writer Greg Rucka received critical comics acclaim with his series Whiteout from Oni Press. In that time, Rucka has gone on to write many iconic characters for both DC and Marvel Comics. In 2010, he was honored with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book for his work on Detective Comics. In addition to his comic book and novel writing, Greg Rucka has penned pieces for DC Animation and Sony Computer Entertainment. He has recently wrapped the second Stumptown series for Oni Press as well as Punisher: War Zone for Marvel Comics. He is currently working on the web comic series, Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether. You can learn more about Greg Rucka and his work at www.gregrucka.com

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Justin Jordan.

Calling the rural countrysides of Pennsylvania his home, Justin Jordan made a strong debut in the world of comics with The Strange Talent of Luther Strode. The six-issue miniseries went on to become one of the highest acclaimed books of 2011 and a top-seller for Image Comics. The series cemented Justin Jordan as a fresh voice within comics. While writing for multiple comic book anthologies, Jordan launched the series Team 7 and is slated to begin work on Deathstroke, both for DC Comics. Jordan is currently writing The Legend of Luther Strode, the follow-up to his Image hit, as well writing Shadowman from Valiant Entertainment, . You can learn more about Justin Jordan and his work at http://thestrangetalentoflutherstrode.com

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Jen Van Meter.

Earning a Bachelors degree in English, and a Masters degree in Folklore and Literature, Van Meter took her knowledge and transformed it into an Eisner nominated career that started in 1998. Writing for the Dark Horse Presents annual, Jen Van Meter wrote the very first comic book appearance for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This led to her work at Oni Press where she created and wrote the award-winning series Hopeless Savages. Van Meter has produced work for many of the major comic book publishers, include Marvel Comics, DC Comics / Vertigo, and Dynamite Entertainment. Her most recent work having appeared in the series-ending Amazing Spider-Man #700. You can learn more about Jen Van Meter and her work at www.jenvanmeter.com

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we again diverge and focus on a exhibitor: Portland's newest comics collective, Tranquility Base.

As Portland continues to grow as one of the countries biggest comic book cities, so too does the cooperative nature of creation. Formed in 2009, Tranquility Base is the home to some of comics fastest rising stars. The 10th annual Stumptown Comics Fest is proud to present so many talented members of the comics community from Tranquility Base:

Lisa Rosalie Eisenberg (I Cut My Hair, Bearfight!)
Luke Mahan (Orcaskine, Baristocracy)
Les McClaine (Jonny Crossbones, The Middleman)
Ibrahim Moustafa (High Crimes, The Pound)
Brandon Seifert (Witch Doctor, Doctor Who, Hellraiser)
Jon Siruno (The Middlemen)

For more information about Tranquility Base, please visit http://tranquilitybase.tumblr.com/

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we diverge a bit and focus on a exhibitor: Periscope Studio.

Portland's wealth of creative comics potential seems nearly endless, and part of that richness comes from collective studios where professionals can work in a friendly space and be inspired be one another. Periscope Studio might be the best example of that energy, and features the following artists who will be at 10th Annual Stumptown Comics Festival:

Paul Guinan (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade) [Special Guest]
Anina Bennett (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade) [Special Guest]
Erika Moen (DAR!, Bucko) [Special Guest]
Dylan Meconis (Family Man, Out Foxed) [Special Guest]
Terri Nelson(Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Amaterasu: Return of the Sun)
Steve Lieber (Underground, Whiteout)
Cat Farris (Flaccid Badger, Frog Song)
Ron Chan (Roy's Boys, The Guild, Models Inc)
Jeremy Barlow (Mass Effect: Homeworlds, Star Wars Tales)
Grace Allison (Wander)
Rich Ellis (Memorial)
Ron Randall (Supergirl, Trekker, Amaterasu: Return of the Sun)
Natalie Nourigat (A Boy and a Girl)
Karl Kesel (Fantastic Four, Harley Quinn)
Paul Tobin (Gingerbread Girl, Colder, Falling Skies)
Colleen Coover (Gingerbread Girl, X-Men: First Class)
Jonathan Case (Green River Killer, The Creep)
Aaron McConnell (The U.S. Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation)
David Hahn (Private Beach, Fables)
Jeff Parker (Bucko, Underground, Red She-Hulk)
Dustin Weaver (S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Ben Bates (Sonic)

For more about Periscope Studio, please visit: http://periscopestudio.com

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Chynna Clugston Flores.

With an art style heavily influence by late era Japanese Manga and mid-century Mod esthetics, Chynna Clugston Flores made an immediate impression upon her graduation from the Yosemite High. Submitting her early work to Fantaco, Chynna garnered the writing and penciling duties on the miniseries Bloodletting. Her work drew the attention of editor Jamie Rich at Oni Press, where she went on to create the Eisner Award nominated series, Blue Monday. Also with Oni Press, Chynna followed up Blue Monday with the critically acclaimed series Scooter Girl, named by Ain't It Cool News as one of the best comics of the 2000s. In January, 2013, Chynna returns to working with Jamie Rich as she pencils It Girl! and the Atomics #6 for Image Comics. You can learn more about Chynna Clugston Flores and her work at http://newwavezombie.blogspot.com/

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Ales Kot.

Ales Kot is the writer of the critically acclaimed short graphic novel Wild Children with art by Riley Rossmo (Cowboy Ninja Viking), as well as the new series Change with art by Morgan Jeske (also appearing at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival). Kot was recently named "Best New Creator of 2012" by USA Today, and announced two new projects with Image Comics coming in 2013 - Zero, which will feature a different artist on each issue, and The Surface with Langdon Foss (Get Jiro). His upcoming short with DC Comics titled Batman: Fly will feature art by Ryan Sook (Zatanna, X-Factor, B.P.R.D.). You can learn more about Ales Kot on his website: http://www.aleskot.com/ (Photo credit: Zoetica Ebb)

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Boulet.

Boulet honed his natural-surrealist style at the Graduate School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg, France. In June 2001, Boulet released his first work, Raghnarok, Tome 1: Dragon Junior. A lighthearted tale of a young dragon, his mother, and grandmother, Raghnarok and it's follow-up books found praise for Boulet's whimsical, yet honest approach to children's literature. In 2004, he became one of the first French cartoonists to start and maintain an ongoing webcomic series. A series that continues to this day and as of December, 2012 has seen seven complete printed volumes. In addition to his ongoing series and books, Boulet is a frequent contributor to the magazines Tchô and Psikopat. Stumptown Comics, Inc. would like to extend a special thanks to the French Consulate in helping to finance Boulet's appearance in Portland and the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest. You can learn more about Boulet and his work at http://english.bouletcorp.com/.

Unfortunately, due to some technical hiccups with our site, we were unable to send out exhibition notifications on the scheduled dates of December 15 - 17. We would like to apologize for any confusion this may have caused you. We are currently correcting the issue and fully intend to notify all applicants as to their status by the end this week, on December 21. Thank you again for your understanding and patience.

Kaebel Hashitani
2013 Fest Director

Organizers of the 10th Annual Stumptown Comics Festival are proud to announce an extended line-up of special guests that will make the event a terrific celebration of comics and their creators at the Oregon Convention Center, April 27th and 28th, 2013.

Current special guests appearing at Stumptown Comics Festival 2013 include:

Shawn Aldridge (Vic Boone)
Anina Bennett (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade)
Matt Bors (War Is Boring, debuting Life Begins at Incorporation)
Boulet (The Bouletcorp) [Appearance sponsered by the French Embassy]
Becky Cloonan (Demo, American Virgin, Victor Von Doom, WOLVES)
Ming Doyle (MARA)
Chynna Clugston Flores (Blue Monday)
Kaja Foglio (Girl Genius)
Phil Foglio (Girl Genius)
Sina Grace (Li'l Depressed Boy)
Paul Guinan (Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel, Frank Reade)
Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl)
Morgan Jeske (Change)
Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
James Kochalka (American Elf, Superf*ckers)
Ales Kot (Wild Children, Change)
Jon McNaught (Dockwood, Pebble Island, Birchfield Close) [Appearance sponsored by Reading Frenzy & Nobrow Press]
Dylan Meconis (Family Man, Out Foxed)
Erika Moen (DAR!, Bucko)
Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
Bill Willingham (Elementals, Fables)

More guest announcements will follow, as well as an list of exhibitors approved for the curated event. For more information, please visit: http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

About Stumptown Comics, Inc
Entering its tenth year as an organization, the annual Stumptown Comics Festival has been a staple of Portland, Oregon's vibrant comics community that's home to artist collective like Periscope Studios and Tranquility Base, along with publishers such as Dark Horse Comics, Top Shelf Productions, and Oni Press. Overseen by a board of professionals in the industry, Stumptown Comics, Inc. has progressed thanks to the valuable time and efforts of its volunteers.

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Ming Doyle.

Graduating with a BFA in 2007 from Cornell University, Ming Doyle first gained the attention of the comic book world with her stellar costume redesigns for the site Project: Rooftop. Her nuanced blending of Western character work with traditional Chinese calligraphy brush strokes creates a visual style that garnered her work in the popular anthologies Popgun, Outlaw Territory, and Comic Book Tattoo for Image Comics. In 2009, Doyle partnered with writer Kevin Church on the popular weekly web comic series The Loneliest Astronauts and is currently in talks with a major publisher for physical publication. Ming Doyle brings her 2012 to a close as she works with writer Brian Wood with the release of Mara, a six-issue miniseries from Image Comics. You can learn more about Ming Doyle and her varied work at http://mingdoyle.tumblr.com/

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Becky Cloonan.

Multiple Eisner award nominated artist, Becky Cloonan, has been a rapidly rising star within comics for over a decade. Her breakout success occurred in 2004 with the critically acclaimed 12-issue series Demo, Vol. 1 for AiT/Planet Lar. Cloonan's highly expressive character work makes her an artist in demand as her art finds its way into comics of all genres. She has done work for Image Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse Comics, where she reunited with Demo writer Brian Wood to relaunch Conan the Barbarian. Cloonan made headlines in 2012 when she penciled Batman #12 for DC Comics, becoming the first woman ever to act as sole penciler in the character's 73 year history. She is currently self-publishing The Mire, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2011's, Wolves. You can learn more about Becky Cloonan and her work at http://inkandthunder.blogspot.com/

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Jon McNaught.

A printmaking instructor at the University of the West of England, McNaught's elegant illustrations (seen in the London Review of Books and New York Times) and simplistic style of storytelling have captivated audiences here in America and abroad. His recent books, Dockwood, Pebble Island, and Birchfield Close, are published through Nobrow Press. Delightful in design and content, McNaught's work has been praised by critics and creators a like, including Chris Ware who said of McNaught, "There are few younger comics artists with whom I feel a genuine aesthetic kinship . . . ." We're proud to partner with Reading Frenzy in presenting McNaught as a guest in 2013. To learn more about Jon McNaught, please visit: www.jonmcnaught.co.uk/

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Matt Bors.

As the artist behind War Is Boring, Matt Bors received critical acclaim earlier on in his career. Since then, he's continued to garner praise for his political cartoons syndicated around the country in newspapers and online for outlets like Daily Kos, The Sacramento Bee, AlterNet, Pittsburg City Paper, and here in town at the Portland Mercury. Also the former journalism editor at the Cartoon Movement, Bors recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign for a collection of his work titled Life Begins at Incorporation, a full-color, 225-page book edited by Portland Mercury reporter Sarah Mirk. We're proud to announce that Life Begins at Incorporation will debut at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. For more on Matt Bors, please visit www.mattbors.com

It's come to our attention that our November 17th deadline for open registration was not as well-known as we hoped. In light of this, we're extending our deadline another week. If you would like to apply to exhibit at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest, please send an email to by or before Saturday, November 24, 2012.

Please remember that the Fest is a curated show, and applying doesn't guarantee exhibition space. Selected exhibitors will be notified during December 15-17, 2012.

Kaebel Hashitani
2013 Fest Director

Every Wednesday, join us as we highlight and celebrate a guest for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival. This week we turn our attention to Bill Willingham.

With roots deep in popular culture, Eisner award-winning writer and artist Bill Willingham first made a name for himself with the series Elementals from Comico. While he received peer acclaim with his work Pantheon from Lone Star Press, it was in the early 2000s that Willingham shot into comics stardom with Fables, from DC Comic's Vertigo imprint. A true crossover hit, Fables combined beloved fairy-tales characters living in the modern era with current social and political commentary. Having recently surpassed a decade in publication, Fables continues to be Vertigo's best-selling and critically praised series. Showing his commitment to creator-focused work, Willingham's Fables spin-off series Fairest showcases comic book talent from all over the globe as they explore characters like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and other beloved fairy-tale characters. Bill Willingham can be found online at http://www.billwillingham.com/

As the Stumptown Comics Fest gears up for its 10th anniversary show in April 2013, the Portland-based nonprofit group that manages it, Stumptown Comics, Inc., is growing to meet the festival's evolving goals. To help expand its reach and engage with the comics community, Stumptown recently named Aaron Duran to serve in the new position of Communications Chair, and Paula Small as the new Treasurer.

"The people behind Stumptown Comics, Inc. are working harder than ever to realize our goal of fostering a wider appreciation of comic books and their benefits," says board Chair Shawna Gore. "We're fortunate to have people like Aaron and Paula joining the board. Aaron has been an integral part of Portland's comics community for years. His love and enthusiasm for comics, and for the people who create and enjoy them, are as strong as his ability to communicate that enthusiasm. Paula brings extensive skills in financial management from her tenure at KBOO Community Radio, and we couldn't be more excited to work with her."

In addition to her work with KBOO, Paula has volunteered at the Stumptown Comics Fest and understands the challenges and excitement that comes with such an important comic book festival. Aaron Duran has worn many hats within the comics world, including those of retailer, critic, and creator. Together, their well-rounded experience will help Stumptown Comics, Inc. achieve its ambitious goals.

The 10th annual Stumptown Comics Fest will be held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on April 27 and 28, 2013. Comics legend Bill Willingham, creator of Vertigo's popular Fables series, is but the first of many fantastic guests attendees can expect at the 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest. Look for more exciting announcements in the coming weeks.

Portland, Oregon - October 30, 2012 -- Registration for booth and table space for the 10th Annual Stumptown Comics Festival is now open to artists and publishers looking to exhibit at the creator-focused event running April 27-28, 2013 at the Oregon Convention Center.

As previously announced, Fables creator Bill Willingham will be a special guest of the festival. Also joining as guests are artist of War Is Boring and political cartoonist Matt Bors, Nobrow Press illustrator and Birchfield Close creator Jon McNaught, Boilerplate and Frank Reade creators Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett, Mara artist Ming Doyle, Wild Children writer Ales Kot, and many more creators to be revealed soon.

The 10th anniversary of the Stumptown Comics Festival marks a notable shift for the independent event with the selection of several new chairpersons to the organizing board, but continues to embrace the strong tradition of creator-focused programming that volunteers have cultivated over the last decade.

Stumptown Comics Festival will also begin the curated selection process soon and provide feedback to any creators who may want tips for how to be selected to exhibit in the limited space. Similarly, the yet-to-be-released convention floor will be laid-out in a more equitable fashion than standard conventions to be more accommodating to creators of all types.

Pricing for the 2013 Stumptown Comics Festival is as follows:
-$170 for an Artist's Table
-$350 for an Exhibitor Booth ($60 option for addition table)

Additional Exhibitor Badges that allow entry to the convention hall before and after public hours are available for $30 (limit of 2), and Two Day Attendee Passes are available for $15 each.

To see the complete exhibitor form, please visit: http://www.stumptowncomics.com/registration_2013.php

More details about guests, awards, and special events will be release in the coming weeks in order for creators and publishers to better prepare for their 2013 exhibition plans.

About Stumptown Comics, Inc
Entering its tenth year as an organization, the annual Stumptown Comics Festival has been a staple of Portland, Oregon's vibrant comics community that's home to artist collective like Periscope Studios and Tranquility Base, along with publishers such as Dark Horse Comics, Top Shelf Productions, and Oni Press. Overseen by a board of professionals in the industry, Stumptown Comics, Inc. has progressed thanks to the valuable time of efforts of its volunteers.

The tenth annual Stumptown Comics Festival will be held April 27 and 28, 2013 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. Fan-favorite comics writer Bill Willingham, the creator of DC/Vertigo's multiple-award-winning series FABLES, is the first announced guest of the 2013 festival. Other guests and special events will be announced in coming weeks.

Stumptown Comics Festival's ten-year anniversary will be the kick-off celebration of the expanding vision of Stumptown Comics, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a wider appreciation of comics through education and public events.

"We are thrilled to announce Bill Willingham as our first guest for the show that will mark a decade of our commitment to the comics-loving community of Portland," said Kaebel Hashitani, Festival Director. "Bill's body of work reflects the spirit of creative diversity that Stumptown celebrates, from his earliest efforts as an indie cartoonist to his current position as the writer of one of the most successful author-driven franchises in comics. We're honored to celebrate his work at our 2013 convention!"

Shawna Gore, whose recent appointment as Chair of Stumptown Comics, Inc. reflects the organization's commitment to growth, adds that "The Stumptown Comics Festival was built from the ground up in Portland by a small but dedicated group of volunteers and professionals, and as it has grown over the years, the vision for the show has also grown. We're striving to bring more creators and publishers in from all corners of the comics world -- our guest list for the 2013 show will be exciting for Portland's comics fans."