Welcome to the latest edition of this year's Panel Patter SPX Spotlights! Back in the days when websites were the way people communicated about comics (via RSS, no less), we at Panel Patter, starting with myself, but also with the rest of the various people who served on the writing team, would spotlight lots of things about what I personally think is the premiere indie comic show.
For those who don't know, the Small Press Expo is an annual comics show that focuses squarely on independent comics and creators. It's the show that changed how I read comics and the one where I formed some lasting connections.
This year's show is September 13th and 14th. You should go if you can!
Yesterday, I looked at debut comics from some of my friends. Today, I'm taking the exact opposite approach. One of the things I most looked forward to when I went to comic shows regularly was trying to discover new people to become huge fans of, just like I did once upon a day when I first started reading Joey Weiser in 2008 or Whit Tayor in 2010(?) or when Box Brown said I absolutely HAD to read this comic by Tillie Walden, right before she exploded onto the comics scene. (Heck, even Box counts to some degree, as I was a fan long before he was writing books on Tetris or Andre the Giant.)
So yeah, I want to try to imagine what it might be like if I was going to SPX this year (I'll be back some day, but not yet) and looking for books from people I don't know who are debuting at SPX this year. I won't be able to hit all of them, but these are the ones that caught my eye, based solely on cover art and descriptions. Instead of doing a preview, I'm going to tell you why I'm interested and why I think you should be, too. These are in random order, BTW, not ranked by anything other than the order I clicked on them.
Let's find our next favorite creator together, shall we?
Go Away, Rainbox Dragon!
by Laura Terry
Premise (from SPX site): One day mysterious Rainbow Dragon shows up in a quiet village and has everyone worried. He’s famous for stealing bagels and getting into mischief. Best friends Zayne and Rex the brontosaurus are surprised to find themselves being followed by this mythical creature who tries and fails to “play nice” with them. What does Rainbow Dragon want? Does he bring snacks? You’ll have to read it to find out.
Why I'm Interested:
1) There's a dragon and a dinosaur on your cover. Either will get you a look, both will get me to stop by your table and take a peek.
2) There's a familiar art style I am likely to enjoy. The linework I an can see from the cover shows me that I am going to find a comic where the art is able to actually match the storyline.
3) The premise is cool. A rogue dragon who steals bagels? A boy and his dinosaur being stalked by the bagel thief, who presumably uses his own fire breath to toast said stolen bagels? Ok, I'm in.
4) All ages book. I really do enjoy all-ages comics, when they are in fact for all ages.
Summary: I'd be trying to find this one on Day 1 of the show.
by Nami Oshiro
Premise (from SPX Site): Balloon Cat is on the loose – and she’s armed! Will her quest for ice cream money be successful? Will she make a friend through her endeavors? Is the lesson here that robbing banks is good?!
Why I'm Interested
1) Oh come on, do I even have to list anything beyond the title? BALLOON CAT ROBS A BANK. Just take my money, like I'm Philip J Fry.
2) Okay, fine. First things first, that cover is just pitch perfect. A cute anime style cat, holding a set of cartoon balloons and a comical-looking sidearm. Even if I can't see the title, I'm going to want to know more.
3) It's about a cat. That will always get me to investigate what you're trying to sell me. Might not get me to buy, but I'll always take a look.
4) The tone of the pitch, especially that ending line about whether it's time to rethink the morality of robbing banks, tells me that this comic is going to be as irreverent as I would hope it would be.
Summary: I might use balloons to float over the con floor to find this one before it inevitably sells out.
by Matt Emmons
Premise (from SPX Site): Part book, part game, TRIAL + ERROR is a choose-your-own-path comic where you are a newborn artificial creature (known as E.L.M.s – Ethical Lab Mammals) who must escape the derelict lab you were created in.
Why I'm Interested:
1) Choose your own adventure! You don't see this often in comic books (I know there's been a few over the years, including official ones from, um, Oni Press maybe? Yes, a quick Google confirms I am remembering this correctly.) I like when people experiment with the medium, so I'm curious.
2) Premise of the protagonist. What is an Ethical Lab Mammal? Why were they created? By whom? Are they abandoned? Do they all look like kinda hideous monkeys? I want to know!
Summary: I opt to go to the aisle where this is located. If there are copies available, I turn to page 1 and start reading...if they're sold out, I make a note of the website and my SPX seeking adventure is over!
Halloween Boy 7
by Dave Baker
Premise (from the SPX site): Halloween Boy is the greatest archaeologist-for-hire, super-scientists, and warlock that the globe has ever seen. His daily existence is the impossible, his average solution is the unimaginable. This issue sees The Demon Who Lives meeting new allies, new enemies and new challenges in… “Evolve or Die” part 2
Why I'm Interested:
1) It's called Halloween Boy. I want to know why. The premise tells me a little about him, but that name is why I'm reaching over the table to check this one out.
2) The premise seems absolutely absurd, which is right up my alley. An archaeologist for hire that's also a super-scientist and a warlock? Does he babysit as a side gig? It's just such a great, random combination.
3) The cover gives me a Josh Bayer vibe. The art is slicker, but the mashup, the obvious homage to newspaper strip comics, and the premise all make me think of Bayer's "raw" takes on cartooning that I very much enjoy.
Summary: I definitely want to see what this one looks like in person.
Dracula: Dad and Loving It
A My Dad is Dracula Collection
by Jason Poland
Premise (from the SPX site, edited): Part Dracula. Part Dad. 100% absurdly wholesome. In JASON POLAND’s brand-new comic collection, MY DAD IS DRACULA: DAD AND LOVING IT, a supernatural father proves you can be anything… by literally becoming everything. One day, Dracula’s a rad centaur. The next, an emotional support water bottle. A vampire toaster? Why not. Always Dad, always loving it.
Why I'm Interested:
1) You had me at the reference to one of Leslie Nielson and Mel Brooks' underrated movies.
2) Fatherhood is something very much on my mind these days.
3) The idea of Dracula being not just a father, but attempting to be the best father he can be and using his powers to make his son happy just feels really cute, but not cloying.
Summary: I grew up on comic strips and I used to love webcomics for the same reason. A collection like this might be like hitting a vein.
There are sooo many debut books this year. I mean it feels like a record-setting amount. Maybe it's just because they're getting better at soliciting the information. You can find all of them at the link at the top of this column. Go get lost in the options for an hour or so, like I did, and pick out a few of your own favorites. And if you do get any of these, make sure you tell them Panel Patter sent you!
