Austin may be known for music, but it’s also home to a thriving community of independent comic book artists.
Austin’s comic book community was celebrated Saturday at the STAPLE! Independent Media Expo.
The STAPLE! expo is the celebration of anything made outside of the corporate structure. What started as a one-room display in a VFW hall now exhibits 150 vendors across two expo rooms and a theater at Marchesa Hall.
Attendees can find everything from home-made comics, fan-made magazines and original art, to commissioned sketches.
Selling and distributing comics, especially outside of the super hero genre, can be difficult, and events like STAPLE! serve as a way for artists to get their work out there.
"There's plenty of fine, talented folks out there making really great stuff and one of the only ways for them to reach the public to an audience that can appreciate it is for them to attend shows like this,” Chris Nicholas, founder and organizer of STAPLE!, said.
About 150 booths were set up at the expo. Check out Staple-Austin.org for more information.