At the Cartoon Crossroads in Columbus

Columbus is about hammer its stake in the ground as THE destination city for the art of comics and cartoons this weekend with the inaugural Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC). The brainchild of husband-and-wife team and longtime Columbus residents Jeff Smith (creator of the beloved Bone and Rasl) and Cartoon Books President Vijaya Iyer, CXC is a three-day citywide celebration focused on the art of comics, a focus in contrast to larger events around the country that have long since been surrendered to mass culture and economic forces.

The fest is remarkable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the parade of A-list talent that will be gathering in the 614 including comics artists such as Art Spiegelman, Françoise Mouly, Bill Griffith, Jeff Lemire, Kate Beaton, Craig Thompson, Jaime Hernandez, Dylan Horrocks, Grace Ellis, Derf Backderf, animation historian Jerry Beck—and even that sampling is far from an exhaustive list. People are already taking notice: just this week CXC was featured in Forbes, Columbus Monthly, the Washington Post, Columbus Alive, and the Columbus Dispatch.

Perhaps even more remarkable is the genuine spirit of collaboration and civic pride that has joined together such institutions as the Columbus Museum of Art, the Columbus College of Art & Design, the Cultural Arts Center, the Thurber House, the Wexner Center for the Arts and, the Mecca of comics, The Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

At the Wex, we’ve been honored to collaborate with the Billy Ireland many times in the past. We've hosted visiting cartoonists and partnered on an exhibition of work by Daniel Clowes (including a Clowes-curated selection of his influences), as well as the first-ever solo exhibition dedicated to the work of CXC organizer Jeff Smith. It’s rewarding to watch even deeper and more ambitious comics-related partnerships sprout around the city.

The weekend of comics kicks off at Ohio State today (Thursday) with SOL-CON: The Black & Brown Comix Expo at Hale Hall and with cartoon historian Jerry Beck’s tribute to the animation of the Walter Lantz Studio (think Woody Woodpecker) tonight at 7 PM right here at the Wex. You can feast your eyes on the entire schedule here.

Between all of the venues and events it’s no exaggeration to say there is something for everyone over the course of the weekend. We’re proud to be a partner and supporter of such a momentous undertaking and we’re already looking forward to collaborating on next year’s fest!