Art: Attack of the indie heroes at MIX fest

Very few independent comic-book artists will see their work turned into a $200 million summer blockbuster by Christopher Nolan -- and that's hardly the point. With its intense personal tales, quirky fantasies and subversive comedy, the world of indie comics is unquestionably diverse yet united by a desire to remain fiercely independent, both in creation and distribution.

So ripe with talent is the Twin Cities scene that a festival seems well overdue. So here it is: The Minneapolis Indie Xpo (MIX for short) will gather more than 100 artists and publishers Saturday inside the spacious Soap Factory gallery.

The long guest list includes a who's who of DIY talent, such as Zander and Kevin Cannon, Britney Sabo, Will Dinski, Zak Sally and Sam Hiti (who actually has a film deal). The one-day fest has also attracted a number of out-of-town names such as John Porcellino ("King-Cat") and buzz-worthy publisher Top Shelf.

Beyond artist booths, the free show offers a stacked day of programming, from artist talks (don't miss the panels on the rise of Web comics) to classes on creating your own mini-comics. MIX also will have an evening of activities Friday at Big Brain Comics and a kickoff concert at the 501 Club, both in downtown Minneapolis. Saturday's afterparty will be at Altered Esthetics in Northeast.

Co-founder Andy Krueger -- who also founded the St. Paul Craftstravaganza -- took time away from his job at a robotics maker (busy guy) to talk about this indie extravaganza.

Q: Do comic books belong in art galleries and museums?

A: There seems to be a greater shift in the general art world toward accepting comics as art. In a way, we've had comics in galleries since Lichtenstein, right? And we've had pop illustration since Warhol. But since they're sequential, they don't necessarily belong in a gallery. You wouldn't put a novel in a gallery because that's not the best place to display it. But very few people would argue that a novel has no merit as an art form.

A: I think it's the same reason why I shied away from doing a typical comic convention. It's been done to death. That said, there are indie superhero books. And there are fantastic independent books that skewer the superhero genre.

Q: Do you think readers are attracted to indie comics because of the personal storytelling?

A: I certainly think there is a larger potential to see yourself in indie comics vs. a mainstream comic, because there are so many distinct voices doing so many different things. And I'm kind of using superheroes synonymously with mainstream, which isn't entirely fair. It's just that there is so much more out there.

Q: So you're saying we won't see any guys walking around the fest in Superman tights?

A: I can't guarantee anything, but that was one of our mission statements: No costumes.