Robots, Beards, and Schlitz. Back from PDX.

Justin and His Banner

I look for many excuses to visit my friends in Portland, OR, but no reason is more compelling than the Stumptown Comics Fest. Part of the reason is that many of my friends from other parts of the great northern expanse make the migration downstream to PDX for the event. It's like a huge bonus to see them and be a comic nerd too. Pictured above is Justin Nitz, hanging his banner for the Mini-Comics Dumptruck. The Dumptruck is a podcast/art group for those that are driven to create beautiful tiny works of narrative pictures.

Kids Love ComicsThe Line OutsideThe weather was unbelievably nice in Portland. Apparently they were due for some nice weather too, so everyone seemed in good spirits. Maybe that had something to due with the enormous turnout for the event. I hadn't planned on tabling, but with all that good-time art-loving energy flowing, I had to set up and make some robots. People seemed very receptive to my small robot army. I'll have to remember this for my next invasion.

Dealing Robots on the Sly

 

 

 

 

After the Fest on Saturday, Cosmic Monkey Comics threw an afterparty. The party is a Stumptown Comics tradition, with art battles, dancing, snacks, and booze. I got to catch up with Paul Friedrich, the creator of Onion Head Monster. Paul was my neighbor at the 2006 Comic Con Int'l and he's just a hands-down awesome guy.

My Giant Suite at the Double Tree, Lloyd Center

Here's a little travel tip for those of you Portland bound. Opt for the suite. It's huge. My room featured two baths, a dining table for eight, three TVs (one over the hot tub), a day bed, a bedroom, three balconies, and a vanity. To be honest, the room terrified me but it was nice to be a high roller for a night.

Matt and Tori

Good buddy and fellow Local 303 member, Matt Delight made it up to the fest as well. It was so nice to have a no-pressure comics convention experience with good friends around. I soaked in so much food, sunshine, and good spirits that I had to take my shoes off just to be comfortable. Thanks for the recharge, PDX. I'll be back.

Here are the bulk of my photos from the trip on Flickr:

Kids love comics The Line Outside the Stumptown Comics Fest Camilla d'Errico Justin and his Banner Big Illustration Party Time 2 Big Illustration Party Time 1 Science! My Bootleg table Robot Sketches 4 Robot Sketches 4 Robot Sketches 3 Robot Sketches 2 Robot Sketches 1 Matt and Tori On the Sly My Suite, the living room and dining area My Suite, the bedroom My Suite, the hot tub My Suite, the bathroom Schlitz bust at The Standard Mike and Miriam at the Doug Fir Onion Head Monster creator Paul Friedrich Stumptown Afterparty at Cosmic Monkey Shavonne and Devon at Thatch Devon and Shavonne with photo of a young Justin Nitz Blowfish Lamp at Thatch Bowl at Thatch