SPX 2012: Life After Alternative Comics


In the years after underground comix, the medium’s flag of ambition was carried by so-called “alternative comics:” nonconformist work in conventional formats that occupied marginal space in comics speciality shops. Alternative comics found common cause with other subcultural movements—before internet culture and the bookstore economy permanently changed comics’ formats and context. Dan Clowes, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez and Adrian Tomine will discuss the changes they have seen in a conversation moderated by Bill Kartalopoulos.

QA: Comix Stars Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware and Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez We were really glad to facilitate a conversation between Rolling Stone’s Sean T. Collins and “Indie Comics Mount Rushmore” two weeks ago at SPX. We briefly turned over our SPX “war room” for a conversation between Mr. Boiled Leather and our assembled line up of cartooning luminaries. Here is the result! Appropriately, the focus on this piece is not on SPX itself but on Gilbert, Jaime, Chris and Dan but I do think it is a measure of the show’s growth and success that we could help bring this interview off. A big thank you to Sean for making it happen and to the fellas for taking the time out of their busy day at the show to sit for the interview together. SPX, welcome to Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, welcome to Camp Comics! Via Rolling Stone
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QA: Comix Stars Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware and Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez

We were really glad to facilitate a conversation between Rolling Stone’s Sean T. Collins and “Indie Comics Mount Rushmore” two weeks ago at SPX. We briefly turned over our SPX “war room” for a conversation between Mr. Boiled Leather and our assembled line up of cartooning luminaries. Here is the result!

Appropriately, the focus on this piece is not on SPX itself but on Gilbert, Jaime, Chris and Dan but I do think it is a measure of the show’s growth and success that we could help bring this interview off.

A big thank you to Sean for making it happen and to the fellas for taking the time out of their busy day at the show to sit for the interview together.

SPX, welcome to Rolling Stone.

Rolling Stone, welcome to Camp Comics!

Via Rolling Stone

Source: Rolling Stone

Hooray!  The SPX Programming Panels are hitting the airwaves!

First up, Jaime Hernandez: The Love Bunglers

Jaime Hernandez and his brothers launched the alternative comics era with their epoch-defining series Love and Rockets. From 1981 to the present, Hernandez has produced a singular body of work tracing the life of Maggie Chascarillo and her vast network of friends, family, neighbors, rivals and lovers. In recent years, Jaime has, again, broken new ground with brilliant comics novellas that remain accessible to new readers while building upon years of narrative to invest his stories with a profound emotionality. He will discuss his work with artist Frank Santoro.

(Note: the audio is a little low on this one. Might want to turn up the volume a bit)

Here’s one more extra special item we’ll have at SPX 2012 - a 16 x 20 print of self caricatures of Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Jaime & Gilbert Hernandez and Adrian Tomine. This piece will be signed by all five gentlemen.   Only 35 of these exist.   Price: 50 bucks. Proceeds benefit the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program. This piece was crafted for us Jon Barli of Rosebud Archives. They are printed on Somerset Enhanced Velvet Paper with pigment ink and fully coated with love.
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Here’s one more extra special item we’ll have at SPX 2012 - a 16 x 20 print of self caricatures of Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Jaime & Gilbert Hernandez and Adrian Tomine. This piece will be signed by all five gentlemen.  

Only 35 of these exist.  

Price: 50 bucks.

Proceeds benefit the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program.

This piece was crafted for us Jon Barli of Rosebud Archives. They are printed on Somerset Enhanced Velvet Paper with pigment ink and fully coated with love.

People, this is the MOTHERLOAD… The SPX 2012 Limited Edition Print Set

One of the extra special things you can pick up at SPX 2012 is our limited edition print set that contains all of the incredible art used to promote the show. In for 2012 the Limited Edition Set includes:

  • Jaime Hernandez’s badge art
  • Chris Ware’s poster
  • Becky Driestadt’s poster
  • Marguerite Dabaie, Carolyn Belefski and Julia Wertz banner art
  • Dustin Harbin, Michael DeForge and John Martz banner art
  • Michael DeForge’s program cover
  • Andy K’s postcard art
  • Theo Ellsworth’s flyer

Did I mention that all the prints will be signed by the artists?

There are 25 of these sets to be had and when they’re gone. They’re gone.

Some of these prints will also be for sale individually in similarly limited quantities.

All proceeds go to benefit the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program. This annual program provides and outright of gift of graphic novels and comics as selected by the staff of the chosen library system. 

We’re incredibly grateful to all of the artists involved for taking the time to help promote SPX 2012 and our philanthropic efforts. And also to Jon Barli of Rosebud Archives who assisted with reproducing some of the trickier pieces!

Join us for SPX 2012 in Bethesda, MD this weekend!

Full show details at spxpo.com

Hernandez Brothers Signing at Politics & Prose Just in case you thought we were slacking, SPX has yet another event scheduled for Friday evening.  This time at Politics & Prose Bookstore in DC. Here’s the news: Sep 14 at 7:00PM — P&P is excited once again to join the Small Press Expo, North America’s premier independent cartooning and comic arts festival, to present some of the best graphic artists working today. The Hernandez Brothers will discuss the fifth volume of their long-running series; this installment recounts the visit of Frogmouth’s half-sister and the making of a film starring Luba’s granddaughter. 
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Hernandez Brothers Signing at Politics & Prose

Just in case you thought we were slacking, SPX has yet another event scheduled for Friday evening.  This time at Politics & Prose Bookstore in DC. Here’s the news:

Sep 14 at 7:00PM — P&P is excited once again to join the Small Press Expo, North America’s premier independent cartooning and comic arts festival, to present some of the best graphic artists working today.
The Hernandez Brothers will discuss the fifth volume of their long-running series; this installment recounts the visit of Frogmouth’s half-sister and the making of a film starring Luba’s granddaughter. 

Source: politics-prose.com

SPX 2012 Signing Schedule!


Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15

12:30PM-1:30PM Q&A in the White Oak Room

2:30PM-3:30PM Q&A in the White Oak Room

4:30PM-6:30PM Signing at the Fantagraphics booth

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16

1:00PM-2:00PM Signing at the Fantagraphics booth

2:30PM-3:30PM Panel in the White Oak Room

5:00PM-6:00PM Sign at the Fantagraphics booth


Chris Ware

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15

Noon-1PM Panel in White Flint Auditorium

1:00PM-2:30PM Signing at the SPX table

3:30PM-4:30PM Signing at the D&Q booth

4:45PM-5:45PM Signing at the SPX Signing table

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16

12:15-1:15PM Signing at the D&Q booth

1:30PM-2:30PM Q&A in the White Oak Room

3:00PM-4:30PM Signing at the SPX table


Dan Clowes

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15

Noon-1PM Panel in White Flint Auditorium

1:00PM-2:00PM Sign at the Fantagraphics booth

3:00PM-4:15PM Sign at the SPX Signing table

4:30PM-5:30PM Panel in White Oak Room

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16

12:30PM-1:30PM Signing at the SPX table

2:30PM-3:30PM Panel White Oak Room

3:45PM-4:45PM Signing at the D&Q booth


Francoise Mouly

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15

1:30PM-2:30PM Panel in the White Oak Room

2:45PM-3:45PM Signing at the CBLDF Table

5:00PM-6:00PM Panel in the White Flint Auditorium

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16

1:00PM-1:30PM Signing at the CBLDF Table


Adrian Tomine

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15

11:30PM-12:30PM Signing at the D+Q booth

1:30PM-3:30PM Signing at the D+Q booth

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16

12:15PM-1:15PM Signing at theD+Q booth 

2:30PM-3:30PM Panel in the White Oak Room

3:30PM-4:30PM Signing at the D+Q booth

4:30PM-5:30PM Panel in the White Oak Room

Oh hai! Here’s the final badge from Jaime Hernandez for SPX 2012! If your attending the show this is what you’ll be wearing around your neck! Huge thanks to Jaime for contributing his time and talent to SPX! Now wait till you see the Limited Edition print we’ll be selling that has all these put together! It’s a knockout. As always, all proceeds go to charity!
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Oh hai!

Here’s the final badge from Jaime Hernandez for SPX 2012!

If your attending the show this is what you’ll be wearing around your neck!

Huge thanks to Jaime for contributing his time and talent to SPX!

Now wait till you see the Limited Edition print we’ll be selling that has all these put together!

It’s a knockout.

As always, all proceeds go to charity!

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