I meant to post this awhile back...
Stumptown 2010 was a literal fly-by for me and, except for a burlesque supper show hosted by the magnificent Nico Bella, featuring Harvest Moon, a short visit to Leland Purvis' favorite bar, and a drive by to Jesse Reklaw and Andrice Arp's party [where I got to hug and laud Vanessa Davis], the Stumptown festival was, largely, my Portland, Oregon visit in a nutshell. I stayed up 'til 3AM [which was 6AM - NYC time] both nights and, by Sunday, I was wiped out and the Jetblue red-eye back home was for the birds. However, the Portland vista was a beautiful sight from my 12th floor hotel room window [the breakfast buffet was amazing] and it was great to mix it up with my studio/table mates, Joan Reilly and Leland Purvis, who moderated a career chat with me for a panel. I hung out with Paul Pope [we grumbled that we live in the same domain but only see each other outside of NYC], Craig Thompson, Sierra Hahn, Shannon Wheeler, and Mike Allred [he told me I reminded him of his favorite cousin Huey and it freaked him out and then asked me to contribute to the 20th anniversary of his awesome MADMAN comic - hell's yeah!]. Also, I finally met one of my favorite letterers, Tom Orzechowski, and a fan asked me to sign her boob. So, I did.
It was swell to mingle with Portland's comix community which is comparable to Brooklyn's comix community [I'm trying to woo Sarah Oleksyk to ACT-I-VATE], and talk turkey with Dark Horse Comics editors, and be shepherded by Shannon Stewart, the current show organizer, who was like a godfather to me. Big ups to Mike and Diego, too! I hope to return to Portland and truly steep in its splendor for longer than a comix-packed weekend.
http://www.stumptowncomics.com/