To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Portland Comic Book Month, Commissioner Chloe Eudaly will host an opening party at City Hall on First Thursday, April 4, 2019.
That evening, Portland City Hall will be transformed into a mini-convention with more than 25 tables featuring local comic book creators, publishers, educators, nonprofits, and collectives, showcasing the range of talent and diversity in the Portland comics community. Commissioner Eudaly’s office will also host an art exhibit featuring local comic book artists.
The opening event, which runs 5pm-9pm, is FREE and open to all ages. Commissioner Eudaly will make a special proclamation at 6pm, followed by live drawing by local artists. Pizza will be provided by local sponsor Sizzle Pie.
Anina is honored to be on the planning committee for this and other Comic Book Month events. Look for more activities throughout April, including workshops, readings, release parties, and meetups. Check the full schedule of events for updates as new info is added!
WHAT: Portland Comic Book Month 10th Anniversary launch event, featuring art exhibit opening and mini-comicon. RSVP here.
WHEN: Thursday, April 4, 5-9pm
WHERE: Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
WHO: Exhibitors including:
- Books with Pictures
- PDX Comic Crew
- Miss Anthology
- The Nib
- PNCA
- Young Audiences of Oregon
- Helioscope Studio artists (Leila del Duca, Cat Farris, Lukas Ketner, Vincent Kukua, Steve Lieber, Caitlin Like, Ron Randall, Hopskotch Sunday)
- Dark Horse Comics
- Oni Press
- IDW Publishing / Woodworks
- Lion Forge Comics
- David Walker
- PSU Comics Studies Program
- Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
- Multnomah County Library
- Geek in the City podcast
- Portland Indie Con
- Floating World Comics
- Vision Quest
- Secret Room PDX
- Soft Skills Comics
- IPRC Certificate Program
- Portland Zine Symposium
- Outlet PDX
Portland Comic Book Month was first declared by Mayor Sam Adams, in conjunction with Stumptown Comic Fest, to recognize the cultural contribution of comics to Portland. At that time, Portland was already home to numerous comic book creators, as well as publishers Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press, and Top Shelf Productions.
Today, the city is also home to publisher Image Comics, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and hundreds more artists and writers. Publishers IDW and Lion Forge have offices here. Helioscope Studio is the largest collective of comic book and animation artists in North America. PSU, PNCA, and PCC all offer comic book courses. And the Oregon Historical Society recently mounted a whole exhibit calling Portland “Comic City, USA.”
Portland is known for its unique creativity, its appreciation of art, and perhaps most of all, a vibrant DIY culture that has become an incubator for free spirits. Commissioner Chloe Eudaly comes directly from this world. Her independent bookstore, Reading Frenzy, was a hub of DIY comics and activist publishing for 22 years.
“The artists, the writers, the companies and the comic shops—all of these aspects of Portland’s comic scene intertwine to create a unique tapestry. Portland is the kind of place where names big and small can mingle, where artists can live comfortably and small presses are still viable.” —PSU Vanguard
Thanks to our sponsors and volunteers that made this celebration possible: Commissioner Eudaly’s office, Anina Bennett, Pollyanne Birge, Books With Pictures, Floating World Comics, Ford Food and Drink, Sophie Franz, Helioscope Studio, IPRC, Sarah Mirk, The Nib, PNCA, Portland Zine Symposium, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, PSU Comics Studies Program, Lisa Rosalie Eisenberg, Sizzle Pie, Reid Psaltis, Melanie Stevens, Liz Yerby, and the Portland comics community.
(poster artwork by Sophie Franz)
