Monthly Archives: November 2022

Back from the Short Run Comix and Arts Festival, 10th Anniversary

I love small press and homegrown creativity, especially from the Short Run Comix and Arts Festival.

This recent annual event, at its 10th Anniversary in Seattle, drew hundreds of people to a big room to share in that support to meet and shop. Through the many tables, a chance to buy small and limited runs of books, zines, prints, stickers, and a lot of other cool oddities mostly from Pacific Northwest residents. To partake in the joy of creativity and discovery of fresh literature and art, especially the sequential, is delightful.

I have missed this much, as the Covid pandemic has kept the Short Run away for over two years. Now, it’s back to the Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center, bigger than ever.

There was an awesome variety of homegrown material for anyone, any age to take in on pretty much any subject. However, much of it is not cheap, as creators often take a difficult path in their devotion to their craft, often taking sacrifice in time and funds of their own. The best we can do to keep them going in offering such driven creativity, is support by paying the extra bucks. The opportunity through the Short Run is most grand.

Also, the Short Run Comix & Arts Festival is a free event. I think that’s a big reason for the support. Accessibility for all, feels more open and inviting. Though the lines during the prime hours to get in were quite long, with at least 15 minutes wait to get in…worth it.

So here are some great moments of the show, including some of the wonderful people I chatted with, and some purchases from me (last picture).

And now, looking forward to the next Short Run.

– Orion T

Feliz Día de los Muertos!

Feliz Día de los Muertos!

That means Happy Day of the Dead, an important holiday observed in Mexico, Latin America, parts of South America, and the southwest of Europe, happening now.

El Día de los Muertos is actually more than a day, stretching for both November the 1st and the 2nd. This day is of heavy cultural interest to me, but never quite connected to. I think it goes beyond the cool visuals and artistical appeal, but the ancient roots in Mayan, Aztec cultures and ideas of the afterlife mixing with the Catholic beliefs brought on from colonization. There results a sort of a bond in themes through many religions, that death is a part of life and we simply move on. What I childishly enjoy about the Day of the Dead, is that playful and exciting nature of our own spooky imaginations, bringing light to the darkness that may scare us when thinking about death. And there is much life that carries on from these visions of death, and in return we can be visited by spirits if our minds can open up enough.

Here is a little video I would like to share, on the beauty and wonder of this grand tradition.

– Orion T

The picture up top is a weird little unicorn (or Unicorno of the Tokidoki blind box collectibles) toy that sits on my shelf now. this of course, celebrates the traditions and appeal of el Día de los Muertos. I took it off its usual place and brought it with me to work, because I can be pretty weird sometimes.