By Joe Thacker

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

I’ve been to several SPX in the past, and sometimes even volunteering. I wish I could say that this one was different from the past, but it’s hard to improve on perfection.

If you haven’t heard, the Small Press Exposition (SPX) is a gathering of artists celebrating independent and self published stories, mostly in comic form. The thing I like about events like this is it’s diversity. They not only do they have local creators but people from all over. Their works are just as varied. You can find stuff for kids as well as the macabre.

Some of the local artists is the gang that puts out Magic Bullet. It’s a newspaper size publication of bizarre comics. They get together to come up with a central theme for each issue. Another artist I met is Bryan Brown. He make martial art theme illustrations, some based on his own life. This uniqueness is typical for the small press expo.

It is refreshing to find several women participating in what is considered a male dominated industry. One example is Spider Forest. Two young ladies from opposite ends of the country managed to collaborate on their projects and have a artist table two years in a row. It seems like their second time around they learned the importance of branding.

This expo is not just about small independent comic content.  Well established artists were also in attendance. They could be found either speaking on a panel, or signing their work at a various tables where you can get a chance to meet and talk to them.  I saw Jules Feiffer, who has been drawing for over 50 years. I also met Derf Backderf who was signing his collection of comics called True Stories. From his book, It’s interesting to see that all his ideas came from his own experience.

Of course, the attendees can be just as interesting, but, this batch presents themselves as creative types. Slightly different than most fandom I’m use to. If you drop a “hipster” in this hotel they would feel at home. They were as many guys wearing plaid shirts as much as irreverent t-shirts and you couldn’t be sure if the girls were wearing glasses for prescription or as a fashion statement. This atmosphere of creativity makes one want to grab a pen & paper and start drawing.

With that said, the expo has made some significant improvements. There used to be long line for the only ATM within the hotel. This time Marriott installed more machines and Dealers room had a couple of their own.

I have been to past SPX, but I have never stayed to see the awards show that they do on Saturday night. It’s called the Ignatz award, named after the brick throwing mouse in the Krazy Kat comic strip and this year I decided to attend. Fittingly, the award presented is a brick instead of some statue. The ceremony started by informing the attendees, (standing room only), about the philanthropy this non profit organization does. Some of which are donating materials to the Library of Congress, supporting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and giving out new books to local libraries.

Afterwards there was a special event. Someone got married to comics. Simon Hanselmann an Ignanz nominee was dressed in drag as a bride and there was a ceremony performed. Later there was a reception with exquisite food catered by the hotel. Like all good things the food didn’t last. There was also a cake served at the wedding. They must not have trusted this bride with a knife because all s/he could do was stab it with a fork. All this may have symbolized how most people here feel about standard conventions. There was a live band present for what I might describe as a nerd prom.

Sunday morning just before the noon opening there was a meet and greet breakfast. This gave attendees a final chance to do a face to face with others they have only known online.

One of the best things about conventions is meeting all sorts of people and sharing ideas and stories. For SPX, this is the heart of the whole event.