Leading off this year’s list are Bill Griffith and Diane Noomin. Bill Griffith is the internationally
recognized creator of Zippy the Pinhead. He is also one of the founding fathers of the
underground comics movement which pioneered creator rights and is a direct forerunner of
today’s independent comics scene of which PIX is a part. Diane Noomin is one of the founding
mothers of the underground comics movement.
She was among the original contributors to the
first ongoing comics-anthology series devoted to publishing comics by women,
Wimmen’s
Comix, and went on to co-found another important female-centric comic, Twisted Sisters. Her
trademark creation is DiDi Glitz. Both she and Bill Griffith also contributed work to the
critically acclaimed and historically significant comics anthologies Arcade, Weirdo and Young
Lust, among others. Somewhere along the way Griffith and Noomin met and married, but they
never stopped making comics, and continue to do so today.
Two celebrated local comics makers, Dave Wachter and Sophie Goldstein, are also among
this year’s guests. Both are relatively recent transplants; Wachter arrived here from Cincinnati
via Chicago, while LA-native Goldstein recently relocated to Pittsburgh after graduating from the
Center for Cartoon Studies. Wachter is a long time comics professional noted for his rare combination of
dynamic composition and highly detailed rendering,
he has worked on a wide variety of
comics projects, and has been nominated for both an Eisner and a Harvey award. Counted
among his works are
Night of 1,000 Wolves, Breath of Bones and Guns of Shadow Valley,
published by IDW and Dark Horse. Goldstein is a three time Ignatz Award winner. Her work is
noted for it’s clear line, careful composition and fine design. It has been included in Best
American Comics 2013. Her first graphic novel, The Oven – which was originally serialized in
the Pittsburgh-based anthology, Maple Key Comics – was recently released by AdHouse Books
of Richmond, VA. Among her current projects is the ongoing House of Women.
Then we have Noah Van Sciver. Working in the tradition, founded by R. Crumb, of keenly
observed, highly personal comics that turn inward as often as outward, Van Sciver is a prolific
comics maker who is currently the Resident Fellow at the Center for Cartoon Studies. The last
twelve months have seen him release two original graphic novels – Saint Cole and Fante
Bukowski, both published by Fantagraphics – a stand-alone autobio comic book, My First Date,
a collection of humor comics, Cheer Up, a diary comic, I Don’t Hate Your Guts, and the latest
issue of his ongoing one-man anthology comic book series, Blammo; plus numerous
contributions to other publications.
Stay tuned, more guests to come!
