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RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 35

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Happy new year, comic fans! Welcome to a new year of new goals, new opportunities, and — most importantly — new comics.

This year we are bringing you more of the best in comic news, upcoming comics, and events. We will be covering GalaxyCon once again this year, where we will talk to upcoming illustrators and creators, and of course all of your celeb favorites. But before we get there, we are also going to be talking to voices in the scene we haven’t met before.

The first of those new voices to the column is co-creator of Atomic Robo and author of 8-Bit Theater Brian Clevinger. He has lived in Richmond for the last ten years along with Atomic Robo co-creator Scott Wegener, where they are about to embark on volume fourteen. If you couldn’t tell, he’s a big fan of robots (and history and British detective shows. So all of the good things, really).

Clevinger originally got his start back in 2001, while in college. He began 8-Bit Theater as a webcomic during a time when all you had to do to succeed at webcomics was just exist. Aside from that and Atomic Robo, he is known for freelance work he has done for Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, amongst others.

While Atomic Robo is naturally one of his favorites, mostly due to the structural nature of the series, a small project for Marvel comes to mind as something he has particularly enjoyed so far in his career. 

“One of my Marvel gigs was with Scott comes to mind,” said Clevinger. “It was a silly little tie-in comic for Taco Bell. I think around the time of the second Iron Man movie. No one really cared about it, so we got to tell a goofy story about MODOK attacking Tony Stark with lawyer assassins.”

The biggest thing that he wishes people understood about the Richmond comics scene is simply enough that it is far larger than it gets credit for. It is a very indie scene, but large and proud.

“New York has a lot of momentum as a comics town because all the publishers were there when things got started up in the 20th century,” said Clevinger. “Portland is the other big comics town, thanks to publishers like Dark Horse and Oni setting up shop there. I think Richmond is easily positioned to be the next big comics town. The South needs one, dammit.”

Clevinger brings us a good teaser recommendation to bring us into the new year, and he makes it count. Manga classic Kamen Rider by Shotaro Ishinomori helps lead your comic recommendations into 2020.

Kamen Rider is a long-running manga franchise that crosses not only manga but television and films, with various iterations that have spanned decades, such as Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Amazon, and Kamen Rider X, among an endless list of others. Originating in 1971, the series follows the story of a man who becomes a masked motorcycle riding superhero fighting monsters and evil organizations. The protagonist himself differentiates depending on the installment at hand.

News this week is a little light, but sees among other things the departure of Doctor Strange’s director and Marvel Studios wanting you to know they will not resurrect the dead.

Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness Director Scott Derickson has left his role as director, and claims the departure is amicable. He tweeted his announcement this week and claimed as well that he will remain in his other role as producer.

“Marvel and I have mutually agreed to part ways on Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences,” Derrickson said on his Twitter. “I am thankful for our collaboration and will remain on as [Executive Producer].”

Marvel also claims that it is amicable, and that this will not affect the predicted release date of May 2021, even though a replacement has not been found. 

When Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher died in 2016, one of the first questions asked was what would happen to General Leia Organa now that her actress was no longer with us. Lucasfilms was quick to respond with “CGI, obviously.” Marvel, however, will apparently not be taking that route in the future.

“We haven’t considered that,” said Marvel Studios Vice President and Avengers: Endgame Executive Producer Victoria Alonso to Yahoo! Movies.

James Dean, Warner Bros. publicity still for for the film Rebel Without a Cause, via Wikimedia

The question originally sprung up because of controversy surrounding the announcement that Finding Evan will be digitally CGIing iconic actor James Dean into the film posthumously. The idea even roused up Captain America himself, Chris Evans, who tweeted his thoughts.

“This is awful. Maybe we can get a computer to paint us a new Picasso,” Evans tweeted. “Or write a couple new John Lennon tunes. The complete lack of understanding here is shameful.”

That wraps it up for us this week, comic fans! What are you looking forward to in 2020?

Until next time.

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 34

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Happiest of holidays, comic fans! Welcome to this week’s issue of your RVA Comics X-Change, and the final issue of 2019, featuring our End of the Year review, where we take a quick snapshot of the year in comics that was 2019.

For today’s issue, we decided to reach out to some of our friends in comics who were kind enough to help us out with recommendations throughout this year. These are some of their favorite reads from the year that was 2019, and what we were digging as we trudged along.

Our friends at Alpha Comics and Games in Willow Lawn have been there with us since the start, and have recommended quite a few of our own personal favorites. Not only do they themselves have great taste, but they always know just what to recommend you, even when you can’t tell what you’re in the mood for. 

Something is Killing the Children, by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’edera

“It reminds me a little of some storylines in Hellboy, so it’s definitely a good read while you wait for The Return of Effie Kolb,” said Co-Owner Alex Smith. “It’s really really hard to sum up the ‘book of the year’ when there are always so many awesome things out, but Something Is Killing The Children was one of the few releases this year that actively caters to things I like.”

Canto, by David M. Booher and Drew Zucker

Smith also passed along a recommendation from her partner in Alpha Comics, Co-Owner Brianna Beebe. “Brianna’s comic of the year would be the delightful fantasy comic Canto,” Smith said. “While it has lots of references to existing fantasy works like The Wizard of Oz, it takes them and builds them into a fascinating and rich world completely of it’s own. The story is emotionally resonant, if a little sad at times — but the whole experience of the comic is wonderful.”

Josh Wright has been another recurring face with us this year, helping us find the balance between indie comics and tried and true mainstream. When Josh hasn’t been researching the next comic to talk about with us, he can be seen doing improv comedy with his two-person team, Sweet Sweet Angel Babies, or slinging some solid jams with his band, Lovely Dove (also a duo, because Wright is nothing if not consistent). 

Sentient, by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta

“The humanity Lemire brings to his sci fi books is always a joy!” said Wright. “The oversized format from TKO really showcases Walta’s artwork. Can a spaceship’s A.I. take care of children who suddenly find themselves all alone? If you love The Vision or Descender, check out Sentient.”

Our own Editor-In-Chief, Marilyn Drew Necci, also helped us out this year by taking the time to give us the low down on her favorites as well. When she isn’t reminding me I need to read Paper Girls, she is also telling you the best shows you need to keep on your radar every week in her weekly show column.

Bad Weekend, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

“It’s a dark crime story that takes place at and around a comic book convention, featuring main characters who are washed-up, struggling industry vets trying to survive any way they can,” said Necci. “It’s not only a great crime story but a great look at the darker side of the comics world, where work-for-hire policies continue to rip off many of our best creators. ”

I decided to break my own rules and offer two favorites for the year instead of just one (it’s so hard to narrow it down!). However, I went against the very foundation of my comics fandom in my recommendations – neither are pop culture-based or remotely related to Betty or her frenemy for life, Veronica.

Fearless, by Seanan McGuire, Kelly Thompson, and Leah Williams

I will go anywhere and do anything for the women of Marvel’s Avengers. When I found out that there was an anthology series coming out this year that not only featured them, but less-covered characters like Jessica Jones? I couldn’t have been more excited – except then I discovered that it is also incredible. This four-part series is out now, with a trade paperback collection more than likely to be released sometime in 2020. 

Snotgirl, by Bryan Lee O’Malley & Leslie Hung

This series is so divisive, and I get it, but it still bums me out. A lot of people criticize O’Malley’s approach to twenty-something women as being similarly empty as that of YA Author John Green’s approach to teenage girls, which is a shame. I of course disagree, and I think that this is honestly some of O’Malley’s best writing to date. Some of the later issues of this series are stronger and more thought-out than his iconic Scott Pilgrim series, which only goes to show that when he takes more time to go above and beyond vapid slacker humor, he really hits the mark. 

Thank you again for getting us through yet another year, comic fans. With so much going on both in print and on the film side of things, such as the release of a little-known film called Avengers: Endgame, it’s been a pretty big year. What have your favorites been? What are you looking forward to in 2020?

As always, until next time, comic fans.

Top Image via Superman’s Christmas Adventure, Vol. 2, #1 (1944)

RVA Comics X-Change Issue #33

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In this edition of RVA Comics X-Change, our own Ash Griffith tackles the burning question on everyone’s minds: Is Iron Man 3 a Christmas movie?

The Case For Iron Man As Santa Claus

Could beloved fictional blowhard Tony Stark be, in fact, the next Jolly Saint Nick? Well, maybe not exactly. However, there is a lot of debate taking place across the internet regarding whether or not Iron Man 3 should be classified as a holiday film.

Should it be? That’s what we’re about to find out on today’s very special edition of RVA Comics X-Change.

Iron Man 3, which was released in 2013, is the seventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and takes place about seven months after the Battle For New York (which occurs during The Avengers). Poor Tony is already dealing with severe PTSD because of this, but now he has to deal with a terrorist known only as the Mandarin. After a battle with the Mandarin sends him crashing into a rural Tennessee town, Stark has to figure out how to stop him without his trademark armor, and get back to California – all in time for Christmas.

This time of year is ripe for the return of the popular debate – does film x qualify as a Christmas or holiday film? Usually the main target of this annual debate is Die Hard, but in the last year, Iron Man 3, of all things, has slowly shown its head as a new contender for discussion.

To kill the argument extremely quickly, Disney+, Disney’s new streaming service, which also features Marvel properties, does currently have it listed under the Holiday category. It sits pretty comfortably between Home Alone and Home Alone 2 (but not Home Alone 3. We try to forget about that one). But just because something is labeled a Christmas film, does that necessarily mean it is?

While your family is still debating where Die Hard falls on the holiday calendar, I’m going to firmly submit my argument, after a recent rewatch this weekend, that it most certainly is a holiday film. This means that not only is Iron Man 3 the first holiday film in the MCU, it is currently the only one.

Before we go any farther, let me state that one of my biggest pet peeves is when people throw the “holiday/Christmas film” label on random films and other media simply because there happens to be snow on the ground, or there is a Christmas tree in the far background in one scene, to indicate the passage of time. That is also the opening to my argument that the Harry Potter film franchise will never qualify as Christmas films, but we’ll entertain that debate next time.

That being said, how often are we exposed to holiday media in Iron Man 3, exactly? Well, quite frankly, we’re all but smacked in the face with it roughly every ten minutes. The film itself opens on a flash back to New Year’s Eve 1999, before swinging us back to present day, which opens with a nice shot of a six-foot-tall white Christmas tree in Tony’s lab. Tony dances to a rock cover of “Jingle Bells,” because of course he does, and makes various non sequitur jokes to children, all of which reference true Christmas films (“I loved you in A Christmas Story”).

Various other visual and direct verbal Christmas references are made throughout the film. From Christmas trees in every shot to Tony giving Pepper a huge rabbit for her present, to the film itself ending on Christmas Day. There is even a questionable Christmas-themed bikini contest we see very briefly in passing, along with two Christmas songs being played.

Would the film be able to retain the same story without the Christmas presence? Eh, yes and no. The overall plot of Tony having to defeat the Mandarin with Rhodey while struggling with undiagnosed PTSD could stay intact, but we would watch an entirely different film if the holiday elements were missing. Christmas is so deeply woven into this film that without it, and its significance to Tony and his life in this moment, the movie would give us a completely different story.

As Tony says right before a battle with Aldridge’s drones, “What do you want? It’s Christmas. Take me to church.”

Even without the overt visual and verbal references to the holidays, there is still a strong moral argument to be made for this film’s inclusion in the Christmas media lexicon. Tony’s story specifically is what drives this film to be included in the holiday canon.

He goes on one hell of an emotional journey throughout this film, one that is way too appropriate for a coming of age style Christmas film. The most glaring theme throughout the film is that of rebirth. From the opening scene centered around the edge of New Year’s to Tony’s journey struggling to overcome and grow with his anxiety, to the scene in which he quite literally pulls Pepper Potts out of the flames, rebirth is the name of the game for this chapter.

When Rhodey returns in his original War Machine suit, Tony even says, “The prodigal son returns.”

But Iron Man 3 is also about Tony realizing that he is no longer that billionaire party playboy he was in the flashback from 1999 that opens the film. He understands, finally, that he is too far from that person and, for so many reasons, he can’t go back. He is now at the point where he must decide which way is he going to go: is he going to continue to live in denial that he has weaknesses despite being Iron Man, and continue to try taking hold of everything? Or is he going to accept the new Iron Man he is reborn into, who not only acknowledges he has PTSD and his love for Pepper as potential vulnerabilities but is also just human, embrace that reality, and use it to make himself stronger?

There is the Iron-Man-as-Jesus reference you didn’t know you needed.

All in all, Tony is the Christmas Spirit. As Pepper walks out of the ashes with Christmas lights in the background, Tony understands not only what he needs to do, but embraces what he is so grateful for. It isn’t just Pepper or the Avengers, but quite frankly is the gift of being alive.

In the end, much like The Grinch, Tony Stark really does have a heart after all. And that is the true point of the film, and what makes for a great Christmas film in the end.

Images via Marvel Studios

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 32

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Happiest of holidays, comic fans! Welcome back to your favorite bi-weekly comics exchange, where we talk about everything up-and-coming and buzzworthy in the land of comics and pop culture. As the sunsets get progressively earlier with the closing of the year, we’re the bat signal you need to keep you company in the land of nerdery.

This week, as we play catch up from the first break of the holiday season, we have some news to keep you up to date in movieland, and some recommendations to keep you company as you hide from your family in the bathroom during that obligatory Christmas party. Will Robert Pattinson be your new favorite Batman? How many Disney Princess comics does one adult woman need?

Grab your peppermint hot chocolate and that leftover sweet potato pie and get cozy, comic fans. We’re going to dive in and find out. 

Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson in Dior Homme Fall 2017 Menswear Collection. Photo by Maximilian Bühn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia

Robert Pattinson is unfairly stuck with a pretty bad rap, when you think about it. Granted he chose to star in, and stay in, the Twilight franchise, but when you separate the actor from the awful writing, he’s actually pretty talented. However, after some recent comments regarding the iconic Batman, he just might be pushing the wedge further down, deeply dividing fans on his casting as the DC superhero.

“Batman’s not a superhero,” Pattinson told Today. “It doesn’t count. You need to have, like, magical powers to be a superhero.”

If we’re honest, I don’t disagree with him. Furthermore, I have always been in the camp of folks who see iconic richboy Bruce Wayne as the worst. He’s a bored rich kid with access to military grade weapons.

However, fans have already spoken loudly all over the internet about their both disdain for and confusion over Pattison’s casting. This will surely only continue to add to the fire in Wayne Manor.

Buckle up and grab your proton packs, fellow Ghostbusters. We just may finally have a title for the upcoming film.

The upcoming sequel directed by Jason Reitman has long been coded in production under the working title Ghostbusters 2020. However, according the the British Board of Film Classification (the British film ratings system), the title has been leaked as Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Other bits of information that we have thanks to this leak are that the trailer will be two minutes and twenty-eight seconds, and the release date will be October 7th, 2020.

Whether that release date is worldwide or for the UK specifically has yet to be seen. The sequel is set to take place decades after Ghostbusters II and follow the story of two ghostbusters walking through the legacy of the originals. OG Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Dan Akroyd are set to return, along with new additions to the franchise – Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame, and Paul Rudd, noted immortal actor. 

Have you been in desperate need for some femme fronted comics in your life? Same here, and I have just the ones to sooth your stuffed soul.

Ghosted in LA #6, by Siobhan Keenan and Sina Grace

Dating is already difficult without your ex being thrown into the mix. Now take your ex and have them have a crush on your roommate – who happens to be a ghost. Of course. Daphne has just the answer to questions like this, or at least she is about to. 

Folklords #1, by Matt Smith and Matt Kindt

We daydream about Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who, but what if you lived in a world where your fantasies involved dreaming about the mundane world and capitalism?Ansel has this problem, and needs to find the Folklords to help explain his visions. The only problem? Seeking the Folklords is punishable by death. Awkward. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #10, by David Lopez, Jordie Bellaire, and Marc Aspinall

Ever since the television series ended sixteen years ago, it has been thriving in its comic-based third life (no, not second life — remember the original 1992 film the series is based on?) This week Buffy is in Hell, leading a new Slayer to answer the call – but who? Find out this week in the Buffyverse. 

Disney’s The Little Mermaid #2, by Cecil Casellucci

If you are looking for something new from this three-part series, I hate to break it to you, but this is not it. This series is mostly just a retelling of the popular animated film. However, what truly makes this series worth recommending is the artwork. The art remains true to the original Disney style, but with a beautiful Dark Horse bend. With Disney+’s release, what’s one more skip down memory lane? 

That will do it for us this week, comic book fans! As we wake up from our turkey coma, what have been your go-to comics this season? 

Until next time!

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 31

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Happiest of Tuesdays, comic fans! Welcome to the pre-Thanksgiving edition of your favorite bi-weekly comics column in the River City. Consider us the soothing marshmallow fluff to the sweet potato pie that is your weekend. 

In the spirit of Friendsgiving and being thankful, this week we are thankful to have friend of the column, and Richmond comic, Patrick Buhse here to talk to us about what gets him excited in the world of comics. After meeting up recently at Comic Arts Richmond, we got to talking about comics that make us nostalgic and feel warm and fuzzy, like the best turkey hash.

Before we head down memory lane, though, I have a couple pieces of comic news to keep us aware of the up-and-coming in the comic world. Grab your favorite sweatpants from that college you never went to, your second helping of stuffing, and let’s dive on in.

Comic fans love nothing more than a good crossover. Thanks to the popularity of The Avengers label of the Marvel Franchise, one easy cash grab for publishers and film studios has been to sling all of your favorites into the same room, like a less awkward high school reunion. Anyone who wanted to see DC and Marvel, the two big-bads of the comic world, mingling their characters has generally been out of luck.

That is until now – kind of. This week, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn made an intriguing comment on his Instagram, when asked about the possibility of the ultimate mashup. 

“In the past I would have said no way, but today I think anything is possible,” Gunn said during a question and answer session on the stories feed of his Instagram.

The business end of things puts a heavy damper on this dream, though. Currently the rights to the majority of Marvel’s properties are owned by Disney (like pretty much every other intellectual property these days), and DC’s rights are owned by Warner Bros — ironically, two colliding industry heads in their own right. However, in all fairness, I don’t think any of us thought that we would ever see Spider-Man in an Avengers film, due to that character’s film rights being strong held by Sony for the longest time. So perhaps Gunn is correct, and anything really is possible after all. 

While known about town today for comedy at your favorite hot spots, in past years, Patrick Buhse was the comics guy at our other go-to favorite, Velocity Comics on Broad Street. Today, he breaks us down his top five comics from when that’s all he had his hands on. Over to you, Patrick!

The Frank Book by Jim Woodring

“My brain doesn’t really ever slow down. It’s hard for me to pay attention to much, because my instinct is to constantly be running or talking or bothering with whatever little thing is closest to me. It makes reading, at most times, an incredible pain. The works of Jim Woodring and his silent comics that center around Frank, however, cater to that kind of attention span. I’m not sure if the stories ever follow a linear pattern or whether anything that happens to Frank can be considered logical or meaningful. The world that these stories showcase is one that is at all times chaotic, and at all times fascinating. Morals have no place, toads are the law makers (whatever those laws may be), and each character will have you cheering for them one second and disappointed in their behavior the next. For anyone who enjoys a bit of strange, these stories are most definitely for you.”

Buddha by Osamu Tezuka

“Really, anything by Osamu Tezuka is worth your time. This is the one that stands out, only because it was the first thing he’d done that I had read. His storytelling is so relaxed and easy that you end up reading seven volumes worth of comics in a single sitting. This is his biography of Siddhartha Gautama from birth to enlightenment, and it is compelling through and through. I’m not and never have been that great at reading up on historical figures, but this one was easy to get through and it led me into my mild obsession with collecting everything that Tezuka had ever done. It’s an obsession that still goes on today, and I’ve loved every bit of it.”

The Voyeurs by Gabrielle Bell

“Autobio comics are the ones that come to mind quickest whenever someone mentions ‘alternative comics.’ Some sad artist in snow, thinking about their relationship that just ended and how they’ll never get past it. It’s not just that, but that seems to be the aspect of it everyone likes to bring up. Jeffrey Brown, Liz Prince, Julia Wertz, so many others that just felt the need to share their daily life with a reader, no matter how mundane or embarrassing it may be. The book that I probably think of the most from the [genre of] autobiographical comics is this one by Gabrielle Bell. All these stories have an indifference to them that I relate to still, to this day. It’s as if anything big or small that happens to you in life should be treated with the same importance as getting your daily coffee from your favorite coffee shop.”

Hellboy: Wake the Devil by Mike Mignola

“I have a Hellboy tattoo, because I love Hellboy and at twenty, I wasn’t the most forward-thinking person. If I would have to pick one story where big red affected me the most, then it would have to be Wake the Devil. Of course everyone should start with Seed of Destruction, which is the first volume, but this is the arc where you finally get to hide in those dark panels by Mignola. Without a co-writer to weigh down the panels in words, you have instead shadow, and maybe Hellboy saying one word out of frustration before he falls into a new insane fight with whatever monster Mignola could muster. When I look back, this is where Hellboy starts for me.”

Heartbreak Soup by Gilbert Hernandez

“The Hernandez brothers were always really daunting to me when I started reading comics, because there’s just so much! When I finally did [read their work], I found that I leaned more towards Gilbert’s cast of characters in the fictional town of Palomar. As you read all the tales that take place in this somewhat dysfunctional town, you start to have a connection with each one of the characters, to the point that you will probably end up reading over thirty years worth of Love and Rockets comics. If you get bored with whatever’s happening in your life, I always found Palomar to be a good place to escape to.”

With that, we bid you a fond farewell to this week’s column. Happy Holidays, and until next time, comic fans.

Top Image: from The Voyeurs, by Gabrielle Bell

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 30

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This week, Comics X-Change is focusing on the local scene, with an extensive report about the goings-on at the first-ever Comic Arts Richmond, which took place last weekend and was a rousing success.

Happiest Wednesday, comic fans! Welcome to the dirty thirty edition of our biweekly comic exchange. Not only are we old enough to drink and rent a car, but we can finally unironically tell youths to get off our lawn — and we’re reveling in it.

This week, instead of comic recommendations I am giving you one big, hearty recommendation in the form of a brand new comic fest to enjoy — Comic Arts Richmond. Comic Arts Richmond kicked off its inaugural event this past weekend at the Dabney Road location of Strangeways Brewing with a heavy focus on local artists and comic creators in the area.

Co-founded by comics scholar and writer Francesca Lyn and artist Christine Skelly, Comic Arts Richmond brought together various creators in the area, along with fans and the curious, all under one beautiful beer-scented roof. The event brought a myriad of genres together — from horror to indie, and even a superhero or two. However, the biggest takeaway from everyone I spoke to was the exact same sentiment: there was an overwhelming amount of support throughout.

“We really appreciate the work that William Ragland [and the staff at Strangeways] has done with us,” said Skelly. “”He has been super accommodating and communicative. All of our tablers were super happy that they have come. Some of our tablers have had to travel, and we have tried to be as in touch as possible. We hope it’s been a really good experience for them.”

The feeling was certainly mutual from the patrons’ perspective as well. The event remained busy for the duration of the day. Fans mingled with creators back and forth from the entrance all the way into the event space in the back. Even a rogue bridal party looking for its lost bridesmaid stayed for a while, checking out the various art and comics at the tables. (No word on whether they ever did find the bridesmaid.)

Richmond has always been and will forever be known for its thriving arts scenes and all the various subgenres that exist within it. However, an interesting note was just how many people were surprised to see that a thriving not-so-underground comic scene is hiding in plain sight.

“I don’t think people realize that we could have made this show three times as big and still not have been able to fit everyone, [even with] most of these people being local,” said Lyn. “There are people who are here to drink beer, and that’s fine, but there are some [of those] people who are sticking around and leaving with a print.”

Despite the fact that the arts and the comics scene especially is so strong and vibrant, the continuing existence of events like this and other similar ones remains vital. Comic Arts Richmond and similar events such as Richmond Zine Fest and the upcoming RICE! (Richmond Indie Comics Expo) at VCU continuing to provide a place for other artists and creators to meet and generate exposure for their work.

“Maybe it has to do with an old-school punk rock ethic, with Zine Fest especially,” said artist Oura Sananikone. “Making tangible, paper products in a world that is almost entirely digital.”

One of the most important things that events like this create is just a chance to meet others interested in what you do. Artist Meg Gandy noted that drawing itself is such a solitary act that it naturally leaves a lot to be desired where social interaction is concerned. So the chance to leave your house and meet other people? Totally worth it.

“It makes sure people mingle,” said Gandy. “In VCU you have all of the kids in their separate grades and they’re putting on RICE! and that’s great. But us older folks don’t get to go see that necessarily, and the younger folks don’t necessarily get to see us. When you have a show like this, we all get to learn from each other, see who’s coming up, see where they’re going, get tips.”

Having the event at a brewery was not just very on-brand for Richmond, but also a good way to attract many people who otherwise would not have attended had the event been somewhere more predictable, like Gallery 5 or ICA. It attracted a slew of people who thought they were coming in for an IPA and suddenly were asking questions about issue #2 at table 18.

“Events like this are important for getting exposure for different artists,” said artist Emily Bradfield. “Especially having this at a brewery, you’ll get people walking by who otherwise wouldn’t come.”

Needless to say, the event was a success. Whether you were there and had a blast or missed it and are wondering if there will be another one – fear not. Comic Arts Richmond and its faithful mascot, Scraps, are already discussing plans for next year, possibly including a larger venue to accommodate more artists. Here’s to hoping 2020 brings Comic Arts Richmond 2: Electric Boogaloo. 

Until next time, comic fans.

Photos by Ash Griffith