Before I dive into TCAF and such: We are pleased to begin our week of coverage of Chester Brown's new book, Paying for It. Leading things off is an interview with Brown by Sean Rogers. Later in the week we'll post Scott Grammel's 1990 TCJ interview. Also on tap are pieces by R. Fiore, Naomi Fry, and Ed Park.
In non-Canadian TCJ news: Please welcome Joyce Farmer to the Cartoonist's Diary stage. And Frank Santoro's Layout Workbook part 9 went up yesterday. Frank's back-issue box was much missed this weekend.
Anyhoooo, I'm just back from TCAF, where, fittingly enough, the fest was gripped by Chester Brown mania. The lines for his signings (he stands and then signs on a cardboard box) were as long as I've ever seen for anyone. The festival was, as usual, quite a lot of fun -- well attended, brisk sales, and good vibes. Most of what I saw and did during TCAF was at night, as I was manning ye ol' PictureBox table both days. But from what I can gather, the buzzy books included DeForge's Lose #3, the Floyd Gottfredson Mickey Mouse collection, Lucille by Ludovic Debeurme, and of course, Paying for It.
Upon landing on Friday I embarked on a high-powered TCJ meeting with Jeet Heer, during which we discussed such weighty topics as: the proper reproduction techniques for ben-day dots; "photo-realism" and the comic strip; and who's right and who's wrong. Many problems were solved. Then I moderated a conversation with Adrian Tomine, Seth, Chris Ware and Chester Brown. The room was packed and the artists were in great, chatty form. That night there were yet more high-powered TCJ tet-a-tets tête-à-têtes with Canadian correspondents like Sean Rogers and Chris Randle. I witnessed no dancing, per se, though Brecht Evans Evens as in attendance.
The Doug Wright Awards happened Saturday night. It was, as usual, an entertaining and enjoyable ceremony. Best book went to Bigfoot by Pascal Girard (best known, of course, as a TCJ diarist). Alex Fellows was given the Best Emerging Talent award for Spain and Morocco; and Michael DeForge is now a two-time DWA-winner, having received the Pigskin Peters Award (Given to non-traditional and avant-garde comics) for Spotting Dear, though surely his greatest honor will be as an upcoming TCJ diarist! The ceremony also included a witty, buoyant conversation between Seth and Reid Fleming cartoonist David Boswell, who was inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame.
A few links for kicks:
-Your "1970s Marvel stars" beginnings and endings links:
*Dark Horse is canceling Jim Shooter's much lamented reboots of Magnus: Robot Fighter, Turok: Son Of Stone, Doctor Solar: Man Of The Atom. I hope this means it's finally time for C.F., Gary Panter, and Frank Santoro to have their shots.
* Jim Starlin wants to tell you about Breed III.
-And finally, I always have time for a Mort Meskin Vigilante episode.
