Mobile Cartoon Museum at Pittsburgh Indie Expo

Guests exploring the Pittsburgh Indie Expo (P.I.E.) at Heinz History Center. (Photos Credits to Chris)

Comics and panels and zines, oh my!

Pittsburgh Indie Expo, AKA PIE, made a return to the Heinz History Center Sunday, March 15. The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of the museum were bustling with activity throughout the eventful day. Over 1,500 attendees perused through different workshops, panels, and exhibits.

Throughout the day, the Mobile Cartoon Museum (presented by Incubator Productions) interacted with over 400 guests, further exposing the younger generation to the great works that preceded them like panels from Fleischer Studios (Creator of Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman), and educating people on the important practice of archival and librarian work.

The MCM houses a variety of comics from all types of genres, even containing some pieces dating back to the 1940s and 50s. There are single panels, sequential stories, shots of the day, and much more. These pieces are preserved not only because of their historical and cultural significance, but also because they serve as an inspiration to aspiring illustrators and comic artists.

Carina Stopenski, Director of the Mobile Cartoon Museum, explains the significance of the museum as follows:

"I always like to tell folks that if media is the 'what and the how', archives is the 'why', we need to know where things come from. Finding the provenance of things, and where they originate is really significant. It helps us to pass things down to future generations.” Stopenski said.

"It helps us to track trends in media and literature. It allows us to get a glimpse of the past that you might not be able to otherwise, and that's really important."

The expo does not have an admission fee and welcomes attendees of all ages. Admission to the rest of Heinz History Center is free to expo guests, so people are free to explore interesting exhibits at their own discretion.

Since 2025, PIE has been an attraction for independent artists, illustrators, and comic lovers alike, continuing the legacy of PIX, where veteran artists like Jim Rugg and Tom Scioli got an early boost to their careers. Featuring over 100 exhibitors, the expo represents a wide variety of talent, creativity, and passion, from not only the Burgh, but places representing almost every corner of the country.

MCM banner welcoming guests to the workshop space.

One of the first sights guests are met with at PIE is the Mobile Cartoon Museum. The walls of the fourth floor were adorned with timeless pieces of art and archives, like an original hand-drawn cell from My Little Pony and a video reel of restored Fleischer cartoons. Each piece has an ability to transport guests back into time and invoke a sense of nostalgia in the viewer.

Guests were encouraged to explore and examine rare books and illustrations while gloved (to protect sensitive materials and archives). The Mobile Cartoon Museum also offered hands-on workshops where kids could make their own original illustrations based on their inspiration from the different exhibits. A curation of various zines, pins, and stickers were also available for guests to examine and learn more about the missions and values of Incubator Productions.

Carina Stopenski giving archival lecture to guests at PIE 2026.

The MCM was also equipped with a large bin of archived illustrations and prints, as well as books from Carina Stopenski's rare archival collection. Some of the books available for browsing were Cartoon Network's "Adventure Time: The Art of OOO", "Steven Universe: The End of an Era", and much more. These pieces detailed the behind-the-scenes development of different characters, animation styles, storylines, and other never before seen aspects of each production, perfect for any fanatic of these classic animated tales.

Archival work has the ability to transport someone back in time and evoke a sense of nostalgia. Though some pieces represent different time periods and eras, audiences are encouraged to explore archives whenever possible. "Archives are really cool and you're never too old or too young to learn about a new piece of media." Stopenski said.

The fourth floor also featured various workshops such as "Shapes Make the Character" with author Chas Chasler and "Character Design: Encyclopedia of Monsters!" with Angela Oddling. Panels were mostly held on the sixth floor, detailing topics like "From Script to Store" by Comicsburgh, "Superheros of the Stacks- Librarianship and Comics" by various panelists, and many more educational talks. There's a little something for everyone at PIE!

My Personal Reflection

Teeming with guests was the main exhibition room, filled with well dozens and dozens of illustrators, artwork, aspiring artists, and lovers of the arts. As I closely approached the entrance, the quiet murmur of the crowd exploded into a whirlwind of welcoming and informative conversation.

Getting further and further into the room, I noticed the whirlwind of different mediums - Pop-up paper engineering, sketches, pins, comics, and so much more to fit any niche interest. My perspective going into this event was admittedly very one dimensional and narrow. I didn't really know what to expect, but I was excited to find out all PIE had to offer.

During the day, I got to experience so many different types of creative practices and admire the love of labor that illustrators and artists put into their complex, intricate works. Behind the scenes, lots of planning and coordination goes into making an event at this scale possible. The unseen days and nights of work fuel the remaining work needed to make the exciting countdown to the annual exhibition.

After speaking with countless artists and vendors, the conversations I had really opened my eyes to what PIE truly had to offer the greater Pittsburgh community. The expo not only welcomes artist in the Pittsburgh community but welcomes creatives from across the country. This city is filled with such extreme talent and sometimes it goes unseen due to lack or visibility, a decrease in funds, or an absence of space to practice your craft.

Whatever the reason may be, Pittsburgh Indie Expo puts illustrators, painters, and art lovers alike on a pedestal to be recognized by each other and a supportive community of peers. PIE cultivates a community of inclusivity, imagination, and embrace that I'm sure will carry into the expo for years to come.

To learn more about PIE and future events, visit PIE - Pittsburgh Indie Expo. To "stay tooned" about Incubator Productions' latest happenings, check out our Instagram page @incubatorproductions.