The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2011 rocked my socks off. I covered it for my podcast, COMIC NEWS INSIDER (CNI). And here's how it all went down!
Phil (Mr. Phil of Indie Spinner Rack) and I took the Canadian airline, Porter, to Toronto. For a small airliner, it was very nice! Highly recommend flying out with them if you ever visit Toronto. Arriving in Toronto, I did get a hassle from customs. I had marked "pleasure" and said I was attending TCAF to cover it for my show and report on it. She got confused and said I must be here on business if I'm a journalist. Of course, I said I wasn't a journalist and that I don't get paid for this. She looked at me with pity and said, "Oh". And then allowed me entry to the Great White North. I was disappointed that there wasn't a Molson and bowl of poutine awaiting my arrival though.
Then it was straight to our hotel, The Marriot Bloor/Yorkville, which is very close to where TCAF took place. After a quick disco nap, I get a text from my pal Paul Pope asking if I was in Toronto. "Yeah, here for TCAF", I reply. To which he informs me that he is too! Serendipitous! I had no idea he was coming though Phil tells me they announced him on the website earlier in the week as a last minute special guest. First, I went to see Thor at a nearby theater. It doth rocked! Then, dinner at a cool Italian spot named Nervosa with Pope (as pictured above) and then we hit the official pre-TCAF bash. Ran into a ton of folks and ended up having a great chat with Darwyn Cooke. Sleep soon called and it was off to our hotels for slumber.
First day of the show was packed! TCAF is great for many reasons. Best being that it's completely free to the public. Held in the spacious Toronto Reference Library, it hosts a plethora of great local talent and more from around the globe. Organizer Chris Butcher does an amazing job putting this show together and it shows. Everyone from the cartoonists to the attendees love this show. I can't count how many times I heard many on both sides say, "TCAF is my favorite convention by far!" Kudos to Butcher and the team at The Beguiling who put this show on.
First day for me was spent running around and seeing what/who was around. I saw several friends and ran into a couple of loyal listeners of the podcast. I had a list of books I wanted to pick up but explored the floors for others. I'm sure I missed some brilliant stuff but I sure did load up that first day as pictured above. As previously mentioned here and on CNI, I tend to buy more at shows like this as it's work that I don't normally see. And boy howdy did I buy!
(Pictured: Adam Cadwell, me, Kayla Marie Hillier)
I met many new people, saw familiar faces and introduced myself around. My only small minor trifling petty trivial little niggle is that I wish they gave us press badges. Honestly, not a huge deal, but it does help some identify a possible reviewer or person they might want to pitch their wares to. I certainly gave my card out to plenty and am going to cover A LOT on the show this week. Not looking to get freebies (see earlier pic of stash I bought), but just found it helps at past shows.
(Pictured: Angela Melick, me)
I didn't do any interviews on the first day as I spent it getting familiar with the show and where everyone was located. The main floor had a great array of people from big names to known publishers to small webcomic types. The 2nd floor had a very well spaced out area where the likes of Top Shelf, Adhouse Books, Kate Beaton and so many others were located. Wise to have Miss Beaton up there as her lines get BIG! There was a great area for kids up there as well. Also, a few spots for panels within the library.
There were also panels located across from the libary at The Pilot, the bar where the pre-con party was held. I attended the panel hosted by Robin McConnell of the Inkstuds podcast that featured Pope, Sam Hiti and Brandon Graham. Pretty sure Robin recorded it and will air it so be on the lookout for that. Embarrassingly, I wasn't as familiar with Hiti or Graham's work but made up for it over the weekend.
(Pictured: Anthony Del Col, me, Andy Belanger)
Post panel, grabbed lunch with Graham and Pope before heading back to the library. The day ended at 5pm and what a fantastic day! So busy and the air was abuzz about all sorts of comics. I headed back to the hotel to chill a bit before heading back out.
(Pictured: Faith Erin Hicks, me)
Dinner was at a cool Indian spot named Babur with Pope, Hiti and his friend/collaborato Joe Midthun. I immediately liked Hiti and Midthun. Great guys. The four of us had a great conversation about comics and people in the industry. I wish I had my recorder out. After dinner, we hit the big party at Pauper's Pub. Everyone was there and again, we ended up having this great conversation with Darwyn Cooke. True gentleman and awesome to hang with someone who is so smart and fun.
(Pictured: me, Dustin Harbin)
Day 2 of the show was interview day. I got interviews with Dustin Harbin (Dharbin), Faith Erin Hicks (Superhero Girl), Steve Manale (Superslackers), Anthony Del Col and Andy Belanger (Kill Shakespeare), Angela Melick (Wasted Talent), Adam Cadwell (Blood Blokes) and Kayla Marie Hillier (Galavant), Willow Dawson (Lila & Ecco's Do-It-Yourself Comics Club), Philippa Rice (My Cardboard Life), and Jim Zub (Skullkickers). Those will be put into a few different episodes of CNI to be released this week.
(Pictured: me, Philippa Rice)
After the interview frenzy day, I went back to the hotel to organize some things and chill a bit before dinner. Dinner with the same crew as the previous night (Pope, Hiti, Midthun) at a great little spot called Sorrell. I had decided to bring my recorder along and asked if they were cool to chat a bit while we drank and ate our appetizers. All were fine and we started off chatting about comics, the state of the industry, how to help it/change it, influences, personal works/thoughts and so much more. Steve Manale joined us soon after and we had a blast discussing serious things and laughing at the silly stuff too. We ended up talking all through dinner! It was sort of like that old Jon Favreau show, Dinner For Five. You hear clanging of silverware, orders being taken, drinks being had, etc. Sort of made it charming and hopefully you'll feel like you were there with us when you hear it. We talked for over an hour and I think you'll really like what you hear!
(Pictured: Steve Manale, me)
After dinner, we went to the official post-TCAF party at Clinton's Tavern. Packed with every exhibitor/cartoonist from the show. Met more cool folks and hung with more than I can mention. Had a fantastic talk with Philippa Rice (whom I had previously met/interviewed at MCM Expo last May in London) about UK comedy, Doctor Who and the origin of the name "Pippa". She's an amazing, smart, and talented woman! Finally got to meet the organizer, Chris Butcher. I can't give enough kudos to him for putting on one of the best comics shows out there. We ended up having a very late night but it was a rockin'!
Next day was a bit rough as we checked out of the hotel. Phil (remember him?) and I went to The Beguiling comic shop to do a little shopping. Soon, I was off to Tory Woollcott's (Mirror Mind) place as I was staying with her for my last night in town. It was a chill night and I ended up braving the Toronto subway (easy to figure out) and met Pope for one last dinner at his hotel. Fine ending to a great trip!
(Pictured: Pope, me & Raquel Welch)
But...it's not over! I'll be recording a few shows with special guest co-host Tory Woollcott later today! I'm not heading out until 9:30pm, so plenty of time to relax and chill. Stay tuned for links to the shows and what interviews will be in what show. There was a small possibility of me meeting up with tech maven Amber MacArthur again. Some will remember that we appeared on each other's podcasts 2 years ago when I was here for TCAF. (We had met in NYC a few months before and stayed in touch). We planned on it again but were both just so busy.
(Pictured: Security guards at Toronto Reference Library looked like Ghostbusters!)
Mad props to all I met/hung/drank/interviewed/etc. Thanks for booking the hotel, Phil. Sorry for the snoring. Big thanks to Tory for letting me stay and Kean for driving me around. And again, great job to Butcher, The Beguiling crew and Toronto itself for being such a great host! Hope to be back next year!
*Apologies if I didn't mention you. I still love you. Or I really don't like you. Take your pick. Mwhahaha.
Other...: about.me/jimmyaquino
