Recap: Alternative Press Expo
Two weekends ago, the 17th annual Alternative Press Expo was held here in San Francisco- the largest alternative and independent press event in the country. Produced by the same folks behind Comic-Con and WonderCon, which we’ve covered before,, this event offers a sharp focus on graphic novels and comic books. There were plenty of engaging speakers- including Daniel Clowes, Megan Kelso, Lynda Barry, each talking about their work on titles Ghost World, Artichoke Tales, and Picture This, respectively. And for those trying to break into the business or simply interested in improving your skills as a cartoonist, writer, or publisher, there were some interesting workshops (like one titled “Creation Myths: Bringing Life to Your Characters”).
But the best part of the convention is always the floor- hundreds of booths, typically manned by the creators themselves. Walking the hall is exhausting, as it’s easy to become overloaded with visual stimuli, and difficult to restrain yourself from picking up every fantastic t-shirt and poster displayed. Even pointing out our favorites would take quite a while, so we’ve posted information on a couple of the best things we saw. Until next year, when the Alternative Press Expo returns to the Concourse Exhibition Center on October 15th and 16th, 2011. Tickets are always reasonable, and it’s a great way to keep a finger on the pulse of the next big thing in comics.
One of the best things we saw was Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch, thanks to both the incredibly lovely artistic style and fun concept. The description and summary is certainly grabbing- Hereville is a comic book about an 11-year-old troll-fighting Orthodox Jewish girl- but the characters are engaging, and this is a book that should appeal to all ages.
Variety is key- it’s easy to get a bit tired of one style. That’s where anthologies come in, and why we were drawn to The Anthology Project. Based in Canada, they have put out a fun volume collecting work from across North America. Currently at work on Volume 2, it looks to be bigger and broader than the previous one, which you can preview at their site. The first collection is available for $25- we loved the printing, binding, not to mention the wide mix of artists included.
