DWIGHTMESS Cartooning & Comic Arts, a gallery and arts compound devoted to experimental and cutting-edge independent comics and illustration, is proud to announce the 2024 STORYBOX Comics Fair, now in its second year of convening of capital-area comic creators. Events will take place on Saturday, June 22nd at Dwightmess, and on Sunday, June 23rd at Third Hill Brewing Co. from 12-4pm. Admission to Saturday’s event is free. Admission to the expo at the brewery on Sunday is $10.
The first day of events will be led by our Special Guests; DC-based artist Sierra Barnes, author of “Hans Vogel is Dead,” released by Dark Horse Comics; DC-based Dana Jeri Maier, New Yorker Shouts artist and author of “Skip to the Fun Parts: Cartoons and Complaint About the Creative Process” and Baltimore-based artist Ben Claassen III, former Washington City Paper cartoonist of the long-running comic, “Dirt Farm.”
Visitors can expect to encounter a selection of exhibitors showcasing their self-published comics, illustrations and swag, and participate in discussions and workshops surrounding the craft of making comics. Events include a show of Dana Jeri Maier’s illustration in our secret tiny gallery, an opening reception & BBQ for SWAMP MESS, the gallery’s annual DC-comics creator summer show, featuring artwork by Ben Claassen III, Andrew Cohen, Chris Combs, Liam Crooks, Brandon Geurts, Art Hondros, Marcie-Wolf Hubbard, John Kinhart, and Dale Rawlings, plus an opening reception for Halcyon Scene, our vintage boutique offering sleek 1980’s furniture and decor. (IG: @_halcyon_scene_)
Exhibitor List (Saturday 6/22): Mercedes Campos Lopez, JESSJESS PRESS, TC Pescatore, Anna Selheim.
The second day of the fair is a comics mini-expo taking place at Third Hill Brewing Co. in downtown Silver Spring. Featuring 19 DMV-region cartoonists,illustrators and makers, with book signings by our special guests and workshops led by DC-based autobio-cartoonist Athena Naylor, Washington Post comics editor Hannah Good, and Ray Orr, Former Design and Comics Editor of The Lily for the Washington Post Style Section.
Special Guests: Sierra Barnes, Ben Claassen III, Dana Jeri Maier
Exhibitor List (Sunday 6/23): All the Old Posions, Carolyn Belefski, Kat Brenowitz, Hannah Good, Hobbes Holluck, Art Hondros, Paul Hostetler, Erin Lissette, Alex Lupp, Athena Naylor, Ray Orr, Nami Oshiro, Karly Perez, Perilous Adventure Studios, Dale Rawlings, Christine Skelly, Shannon Spence.
Schedule of Programming :
Saturday, June 22nd, 12-4pmDWIGHTMESS, 805 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910 (closest to Fenton Street Village Garage)
Swampmess Exhibition Opening Reception/BBQ
1pm Workshop with Sierra Barnes
2pm: Comics Process Town Hall with Ben Claassen III3pm: Book Discussion with Dana Jeri Maier
*All events are free and open to the public.
Sunday, June 23rd, 12-4pm
Third Hill Brewing Co, 8216 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910 (closest to Bonifant-Dixon Garage)
1pm: Make a Collage Comic w/ Hannah Good and Rachel Orr
2pm: “Main Character Energy” Workshop with Athena Naylor
3pm Special Guests Book Signings
*$10 Admission.
Event Locations: DWIGHTMESS, 805 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910, Third Hill Brewing Co, 8216 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910
Public Transit Reminder: **Silver Spring Metro Station on the Red Line is currently closed for the summer as well as the Takoma, Wheaton and Glenmont Stations*Options for getting to STORYBOX:
1) Free shuttle buses will run from Fort Totten and Glenmont Metro Stations (add 30 min to your travel time).
2) Uber / Lyft / Taxi / Carpool! Paid Hourly Parking is available at the Fenton Street Village Garage (8110 Fenton St) or the Bonifant-Dixon Garage (1101 Bonifant St).
3) For Alternative Bus Routes, visit:https://www.wmata.com/.../Red-Line-Summer-Construction...
Sponsored by: Third Hill Brewing Co., DWIGHTMESS, DC Conspiracy, and Peoples Book Takoma.
