Creating Characters: A Hands-On Comic Session

Spanish comic artists Don Julio and Fran Mariscal join the 2026 Small Press Expo (SPX) to present Portraits: Twelve Lives, Twelve Journeys. Commissioned by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C., and curated by José Villarrubia, this graphic storytelling anthology reimagines the transatlantic experiences of prominent Spanish figures who spent part of their lives in the United States.

In addition to the panel presentation and book signings, Don Julio and Fran Mariscal will lead an interactive, hands-on character design workshop. The workshop invites participants to explore character design starting from fundamental geometric shapes before blending them into complex figures. Attendees will break traditional design conventions through a playful randomizer drawing exercise, pulling physical traits, character tropes, and personality quirks at random to create original comic characters.

Don Julio

Julio A. Serrano (Puertollano, 1983) holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Castilla–La Mancha (UCLM). He has been working for over fifteen years at the magazine El Jueves as a writer and illustrator. He has also collaborated with other publications such as Retranca and El Estafador. In addition to the thousands of pages he has drawn for magazines, he has published more than a dozen books with publishers such as RBA, SM, Bang!, and Fandogamia. He has also served as editor-in-chief at the digital children’s publishing house Makupipe. His best-known works include the history section DesHechos Históricos, the children’s series Cecilia Van Helsing, and the controversial activity books for adults Being a Fascist Is Wrongand Baby Jesus Doesn’t Hate Faggots. He also works as a scriptwriter in animation and video games, most notably on the multi-award-winning short film The Ghost of La Quinta. In addition, he is a comic scriptwriting instructor at Voxel School and at La Escuela Minúscula.

Fran Mariscal

Fran Mariscal (Jerez de la Frontera, 1995) is a comic artist and illustrator trained in Jerez and Barcelona. He has worked as an illustrator for Insólita publishing and on collective works such as Sombras de Aokigahara. In 2025, he published his first full-length work, Moribundo.

Important Information

• Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Doors open 20 minutes before posted showtime.
• Ticket holders will have access to the event while space is available. A reservation does not guarantee admission.
• No Late Seating, ticket holders may not be allowed to enter 15 minutes after posted showtime.
• Right of admission reserved.
• If you need special assistance, please contact us at contact@spainculture.us.

How to get there:

The best way to arrive is by public transportation. The closest Metro station is Columbia Heights (Green line). Limited metered and two-hour zoned parking is available in the surrounding neighborhoods. Public parking garage is available at DC USA Shopping Mall (Columbia Heights Metro Station).

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