CSWS affiliate Kate Kelp-Stebbins, associate professor of English and director of comics and cartoon studies, has curated the grand opening exhibit for the new Northwest Museum of Comic Arts (NWMOCA) in Portland.

According to NWMOCA, the Pacific Northwest is recognized as one of the most vital comics hubs in the United States. Portland has one of the highest population of professional cartoonists per capita of any major city, and its status as a cartoon capital has grown steadily since the early 2000s.

NWMOCA’s inaugural exhibition celebrates this cartooning tradition, with exhibits that look back at the foundational members of the Pacific Northwestern cartooning culture, highlight the independent publishers and superstar artists who laid the groundwork for the contemporary comics scene, and spotlight the up-and-comers whose work is redefining comics for the current generation and beyond. Each aspect of the exhibition integrates artwork from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creators, celebrating talent, innovation, and diversity both on and behind the printed page.

In addition, Kelp-Stebbins will be interviewing Joe Sacco, author of The Once and Future Riot, on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside Street in Portland.

NWMOCA is open 11am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday at 322 NW 8th Avenue in Portland.  More info at https://nwmoca.org/. 

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