Events

As Torsten pointed out this was National Comics Weekend. Here's some of what folks saw and wrote:

Torsten gave a fantastic review of things to do this weekend but I'll focus on two fun events for the Maine and Washington people, who desperately should enjoy themselves while the sun is still out!

While any noteworthy comics events are taking place this weekend, the not notable—and perhaps the most notable in recent comics history—is taking place at the University of Chicago's new $114 million Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts: the Comics: Philosophy and Practice symposium organized by Hilary Chute. The lineup?

Also this weekend, The Maine Comics Art Festival, one of our favorite shows. Topline guests include Kate Beaton and Kazu Kibuishi. The Portland Press Herald has a preview:

As the UK's big three-weekend rolling convention rolls on, Kapow! is the big multimedia/Big Two and Image/mancave convention, with movie premiere stuff, Joe Quesada, Dan DiDio, Eric Stephenson, Jonathan Ross, and even Warren Ellis and Peter Serafinowitz. The show is being held at the fairly intimate London Business Design Centre—total capacity is about 6500 people—and all tickets are already sold out, meaning there will be no walk-up tickets at all—so mastermind Mark Millar's wish to give the UK a mini San Diego has come true.

Lots of guests and activities surround this year's first ever CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo) which takes place June 16-17 in Chicago. As you can see, there's a strong showing from the indie crowd (Pizza Island, Closed Caption) and of course the strong local scene. And it's FREE to get in. Send reports!

Brooklyn Comics is near two primary schools and reportedly when school lets out, the shop is flooded with kids. We'd love to see that!

Oops, these events came in the emailbox a bit late but still deserve some attention. Wonder if anyone will show up to that Midtown signing?

We've been fans of TEEN BOAT since we saw the first mini comics, and the fact that they're having a book launch ON a boat is entirely fitting.

Katie Skelly's NURSE NURSE from Sparkplug was a sellout at MoCCA, but you can still get a copy in NYC at tonight's book party at Desert Island.

[Special to the Beat: we challenged frequent Beat commenter and artist Matthew Southworth to give us a Stumptown report and this is the delightful result! Thanks so much, Matthew!] -- by Matthew Southworth --
It’s 5:40 Saturday morning and I haven’t really slept. I never sleep when I have an early appointment, and now I’m up and showering and readying myself for the trip to Portland’s Stumptown Comics Fest. Goodbye kiss Machelle, double-triple-check that everything’s in the car and cellphone iPod Coke Zero and check the oil and fill the tank get the junk food hit the highway.

Despite what some exhibitors thought, MoCCA's attendance was actually up by a thousand.