SPX Programming Posted — Come See My Panel

The programming for SPX 2011 has been posted, and I will be moderating this panel:

Navigating the Contemporary Publishing Landscape, Sunday, 1:30 pm

In the early 2000s, corporate publishers nearly raced to acquire graphic novels. Now, as the mainstream publishing industry faces severe contractions and as online media assumes many traditional functions of publishing, cartoonists face a rapidly changing publishing landscape, one that includes a resurgent small press. Johanna Draper Carlson will speak with Mike Dawson, Meredith Gran, Roger Langridge, and Julia Wertz about publishing options today.

I’m thrilled to be talking with such diverse talents about this wide-ranging topic. If you’re interested in the necessary business of comics and the many options artists have of getting their work out there, I hope you’ll attend.

Given recent debate online, you probably also want to check out this panel on Saturday:

The Secret History of Women in Comics, 1:30 pm

The increased involvement of women in the comics field over the past several years has been a significant positive change in a historically male-dominated industry. However, just as it’s worth celebrating this progressive revolution, it is also worth noting that today’s women cartoonists are part of a lineage of pioneering women who have made many contributions to the field. Heidi MacDonald will discuss this history with Jessica Abel, Robyn Chapman, Alexa Dickman, and Diane Noomin.

For those who are only focused on women making superheroes, I’d hope that they’d note how many women are appearing on all kinds of panels at this show and how many different comics they’re making that speak to female readers.

I’ll probably also try to stop by the focus on Alex Robinson (Box Office Poison), since I’ve enjoyed all of his graphic novels I’ve read. That’s Saturday at 4:30.

If you’re not familiar with the Small Press Expo and you plan to be anywhere near Bethesda, Maryland, on September 10 and 11, you should go. It’s the big sibling of all the indy-friendly comic art shows, with an amazing opportunity to talk to and purchase from artists and alternative publishers.