Periscope: Portland's storyboard and comics studio.

When it comes to bright lights and emerging stars, Portland has a higher density than any solar system in the galaxy of graphic arts. Local heavyweights include two of the best guys in mainstream comics: Greg Rucka and Brian Michael Bendis, the top dog in the Marvel universe and Seth's hero on "The O.C." Of course, there's comic creator Craig Thompson (some critics called http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifhis "Blankets" the best graphic novel of 2003). And Joe Sacco (see below). Not to mention the celestial illustrators at Mercury Studio. Other fascinating satellites: Shannon Wheeler ("Too Much Coffee Man"), Colleen Coover ("Small Favors," the world's cutest "girlie porn comic") and a vibrant Web-comic scene with Jenn Manley Lee ("Dicebox") at its gravitational center.

Portland's comics scene, getting some attention in an article on "World Class Oregon" in Tuesday's Oregonian.

And here's an article about Stumptown, focusing on Craig Thompson and Indigo Kelleigh.

Links via the gravitational center who, come to think of it, was just interviewed at Sequential Tart.