spx:

As you may have head, Jeff Smith is creating a tote bag design for us this year. Alongside that awesome item, we’ll also have a limited number of these prints available for individual sale. Signed copies will also be included in the SPX Limited Edition Print Set, which includes all the art created for SPX 2013 signed by each artist.  That’s gonna rule!

Here is a little story:

Jeff Smith also attended the Small Press Expo the same year I first went. It was, apparently, the third SPX (I always thought it was the second). Still, no matter how you cut it, 1996 is a long time ago.

Anyway, I remember going to the show and seeing him there and then noticing he was actually doing sketches for people! For free! Neither Rusty nor I had anything for him to draw on so we found these big sheets paper, probably something like 8.5" x 14". Maybe we asked another exhibitor? Regardless, we scrounged up these big sheets of paper and Jeff was kind enough to draw a big ol’ Bone on them.

Unfortunately, I don’t still have that drawing. But I do have that memory. It was such a small show, then. Something like 50 exhibitors. The big draw was, obviously, Jeff Smith, but it was also so freaking cool that Evan Dorkin was there. There were others. Dave Lapham. Charles Vess. Two of our friends even got a table for themselves. I could go on. It was small. It was so different. It was special.

I’m excited for this year’s show. The biggest SPX ever! Over 600 people all ready to share something they’ve made with an ever-growing crowd.

It’s kind of amazing. And fitting, to me at least, that Jeff Smith’s going to be there again.