I figured I'd do a little shout out here to my favorite comics convention (and the only one that's a must-see for me since I started going), the Small Press Expo!
This year's con is being held on September 11th and 12th, in its standard location in Bethseda, Maryland, nestled close but not quite in, Washington, DC.
I first went to SPX in 2008, as a person who knew a few indy comics people and was excited to get to meet James Kochalka. I left finding there was a whole world of innovative, imaginative creators that I'd never seen in my world of capes comics.
SPX changed how I read comics, and it did so for the better.
(It also let me tease Jeffrey Brown about the Pens beating the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup, but that's a story for another day...)
I strongly urge anyone who has a love for comics to come down to SPX and see what's there. Grab some stuff from the free table. Pick up a dozen or two $1 and $2 mini-comics. Take the opportunity to pick up some stuff from the bigger names (Fantagraphics, Oni, Top Shelf, and the like) without paying for shipping or giving Amazon their cut. Go see what some of the cool mid range presses can offer (Adhouse and Fanfare, to name two, if they both make it this year). Grab a comic that looks cool that you know nothing about ahead of time and be thrilled to find a new name.
SPX might just alter your comics reading. It's definitely worth the trip to find out!
Check back in a month, when I'll highlight some of the folks I recommend you check out when you go to SPX.
