SPX PLUS Part Four

After leaving Pittsburgh Tuesday morning, we headed west on I-70, into Columbus, the Next Seattle®.

Just waitin' on a friend.

Sold some comics at Used Kids, then headed across the street to the Cartoon Research Library, where we met up with fellow SPX traveler J.T. Dockery, and Associate Curator Caitlin McGurk gave us a behind-the-scenes tour.

I'd been to the library many times -- in fact I think it was the place where I first met Dylan Williams, pouring over old White Boy comics with cotton gloves on -- but I'd never been behind the magic door where all the comics are actually archived.  It was a cartoonist's dream!

JP, NVS, and JTD view an original Jack Davis drawing.

(Photo courtesy Caitlin McGurk)

The back room was full of sliding shelves, flat files, photographic equipment, and books, lots of books.  We got to look at original Windsor McCays, Segars, Bushmillers, and much more.  Amazing.

Caitlin's cat, Zeek.

Just three dudes, hangin' out.

Our Founder.

Whut-zat?!?

Whudizzit?

It's a squirrel.

After selling comics to the good ol' Laughing Ogre, we made our way further west to Indianapolis, where I had a couple shops to drop off King-Cats at-- Comic Carnival and Luna Music.  Then back on the highway for the dreaded trip up to Chicago.

Dreaded because this stretch of interstate between Indy and Chicago is almost always snarled with terrible traffic-- giant trucks going 85 and pickup trucks going 40.  And delays, construction, and slowdowns.  We were cutting it close...  but we made it to Chicago with time enough to stop at Sultan's Market before the event at Quimby's.

Noah at Quimby's.

Is Quimby's the best weirdo bookstore in the country?  The world?

Quimby's not only has cool books, but cool staff too, notably the great Edie Fake and Neil Brideau.

Check out the tattoo!

JP and Felicia, lifelong (I hope-- for her sake!) King-Cat fan.

(Photo by Liz Mason.)

We drove back to Beloit that night, and the next morning I took Noah to the airport.  When I got back I commenced power-sleeping, because the next day I was heading up to Minneapolis, for the last leg of the trip.

NEXT:  THE PARIS OF THE MIDWEST