For Immediate Release
Contact Email: press@smallpressexpo.com Small Press Expo Announces International Guests Fran Mariscal, Lola Lorente, Don Julio Serrano, Paul B. Rainey, Arizona O'Neill, and Rachael Smith. Bethesda, Maryland - July 28, 2026 Media Release - Small Press Expo is proud to announce International Special Guests for SPX 2026 from Spain, England and Canada.
This is in addition to the previously announced Special Guests, Lisa Hanawalt, Julia Wertz, Frederick Noland, Peter Bagge, Jared Cullum Derf, Kim Deitch, James Spooner, Noah Van Sciver, CK Gormally, and Raquelle Jac.
We profusely thank Spain Arts & Culture for their support in bringing Fran Mariscal, Lola Lorente, and Don Julio Serrano to SPX 2026.
Read more about SPX 2026 Special Guests here.
The show takes place on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, with programming and workshops about the amazing world of independent comics as well as an exhibitor floor featuring over 450 creators.
Additional Special Guests will be announced over the next few weeks. SPX 2026 is honored to have the following creators as Special Guests to this year's show.
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Fran Mariscal
Fran Mariscal is an emerging Spanish graphic novelist whose debut book, Moribundo, has drawn critical acclaim for its striking visual storytelling and emotionally rich narrative. Blending psychological horror with themes of grief, toxic relationships, and hope, Moribundo introduces a compelling new talent in contemporary Spanish comics. In Portraits: 12 Lives, 12 Journeys, he portrays the life and groundbreaking work of ValentÃn Fuster, the renowned Spanish cardiologist whose contributions have had a profound impact on cardiovascular medicine in the United States. |
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Lola Lorente
Lola Lorente’s English debut, Mary Pain, is a sorrowful yet hopeful portrait of a young adult at a crossroads in life—a quintessential loser looking for meaning and redemption in a town full of ghosts.
Lola Lorente’s slick black inkwork feels sophisticated and voluptuous, and her rendering of townsfolk and their customs is a sensorial delight. Her devoted attention to fabric textures, body shapes, and one-of-a-kind faces brings this cast of oddballs and weirdos, sometimes verging on the grotesque, fully to life. |
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Don Julio Serrano
Don Julio Serrano is one of Spain's most acclaimed comic artists and cartoonists, celebrated for his sharp wit, distinctive drawing style, and long-standing collaborations with leading Spanish publications, including El Jueves. Through humor and satire, his work offers an insightful look at contemporary society, making him a prominent voice in Spanish comics. Be sure to read his contribution to Portraits: 12 Lives, 12 Journeys, where he illustrates the life of Spanish Nobel Prize-winning scientist Severo Ochoa. |
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Paul B. Rainey
Murder School is a memoir of British middle school bullying and one precocious comic nerd’s fight to make it through while remaining as invisible as possible.
British graphic novelist Paul B. Rainey takes a classic “school daze” tale—both wistful and hilarious—and manages to turn it on its head with a couple of his now famous twists. Find out the truth behind The Murder School and the effect it’s had on Rainey well into middle-age. |
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Opioids and Organs is a damning critique of an industry that takes advantage of society’s outcasts. It is a heartwrenching memoir of a daughter losing her father and a scathing indictment of the medical industry.
This is the graphic novel debut of Canadian Arizona O’Neill, who weaves together a dramatic personal history with that of how humanity made its scientific advances. A muted yet striking pastel palette and a doll-like fantastical elegance belie both the gruesomeness of the book’s topic and the rage of its author. |
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Rachael Smith
England-based Rachael Smith is very excited about her debut appearance at SPX! Find her over at the Avery Hill Publishing table where she will be signing copies of Who Killed Nessie? and talking about future projects too! |
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Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 450 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year’s guests.
The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show.
For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.smallpressexpo.com. |
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Small Press Expo
P.O. Box 5704
Bethesda, Maryland
20824
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