Well MoCCA has come and gone and I think I just got through what my friend J.T. refers to as the post convention blues. Well I am not sure if he calls them that exactly, but he was the first to describe accurately how and why this happens. You work and work at an almost dizzying pace, building yourself up into a state of near panic to get your book ready (and the postcards and the t-shirts) and then it all happens so fast! And it's thrilling and weird and you talk too much and sleep too little and try and do everything and inevitably miss out on connecting with the people you wanted to see or the panel you were interested and then ... it's over! And after a couple days of heavy napping there is a big void which was once taken up by the idea of MoCCA, and you fall inside the void, missing desperately the final stages of your last project and having no idea when or how you could possibly start the new one. Thus I have been wandering around all week wondering why I am so sad until I realized why. And knowing why made me happier.
O.K. so, "HOW WAS MoCCA?" I know everyone and their mother has now posted and blogged on the fair, so anything I say may have been said ad infinitum, but here's my verdict: It was good, but still flawed. I was really hoping that this year I would come around to The Armory, but I still yearn for the Puck Building. There were some amazing improvements this year, but the fact of the matter is that I am not sure the cost of the tables is entirely justified. It really squeezes out little people like me and apparently resulted in the remarkable absence of AdHouse Books and a Vertigo table. That being said, the place looked really great, the temperature was oh so comfortable, and they gave us popcorn.
At the end of the day it is a balancing act for the organizers and one they are clearly trying hard to get right. Despite any complaints it remains the best comics event of the year. It had the smartest panels, the coolest people and the best vibe.
Above is our table with it's cool "Lucy" frame designed and crafted by
Anna Raff who has revealed herself to be something of a technical genius.
I find it difficult to sum up my personal experience at these things which is why I usually say "It was great! Everyone was great!". It was great though, but really intense. My new book
The Lettuce Girl sold well and I only have a few copies left so I already am back to the presses! I got to sit next to some awesome neighbors who's work I really dig. If you have never read
Chuck Forsman's creepy and strange
Snake Oil books, I highly recommend them.
Check them out. He was sharing with the talented
Melissa Mendes whose comics will charm your pants off. You've been warned. I also got to meet their table mate
Alex Kim whose books are beautiful. It was great catching up with
Box Brown and
J.T. Yost,
Rachel Allison the venerable
Josh Bayer,
Brendan Leach,
Nate Bulmer,
You Byun and
Matt Rota, most of whom had new books out. I happily ran into all sorts of people actually and the more I try to mention them all, the more I realize I cannot list the experience of being surrounded by interesting and interested cartoonists and afficianados for two busy and wonderful days. It's just the best and I can't wait for next year.
