Artist Alley Comic Fest 2023

I got to attend the Artist Alley Comic Fest. Years ago, there was a coffee shop in Portland called The Spritely Bean. The cafe was owned by Addam and Huynh Pool. The shop sold local independent comics and Zines. Addam hosted a comic group Sunday nights after hours. This was a fantastic time when I made some good friends. We still talk over Discord in a private group. In 2015, Addam and Huynh hosted an Artist Alley con in a literal alley behind their shop. It was a blast. Sadly, The Spritely Bean did not make it and the shop closed down. As a tribute, The Spritely Bean was the shop the character Icarus blew up in Naked Man Comics #10.

I was so happy to hear that Addam and Huynh created a new con. There were many conversations, from creators and comic fans, on how these kinds of conventions are sorely missed. The pandemic changed everything. I must confess that I was not used to being around so many people at one time. It was taxing and I needed to recover afterwards. But we all are trying to learn how to live in this new society.

Here are some pictures I took. I want to thank Addam and Huynh Pool for putting on this event. I did wonders for my creative slump.

-Illya