Cartoon Crossroads Columbus 2025

Another wonderful time learning about new things and new comics!

It was time for my annual pilgrimage to Columbus, Ohio. If you haven’t heard me before, Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) is one of my favorite conventions. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve attended (I checked - I first attended in 2017). When I was in the classroom I might have been able to run over on Saturday and sit in on a session. Now I try to attend all four days.

For those expecting a “Comic-Con” with media guests photo-ops and autographs… ummm… not really. There are book signings. It’s a bit more focused on the art of comics. You can figure that out by just looking at some of the sessions titles. This year I branched out and decided to engage more by volunteering. I tend to show my demographic (old white guy who lived isolated from radical ideas) by initially not knowing many of the artists or their work. They tend to fall in the range before I was into comics or so new that I may never have heard of them. Also the focus is more on independent comics, something my knowledge is sadly lacking, although I am trying.

This year started off with a detour to Aw Yeah Comics in Muncie, Indiana. They have a cool show called What We Do in the Comic Shop where they sell comics from their backroom. You could get them sent, but since I was going to be in the neighborhood I figured I’d stop by and pick my purchase up directly, check out their shop (which is awesome), and buy some other things. All Dave Stevens covers. Check their hours before heading out, they are not open all days.

When we arrived in Columbus, Ohio we had time to stop by The Laughing Ogre (one of the CXC sponsors) and check out their back issues- filling some holes that I needed to fill. While I do work part time in a comic shop I always like to see how other shops run things, you can always learn. Yes, I’m an only a minion and my suggestions tend to be ignored, but still I do try.

Being an introvert or otrovert and old - Sue and I skipped the after-parties since they were later than we like - yes, something starting at 9:00 PM is a bit late for us, if we want to be functioning in the morning. Thursday started for me being dropped off at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Sue took the MINI and went off to work and geocache. I found a seat in the Eisner Room and camped out for the day meeting some new people and chatting about comics.

Like my Comic Reviews These will be short and spoiler free. CXC does post videos of each presentation on their YouTube Channel - give them time, they do have to process things, but you can watch previous years presentations now. Sessions tend to be not only a bit academic, but also focused on the needs of the creator. They also have tours of galleries and behind the scenes at the Billy which should be on everyone’s bucket list. For me, it’s on my annual bucket list.

Thursday’s Sessions:

We start off with three doctoral candidates presenting their dissertations or at least their area of research. I told you it was more academic. It was fascinating to see how scholars in various fields used comics/graphic storytelling in their varied areas of study. From gender & disability (visualizing monstrosity) to cultural studies in climate change, to mathematics education (middle grade STEM).

James Easterly then discussed his upcoming work on Mobius and Miyazaki. Discussing how to research when doing a bio-comic. Getting down to the step-by-step process needed to do something yourself.

After lunch the discussion switched a bit to the meat and potatoes of things- pitching an idea and getting things ready for publication.

Sara Phoebe Miller talked about putting the pitch together using her latest graphic novel as an example. It really helped me to visualize how a comic script is put together and really what I would need to do in order to gather my rather abstract thoughts into a cohesive idea to present.

<BREAK> and a tour of the Lines of Motion Exhibit at the Billy Ireland. This focused on how cartoonists show motion with section dealing with individual techniques. the Examples were from the archives of the library and it was interesting the number of times, “We opened a box and found this” was said

I returned to my seat to listen to Meggie Ramm give their talk on what happens after your pitch is accepted - who you work with and things you can do, but also some things you have little control over and you should leave to the professionals on your team.

Both Sara and Meggie’s presentations had some amazing insights and might inspire me to move forward with some ideas… at least now I know how, but I will watch the videos again once they are posted.

I ended the day with a presentation by animation historian John Canemaker on the great Mary Blair. If you don’t know about Mary you need to. She was instrumental in Disney Animation and if you don’t think you know of her I have four words for you “It’s a Small World.”

Sue picked me up after this and we headed out for dinner at Saucy Brew Works. Yes, I didn’t attend the after events… I’m an introvert and had enough of people for the day. I do need to get over this, but especially when Sue and I get into the “What do you want to do?” discussion where we each have an idea, but don’t want to hurt the others feelings. Yes, even after knowing each other for 40 years, we still get into that back and forth.

Friday’s Sessions:

Friday started off with Breakfast at Katalina’s then me being dropped off at the Billy while Sue went off to find Waldo… geocaching. We had done the behind the scenes tour last year so I started by signing up for the last one of the day, but texted Sue first to see if she was still interested. She wasn’t, so I switched to the first tour, which meant I missed Jeff Smith talking about where he get’s his ideas. He had done this presentation last year, so I figured I could just watch it later.

Touring the Billy is a bucket list item, or should be if you are into cartoons and comics. This was my third time touring behind the scenes, and while some things are always brought out, others are gems that make each trip special. I still need to contact them and actually use the library as long as I don’t drool over the pieces I’m looking at.

Just a few of the things behind the scenes at the Billy

The rest of the day was (as CXC can be for me) eye opening and making me realize what a great big world comics is. Kayla E. presented on her work Precious Rubbish which dealt with her childhood trauma. I know I have used my comics as a way to present my feelings towards my family issues. Fortunately, the stuff that happened to me is nothing in comparison.

Next came Creating Copra Crash Course. Michel Fiffe presented on the origin of his comic with a basic “How to” or maybe a “How Did I” going through how he basically did his best to use his comic as a way to stretch comics and his art. Doing things that were non-traditional while in the superhero genre. One thing I found interesting that Michel said was that in the past the penciller used to be afraid of the inker. The inker could do wonders, or ruin a page. Now with digital it’s more the colorist who terrifies the penciller. They have so much control over what the final image will look like.

This year CXC worked with The Manga International Network and the Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture to create a “Manga Track” this year. Along with activities held at the Columbus College of Art and Design Marco Kohinata presented at the Billy on using some manga skills to convey emotion in a drawing. It was a fascinating workshop which flexed my drawing muscles a bit and got me thinking (like so many of these sessions do) about how to improve my art by integrating these skills into how I draw.

Lonnie Millsap was the last presenter in the Eisner Room and he talked about gag cartoons. for those who might not know. These are those single panel comics with only a punchline. Being someone who draws a typical four panel strip, this is an area I have considered trying out… if the ideas knock on my door. he has given me a bucket list item to add- submit a cartoon to the New Yorker. Even a rejection email would be nice to have framed on the wall.

The Friday keynote was a talk with Charles Burns. The discussion dealt with his history, influences, and his style. The only problem I have when it comes to his work Since I know virtually nothing is where should I start? The other point is where can I find his work? Something to look for when I’m at work on Wednesday & Thursday.

If you can’t tell, I was unfamiliar with the work of most of Friday’s presenters and therefore use CXC as an introduction to them and their work. I was a superhero comic fan, so many Indy and newer creators are unknown to me. If I couldn’t find their work on the spinner rack at the 7-11 I didn’t know it existed. Going to college in a small town in Indiana did not help broaden my comic range. I know I need to read something from all the presenters and maybe before the next CXC I will remember to front load by looking at everyone’s art before sitting down and listening to them. Then again, coming in cold, does allow me to not have any preconceived notions and also doesn’t make me say “I don’t need to go to this session” for whatever reason.

Friday is the official opening reception and awards. Light snacks and a cash bar with the Reading Room still open for you to peruse the items suggested by the Special Guests. It is amazing the volume of things in the Billy’s collection, but also how it just is there… on a table.

A sample of some of the things just lying about in the Reading Room.

Saturday Kid’s Day!

The Exhibit Hall at the Central Library

CXC moves to the Central Library for the weekend and I decided this year I would volunteer. I always go back to when I was a Boy Scout and my Eagle Charge- “I will give back to scouting more than I have received.” I try to live that when it comes to other things. CXC has given me a lot to think about and inspired me, so I should give back a bit. Not just donating money, but time is sometimes a lot more precious. So I contacted the head of volunteers and hit som high points on my vita to see if they could use someone to help out in the Kid’s Track. The Kid’s Track are mini workshops geared to kid’s taught by the artists who are exhibiting. They cover a wide variety of topics, but for the most part get kids drawing and creating. I was pretty much back in the old grove handing out paper and pencils, and making sure that everyone was happy. I got to work a little closer to some of the wonderful guests. Oh, and I got a mint green volunteer shirt too.

As a teacher I would attend these kind of sessions strictly to steal ideas that I could bring back and use in my classroom. It also game me an opportunity to see more of the All Ages work available that could be put in my classroom library.

The day started off with the awesome Raúl the Third showing the kids some basic drawing techniques and getting them to draw. A fun warm up from someone with experience in school visits, so he knows how to work with kids.

Next came Katie Cook who had a jam session with kids calling out ideas and then she would draw them. Katie would go back to including stuff from previous drawings adding to the silliness of the final piece. I-94 through Ann Arbor and a full parking garage kept coming up… over and over again.

Next was Meggie Ramm talking about emanata. Teaching the kids all about how to use little lines to create action and emotion in characters. Again, you could tell Meggie has done this many times. She had classroom management down and the kids had a great time making their own comics.

We then headed into the Super Comics Challenge! A “Game Show” in which the kids challenge three artists to draw certain prompts and then are scored by the judge on their responses. We had Raúl, Katie, and Declan Gatenby up with Jerzy Drozd as our MC and judge. Insanity, chaos, and pure fun and everyone had a great time.

The day ended with Declan Gatenby talking to the kids about using simple shapes to create characters. The kids had a great time and it ended up with kids coming up and drawing on the white board three there own panel comics. I’m guessing some people might be concerned with the future of society if they came in and saw the number of comics ending in the death of the main character by panel three, but the kids had a great time.

Sunday All Good Things Come to an End

The Library opens at 1:00 so what do you do until then? Well, Sue and I went to the Columbus Museum of Art to hear Editorial Cartoonist Ann Telnaes talk about here career and the future of Free Speech in America (yes, it could be considered sorta bleak). One thing she also spoke about was AI “Art” which has become one of my curmudgeon points. One of those things that made CXC so wonderful in my eyes was everyone there was a “real artist.” They didn’t use AI to create things. It is amazing how creative you can be when surrounded by other creative people, not people who type a description into ChatGPT and pat themselves on the back about how wonderful their art is, or worse sell it off to someone. Slowly climbing down off my Soapbox.

I arrived to Room 3A for the last Kid Track Sessions and thought I’d be early… The presenters were already there. Scott Kurtz, Steve Hamaker, and Wes Molebash were all set up with materials out and ready to go. Once a critical mass of kids arrived they gave their laid back presentation which had the kids finish a three panel comic. As the kids worked they walked around giving personalized advice and kudos to each kid. The kids and parents had a great time and like the other sessions the kids were into it. They even had buttons for the attendees that said- “Official Cartoonist Badge.”

The last session the room was basically open for kids of all ages to sit back and make comics. As a volunteer I just wandered around made sure people had pencils, and paper. Then when the time arrived- clean it all up.

Sue also volunteered over the weekend, she spent her time in the “Green Room” or Snack Hoard. Just saying “hi” to people and replenishing snacks as needed.

What did I volunteer? Besides the whole giving back reason. I have found that every once in a while the weekend sessions are things I’m interested in, but for the most part I tend to be a level 1 Con attendee. So I wander the exhibit hall. In the past, we’ve left Saturday and headed home. Yes, this time around, there were a few sessions I wouldn’t have minded attending, but I really thought helping would be more beneficial.

Next Year?

No question about it I’ll be back next year to… What do you mean there isn’t going to be a CXC next year?!? The football schedule?!? Wha?!? Huh?!? I have another reason to dislike sportsing and its importance in Higher Ed? So CXC will be returning in 2027 and it looks like instead of the Fall it will be in the Spring. I will be keeping track what things CXC and the Billy Ireland will be doing throughout 2026. I do know that after a renovation (duct work) there is a planned Chip Ware exhibit in 2026. The Billy has a traveling Bill Watterson Calvin & Hobbes Exhibit currently at the Fenimore Museum. Besides that things are on hold. My only concern is that CXC may overlap the Lake Como Comic Arts Festival. Then again if things remain as bleak as they seem to be heading, Comic loving US Citizens might not be welcome anywhere except maybe Columbus, Ohio.

So make plans for 2027 and an amazing convention celebrating cartoons, comics and creativity. Columbus is an amazing city with a vibrant cartooning community. I know I’m going to try to see what other stuff is happening and make a few trips out there.