Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) is an annual, free, four-day celebration of cartooning and graphic novels held in Columbus, Ohio. Venues for the festival include Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Hale Hall, and the Wexner Center for the Arts; and downtown Columbus' Columbus Metropolitan Library, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Columbus College of Art and Design.
CXC is held in the spirit of European conventions like the Angoulême International Comics Festival. As such, it is focused on the art and literature of the comics form, and only minimally on related pop-culture expression and merchandising. The show tends to highlight the "alternative comics" genre, as opposed to the work of "mainstream" publishers like DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Cosplaying is rarely if ever a feature of CXC. In addition to the "CXC Expo and Marketplace" (held in the Columbus Metropolitan Library),McIntosh, Justin. "The List: Five events worth scoping out at CXC," Columbus Alive (Sep 24, 2019). CXC features art exhibits, animation screenings, panel discussions, and workshops.
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus gives out an annual Emerging Artist Prize; the CXC has also distributed Master Cartoonist awards and a Transformative Work Award, and since 2021 the Tom Spurgeon Award.
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus was founded in 2015 by, among others, Columbus-based cartoonist Jeff Smith.Arrant, Chris. "JEFF SMITH Hopes To Make Columbus, Ohio a Comic Book ‘Destination’ With New Convention,", Newsarama (June 18, 2015). Smith serves as the festival's president and artistic director.Cavna, Michael. "‘Bone’ cartoonist aims to help create the South by Southwest of comics," Washington Post (Oct. 14, 2016). Tom Spurgeon served as executive director until his death in November 2019. The current executive director is Jay Kalagayan."CXC Names Experienced Nonprofit Leader as Executive Director," CXC website (Feb. 28, 2022).
CXC is held in conjunction each year with SÕL-CON: The Brown And Black Comics Expo, also held in Columbus, founded in 2015 by comics scholars Frederick Aldama, John Jennings, and Ricardo Padilla.
History The CXC website details the origins of the convention:
Katie Skelly was awarded the inaugural Emerging Artist Prize at the 2015 Cartoon Crossroads Columbus.
Carol Tyler was declared a Master Cartoonist at the 2016 CXC; that same year the festival expanded to four days.
In 2017, Kat Fajardo was the recipient of the Emerging Talent Award, and Laura Park was the recipient of Columbus Museum of Art Columbus Comics Residency.Fischer, Jim. "Fall Arts Guide: 25 can’t-miss events," Columbus Alive (Aug 30, 2017).
The 2019 show featured a keynote event conversation between Mike Mignola and Jeff Smith. It also featured a history of British animation (selected by the British Film Institute)Tonguette, Peter. British animators get their turn in the spotlight at Wexner event, Columbus Dispatch (Sep 26, 2019). and a panel discussion on the impact of the presidency of Donald Trump on political cartooning.
The 2020 show was held entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Press release. "Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Announces Move to Online Show for 2020," Cartoon Crossroads Columbus website (May 26, 2020). The 2021 show was a mixture of live and virtual events; that year also saw the introduction of the Tom Spurgeon Award, "to honor an individual who has made substantial contributions to the field but is not primarily a cartoonist."CXC 2021 Will Be a Mix of In-Person and Online, Featuring Chris Samnee, Lewis Trondheim and the Debut of the Tom Spurgeon Award," CXC website (June 2, 2021). Retrieved May 20, 2022.
Dates and locations Dates Special guests Notes Oct. 1–3, 2015 Jeff Smith, Kate Beaton, Art Spiegelman, Craig Thompson, Bill Griffith, Francoise Mouly, Jerry Beck Oct. 13–16, 2016 Bruce Worden, Derf Backderf, Garry Trudeau, Sergio Aragonés, Raina Telgemeier, Nate Beeler,Johnson, Alan. "Cartoon Crossroads Columbus gives voice to different breed of artist," The Columbus Dispatch (Oct 16, 2016). Charles Burns, Ann Telnaes, Ronald Wimberly, Stan Sakai, Mark Osborne, Keith Knight, Julia Gfrörer, Lalo Alcaraz, John Canemaker, Brandon Graham, Jay Hosler, Ben Katchor, Ed Koren, Sacha Mardou, Seth, Carol Tyler, Scottie Young Sept. 28–Oct. 1, 2017 Derf Backderf, Kat Fajardo, Laura Park, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Nilah Magruder, Ann NocentiStephens, Steve. "Upcoming appearances by authors can brighten darkening days," Columbus Dispatch (Aug 19, 2017). Sept. 27–30, 2018 Liana Finck, Georgia Webber, M. K. Czerwiec, Rachel Lindsay, Hilary Price, Noah Van Sciver, Emi Gennis, Michael DeForge, Annie Koyama, Dustin Harbin, Keiler Roberts, Jessica Campbell, Jim Woodring, Lynn Johnston, Darrin Bell Sept. 26–29, 2019 Natasha Alterici, Ho Che Anderson, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Terri Libenson, Tom Tomorrow, Frank Santoro, Dav Pilkey, Mike Mignola, Ann Telnaes, Liana Finck, Georgia Webber, M. K. Czerwiec, Rachel Lindsay, Hilary Price Oct. 1–4, 2020 Program moved entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2021 Alison Bechdel, Jamila Rowser, Hilary Price, Ronald Wimberly, Jerry Craft, Jeff Smith, Lewis Trondheim, Shary Flenniken, Steenz, CM Campbell, Robyn Smith, Elsa Charretier, Erin Cosgrove, Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, Bianca Xunise, Derek Kirk Kim, Lora Innes, Bryan Moss, Katie Shanahan, Joey Alison Sayers, Jonathan Lemon, M. S. Harkness, Trina Robbins, Robert Triptow, Shena Wolf, Roberta Gregory, Jules Rivera, Thierry Mornet, Patrick McDonnell, Ben Towle, Emi Gennis, Matthew Erman, D’Arcee Neal, Katlin Marisol Sweeney-Romero, Rolando Rubalcava, Lauren Chivington, Sydney Heifler, Chris Samnee, Lisa Sterle, Rafael Rosado, Jay Hosler, Brian Walker, Graham Annable, Nick Anderson"2021 Guests," CXC website. Retrieved May 19, 2022. Some programming conducted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021 Schedule, CXC website. Retrieved May 19, 2022. Oct. 6–9, 2022 Keith Knight, Maia Kobabe, Ed Piskor, Trina Robbins, Tom Gauld, James Sturm, Barbara Brandon-Croft Sept. 27–Oct. 1, 2023 Derf Backderf, Shelly Bond, Tauhid Bondia, Reaghan Buchanan, Jessica Campbell, Brenda Chapman, Daniel Clowes, Keito Gaku, Nicole Goux, M. S. Harkness, Mars Heyward, Jannie Ho, John Jennings, Denis Kitchen, Calvin Reid, Chase Schulte, Chris Sprouse, Raina Telgemeier Sept. 26-29, 2024 Ahn Jae-Huun, Alexandra Bowman, Art Spiegelman, Ben Passmore, Bianca Xunise, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Chip Zdarsky, Chris Oliveros, Cole Pauls, David Rickert, Ed Steed, Françoise Mouly, Jeff Smith, Jerry Craft, Kate Beaton, L. Pidge, Lisa Sterle, Léonie Bischoff, Maggie Umber, Nate Powell, Rafael Rosado, Rupert Kinnard, Ryan Holmberg, Sam Szabo, Tina Hornhttps://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/past-guests-award-winners/ Retrieved April 1, 2026. Sept. 18-21, 2025 Venues for events included: Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus Metropolitan Library Main Branch, Columbus Museum of Art, Gateway Film Center, Seventh Son Brewing Co., Slammers, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus OSU, The Walrus, Wexner Center for the Arts
Awards
Emerging Talent Prize 2015 Katie Skelly 2016 Kevin Czapiewski 2017 Kat Fajardo 2018 Keren Katz 2019 Carta Monir 2020 Gabby Metzler 2021 Robyn Smith 2022 Victoria Douglas 2023 Evan Salazar 2024 Kelly Wanghttps://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/past-guests-award-winners/ Accessed 1 April 2026
Master Cartoonist 2016 Carol Tyler 2019 P. Craig RussellPress release. "CARTOON CROSSROADS COLUMBUS GIVES OUT TWO OF THREE MAJOR AWARDS TO P. CRAIG RUSELL AND NIB FOUNDER MATT BORS," Cartoon Crossroads Columbus website. Accessed Dec. 26, 2019. 2021 Shary Flenniken 2022 Keith Knight 2023 Daniel Clowes 2024 Kate Beatonhttps://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/past-guests-award-winners/ Accessed April 1, 2026.
Transformative Work Award 2015 Raw, edited by Art Spiegelman & Françoise Mouly 2016 Doonesbury, by Garry Trudeau 2017 Stuck Rubber Baby, by Howard Cruse 2018 King-Cat Comics, by John Porcellino 2019 The Nib, edited by Matt Bors 2020 March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell 2021 Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel 2022 Wimmen's Comix, edited by Lee Marrs and Trina Robbins 2023 Smile, by Raina Telgemeier 2024 Cathartic Comics, by Rupert Kinnardhttps://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/past-guests-award-winners/ Accessed April 1, 2026
Tom Spurgeon Award 2021Parkin, JK. "CXC recognizes first recipients of the Tom Spurgeon Award," SmashPages.net (October 2, 2021). Mollie Slott Orrin C. Evans Kim Thompson 2022 Frederik L. Schodt 2023 Calvin Reid 2024 Annie Koyamahttps://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/past-guests-award-winners/ Accessed 1 April 2026
See also Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo ECBACC
References
External links