The Small Press Expo

Small Press Expo

Not following these guys? You crazy.

Attendees report that last weekend’s Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD was a success! Several current and past SVA MFAI students were in the crowd.
Joana Avillez
2010 graduate Brendan Leach won the Ignatz Award for Best Outstanding Comic for his Pterodactyl Hunters (Top Shelf ‘12). While accepting his Ignatz brick, Leach thanked former SVA teacher and S.A.W. founder Tom Hart, crediting him as the reason why he began making comics.
“SPX is always fun, but this year was incredible. the community is positive and welcoming, and its such a great feeling to be talking one minute to comics artists who are just starting out and then turning around to talk to comics legends. There are no barriers there.”—Brendan Leach
Jess Worby (‘11), Edwin Vazquez (‘09), Joana Avillez (‘12), Jessica Haejeon Lee (‘12), Dasha Tolstikova (‘12), Molly Brooks (‘13), Keren Katz (‘13), Boyeon Choi (‘13) all came down for the festival. Sophia Wiedeman (‘08), Ben Marra (‘03), and Andrea Tsurumi (‘13) had tables. You could find Josh Bayer (‘09) at the Retrofit Comics table.
Photo of Keren Katz by Joana Avillez
From left: Boyeon Choi, Molly Brooks, Andrea Tsurumi & Keren Katz.
Boyeon Choi made a comic about the Ignatz Awards and missing her bus to SPX.
Joana Avillez, Dasha Tolstikova & Jess Worby
“The energy there was amazing—so many people who were so supportive of each other … It was one of the few places where a rookie can walk up to a great and not feel like a complete waste of space—a shining example of how incredible and fun the comics community can be.”—Jess Worby
“I wasn’t expecting it to be so inspiring.”—Andrea Tsurumi