In honor of Rose City Comic Con this weekend, Eisner-award-winning Portland comic book writer Kelly Sue DeConnick shared with us three Portland artists and writers she admires and why people should check them out. (DeConnick is also a guest on today’s episode of the City Cast Portland podcast.)
Here are her suggestions in her own words:
Steve Lieber
“Steve’s not only one of the kindest and most generous comic book artists you could ever hope to meet, he also understands the form and is able to talk about it with a clarity few can match. He’s also hilarious — pick up the Jimmy Olsen book he did with Matt Fraction (my husband; I’m biased here) and see what I mean.”
Taki Soma
Taki’s new book “Sleeping While Standing” is one you’ve got to check out. It’s a series of deeply vulnerable autobio comics that follow her from her childhood in Japan through to her life here in Portland today with her husband and fellow comic creator, Mike Oeming. Her real-life stories have an almost-surreal sense to them, equal parts pathos and humor.”
Cat Farris
“Cat’s one of those artists who makes it look completely effortless. Pick up ‘My Boyfriend Is a Bear’ for an unexpectedly romantic tale of a young woman in love with a 500-pound American black bear. I mean, duh.”
Off to the comics shop, be right back.
Do you have a favorite local comics artist or graphic novelist? Email us.
