[Please click to enlarge this charming visual recap of SPX 2007!]

Unfortunately, that list does not include a ‘hot artist chick’, but it does include a 20 pound stack of beautiful books and comics and signatures.

As with any comic-centric convention that I attend, I brought my Bizarro Comics anthology, which had 7 signatures in it to date - Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer, Stephen DeStephano, Kyle Baker and Liz Glass, Jessica Abel and Nick Bertozzi. I hadn’t really checked out the program to see who I might accost with my funny book, but I quickly found myself in the presence of James Kochalka and Jeff Smith - two writer / artists who had contributed stories to the book, which brought my signature total up to 9, with only about 50 left to go.

While I don’t usually go to these conventions to get anything but the Bizarro book signed, a great deal of the artists were happy to sign, and draw original drawings in, anything that you purchased from them. When you purchase a 40 dollar copy of ‘American Elf’ from James Kochalka, he’ll sure as hell draw you a big ol’ monstery guy on the inside with a note of thanks. And Jeffrey Brown? He mustered up the energy to draw me a bit of a robot inside one of his 30 dollar ‘Incredible Change-bots’ books, even after the fan at the booth before me had him sign about a dozen copies of one of his mini-comics to all of his ex-girlfriends.

More original art came in the form of a stack of original watercolor and ink paintings by Jeff Lemire - all beautiful, bizarre interpretations of the Justice League and other well-known superheroes. To my delight, these carried a very small price tag, and at the top of the stack was an amazing Batman that I quickly grabbed before it escaped me forever. I also bought two paperbacks of Lemire’s trilogy, concerning the goings-on of Essex County, Ontario - which Lemire also sketched and signed for me. The storytelling is slow and magical, and elegantly drawn in stark black and white, with emotive and visible brushstrokes abound - absolutely a recommended read. Thanks to Top Shelf Comics for bringing all of these great guys in!

Indie publisher Fantagraphics also had a significant presence, and are responsible for some of the higher-end hardcover collections out there. I purchased two books by Paul Hornschemeier, who was unfortunately not present for signings, but whose work I’ve admired in Mome for quite some time. Hornschemeier’s style is so clean and varied that each book almost reads like a compilation between a variety of artists, but true to indie tradition, he tells delicately sad and humorous stories. ‘Let Us Be Perfectly Clear’ and ‘The Three Paradoxes’ also come through as great reads.

Oni Press had a set of tables near the middle of the floor, and I was finally able to replace a set of ‘Courtney Crumrin’ comics that my ex-girlfriend had somehow won during breakup negotiations.

Artist Gia-Bao Tran also had an attractive table set up, and was selling copies of ‘Awesome : The Indie Spinner Rack Anthology’ by Evil Twin Comics. In addition to his story in page 195, he signed my copy and drew an picture of a cute chick inside the back cover. And speaking of things with ‘awesome’ in the title (my favorite word of all time), I also found myself buying a copy of ‘Carl is the Awesome’ by Marcos Perez - a tale of a dinosaur-beaver lookin’ guy who in just so inherently awesome that he excels at everything he does, and don’t question it. It’s just so weirdly and energetically drawn that I was wholly convinced of Carl’s awesomeness within but a few pages.

I read Robert Ullman’s ‘Lunch Hour Comix’ during the car ride home. It’s always interesting to read these succinct diary comics, because each artist-slash-writer always has such a unique take on which details to capture during a given day - large events like car crashes and pregnancies, or simply finding something on the street during a walk. I’m in love with these bizarre daily subtleties that we uniquely experience, and it’s always refreshing to know that I’m not the only one. A lot of artists draw these out, and it adds something to the resonance of them. I think I want to start my own.

Corinne Mucha had a table full of charming autobiographical comics too, hand-stapled and Xeroxed. I ended up buying ‘I Lived in Alaska’ because, well, I lived in Alaska as a small child, and ‘I Hate My Mom’s Cat’, because (as I explained to her, like a babbling moron), I hate my grandmother’s dog. I can’t help but be highly sympathetic, and be compelled to spend a few dollars, on sympathetic situations - which is what moves a lot of these great indie books. We can relate to Peter Parker, but we can’t really relate to Spider-Man, as human as he is. The indie rack has a tendency to be completely relatable, and since a vast expanse of indie fans and artists are grossly alienated from the universe in some fundamental way, I tend to latch onto anything recognizable.

Another stand-out work was ‘20 Questions’ by WD Kirkby, which was a compilation of 20 short strips in response to questions asked to him via his LiveJournal. Not only is it always fun to speak to someone with an English accent, but Kirkby’s art style is really unique and beautiful. Check out his LJ for a great selection of art and interactivity. And, you know, you can check out mine too.

So, in summation, if you’re into comic artists, or the DIY scene, or even just good storytelling and people livin’ the dream, SPX is a great event to seek inspiration, find the otherwise unfindable in terms of obscure graphic fiction, and meet artists to discuss tips and tricks of the trade. And Bethesda isn’t too far away from our nation’s capital, so you can plan some sightseeing or picketing while you’re in town.

And please check out tomorrow’s bloggings for an appropriate visual recap of the event.

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Collecting is not just for you and me. Companies have collections too. Both Wifey and I have been involved with industrial companies in our working careers. Over 25 years, I have been privileged to visit hundreds of company lobbies – from the palacial Allen Bradley (now Rockwell) wood lined walls and natural fireplace to a greasy hall between the factory and office, and have been intrigued with the assortment of displayed items.

While many places simply have bragging displays, “Supplier Awards”, or a picture of a sports team the owner’s kid is on, some go beyond, and show antique machinery or vintage products. Several have wonderful displays of photos or prints showing their early work force.

Artworks adorn many lobbies. Tastes vary, modern art prevails. Gear companies surprise with wonders created from their products. Table tops, arms of chairs devised from large gear halves, and little people with bodies and heads comprised of gears are a delightful addition to a lobby.

What attracts artisans to these establishments?

Many companies display their products to show the range of their abilities. But old line companies show their past – with pictures, products and machines used to produce their wares.

Johnson Wax featured a display of old advertising tins in their waiting room off the lobby at their Racine, Wisconsin Highway 11 plant.

An old restored Evinrude outboard once adorned a terribly plain factory entrance at their former 68^th Street Milwaukee plant, similar to this one.

Briggs & Stratton has its past in pictures in their Wauwatosa facility.

This shows an old engine, and some of their early products.

This picture fascinates with its workforce being comprised of nearly all females. You’ll see them in coveralls, working at lathes during World War I! So much for “Rosie the Riveter” being the first!

This old restored machine is only one of many sitting in lobbies letting us know of the company’s humble beginnings.

Next year Harley-Davidson will celebrate their 105^th anniversary, and will open their own museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they first started in business and still have their headquarters, two engine plants, warehouse and product development center.

A recent article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel written by Rick Barrett informs us that the museum will display, for the first time, Harley’s vast collection of motorcycles, posters, promotional material, clothing and magazines.

One bike from each year will be included, as well as snowmobiles, golf carts, a bicycle and a balloon tired 1903 motorcycle with a serial # 1 stamped on it. Harley has an Art Deco painted motorcycle and drab military bikes. Harley purchased the motorcycle once owned by Elvis, a 1956 KH and papers that prove the sale.

A customized Harley named King Kong that’s more then 13 feet long and weighs 1000 lbs has two Knucklehead engines.

In keeping with the great looking visitors’ lobby and factory tour center at the Milwaukee Capitol Drive plant, the museum will have an industrial look with one wall of glass with exposed steel beams, and a view to the outside where rows of visitors’ bikes will be parked.

An estimated 350,000 visitors will have 130,000 square feet of the Harley experience in a facility to rival Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Museum.

Spawning other development in the area, a warehouse will be converted into an upscale boutique hotel catering to Harley riders.

But alas, would I tell you all this just to brag and try to get you to visit this fine city? Yes, I would!

But bring your cash and unload it at any of the fine antique and / or collectible stores, all around the area East from the Harley-Davidson Museum toward Lake Michigan. Then enjoy fine dining at a score of restaurants, and put a few coins in a slot machine, all within jogging distance of Harley’s soon to open masterpiece.

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In no small part my delightful experience with Trash or Treasure was due to the great people involved, both the Plains Art Museum staff and the appraisers from Ivey-Selkirk. Certainly their respect for the objects and collectors themselves was communicated to all. They genuinely appreciated hearing the stories behind the objects — often saying things like, “That’s a great story,” and making other statements about the intrinsic and personal value the objects held. And I overheard them complimenting folks on how pretty pieces were too. But what really convinced me that these events are wonderful is the opportunity to learn more about what you have.

What I’m really getting to is the intimidation factor we collectors feel. We tend to belittle our collectibles, often making self-deprecating remarks about our collections, our collecting habits, and ourselves as collectors — striking first before someone else can. We tuck ourselves safely into groups by collecting theme and club not only for the fun of trading and networking with other collectors of the same objects, but for the relief that comes with feeling understood. Less often we mingle with collectors of other items because we believe (fear) they’ll judge ours. So it’s understandable when presented with the option of having professionals who deal in such high end items look at and evaluate our considerably lower-end items we assume that they will look down upon them.

But really most collectors of objects — any objects — and those professionals who make a living off of collectors get it. They get us. Sure, the fine arts guy may not personally love my woolie, but he can appreciate my love of the woolie and the fact that there are others like me. (And let’s face it, that’s where their money comes from!) The passion is understandable because while the object changes, the love of objects doesn’t.

When we attended the MPMA conference I was told by Monta Lee Dakin, the museum professional organization’s Executive Director, that museum staff values collectors. Not just because they want us to donate our stuff for free, but because they know collectors are working towards the same goals. We all want to preserve stuff — and the stories of stuff.

Dakin said that the museum world has worked very hard to not appear as ivory tower types. They want to work with collectors; they welcome our involvement. They are not bothered by phone calls & requests for identifying items. In fact, as Steve Friesen of the Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum said, they often count on collectors for the information they possess. “We can’t know everything; we’re often generalists who rely on collectors who specialize,” he said. He told many stories of times he has worked with private collectors. Sometimes the museum is helped; other times, the collector benefits from the information and experience of the museum staff. In either case, it’s a win-win.

All of this surprised me because, like the Trash or Treasure event, I felt that unless you had purchased something at Christie’s no museum would want it — or want to help you. But collectors shouldn’t hold this opinion. We should keep in mind what we have and contact the right professional, be it a museum or an appraiser, but we shouldn’t be intimidated by the museum or the high-end auction house. While contacting either museum or auction house isn’t a guarantee that your object will fit either of their goals, not contacting them certainly brings you no closer to yours.

So don’t be intimidated by professionals. Don’t limit your collection, your collecting, out of the unnecessary anxiety that the object won’t be loved or appreciated. Like parents with children, we have to accept that not everyone will love our objects as much as we do. But information from, and contact with, the world outside our doors isn’t a bad thing.

Within the world of comic book production, there are two major camps.

There’s the camp that we all see - the Marvels and DCs and Dark Horses, all of which encompass the lion’s share of the superheroic universe as we know it - they’ve all been around for a long time, and they have the financial backing and decades of fan support to perpetuate them. From here, we get Spider-Man and Superman and Hellboy, all of which have their own merits as epic and fantastical journeys into visual fiction. Toiling dexterously away behind that big scene, however, are the innumerable ‘small press’ books.

The small press escapes a clear definition (besides ‘everything that isn’t Marvel, DC, Dark Horse or Image Comics’), and while loosely based in the conventions of mainstream comic culture, these independently produced comics can range from cleanly published, machined books, all the way to hand xeroxed and stapled items, and even into strangely assembled boxes of abstractly, hand-printed narratives - and barely any of them are superheroic. And yes, I still enjoy them immensely. I also enjoy sushi dinners and holding hands, ladies.

After attending the MOCCA fest this past February, and feeling formally indoctrinated into the whole small press & indie art scene, I’d travel almost any distance to embrace the culture again. So, I made plans to travel all the way down to Bethesda, Maryland to attend the Small Press Expo, or ‘SPX 2007’, on October 12th and 13th.

Nowhere but these artist gatherings have I felt such a collective focus on art and the production of comics for the love of creation, without the element of profit (beyond basic human survival needs) really entering into it strongly. The small press almost universally embraces a free-form approach to creating comics - no rules, no set sizes, no narrative conventions - just draw your damned story for all you’re worth, and let us see. This open-door policy allows for a lot of amazing, but well-hidden, creators to have a venue for their beautiful work - and it also allows a great deal of substandard and ‘outsider’ work through. It’s your job, dear reader, to politely sidle away from those things that don’t meet your own particular standards of excellence.

Like MOCCA, SPX was a vast collection of folding tables, spread thick and colorful with the wares of their creators, who sat lovingly behind these displays and exhorted passers-by to partake of their creations. Because of the idea of ‘small’ press, most of these items were only printed in very limited quantities, and more than a few times, I witnessed a complete sellout of certain comics on the tables, be they photocopied stories about the author’s cat, or full-color zombie comics. Some items went numbered in editions, and others still were produced to order, with the true number of existing copies, being run off at Kinko’s every month, being far less important than the sharing of the work. Unlike a mainstream comic convention, there was nothing in the way of flashing lights and pomp and TV screens set up around every corner to show off an upcoming video game. Which is not to say that the cute art girls don’t completely compensate for the lack of things to ogle.

Still, the more important of the pleasures of attending these indie cons is that you’ll be exposed to work that no amount of conscious internet digging will reveal to you - much of what I discovered was pure coincidence while walking down the aisles. You won’t find most of this stuff in comic shops - and even better than finding new and exciting stories is the fact that behind every table is the story’s creator and artist, excited to talk about it with you. You can’t beat that kind of interactivity.

Coincidentally, that’s why you also shouldn’t start loudly critiquing the work after you flip through a few pages - you’ll likely shatter the artist’s little ink-stained heart when you fail to notice that he’s standing RIGHT THERE. Fortunately, when I started talking about how much I loved Jeffrey Brown, it was all positive observations. You’d think that I’d connect the dots that the guy standing behind the piles of Jeffrey Brown books, signing a Jeffrey Brown book, would be Jeffrey Brown - but those key pieces of evidence didn’t really connect within my brain. I revere these artists and storytellers so deeply that I fully expected some kind of penumbric halo surrounding him - and also, that he’d be as wiry and tiny as his self-portrait version of himself, which populates most of his comics.

That’s another awkward detail of the small press. So many of the comics are so deeply autobiographical that when you meet the artist who created them, you know such a penetrating level of detail about their lives that there’s no comfortable barrier of mutual ambiguity between the two of you. You’ve seen them naked, and you’re a fanboy standing in front of their table and trying not to come off like a complete loser. Which, might I add, I usually completely fail at.

SPX was smaller in size and population than MOCCA Fest, but it attracted many more important creators, and creators of a higher caliber. The Bethesda Marriott, which hosted the event, was a clean, beautiful hotel - even though their TVs are not set up for you to hook up your PS2 and play Guitar Hero all night long, which remains a point of dissatisfaction that will surely have me ornery for days. Regardless, off I went, with a wallet full of small bills (essential at any comic convention) and my ever-present Bizarro Comics book in hand, expecting the unexpected.

I met a bucketful of artists, purchased way too many comics, and finally got to meet Jeff Smith for a signature in the aforementioned Bizarro book. You might recall my ire that I was forcibly prevented from meeting him at New York Comic Con earlier this year.

More details to follow on Saturday and Sunday.

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