Category Archives: Minneapolis

Photo Gallery from MIX 2010

event, Events, Minneapolis, MIX, mn

I had not previously seen this photo gallery on Metromix Twin Cities from the 2010 MIX festival.

The MIX festival was recently mentioned on the Star Tribune website in the story “11 more for 2011.”

As last year’s 1,000 fanboys (and girls) will attest, not all comic-book conventions are about dressing up like Batman. The Minneapolis Indie Xpo features indie comics dedicated not to super powers, but to the power of storytelling.

Nov. 5-6, Soap Factory, 518 SE. 2nd St., Mpls. Free., www.mplsindiexpo.com.

The event is now listed on the Soap Factory website.

Note that MIX has an active Twitter feed here.

Mark your calendars! Only 8 months and change until MIX 2011!

Reminder: Mark Siegel of First Second Books to Speak at The Loft February 26th… UPDATE: Also at MCAD February 25th

event, Events, Minneapolis, mn

The Loft is hosting Mark Siegel, the editorial director of First Second Books, in a special Q&A session this February 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at Open Book. You can learn more here (PDF).

UPDATE: In addition to the Loft event (although I don’t see it listed anywhere on their site), MCAD is hosting Mr. Siegel on February 25th:

Don’t miss a visual talk on Graphic Novels Today with publisher Mark Siegel of First Second Books! This FREE event takes place at MCAD’s College Center (on the second floor) at 6:30 pm this Friday. Come after work and be transformed (no radioactive spiders involved). Parking is available at the nearby MIA ramp and on local streets.

Thanks to Michael Drivas for passing that info on to me!

About Mark Siegel:

In 2006, Mark Siegel launched an ambitious collection of graphic novels in every age category, in a wide range of themes and styles, with talent from all over the world. In its first year, American Born Chinese became the first comic ever nominated for a National Book Award, and soon afterwards, the first to win the coveted librarians’ Printz Award. Many be­loved indie cartoonists make up First Second’s stellar author line-up, from Sara Varon to Scott McCloud, Jessica Abel to Paul Pope, Eddie Campbell to Joann Sfar, and many others— including seasoned talents and newcomers, with projects in fiction and nonfiction, for children and for adults. In addition to First Second, Mark Siegel has a number of projects of his own, has illustrated several award-winning pictures (Seadogs, Long Night Moon, To Dance) and is currently serializing an adult graphic novel online (www.sailortwain.com).

More Minnesota Cartoonist Press

Minneapolis, mn, press, St. Paul

Ken Avidor has been added to the excellent list of artists included in City Pages 100 Creatives list.

The Pete Hodapp interview at the Daily Crosshatch has concluded:
[Part One][Part Two][Part Three][Part Four]

Will Dinski was recently a guest on Inkstuds.

Ryan Dow was recently featured on the Idiot Engine Podcast.

Lars Martinson was recently featured on the Deconstructing Comics podcast. Lars also had his work recently featured here and here.

Also, have you seen Sarah Morean’s Lunch Break posts at the Daily Crosshatch? She is posting regular links to webcomics there, and is looking for folks to contribute their lists. Here is the info on how to do that:

Would you like to guest edit Lunch Break? Send a self portrait (as a drawing or photograph) plus five links to your favorite webcomics to Sarah Morean at smorean@gmail.com.

Lunch Break is a short round-up of favorite webcomics appearing here each weekday at noon. Here’s something for you to enjoy over your lunch break or whenever. The premise is simple: it’s another day on the internet. Here’s a new or forgotten comic that seems interesting. Have something to recommend? Email us: crosshatchdispatch@gmail.com.

Those of you who were at last month’s Minneapolis jam really won’t want to miss this hilarious Action Athena comic.

Mpls. Open Studio, Sat. Feb. 19, noon to 4 p.m.*

24 Hour Comics, cartoonist conspiracy, Minneapolis

[Artist female]

Maybe you have spring fever, maybe you have cabin fever — both are excellent reasons to show up at Minnesota Center for Book Arts to chit-chat and draw with other cartoonists at the Saturday Open Studio.

Saturday, February 19, from noon until 4 p.m., MCBA Bindery (the high tables)

If you can’t find us inside the MCBA building, ask the friendly person working in the MCBA bookstore.

This is an open studio — all are welcome.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

*Also happening on Saturday: Danno Klonowski has challenged Dan Olson to continue the storyline Olson began with his last three 24-hour comics, (Links to the PDFs) Somewhere in Montana, Meanwhile in Wyoming and Elsewhere in Utah. Danno challenged Dan to complete more than just one state a year — very reasonably suggesting that planning for doing one per year on 24-hour Comic Day would take another 47 years to complete all 50 states. So, Dan will be working on that project on Saturday as well. Probably starting a little earlier than noon. Danno will be there harassing — er — encouraging Dan. Go, Dan, go!

Future Sat. Open Studios:
March 12, FlexiSpace (metal tables)
April 9, FlexiSpace (metal tables)

Minnesota Cartoonists in the Press

Local Hero Kevin Cannon, Minneapolis, mn, press, St. Paul

There has been a whole lot of coverage of the Minnesota cartooning scene recently… here is a round up.

First of all, the excellent Star Tribune story about the Twin Cities cartooning scene by Tom Horgen from last Sunday’s paper can now be read in its entirety online. Don’t miss the video with Peter Gross and the gallery in the sidebar.

In their ongoing 100 Creatives series at the City Pages, they have now covered Local Hero Kevin Cannon, Zander Cannon, Lars Martinson, DWITT, Adam Turman and Altered Esthetics’ own Kara Hendershot, among many other great local artists.

Twin Cities Public Television recently did a feature on Zak Sally.

The Daily Crosshatch just posted videos of Lars Martinson‘s “How to Self-Publish a Graphic Novel in 8 Hard Steps” presentation from the 2010 Graphic Novel Writing & Illustrating Conference sponsored by the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, MN.

The Daily Crosshatch also recently ran an interview with Pete Hodapp the cartoonist responsible for what was probably my favorite comic in the Lutefisk Sushi Volume D box, The Possum and the Pepper Spray. Apparently part 2 of the interview is coming soon.

Tom Kaczynski was recently interviewed at the Comix Claptrap.

Minneapolis Event Site Announced for Mini-Comics Day, April 9th 2011

event, Events, mini-comics, Mini-Comics Day, Minneapolis, mn, Opportunities

April 9th, 2011 is the date for the first annual Mini-Comics Day, celebrating the art of cartooning and creating hand-made comic books.

On Mini-Comics Day, participating cartoonists from around the world will write, draw, and print copies of a mini-comic, completing the entire process from start to finish in a day or less. Anyone in the world can participate.

Mini-comics have been democratizing the art of making comic books since the 70′s or earlier… with the popularization of photocopiers, it became apparent that anyone with an inclination and some spare change could print a little comic book. Wildly varying in both form and content, mini-comics are a wonderful synthesis of cartooning and hand-made art objects.

In Minneapolis, the event will take place at The Minnesota Center For Book Arts. There will be open table space for participants to work at and a copier on site for printing purposes. Additionally, there will be an after-event at a to-be-determined location where participants will be able to swap their mini-comics, and prizes will be given for the best mini-comics produced during the day.

More information about participating can be found at minicomics.org.

Mini-Comics Day is sponsored by The International Cartoonist Conspiracy and The Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

The Minnesota Center For Book Arts
1011 Washington Ave S Minneapolis
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
(in the Flexispace and Gallery Space)
Copier will be available on site.
Table space will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
Please contact if you plan to participate so we can get a rough idea of the number of participants in advance.

Mpls. Sat. Open Studio, Dec. 18, noon to 4 p.m.

MCBA, Minneapolis

[Artist pen]

Dig out of your drift and skate over to the Minnesota Center for Book arts to chat and draw at the Saturday Open Studio.

Saturday, December 18, noon to 4 p.m., MCBA Bindery (high tables)

If you can’t find us inside the MCBA building, ask the friendly person working in the MCBA bookstore. This is an open studio — all are welcome.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

Future Sat. Open Studios:
Jan. 8, Bindery (high tables)
Feb. 19, Bindery (high tables)
March 12, FlexiSpace (metal tables)
April 9, FlexiSpace (metal tables)