SLICE 2026 Opening Night
About this Event
The St. Louis Independent Comics Expo (SLICE) is St. Louis’s premier annual indie-print showcase, bringing together over 100 writers and artists from St. Louis and beyond to showcase their self-published books, comics, zines, prints, magazines, poetry, and more. SLICE 2026 kicks off with our Opening Night celebration on Friday, October 30, 6–10 p.m., at The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries. The expo takes place the following day. Both events are free to attend and open to the public.
Join us at 6 p.m. for happy hour at the Sheldon Ballroom. Catch the debut of our SLICE 2026 poster with signings by artist and featured guest Cleonique Hilsaca. Mix and mingle with friends in the St. Louis comics scene and independent creator community.
At 6:45, we'll kick off the program with our panel of small press publishers and creators, featuring Akira B. of Atlanta-based indie publishing company WildStar Press, Shay Mirk of the nonfiction comics press Crucial Comix, and Crystal Odelle, a St. Louis-based storyteller and author of Trans Studies.
After an intermission, our second panel on traditional publishing begins at 8 p.m., featuring Eisner Award-winning illustrator and cartoonist Nicole Goux, comics writer Dave Scheidt, and illustrator Cleonique Hilsaca.
At 8:45, we’ll continue the festivities by presenting our third annual Local Best in Show Award, sponsored by the MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture program at WashU, and announcing the winner of the evening’s raffle prize.
For more information, visit slicexpo.org and follow @slicexpo on Instagram, Bluesky, YouTube, and Facebook.
Parking:
Free parking for attendees is available in The Sheldon's parking lot, located on the west side of the building.
About our sponsor:
Opening Night is sponsored by Betty's Books! Betty's Books is a quirky, locally-owned bookstore specializing in comics, graphic novels, and manga for all. Their goal is to create a community-oriented and inclusive store where anyone can enjoy the riches of books in the world of comics.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
