Annual convention in Texas, United States
STAPLE! The Independent Media Expo is an annual convention in Austin, Texas , United States , for alternative comics , minicomics , webcomics , zines , underground comics , and graphic arts . Chris Nicholas founded the conference as a gathering place for professional artists and amateur creators,[ 1] "a showcase for the folks who publish comics and zines and possible literary masterworks out of their own apartments."[ 2]
The show is sponsored by Austin Books , an Eisner -nominated comic book store and the site of the largest gathering of artists for the worldwide 24-Hour Comics Day held in 2005.[ 3]
Additional sponsors include Rogues Gallery: Comics + Games, ECPrinting.com, Dragon's Lair: Comics & Fantasy, KOOP (FM) , Motorblade Postering Services, CKP communication agency of record, and Bumperactive.com.
The 2020 show, scheduled for October, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic .[ 4]
Event dates and locations [ edit ]
March 5, 2005: BPOE #201
March 4, 2006: Red Oak Ballroom
March 3, 2007: Red Oak Ballroom
March 1, 2008: Monarch Event Center
March 7, 2009: Monarch Event Center
March 6, 2010: Monarch Event Center
March 5–6, 2011: Marchesa Hall and Theatre
March 3–4, 2012: Marchesa Hall and Theater
March 2–3, 2013: Marchesa Hall and Theater
March 1–2, 2014: Marchesa Hall and Theater
March 7–8, 2015: Marchesa Hall and Theater
March 5–6, 2016: Marchesa Hall and Theater
September 9–10, 2017: Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex
September 8–9, 2018: Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex
October 12–13, 2019: Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex
October 2020 : Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 : Venue not reopened as of Aug 2021, and organizer busy [ 5]
April 13-14, 2024: Mabee Ballroom, St. Edward's University [ 6]
^ Thomas, David. "Staple! Holds the Austin Indie Comic Book Scene Together," The Austinot (FEBRUARY 19, 2014).
^ Wayne Alan Brenner, "Collating the Underexposed" , Austin Chronicle (March 4, 2005).
^ Nat Gertler, 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights 2005 (ISBN 0-9753958-6-6 ).
^ Uncle Staple. "Hey, everyone, sorry for the radio silence..." STAPLE! Twitter account (June 20, 2020).
^ "Staple! Independent Media Expo" . Facebook .
^ Stewart, Lex (Mar 22, 2024). "Indie media expo draws together Austin comics, zines, games, and more" . Culture Map Austin .
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