Busy Busy. Vanport, Portlandia, Etc.

1.VANPORT

Here are some previews from the comic I did about Vanport for the Dill Pickle Club of Portland, Oregon.

You can pick up your copy a few ways.
From Dill Pickle Club (It's currently part of a box set, but email them for details on individual copies), from Powells tonight at the big release party of their historical comics anthology, or from me in person at next weekend's Chicago Zine Fest!

1.5. I also want you to know I'll be on OPB's Think Out Loud on Monday, March 5th at 9:20 a.m. to talk about the comic. Tune in, please!

2. Secondly, PORTLANDIA***!!!

I could not choose one single winner for the Portlandia blog's "Most Portland Thing Ever" contest, so... I chose five. And even that was difficult! Can I tell you the best late entry I got?
It's this:
My friend Beta said one day she saw a group of hippies sitting outside of the Alberta Co-Op sharing a single tub of Goat Kefir, passing it around and eating it WITH A STICK.
One Long Stick!
I couldn't believe it. IF ONLY I had not already ground my hand tendons into little nubs drawing these other five, I'd have snuck it in. Maybe some day.

In the meantime, I'd love to share the links with you to the five winners and their accompanying stories. If you like the pictures you MUST click on the links to see the original story. It's worth it!

Rugged Urban Breastfeeding *

The Coffeeshop Pony

Kickball vs. Nude Yoga

Getting Shamed for Feeding the Ducks **

Rogue Ren-Faire guys at night.

A little commentary:

* I know, I know, breastfeeding is right on. I GET IT. I imagine if I had a child I'd be breastfeeding it right now instead of blogging, but I also imagine I would have a sense of humor about dashing across NW 23rd with said child suckling whilst old enough to read. And probably would draw a comic of myself doing so.

** The duck situation at Laurelhurst Park was real and pretty dark (the pond was a big mess that had to be manually cleaned out by humans & wasn't great for any of the animals, some of whom may have been put to sleep???), but nothing says "Portland" to me like public shaming, especially when someone's doing something pretty friendly and otherwise benign.

*** Never forget that I worked at the Feminist Bookstore depicted on the show (please imagine me behind that very counter special ordering The Ethical Slut for college students), and also, I support the right of artists to continue adorning things with birds, even if everyone now thinks it's passe because someone on t.v. said it out loud. Also, thirdly, Jeb is an extra in an episode of Portlandia from season 1. It's the episode where the mayor is missing.