Official Press Release

The Stumptown Comics Fest has sold out of exhibitor spaces for the 2009 show and finalized our list of special guests!

Our 2009 Guest of Honor is Jeff Smith, self-publishing icon and creator of Bone and RASL. In addition, we are thrilled to welcome the following creators as Special Guests of the Fest: Farel Dalrymple, Meathaus contributor and creator of pop gun war; Hellen Jo, creator of Jin & Jam and contributor to Giant Robot; Keith Knight, creator of The K Chronicles and (Th)ink; Rick Remender, co-creator of Fear Agent and The End League and current Punisher writer; Gail Simone, popular columnist, co-creator of Welcome to Tranquility, longtime writer of Birds of Prey, and current Wonder Woman writer; Carla Speed McNeil, multiple Ignatz Award winner and creator/publisher of acclaimed sci-fi epic Finder; Craig Thompson (Sunday only), award-laden creator of Blankets; Good-Bye, Chunky Rice; and the upcoming Habibi; C. Spike Trotman, creator/publisher of notable webcomic Templar, Arizona; and Image Comics co-founder and funnybook Renaissance man Jim Valentino, with the Hero Initiative.

As if these fine folks weren't enough, we are pleased to welcome back the following notable exhibitors: the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund with CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein; independent area publishers Dark Horse Comics, Fantagraphics Books, Microcosm Publishing, Oni Comics, Sparkplug Comic Books, and Top Shelf Comics; local comics shops Bridge City Comics, Cosmic Monkey Comics, Floating World Comics, and Guapo Comics; and the late, great Comic Foundry Magazine.

Plus: Wordstock! Global Hobo! The Multnomah County Library and their comics-loving librarians! Periscope Studio! The Center for Cartoon Studies! Dr. Sketchy's! The Olympia Comics Festival! The list goes on, and a fully tally of the marvelous creators and groups joining us can be found at www.stumptowncomics.com/exhibitors_list . Keep your eyes on that website in the coming weeks for the latest news, our full Fest schedule-with spotlight panels on our special guests, workshops for established and aspiring creators, and more-and forums, all building up to the big show in April. If you'd like to help out, do drop us a line; we love our volunteers and would be happy to have you!

The Stumptown Comics Fest is an annual festival celebration of comics and cartooning art in Portland, Oregon. Our Sixth Annual fest will be held on April 18th-19th, 2009, at the Doubletree Hotel Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah St, Portland, OR 97232. Hope to see you there!