We have just returned from the Small Press Expo, where we debuted the Dylan Williams Collection and were able to chat with a lot of blog readers and general Cartoon Library enthusiasts- we love you all! Thank you to everyone who donated to the collection, attended the Institution Building and Comics panel, and made time to speak with us about our institution. It was a wonderfully successful convention, and we’re thrilled to have been a part of it. Thank you, SPX!

We’ve got a lot of great events coming up, in and outside of the Cartoon Library that we hope you’ll join us for:

———–

Pittsburgh Zine Fair – Saturday, September 22nd

Rangos Hall at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA

http://pghzinefair.com/scheduled/

The Cartoon Library will be featured at the beginning of the programming for the day, and the end as well with the following two panels:

1-2pm: Columbus is home to the world’s largest collection of comics and cartoon art! Visiting Curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Caitlin McGurk, will give a presentation on the history of the Cartoon Library, what they do, some of the incredible gems they have, how comics impact our lives and what the future holds for the museum. In 2013 the Cartoon Library will be expanding their physical space from a 6,800 sq-ft basement to a glorious 30,000 sq-ft home at the gateway to OSU’s campus, solidifying it as a top destination in America for all things comics.

6-7pm: Cartoonist Jim Rugg and Jason Lex and do a podcast called Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, where they interview artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and others about their non-traditional careers and creative experiences. They’re eager to talk to Caitlin about her work as a librarian and comics historian, the future of libraries now that every shred of human history is accessible from our phones, preserving paper, the Center for Cartoon Studies, creative fulfillment, and what drew her to the field of library science!

———–

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Open House      

In Celebration of the CCAD MIX 2012 Festival         

October 4th, 5-7pm — Open to the public

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will be opening up their doors to the public from 5-7pm on Thursday, October 4th for a free open-house event to coincide with CCAD’s Mix 2012: Comics Symposium. Enjoy the Reading Room Gallery Exhibition Line Dancing, a survey of dance in cartoon art, along with a behind-the-scenes peek of the library stacks and a display of treasures from our collection, including original Bone art by Jeff Smith, original Little Nemo in Slumberland art from Winsor McCay, original Calvin and Hobbes art by Bill Watterson, and original art by P. Craig Russell, acclaimed illustrator of The Sandman, Hellboy, and Coraline.

———–

MIX 2012 – CCAD’s Celebration of Comics – October 3rd-6th  http://www.ccad.edu/events-2012/mix2012

A celebration of and investigation into the art of the comic book, MIX 2012 includes a keybote event and original artwork from Chris Ware, a symposium with roundtables and workshops, a comic-book-creation marathon for teams of college and university students, and an exhibition of original work by Chris Ware.

On Friday, October 5th Caitlin McGurk of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will moderate the following roundtable:

4:15-5:30pm
Indie Comix Spotlight
The “mainstream” isn’t what it used to be, in part because independent publishing now consistently offers alternative voices and stories with substance and frequency enough to be a sizable “stream” of its own. This loose and laid-back mega-roundtable, featuring notable local and regional artists who have worked independently on their own titles and in collaboration, will focus on the ups and downs of the DIY ethic. Moderator: Caitlin McGurk, Visiting Curator at The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Featuring: Tom Williams (Satanic Paperboy); Michael Neno (The Signifiers); James Moore and Joel Jackson (Two-Headed Monster); Katie Valeska (Next Year’s Girl); Lora Innes (The Dreamer); Ken Eppstein (Nix Comics Quarterly); Bob Corby (SPACE); Max Ink (Blink); Rafael Rosado (Giants Beware!)

———–

The Intergalactic Nemesis  – Book One: Target Earth

Live Action Graphic Novel

Friday, October 12th – 7pm – Mershon Auditorium

Details and ticket information on the Wexner Center website

Sponsored by the Wexner Center, The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, and The Ohio State University Libraries