SPX! – Never Iron Anything – The Comics Review Website

Saturday and Sunday were spent manning the Nobrow table at SPX in Bethesda, Rockville, Maryland. (Or Mary Land as I like to say it to annoy Mr Cumber).

Immaculately organised by Warren Bernard who not only sorted all our questions but also popped to the table to joke throughout the weekend. Top bloke. It’s also worthy of note that this was the first table I ever manned that sold out of every single book! Listen, not a brag as they are not my books but, I do know that a couple of other people had similar. Zero hard sell. Just nice people coming up for a chat and asking advice about what to buy.

First off, a big shout to my table mates. Sam from Nobrow and the newly published and great comics talent Tyrell Waiters.

This photo was taken in the last couple hours of the festival – check out the empty table.

You really need to read Tyrell’s new graphic novel ‘Vern, Custodian of the Universe’. Trippy, perfectly posed and great art with superb colouring. It really was the talk of the festival and rightly so. Tyrell also has a great sense of humour and put up with the shenanigans going off around him. (Falpy – I am looking at you).

At the table next to us in the hall were the folks from Atomic Books. A local indie comics store. I picked up some issues of The Essential Spread Love Comix from them so watch out for a review. They look right up my street! They also have some great T-shirts and bags you can grab. (and were generous with their snacks!)

As well as Sam and Tyrell the weekend was also spent with Adam and Eddie from Strangers Publishing. We were also joined by Matt Strott and Cliff Cumber. That mix made for a totally hilarious weekend and one of the reasons I sound so fucking croaky on the new ACP episode! More of that in a minute!

The vibe at SPX is exactly what you would imagine. DIY, Underground, Small Press, Outlaw, Indie – whatever we are calling it these days was active, present, conversational, visible, shouting, annoying, wandering aimlessly, selling, swooning, sweating (a lot), bouncing, bumping, laughing, lobbing, sipping, dozing and more. Not everything will be of your taste but there was enough there that I’ll be returning with a full suitcase.

You might think that this is just another Zine Fair? But what makes it different is the fact that SPX still revere the creators who have got us to this point. This also goes into why I enjoyed the event so much. Eddie Campbell, Denis Kitchen, Derf Backderf, Bill Griffith, Steve Lafler, and more were there representing the OG Underground crowd in one way or another. Getting to meet these guys and spending time chatting to them, outside of spending time with my buddies, was the highlight of SPX for me. Each of them was friendly and interested in having a comics talk.

Original Art from Steven Lafler (left) and Derf Backderf.

Speaking of Steve Lafler! That dude may be the highlight of the trip. Not only did I get some art, some books and an interview with him for an upcoming ACP but he also came for drinks and later dinner with our crew. He talked about his time in comics, his approach to just getting on and making them and his friendships in the scene.