SPACE 2026 II Exhibitor Bios Part 4

 

Charlie Cunningham:

(@Charlez.Ink) is an illustrator/comic writer/designer/whatever-hat-strikes-thier-fancy-er selling original illustrations and zines.

Flyby Publishing:
Indy comics writers, creators, and self-publishers out of East Tennessee.

Jon A. Freeman:
Jon Freeman loves monsters. Humans are ok too. He holds a Master's Degree in Applied Linguistics from Ohio University, but that cannot redeem a lifetime misspent communing with tube creatures in the bog.

John G:
John G is an illustrator and comic creator that’s been actively contributing to the Northeast Ohio arts and comics communities for over two decades. His published work includes the autobiographical comic series Tales To Demystify as well six issues of The Lake Erie Monster (with Jake Kelly). Sandwich Anarchy, an art book collecting his Melt posters, was released by 1984 Publishing in 2017. He published the hardcover art book The Fearless Heart of Frankenstein in 2022 and SHEE and The Valley of Wonder in 2023. His most recent project is Memento Mori, an esoteric autobio comic. He was a founding organizer of Genghis Con Cleveland.

Raquel Graziani:
Illustrator and comic artist

Han Hampy:
Han Hampy is a cartoonist based in Columbus, Ohio. Her work focuses on fun, nostalgic stories, auto bio work, and anything otherwise silly and weird.

B. R. Harding:
Brooklynn, aka B. R. Harding, is an artist and writer from Ohio and the creator of Oven Mother, a surreal-horror tale of motherhood and monster children in an alternative 1950’s world. Brooklynn’s main driving force is creating and telling stories in all forms, from comics to illustration to written fiction. Despite her often dark creations, she is also passionate about cats, fashion, and anything that can make her laugh.

Stephen Hines:
Stephen Hines was spawned and lives in Ohio. So far he’s published one YA novel (Hocus Focus), a surrealist horror comic (Icon-O-Plastic), two graphic novels (Zombie Fabulous and The Soccer Mom Killer), and a short story collection called An Exile’s Epistle and Other Stories. He has also released a prose memoir (Rebirth Defect). Snails With Lasers is his newest onslaught upon delicate sensibilities.

Travis Horseman/Amiculus Books:
Travis Horseman - Writer/Creator, Amiculus Books

Travis was born in Springfield, Ohio, and discovered comic books at the age of six. Since then, the course of his life has been shaped by his love of comics, theater and classical history. In addition to being a writer, he has been an actor, a director, a produced playwright, and occasionally, all three at once. 

After writing the first draft of his ancient Roman epic Amiculus: A Secret History as a ten-page play in college, he began adapting it as a comic. Initially intending for it to be a short 32-page project, it took on a life of its own, expanding to a 200-page graphic novel.

Since Amiculus, Travis has continued to write, crowdfund and publish comics under his label Amiculus Books, venturing into modern-day horror with Sugar Creek in 2019 and combining horror with ancient history in the vampire story In Noctem in 2021.  Pythia: The Last Oracle was started in  2023 and is his first foray into the realm of mythology and fantasy.

SPACE 2026 II Exhibitors Part 3

Robin Anand:
Digital artist with an interest in subaltern art and cute things

Umm-Kulsum Ashraf:
Illustrator and character artist based in Ohio with a focus on light and dreaminess

Joel Cramer:
Joel Cramer is a lifelong fan of cartoons, comics, sci-fi, fantasy and all things geeky. His love for such things can be seen in his all-ages friendly series "Adventures of Honzy and Joel".

Keith Cretin:
If Harvey Pekar was a punk rock recovering Catholic indi comic author from Manchester New Hampshire instead of a indi comic producing Jazz oficioado from Cleveland OH he’d be Keith Cretin

Kevin Crook:
CEO of Crooked Comix and Writer/Creator of Premonition & The Fates of Destiny Series.  Art by Marcelo Sanchez and colors by Vittorio Astone. 

Makayla Davis:
Makayla is a comic artist from rural Kentucky that is inspired by nature. She is a Columbus College of Art & Design graduate, whose work has been featured in C3's Hidden Histories 2025 comic anthology, CHROMA, CXC 2025, and S.P.A.C.E. 2025 & 2026.

Anthony Deitz:
Anthony Deitz is an independent writer, artist, and instructor based in Dayton, Ohio. He takes inspiration from expressionism, surrealism, as well as different forms of sequential art and animation.

Josh Dillon:
Josh Dillon is a local cartoonist. From a young age, he has been enchanted by science and nature, and his art often deals with subjects related to wildlife and nature.

Brady Ellis:
Brady Ellis is a writer from Appalachia, Ohio and author of The Fourth Estate, a mixed-media zine about the misadventures of one Columbus journalist and an eccentric perennial presidential candidate. Ellis's writing can also be found online at The Chamber Magazine and The Globe Review, as well as in print in Gaslamp Pulp and Hellbound Books.

EssenceCartoon:
EssenceCartoon is a Columbus-area animation studio founded in 2015 by creative director Malachi Staples. Over the past decade, the studio has partnered with clients ranging from Walmart, NASCAR, WWE, and Universal Music Group to independent creators chasing their first big break. Its work has won film festivals, placed two animations on Amazon Prime, and helped creators pitch their projects to notable figures like Terry Crews.
The team of around 40 artists brings experience from some of animation's biggest shows. Frame-by-frame animators have contributed to Unicorn Warriors Eternal, Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and The Boys. Puppet animators have worked on The Amazing World of Gumball, Solar Opposites, Teen Titans Go!, and My Little Pony, while the studio's compositors have credits on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Hit Monkey.
Before founding EssenceCartoon, Malachi served as Art Director for Ownage Pranks, helping produce more than 100 videos with over 1.3 billion combined views. The studio has since produced the animated music video for Starset, collaborated with Grizzy on a project that reached 36 million views, and helped clients win awards at the Couch Film Festival, the India Kids Film Festival, and Best Shorts.
Since 2017, EssenceCartoon has also run an annual internship program where students learn the full animation process, from script to sound design, and create complete projects of their own.
Malachi also founded Cosplaypowers, a VFX editing service for cosplayers, and CosplayConnect, the largest and top-ranked cosplay communities on Discord.
Stop by our table to see our work, talk animation, and find out how we can help bring your comic or characters to life.

Matt Feazell:
Matt Feazell is a cartoonist and retired graphic designer located in Hamtramck, Michigan. He accidentally started his comics career with his first minicomic, The Amazing Cynicalman #1 (1980).
Matt has been recognized by CXC for his transformative work in The Amazing Cynicalman (2025). In Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud described Matt’s style as “iconic” art taken to its greatest degree—in other words, a textbook example of cartooning fundamentals!
Along with writer Jim Mackey, Matt is the winner of the 2010 Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo SPACE Prize for best minicomic ("Board of Superheros™"). His current work is Stick Figure Storytelling, a graphic novel about the bare bones of comics.

SPACE 2026 II Exhibitors Part 2

 

Marcus V. Calvert:
Marcus V. Calvert is a native of Detroit who grew up with an addiction to sci-fi that just wouldn't go away.
His goal’s to tell unique, twisted stories that people will be reading long after he’s gone. For him, the name and the fame aren’t important. Only the stories matter.
You can find his novels, short story collections, and writing guides at: https://www.ivillain.net/projects/current-titles.
Or, you can follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalesUnlimited

David G Caldwell:
David is a cartoonist whose work spans several genres including horror, science fiction, and autobiography. Best known (so far) for his comics Yankee Doodle Strangler, Heat Death Love, and Playboy Dan; which was featured in the Ignatz Award winning anthology, Rust Belt Review. He lives and works in the mountains of Tennessee.

Brian Canini:
Brian Canini is a cartoonist born from the bosom of the Midwest - Columbus, Ohio. There he lives with his wife, Amy, and their three kiddos. He creates a plethora of comic series including the award-winning solo anthology Airbag. He is also an editor/creator of the Eisner-nominated free comics newspaper the Columbus Scribbler.

Marlena Cannon:
Marlena is an author and illustrator based in Ohio who loves all things mysterious, fantastical, and bureaucratic.

Michael Anthony Carroll:
Michael Anthony Carroll makes his home in Columbus, Ohio with a few cats and several Lego minifigures. He’s been making comics since he was ten and self publishing since his early 20s. He’s known for creating AsthmaAttack, R.A.In.B.o.W., The Kernal, The F’orcemen and RoboStick. Since 2010 he’s drawn a lot of ninjas. His current works include "Cransgiving", "The Ninja Pandemica", "The Cute Ninja Tarot Deck", "The Cute Ninja Coloring Book", "The Second Cute Ninja Coloring Book" “Pumpkin Spice Laddie”, “Fun with M.O.N.S.T.E.R.S.”, "Pickle Ninja", "The Chip", "Agents of U.R.C.H.I.N.S.", lots of minicomics and annual contributions to "Oh, Comics!", since the early '90s. His story "Monsters of the Apocalypse" appears in the 2026 edition of "Horrendous".
Last summer he contributed graphics to the horror comedy short film "Drunkula", directed by Hope Madden and George Wolf, which is touring the festival circuit. He is currently collaborating with Hope on her "Villain Diaries" series which can be found at https://maddwolf.com/tag/villain-diaries/#sthash.OHuLuxwO.dpbs

Emily Cheeseman:
Illustrator inspired by fantasy, folklore, and tales of adventure. I work as a freelance artist, graphic designer, and comic author based in Dayton.

Sarah Cooke:
Sarah Cooke is a comics writer who won Mad Cave’s 2023 Talent Search and the 2023 Negative Space Women’s Comic Book Writing Competition. She has written for Mad Cave, Papercutz, Summit Comics, and Lesser Known Comics. An essay of hers was published in the book How to Analyze & Review Comics: A Handbook on Comics Criticism. Follow her on Substack and Instagram (@sarahccomics).

Leighton Connor:
Leighton Connor is a writer, artist, cartoonist, and public school teacher. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, two kids, and a dog. He is the co-creator of beloved cartoon duo Fuzzball & Scuzzball, and enjoys chronicling their wacky hi-jinx.

Emily M Cooke:
Emily M Cooke is an artist and writer native to Columbus. Ve creates with a variety of mediums, including comics, zines, illustration, painting, and crafts. Ve loves to tell stories, share information, and make fun things through expressive art.

Leo Covault:
Leo Covault is a printmaker and zinester exploring gender through the lens of history and folklore. He uses risographs, paper dolls, three dimensional sets, and collage to make zines, comics, and prints. His work as a library Reference Associate influences his goal of making history accessible and interesting for modern readers. His comic The Harpist, a transgender fairy tale told in paper dolls, debuted in 2024.

SPACE 2026 II Exhibitors Part 1

Robin Anand:
Digital artist with an interest in subaltern art and cute things

Umm-Kulsum Ashraf:
Illustrator and character artist based in Ohio with a focus on light and dreaminess

Lief Bennett:
Lief is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Columbus, OH whose work focuses on autobiographical topics like his gender transition and the challenges of navigating a car-dependent city without a car. Outside of comics he can be found trying to start a garden, riding his bike, or bird-watching in the Columbus metro parks.

Dr Bens Comix:
Dr Ben has been making underground style comics and artwork since 2011, mixing horror, satire, manga and 90’s superhero action into something that could only come out of northeast Ohio! Dr Ben also hosts the YouTube podcast “DrBensComix” which is a weekly show that provides interviews, reviews and exciting discussions of comics books! The doctors illustrations can also be found in Ripperologist Magazine as well as the latest publication… Vampiglet… Gothic horror and true crime comix!

Tim Bevins:
Tim Bevins is a Comic Artist & Illustrator whose work is filled with energy and storytelling. Based in Columbus, OH, they draw inspiration from skate culture, monsters and creatures, urban settings, alley ways, action filled moments and even the quiet moments.
Tim Bevins Studied Illustration at CCAD, then made the switch to comics after graduating. Their artistic journey after one of his writing professors cried after reading one of his personal essays, that moment made him ponder his storytelling abilities.
Their work has been published in the Columbus Scribbler. Exhibited at multiple galleries in Ohio, Including Wild Goose Creatives. Currently, Tim Bevins is Working on an apocalyptic western story called Rust & Retribution with writer Brett Knighton. The tag team duo is also building Open Inks, a community-based comic anthology focusing on the idea sequential artist. They are preparing for their first publication in the third quarter.

Matt Blair:
Matt Blair is an author, sketcher, and educator. Search for his comic "Midville High" on the web. He is most proud of his two kind, hard-working daughters and his generous, gracious wife.

Pam Bliss:
Pam has been making minicomics in Northwest Indiana, USA, since 1989.  Her stories mostly involve the goings on in the small town called Kekionga, and surrounding dimensions.

Patrick Brigham:
Born in Massachusetts, Patrick has been a professional illustrator for over 25 years. He has been inspired by the Vienna Secession artists like Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, and 20th century influences like Warhol, Dali, Escher, and Mad Magazine.

Patrick has studied at Northern Essex Community College, Massachusetts College of Art, and UMASS Lowell. His work has been valued by clients such as Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Looney Tunes, and Victoria's Secret.Patrick writes and illustrates constantly, produces the quarterly comic book ‘Rocky Moon Investigator’, and humbly decorates the walls of local coffee shops.

Duncan Bryk:
Duncan Bryk is a Columbus-based comics creator. He's written and drawn the comics 'Archives', 'Click', and his recent minicomic 'Alyssa (I Want to Look at the Clouds)'. He spends a lot of time drawing backgrounds. Outside of comics, he's a senior in college and has survived running a marathon.

New November 14th Show!

 New November 14th Show!!!

www.backporchcomics.com/space

SPACE 2026 Exhibitor Bios Part 8

 

Curt Sterling:
Curt is the artist and creator  behind SeaShanti, a whimsical comic about Shanti — a young sea witch whose magical misadventures blur the line between humor, heart, and high tide chaos. With a love for vibrant characters and slice-of-life storytelling, Curt brings a fresh, inclusive voice to the world of fantasy comics. Through SeaShanti, they celebrate curiosity, diversity, and the beauty of learning to navigate the waves — both literal and emotional — one spell at a time. My instagram @curtLPL

Steve & Jennifer Steiner:
Steve and Jennifer Steiner resides in Groveport, Ohio where they make a variety of art, most notably humorous zines and comics in their spare time.

Jaromir Stoll / Cbus Comics & Zines Society:
Jaromir Stoll is a queer and nonbinary comics and zines maker and comics culture researcher whose art focuses on the ineffable in life. Their work includes: poetry comics like Someone Left, autobio comics like Home Is A Warning, zines like Build-A-Daddy Zine and poetry collections, and queer comics like their contributions to Rainbow Reflections and Futures of Cartoons Past: The Politics of X-men: The Animaed Series.

Chandu Tennety:
Chandu Tennety is a self-taught artist and has been drawing for as long as he can remember. He lives in Ohio with his multi-talented spouse and daughter, and loves to linger in the spaces between reality and metaphor.

Unhinged Twins :
The Unhinged Twins are just two artists having fun sharing their love of character art and design with the anime/gaming/comic/nerd community.

June Vigorito:
June is an animated illustrator and expert of unexpected cute. They enjoy drawing critters and beasts of different sizes.

Reggie Weaver:
Reggie Weaver is a multimedia designer, illustrator, and storyteller based in Ohio. He is the creator of Ghost’d, a supernatural coming-of-age webcomic series hosted on WEBTOON, and Swine Flew, a satirical webcomic published through Tenz Magazine. With a background in visual storytelling and design, Reggie’s work blends humor, heart, and social commentary, often spotlighting diverse characters navigating the strange and the spiritual.

D. Blake Werts:
Newave! era mini comics gather corner with COPY THIS! and now the indie cassette review zine with COPY THIS CASSETTE!

Brian R. Williams:
Brian R. Williams is an artist, drawing instructor and freelance designer in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from the Columbus College of Art & Design, where he now teaches illustrative figure drawing. Brian is the creator of "Orick & Argyle," a comic about a sasquatch and an extraterrestrial who commit acts of civil disobedience in defense of nature. In his latest graphic novel, "Will-o'-the-Wisp," Orick and Argyle team up with their human friend Ursula to investigate a spooky light Ursula sees in the woods outside her trailer.

Steve Willis:
Newave cartoonist from the Pacific Northwest since the early 1980s, creator of Morty the Dog, guerrilla distributor of Morty Comix

Shannon Wright:
My name is Shannon Wright, I am a graphic designer and illustrator based in Columbus Ohio! In my free time I love making illustrations of cute and silly fruits with legs, animals, all kinds of stuff. I also like making semi-autobio or full autobio comics talking about life,  philosophy and hope. I am in a printmaking class and working on making more mini zines as well as art prints of my illustrations!

Joe Zabel:
Joe writes and draws self-published comics. Once upon a time to he worked on American Splendor.

Zine Lab with Zine Club Columbus:
Join Zine Club Columbus for a fun, hands-on zine-making studio. Swing by at the start of the program for the group intro and how-to, or drop in anytime. We’ve got all the supplies, just bring your imagination. All ages, all styles, all welcome.
A  zine making community in Columbus Ohio
Zine Club Columbus strives to…
    Inform folks about what zines are and what zines can do in their local community
    Encourage more zine-making, printing, + distribution in Columbus, Ohio
    Celebrate materials that are DIY, underground, independent, and handmade
    Make a safe space for people to share their voices and stories

 

SPACE 2026 Exhibitor Bios Part 7

 

RAW COMIX:
RAW! is an artist and storyteller based outside Columbus, OH. With an instantly-recognizable coloring style, his art is heavily inspired by modern animation while his storytelling combines dynamic action with over-the-top genre-bending and iconic protagonist leads. When he’s not working on comics, RAW! Is usually playing over too much Overwatch or watching cheesy cop shows with his lady. He also has two dogs, two cats, and too much fur on his bedsheets.

Chris Reed:
Chris Reed has been making mini-comics since 1981. He lives in Michigan.

Warren D M Reed:
Born in England, Warren was raised on a steady diet of The Beano, Commando, Warlord, Dan Dare, Tintin and Asterix before discovering a world of comics in the "former colonies".  He reckons he is quite the comedian and loves all sorts of narratives, from the fib to the epic.

Corey Riggs:
Indie Comic Creator

David Schuler:
David Schuler is an illustrator living in Akron, Ohio with his wife, three children and cats. He was the artist on THE APOSTASY from Unearthly Comics has been a featured artist and writer in the first and third volumes of MEMOIRS OF THE MORBID from Comicsburgh.

Mel Sealy:
Mel Sealy is a Columbus based, queer black comics artist. Her works include In Love and Body, a comics documentary of queer life in Fort Wayne, In, and Read All Over, an all-ages,  ongoing Webtoon and print comic depicting characters from all walks of life.

Olivia Shamell:
Olivia Shamell is a Columbus-based comic artist and illustrator and a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design.

JB Shear:
JB Shear is a cartoonist from North Carolina. She is the creator of Inoscularum, a love story about healing the world with folk magic. She also makes short comics on the side, including The Sun & Moon Sisters, Polo Shirt Angels From McMansion Heaven, and The Adventures of Cowboy Kitty.

Alex Silverii:
Indie Comic Creator

Kelsey Spade:
Kelsey Spade is an illustrator and designer who studied at Columbus College of Art and Design and has a BFA in Illustration. She has contributed her talents to publications such as Botticelli Magazine (Issue 20 & 23) and the Hot Coco comic anthology (Folklore). Her whimsical illustrations awarded her a finalist in the 2024 3rd Quarter Illustrators of the Future Contest. She loves creating illustrations for books and comics, often inspired by fantasy and folklore. When she is not illustrating grand adventures, you’ll often find her wandering in the woods of Northern Kentucky.

Chris Stall:
Chris Stall (better known on the internet as the Long Box Punk) has been reading and loving comics his whole life. His current favorite comic genres are horror, zines, & anything that pushes traditional expectations. Born of this love, with an equal love for punk rock, his show Long Box Punk was born. When not talking to indie creators on the show, or reading comics, the punk has also started his own comic writing adventure. His first title, Barricade Brigade launched to overwhelming success from the indie comic community and serves as an excellent launching point for more to come!

Nick Stellanova:
Nick Stellanova is a comic artist living in Ohio with his wife and cats. He likes to draw comics about nature and queer and trans relationships.