The Toronto Comics Art Festival was indescribable. After arriving at the college where it was being held, we were imediately emersed in the indie comics kingdom. Tables of comics, art, posters, prints, buttons, postcards and paraphenalia lined the walls and some areas of the centre. the artists cheerfully mingling with the excited attendees, comic euphoria on the faces of every man woman and child in the building, and an overall aura that surrounded the campus, colour: awesome.
My group immediately seperated into teams of two (me and Andrew, and Alex and Grace), and we commenced forth into the main area. I had one ambition for the whole day, but i was patient, and browsed for a while before fulfilling the ultimate goal of he day. I got books signed and oggled at the original pages and the high quality prints. I chatted with the artisists, at times more star struck than a girl accidentally tripping over Clive Owen tying his shoe.
Then, as i rounded a corner into of the many sweetness-filled rooms, i saw him. the modest man behind the pratically bare table sketching silently in someone's sketchbook. James Jean. i let out a silent, beatles fan-girl-esque scream, and took my place in line. after about 15 minutes of waiting in the line and shootin the breeze with the european guy in front of me, it was my turn.
"hey." he says, "just so you know it's like $20 for a quick sketch." pennies, i think to myself. "sure, whatever." i say.
"anything in particular you want me to draw?" he says opening my book to a comfortable page (upside down and backwards). "um..." i cooly hesitate, although i already had my answer ready 15 minutes before, "something NOT Fables"
"sure" he says with a slight smirk.
as he starts i just ask him some general boring questions like how far he came, and what he's currently working on stuff like that. he finishes, i pay him, and get him to quickly sign my copy of Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (he did the cover and had a story inside) and we smile and say "see ya" and "enjoy the rest of the festival." predictable crap like that. and i leave, still glowing i assume, over to my awaiting friends.
After that blissful experience, i got my stuff signed by Becky Cloonan, and Bryan Lee O'Malley. then i bought a copy of Therefore Repent, by Jim Munroe and Salgood Sam, got them to sign it and left the fest. Andrew had to leave anyways and we were done seeing everything.
we talked about the fest over subs and then Grace, Alex and myself continued our Toronto day by walking an hour down Queen St to go to a craft fair behind some hippy store. it was actually almost worth the heat stroke because i bought really cool handmade wallet, and a cool sticker thing for my ipod.
We then went back to where Alex and Grace were staying, made some suagases and i left to go back to Hamilton.
When i got back to Hamilton i walked to the Westside Concert Theatre where Andrew and i saw Young Galaxy, Most Serene Republic, and Apostle of Hustle. an amazing show to put an end to such an amazing day. walked back to Andrew's and i woke up today and went to catch my bus home. now you're caught up.
Hopefully when i'm at the next TCAF in 2 years from now, I'll be behind one of the tables.
