Bone cartoonist Jeff Smith and comics journalist Tom Spurgeon are the driving force behind Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, an annual four-day comics festival set to debut in fall 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.

That will be preceded next year by a two-day CXC Launch Event held Oct. 2, 2015, at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and Oct. 3 at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center (the second day is characterized as a comics expo with up to 35 exhibitors).

Smith, who lives in Columbus, will serve as the festival's president and artistic director. Spurgeon, editor of The Comics Reporter, will be festival director; he plans to relocate to Columbus early next year.

"We're extremely excited to try and bring a first-class comics festival to Columbus, Ohio," Smith said in a statement. "I've attended and enjoyed so many great shows over the years, and hope that CXC can take its place alongside them."

Smith and Spurgeon are joined on the CXC executive committee by Lucy Caswell, founder of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, and Vijaya Iyer, president and co-publisher of Cartoon Books. More details are promised in early 2015.