Tara McPherson's artwork feels like it's everywhere: rock posters, postcards and T-shirts are adorned with her recurrent female character with a heart-shaped hole in her chest. In sharp contrast to the waif-like figures in her drawings, McPherson is no shrinking violet. She is an independently-minded and focused artist with a strong, entrepreneurial spirit coupled with a consistent drawing style that is equal measures gothic and pop.  I interviewed her about her work.

Cover of Jeff Soto's Storm Clouds, designed by Murphy Designs.

Jeff Soto's work is a wonderful, surrealist bundle of stomping robots, rainbows, tentacles, and West Coast references.  He'll be at the Con this year with a new book, designed by San Diego-based artist and designer Mark Murphy.  The new book, following the sold-out Potato Stamp Dreams, is called Storm Clouds and features Soto's work from the last three years.  I'm anxious to see it, knowing Soto will make magical and dreamy work out of the stormiest of themes.  But here's the thing, only 100 copies will be available at the Con so you better bust through some storm troopers and get to booth #4833 to get one.  Soto will be there, along with Mark Murphy (who will be selling lots of amazing books), so you can get Jeff to sign your copy.