Celebrate Comics in the Short North

I received a pretty awesome email today from my friend, Jean, who works at the Wexner Center. Jean loves comics and she loves Columbus (it's no wonder that she's my friend!). For the past year, she's been working with musician/cartoonist Julian Dassai to put together a pretty cool project called The Weinland Park Story Book. The book is a collection of stories from residents of Weinland Park that have been turned into comics. (The explanation of the project/solicitation for Weinland residents to share their stories is pretty cute.) A few Sunday Comixers are participating as illustrators (myself included).

But y'know what?

This post isn't about the book. It's about one particular page of the book titled "Good Morning."  The story is about a family, a little bird and memorable morning. It was written by Naddir and adapted it into a playful comics page by Katie Velaska. (You can buy her utterly sweetastic book, Next Year's Girl, here!)

Okay, but guess what? This post isn't even about that. It's about this:

The Short North Alliance is unveiling a new series of murals that are giant “stickers” (12ft X 10ft) which will be placed (temporarily) on buildings throughout the Short North.  Naddir and Katie's comic page is going to be one of those murals! How cool is that??? The mural will be featured at the corner of 5th and High on the Dress for Success building across from Out of the Closet.

There will be a reception on Friday, February 28th from 5:30-8PM in Ray’s Living Room located at 17 Brickel St (a stone's throw away from Rigsby's Kitchen and Tasi Cafe).  There are a number of other murals to see all around the neighborhood and sponsoring galleries will be open and have snacks and drinks for everyone to enjoy!

"PANELS IN PINK"--New Comic Art Exhibit At Wild Goose Creative

"Panels In Pink: A Celebration of Female Comics Creators" is a new exhibition  spotlighting the work of several female comics artists and writers, mostly from in and around the Central Ohio area.  The exhibit, produced in co-operation with Sunday Comix and curated by SC member Canada Keck, will be adorning the walls of local arts space Wild Goose Creative, located at 2491 Summit Street, from now until the end of the month.  

Among the creators represented are:

• Lora Innes
• Mari Naomi
• Katherine Wirick
• Suzanne Bauman
• Bianca Alu-Marr
• Katie Valeska
• Alex Heberling
• Maryanne Rose Papke
• Molly Durst
• Crystal Ash
• Brandy Foster
• Sue Olcott
• Caitlin McGurk
• Meg Syverud
• Erin Ash
• KT Swartz
• Lis Huey
• JL Smither
• Kira Keck
• Canada Keck

 An artists' reception, sure to be attended by many of the talented women listed above, is scheduled for April 29 from 6 until 9 p.m.

Music in the Park ...NOW WITH COMICS!

Since its founding in 2009, the Goodale Park Music Series has been a showcase for local musicians to share their talents with hundreds of people over the course of six Sunday afternoons in July and August along with local artists, kids activities, and food carts. After attending the Indie Comix Fair in March and the SPACExpo in April, Alexandra Kelley Fox - event organizer and Columbus blogger/PR extraordinaire, was made aware of the vibrant comics creating community in Columbus. 


As a result, she decided it was time for Columbus become more aware, too, and invited a few local comics creators to set up alongside all the many other creative types. Kids art activities will be provided by a variety of local artists & organizations over the course of the series, including Hayley Meyers with Terra Gallery, Short North artist Josey Joseph and youth artists from TRANSIT Arts and Columbus Artmobile. A number of local food carts will sell refreshments, as organized by Food Fort Columbus. 


Below is a handy list of which comics/creators will be attending and when, along with the bands that will be performing. You can RSVP to each of the events on the GPMS' Facebook Event page. All concerts begin at 12:30p and last until 2p.

July 8-  Music: Tony Monaco | Comics: Ken Eppstein, Nix Comics and Victor Dandrige, Vantage:Inhouse Productions
July 15-  Music: The Fabulous Johnson Brothers | Comics: Canada Keck, Sunday Comix and Todd Beistel, Yuri: Gypsy Hunter
July 29- Music: Maza Blaska | Comics: James Moore, 2 Headed Monster Comics and Canada Keck, Sunday Comix
August 5- Music: The Spikedrivers | Comics: Todd Beistel, Yuri: Gypsy Hunter and Ken Eppstein, Nix Comics
August 12- Music: Mary Adam 12 | Comics:  Victor Dandrige, Vantage:Inhouse Productions and Max Ink, Blink
August 19- Music: Nick Tolford & Company | Comics: Max Ink, Blink and James Moore, 2 Headed Monster Comics

Hope you can make it out to the park this summer to enjoy some art, food, music and, of course, comics!



The Goodale Park Music Series is funded by the Short North Foundation, Short North Civic Association, Friends of Goodale Park, Harrison West Society, and ComFest. It was founded in 2009 by Alexandra Kelley Fox.

Michael Neno's SIMPLEXITY

Mutated cats

A heat-seeking dwarf 

Val Crocodile, Associate Professor of Linguistics  

What do these things have in common? 

They all oozed out of the mind and hands of Michael Neno and will be on display at the Wild Goose Creative from Oct.20 until Oct. 24. There you will witness a wide variety of Mr. Neno's comic book art pages, story book illustrations, webcomic art, minicomics, as well as an example of Michael's working process from notes to the finished page. There will be a gala opening on Thursday night from 7p-10p complete with exhibition notes, comic-related music, and snacks to fill the margins.

Mr. Neno is a recipient of a Xeric Grant and the Ohio Governor's Award of Excellence. He's been writing, drawing, lettering, coloring and publishing comic books since the 1980s. Michael's also curated three previous exhibits at Wild Goose Creative (including "Hey Kids! A History of Comic Book Advertising" which was featured throughout the 2010 Wild Goose Creative Geekfest).

SIMPLEXITY: COMICS, DRAWINGS and DAYDREAMED DOODLES by MICHAEL NENO

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 20th from 7-10 PM

Wild Goose Creative: 2491 Summit Street, Columbus, OH 43202 

RSVP the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=284180084933739

See more of Micheal's work at http://www.nenoworld.com and http://eventized.blogspot.com

Neno Curates Album Cover Exhibit At Wild Goose Creative

Michael Neno, creator of the just released The Signifiers, will be curating a new exhibit of classic album covers from the 60's and 70's at the Summit Street headquarters of local arts community Wild Goose Creative.
I just wrote about this on my blog Gutter Talk, so you can read more about it there.

GEEKFEST THIS WEEKEND

The Wild Goose Creative is hosting a weekend of Geek-related awesomeness. "Geekfest" runs from Thursday until Saturday at the Wild Goose Creative homebase (2491 Summit Street, Columbus.) There will be plays, movies, games, comic book readings and stand-up comedy.

Of particular note is on Thursday (that's TONIGHT!), the first act of Michael Neno's superhero play-in-progress, Octo's Helmet, will be performed along with three other geekishly-themed plays. Members of WGC will be bravely tackling the roles of Rabbit Lass, Metal Elbow, and other forlorn misfits from Mr. Neno's vast Universe of misfits.

Geekfest is open to any and all geeks - from movie buffs to comic fanatics, Whedonites to Tolkienites--you’ll find something to feed your obsession! Each event is a suggested donation of $5, but don’t let that stop you. Pay what you can, or just stop by to have some fun!

Want more information? Email Jessie.

DR. SKETCHY'S Anti-Art School Announcement

Calling all artists, aspiring artists of all skill levels, and girlie gawkers: DR. SKETCHY'S Anti-Art School is in session THIS SATURDAY, November 15 from 5-8:00 p.m. at East Village in the Short North (630 N. High).

WHAT IS DR. SKETCHY'S, YOU ASK? Dr. Sketchy's is the little event that became a movement. Founded in 2005 by artist Molly Crabapple, Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School gives local artists the opportunity to sketch the most beautiful burlesque dancers, the most bizarre circus freaks, the most fabulous drag queens, and other fabulous, beautiful, uber-fantastic models. Every other month or so, we will let you draw them for three hours. Interspersed with posing there will sometimes be performances, ridiculous drawing contests where you can win booze or prizes, and other surprises.

This month's models will be a few of the lovely Velvet Hearts, Calamity Rain and Femme Mystique, and special guest The Reverend Roy Rogers!

SIGN UP for the next Dr. Sketchy's Columbus Anti-Art Class here - $10.00 advance PayPal payment, $15.00 at the door. Don't miss the chance to catch this live figure modeling class! It's a sketching class... with booze!