One of the most common questions I’m asked when I sell comics at local events like the Clintonville Farmer’s Market is how to get involved in the local comics community. It can be difficult, especially for recent graduates or folks new to comics to figure out how to meet other cartoonists. I’ve been in the Columbus scene for a few years now, so here’s some clubs and events to check out, as well as tips on finding more.
Founded by CCAD professor Jaromir Stoll, the Columbus Comics and Zine Society is a great pick if you’re looking for in person co-working. CCZS meets most Sundays at the Global Gallery Coffee Shop for a Drink and Draw session. If you’re unfamiliar, all that means is that we buy drinks and work on our comics projects. You can join the clubfacebook group or follow the instagram page to get updates about meeting times. In addition, CCZS has occasional weekend retreats at Lake Hope State Park in the early spring. The retreats offer an opportunity to unplug, focus in, and recharge. Recommended for folks who like hiking and board games.
C3 is a welcoming community focused on supporting independent and self-published cartoonists in Central Ohio. Most communication and organization in this group happens online, but there is a monthly work session at Brewdog in Franklinton. C3 also organizes annual anthologies and a monthly (online) graphic novel book club, primarily through their instagram and discord servers. While officially organized community events within C3 primarily occur online, it is a valuable space to meet artists in the region and build connections.
While Zine Club Columbus is not, strictly speaking, a comics club, it’s still worth checking out. This group organizes free monthly zine workshops, bringing in local makers to talk through a practice followed by time to apply those skills. Workshops are announced on the club instagram. To stay connected between workshops, DM the instagram account to join their instagram groupchat.
Organized by Bob Corby of Back Porch Comics, SPACE is the longest running active comic expo in the Columbus area. The next SPACE event will take place March 28-29, 2026 at The Makoy(5462 Center St. Hilliard OH 43026). SPACE features an expo hall, as well as panels and workshops and an annual award ceremony for the SPACE prize, including Graphic Novel, Mini-Comics, and General category prizes. It’s a great event to attend if you’re interested in meeting local cartoonists and getting to know some of the veterans of the local scene.
The DISTRACTOR comics reading series by Drew B Hall is an occasional event that takes place a handful of times each year. If you’re not familiar with the concept of a comic reading, comic pages are projected onto a screen, and the artist reads the comic from the screen, optionally providing sound effects, visual descriptions, or commentary. Each DISTRACTOR features between 4 and 6 cartoonists, typically local-ish, with Drew emceeing. There’s also plenty of time before and after the readings to socialize and get to know the other cartoonists and comic enjoyers in attendance, and free snacks.
CXC is an annual comic arts and animation festival in downtown Columbus, first established in 2014. The event takes place over five days, from Wednesday - Sunday. CXC has typically occurred in the fall, but due to scheduling conflicts with OSU and the football team, the next event will take place in Spring 2027. The expo hall at CXC, where you can browse and purchase comics, occurs on the Saturday and Sunday of the fest, with the other days being occupied by panels, workshops and other community events. CXC events are hosted primarily at the Billy Ireland Comics Library and Museum, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and the Columbus College of Art and Design. It’s a great event to attend if you’re interested in engaging with a diverse group of cartoonists both local and outside Columbus and broadening your horizons through workshops and panels.