This week we completed the bulk of our exhibitor confirmation and emailed all of our applicants informing them of their current status. Thanks to everyone who applied! We confirmed a lot of excellent exhibitors for our 2012 Fest, but unfortunately our space is limited, so we also also had to leave left a lot of excellent artists on the waiting list.

We consider every application we get, but our top priority is to grant space to people making comics. Some terrific game companies, non-comics illustrators, and designers of all kinds applied this year, but our mission is to support comics, and so we had to turn away these applications in favor of people making comics.

We strive to present as diverse a face of the artform of comics as possible, so we weighted table selection towards cases where applicants were able to show us where they fit in the creative spectrum. Other factors that account for how we evaluate your application include: Whether you've exhibited at Stumptown in the past, how familiar our committee is with your work, and how easily we were able to evaluate your comics on your website. In creating a curated comics show, we make every effort to be familiar with all the comics that our exhibitors make, and if we couldn't see a representative sampling of your comics on your site or with your application, it made it harder for us to see how your work would fit on the show floor.

This is only the second year where Stumptown has been a completely curated show. Previously it was simply first-come, first-served, and if you didn't get your application in quickly you simply didn't get a space. Our hope was that the Curated approach would increase the overall quality of the experience for our attendees, and we feel that proved true with last year's show. Attendance was up, and the consensus was that it was the best Comics Fest we've ever held. We believe that our 2012 Exhibitor List will continue this tradition of excellence, and we regret that we can't provide space to everyone who wants it. But we still want you to be a part of the show, and encourage you to come to the Festival, meet us, and continue to apply in the future. Stumptown is about creating a great event for Portland and the comics community, and we're grateful that you're a part of it!

-indy

Original artwork by Emi Lenox & Natalie Nourigat

This February, Floating World is proud to exhibit original artwork by local artists, Emi Lenox and Natalie Nourigat. Each artist will display pages from their two new books, EmiTown Vol. 2 and Between Gears, which will be released later in the month by Image Comics.

Emi and Natalie have each created a brand new archival print which will also be available at the show.

Art on display until Feb. 29

BIO INFORMATION:

Based out of Portland, Oregon, Emi Lenox is a comic creator widely known for EmiTown which was released into a printed collection by Image in Dec. '10. She has also had work in Mike Allred's Madman and Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth. She has just finished working on the second collection of EmiTown. Basically, she's just a nutty girl with a case of the munchies and a deep fond love for comics, cats, bassets, and iPods.

http://emitown.blogspot.com/

Natalie 'Tally' Nourigat, is a sequential artist living in Portland, Oregon. Natalie graduated from the University of Oregon's Clark Honors College in 2010. Her first book, Between Gears, is about to be published by Image Comics. She is currently working on a new graphic novel and a children's book series. She appeared in Image Comics' anthology 'This Is A Souvenir' in 2009 and is a member of Periscope Studios.

http://natalienourigat.com/

Frank Santoro's Comic Book Layout Workshop

Why do some comics read easier than others? Is it the story, the cartooning or the page design? Frank Santoro will demonstrate how some cartoonists such as Hal Foster and Herge used visual harmonies and structures in their page designs much like classical oil painters. Discover the similarities between visual and musical harmonies and how some of the great cartoonists used dynamic symmetry like a map to organize their stories.

Also, after the talk, Frank will lead an informal FREE workshop focusing on formats available for the comic book maker in 2012. Everyone is welcome. Come see what Frank Santoro's Correspondence Course is all about - or come on down just to argue with Frank - maybe even buy a book and get it signed.

Frank Santoro is the artist behind the acclaimed comic books Storeyville and Cold Heat. His work has also appeared in Kramers Ergot. He has exhibited his drawings and paintings internationally. Based in Pittsburgh, Santoro is well known for his visionary colors and evocative sense of place.

http://franksantoro.tumblr.com/

http://www.tcj.com/layout-workbook/

Frank Reade Book Launch Event: AIR

Before Jules Verne's flying machines and H. G. Wells's spaceships, there was Frank Reade, globe-trotting inventor and original steampunk hero. Starting in the nineteenth century, Frank Reade magazines were the world's first science fiction periodicals. Now Frank Reade and his progeny are back in a new book: Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention! To celebrate the launch of this stunningly designed book, authors Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett--of Boilerplate fame--are hosting a series of events that any Reade family member would be proud to attend.

The events will be held on three consecutive Wednesdays in February, at three Portland comic book stores. Each will have a different theme--Land, Sea, and Air--the three realms Frank Reade explores in his electric vehicles. The authors will also display each of the three model vehicles Guinan himself built for the Frank Reade book, which are rarely shown in public. Attendees will have the chance to talk with the authors and get books signed, as well as meet local steampunks (Land), pirates (Sea), and superheroes (Air).

BONUS: There's a prize at the grand finale event! The first ten attendees who make it to all three events and get their "Land, Sea, and Air" passports stamped will receive a print of an original Frank Reade engraving signed by both authors, plus custom-stamped Frank Reade chocolate "gold coins" (which will also be available for purchase).

Publishers Weekly predicts Frank Reade will "satisfy even the hardest to please of readers" and praises it as "a stunning multimedia confection of the highest order that creates a detailed and delightful world."

Frank Reade Book Launch Event: SEA

Before Jules Verne's flying machines and H. G. Wells's spaceships, there was Frank Reade, globe-trotting inventor and original steampunk hero. Starting in the nineteenth century, Frank Reade magazines were the world's first science fiction periodicals. Now Frank Reade and his progeny are back in a new book: Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention! To celebrate the launch of this stunningly designed book, authors Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett--of Boilerplate fame--are hosting a series of events that any Reade family member would be proud to attend.

The events will be held on three consecutive Wednesdays in February, at three Portland comic book stores. Each will have a different theme--Land, Sea, and Air--the three realms Frank Reade explores in his electric vehicles. The authors will also display each of the three model vehicles Guinan himself built for the Frank Reade book, which are rarely shown in public. Attendees will have the chance to talk with the authors and get books signed, as well as meet local steampunks (Land), pirates (Sea), and superheroes (Air).

BONUS: There's a prize at the grand finale event! The first ten attendees who make it to all three events and get their "Land, Sea, and Air" passports stamped will receive a print of an original Frank Reade engraving signed by both authors, plus custom-stamped Frank Reade chocolate "gold coins" (which will also be available for purchase).

Publishers Weekly predicts Frank Reade will "satisfy even the hardest to please of readers" and praises it as "a stunning multimedia confection of the highest order that creates a detailed and delightful world."

Frank Reade Book Launch Event: LAND

Before Jules Verne's flying machines and H. G. Wells's spaceships, there was Frank Reade, globe-trotting inventor and original steampunk hero. Starting in the nineteenth century, Frank Reade magazines were the world's first science fiction periodicals. Now Frank Reade and his progeny are back in a new book: Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention! To celebrate the launch of this stunningly designed book, authors Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett--of Boilerplate fame--are hosting a series of events that any Reade family member would be proud to attend.

The events will be held on three consecutive Wednesdays in February, at three Portland comic book stores. Each will have a different theme--Land, Sea, and Air--the three realms Frank Reade explores in his electric vehicles. The authors will also display each of the three model vehicles Guinan himself built for the Frank Reade book, which are rarely shown in public. Attendees will have the chance to talk with the authors and get books signed, as well as meet local steampunks (Land), pirates (Sea), and superheroes (Air).

BONUS: There's a prize at the grand finale event! The first ten attendees who make it to all three events and get their "Land, Sea, and Air" passports stamped will receive a print of an original Frank Reade engraving signed by both authors, plus custom-stamped Frank Reade chocolate "gold coins" (which will also be available for purchase).

Publishers Weekly predicts Frank Reade will "satisfy even the hardest to please of readers" and praises it as "a stunning multimedia confection of the highest order that creates a detailed and delightful world."

Graphic Novel Reading Club: February 2012

Join us on the second Thursday of every month for Portland's first Graphic Novel Reading Club! We meet at Bridge City Comics at 7pm (directions). Bring a chair and something to drink, if you'd like!

The very first Graphic Novel Reading Club (GNRC) was held on October 27, 2005 and we've been doing it every month since. It's a great opportunity to talk in-depth about comics and graphic novels. Every session, we discuss a book that we've previously chosen. We tend to pick new books two months out in order to give people time to buy, borrow or get them from the library so that they may be thoroughly read and digested for that book's session.

We have a wide range of people join us every month for the GNRC; Male, female, young (well, 21+), old, those who have read comics for years and those folks brand new to it! We also read books from every genre so there's always something new and interesting to discuss. It's not just the latest super-hero exploits! The books we've read include mysteries, science fiction, autobiographical, fiction, historical and much more.

SELECTION FOR February 9, 2011:

20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 01
Failed rock musician Kenji's memories of his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.

Jeff Lemire
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Jeff launched into the local comics scene with the 1-2-3 punch of his Essex County trilogy published by Top Shelf. Though he continues to create graphic novels for Top Shelf (his latest, Underwater Welder is due in July), last year Jeff expanded his repertoire by taking on a scripting role for three of DC Comics's 'New52' line of relaunches: Frankenstein, Agent of SHIELD, Superboy, and Animal Man.

We're also excited to be hosting the entire Spell Checkers creative team! This trio's international collaboration is reaching its third volume, and it's a rare treat to have them all in the same place at the same time to talk about their work.

Jamie S. Rich
Author of books like Cut My Hair, The Everlasting, and 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, Jamie's latest novel is Have You Seen the Horizon Lately?. He wrote the comics series Love the Way You Love drawn by Marc Ellerby, and his second book with Joëlle Jones, You Have Killed Me, was released in the summer of 2009. Jamie is a pillar of the local community, having worked in the past with many of Portland's seminal comics institutions.

Joëlle Jones
Joëlle's work has appeared in comics as diverse as DC's Fables, the Dark Horse anthologies Noir and Sexy Chix, the Minx YA novel Token, written by Alisa Kwitney, and has also worked with writer Zack Whedon on a comic book spin-off of the popular Dr. Horrible web series. Joëlle's collaborative relationship with Jamie began with the graphic novel 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, and they've also done short stories for Popgun, Portland Noir, and Madman Atomic Comics.

Nico Hitori de
Nicolas Hitori de is a French comic artist and illustrator currently living in Portland. Having studied at Les Ateliers des Beaux Arts of Paris and Disney Accademia in Milan, he has created works in print (Disney, Milan), publicity, tv (M6, Nolife) and music (Virgin Princesse). After collaborating on Josh Howard's Dead@17 series, he met Jamie S. Rich on Myspace and began the collaborative effort that became Spell Checkers.

After an extensive search for new board members, Stumptown Comics is proud to announce the confirmation of three new members to our team: Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Charles Brownstein, acclaimed Boilerplate co-author Anina Bennett and Eisner award-winning editor Shawna Gore.

Brownstein, Bennett and Gore will join the current board members, Stumptown Comics President Joe Keatinge, current Secretary Pollyanne Birge, interim Treasurer Matt Bors, Andy Johnson and Shannon Stewart as they continue to expand the organization's efforts promoting education about the art form of comics on both a local and international level, including the long-running Stumptown Comics Fest. In addition, Bennett will chair the Development Committee as Gore takes over the role as the board's Secretary.

ABOUT CHARLES BROWNSTEIN Charles Brownstein has served as the Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund since 2002. During his years at the helm of the organization, the CBLDF has successfully managed several First Amendment cases, including a notable win in Georgia v. Gordon Lee, and been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. EMA. The CBLDF has also successfully participated in a wide variety of challenges to unconstitutional legislation. Under Brownstein's watch, the CBLDF has also grown its budget to accommodate a full-time staff of three people, a move to New York City, and an increasingly vital program of events across the United States.

ABOUT ANINA BENNETT Writer Anina Bennett is the co-author (with her husband, Paul Guinan) of the steampunk sensation Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel and the new book Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention (Abrams 2012). She and Paul also created the Eisner-nominated science fiction series Heartbreakers, one of the first comics to feature clones and female action heroes. Anina is a recovering comic book editor, having previously shepherded titles such as Nexus, GrimJack, and Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor for First Comics and Dark Horse Comics, as well as Disney stories for the European market.

ABOUT SHAWNA GORE Shawna Gore is a writer and editor who has worked professionally in the world of comics since 1997, when she joined the staff of Dark Horse Comics as the company's first publicist. In that role, Shawna worked alongside comics greats such as Will Eisner, Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Harvey Pekar, and others, to bring broader media attention to the world of comics and bridge the cultural gap that seemed to separate comics from other forms of entertainment. In 2001 and 2002, Shawna served a key role representing Dark Horse in the industry-wide effort to build a wider audience for comics through the creation of Free Comic Book Day. In 2003, Shawna transitioned into a more creative role and became an editor for Dark Horse, working on a broad range of material, from original creator-owned horror and humor comics, to archival collections of hard-to-find classics. She accepted two Eisner awards for her work on archival books in 2009 and won accolades for her dream project--the 25th anniversary edition of Bernie Wrightson's illustrated version of Mary Wollstonescraft Shelley's Frankenstein. Now working as a freelance editor and creative consultant in Portland, Shawna spends her free time reading, gardening, and playing music with friends.

Stumptown Comics is looking forward to having such dynamic, accomplished and passionate new board members and all of the new energy and ideas they will bring to the organization.

Seattle Graphic Novel Panel with Megan Kelso and After-Party

Fantagraphics is proud to be one of the sponsors of the 2012 Graphic Novel Panel, held by the Seattle Graphics Arts Guild!

On Saturday, January 28th, join us at the Seattle Design Center in Georgetown for a discussion on creating, publishing and marketing the graphic novel.

Panelists include Fantagraphics artist Megan Kelso, as well as Matthew Southworth (Stumptown), Brandon Jerwa (Battlestar Galactica, Highlander, G.I. Joe), Emi Lenox (EmiTown), and Chuck Messinger (owner of Comic Evolution, Editor-in-Chief at Creative Edge Press).

Led in conversation by moderator Mark Monlux (The Comic Critic Presents Seldom Seen Films), they'll discuss:

Writing: structure, how to write a graphic novel, what tools you need to market your ideas.

Artwork: developing a storyboard, what to consider ahead of time, existing guidelines, examples, good & bad

Publishing & Marketing: establishing business, marketing, and production plans, how publishing is changing.

This event is open to the public, and you can get your tickets here. The Graphic Novel Panel runs from 1:00-4:00 PM at the Seattle Design Center [ 5701 6th Avenue South, Plaza Building, Suite 370 ].

And then join us for the after-party at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery from 4:30-6:00 PM. It'll be a wonderful opportunity to meet the artists, and discuss what you've learned from the panel!

Fantagraphics co-sponsors this event with Emerald City Comicon and AIGA Seattle.