October 13-16 I took part in Columbus Ohio's 2nd year of CXC also known as Cartoon Crossroads Columbus. CXC is a Comicbook and Graphic Novel Conference, and convention, with symposiums, lectures and panels ranging from educational to professional.
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus is run by Jeff Smith, the creator of the graphic novel series Bone, RASL, Shazam; Monster Society of Evil, and several other children's books.
This years lineup of headliner artists include Garry Trudeau, Charles Burns and Raina Telgemeier. Others include Sergio Aragones, Stan Sakai, Jeff Smith, Skottie Young, Jay Hosler, Ed Koren, and more. CXC hosted 100 different artists here in Columbus ranging from local to all over the states. I had the pleasure of meeting many different local and famous artists. Even CCAD had a spot on the floor with student work, one comic with the title of Shonen Trump a take off of the manga magazine series "Shonen Jump". Overall the four days were a success, and I got to talk to Jeff about my experience. Although this is the second year of CXC I thought it was very well organized and ran. The highlight of my weekend at CXC was meeting Stan Sakai comicbook artist and creator and writer of Usagi Yojimbo, the story of a rabbit ronin set in the Edo Japanese time. It was a true honor and pleasure to meet Stan Sakai, someone who I have looked up to for a very long time. In honor of Stan I built a bust of Usagi which I presented to him on Sunday, a gift as a token of my appreciation. During the Convention both Jeff Smith and his wife Vajaya presented an upcoming artists award to one of the artists at the convention.
The conference convention was a blast. It was so much to see all these artists together sharing and selling work. Once more it was great that this event is in fact FREE!!!! Yes the entire weekend save for a few events were absolutely free. I spent a little more money that I wanted to but it was worth it. I cannot wait to see what CXC offers next year with new artists, lectures, and symposiums. Thanks again Jeff for all your hard work and effort putting this amazing event together, and I hope to see you again down the road very soon. Until then good luck on Tuki and Bone.
This years CXC poster.
Inside the Billy Ireland Exhibit.
Learning about the evolution and history of Black African American Comicbook and Comic strip artists.
CXC after party plan.
During the Little Nemo symposium we the crowd got to interact with Winsor McCay's 1914 Gertie the Dinosaur cartoon.
From left to right: Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragones, Stan Sakai.
From left to right: Comic artist Chris, Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragones, Stan Sakai.
My mother attended grade school with Jeff Smith and shared several classes with him. Jeff is a family friend so it's always a pleasure to see him around.
Stan Sakai signs every book and adds in Usagi Yojimbo or another one of his beloved characters.
Jeff Smith and Vajaya presenting the up incoming artists award.
At the Stan Sakai guest of honor after party, they did a live reading for one of Stan's short stories between Usagi and Gen a rivaling opponent and friend to the rabbit ronin.
Stan and myself. I made a statue of Usagi and presented it to Stan today as a token of my appreciation. I had him sign my t-shirt and he drew Usagi, I now have an exclusive one of a kind Usagi Yojimbo t-shirt.
Same thing, I asked Jeff to sign and draw bone on my shirt. Another one of a kind t-shirt of Phoney Bone the anti-Phone Bone, Phone Bone's pessimistic and somewhat corrupt cousin. I will hopefully be framing these shirts at some point in time.
Just before Stan left for the airport I got a picture of myself with Stan Sakai and Jeff Smith. It was a wonderful and magical weekend getting to meet some fantastic artists and meeting Stan Sakai was my absolute highlight. During his artist spotlight we even got to touch, hold, and pass around works in progress for future issues and his notebook full of stories and writing for Usagi tales. What an amazing weekend.