OPB’s First Look: How Portland became a comics hub

Good morning, Northwest.

If you’re an avid reader of comics, even if you don’t live in Oregon, you may have realized that the state is a paradise for independent comic creators, home to publishers like Dark Horse and Oni Press.

But do you know why a mid-sized city like Portland has become a place where indie comic creators have flourished over the years? There’s a history behind it, and Oregon Art Beat producer Steven Tonthat dives deep into it.

A gentle reminder: All southbound lanes of I-5 through Portland’s Rose Quarter will be closed for five weeks. Here’s what you need to know to get prepared.

Here’s your First Look at Saturday’s news.

Top story

Oregon between panels: How creators built a comics universe in Portland and beyond

Portland is known as one of the biggest hubs for independent comics creators.

Comics publishers like Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press and Image, and classic tales of Batman, Captain Marvel and dozens of alternative heroes have all come out of Oregon.

So how did Portland, a mid-sized city thousands of miles from the nearest major comics publishing company, become a hotbed of independent comics?(Steven Tonthat)

3 things to know

1. Portland police officers prevented U.S. Customs and Border Protection from removing evidence from the scene of the Jan. 8 shooting involving immigration enforcement agents that hospitalized Venezuelan nationals Luis Niño-Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, federal defense attorneys allege in documents filed yesterday. (Conrad Wilson and Troy Brynelson)
2. “Geek Week PDX,” which lasts through Sept. 20, celebrates “geek” culture by bringing together fans of gaming, comics, technology, art, science and cosplay. (Kristian Foden-Vencil)
3. A wildland firefighter who was injured Wednesday while battling the Austin Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest has died, according to officials with the U.S. Forest Service. (OPB staff)

Northwest headlines

• Trump’s removal of wolf protections would change little in the Pacific Northwest(April Ehrlich)
• Redmond city councilor alleges ‘systemic culture of corruption’ at Deschutes Sheriff’s Office(Jen Baires)
• First responders commemorate 9/11 at events on the Portland waterfront(Riley Martinez)
• Oregon lawmakers approve more than $120 million to cover cost of 2026 wildfires (Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle)
• Southern Oregon University gets final $7.5 million in state funding(Jane Vaughan, JPR)
• No. 6 Oregon travels to Oklahoma State as Ducks look to get back on track after dropping in polls(Tim Willert, AP)

One more look

Superabundant recipe: Chilled ginger-tomato somen with shiso

If you’re looking for new ways to eat through a glut of fresh tomatoes, look no further.

This brothy bowl of noodles is refreshing, cheap and dead-simple to prepare, even without cooking — it’s also easily veganized (just use mushroom bouillon instead of dashi granules) and you can use rice vermicelli to make it gluten-free.(Heather Arndt Anderson)