tcaf spiegelman
It was a must-go sight unseen but now that it’s been seen, we’re dialing up Porter Air for tickets. This year’s Toronto Comic Arts Festival—held May 11-12th—not only presents manga legends Taiyo Matsumoto and Gengoroh Tagame, but Euro comics master Blutch and US icons Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly. It’s gonna be awesome.

Fans of comics, manga, and graphic literature will be clearing their calendars this May to attend the 10th Anniversary of The Toronto Comic Arts Festival! Taking place May 11th and 12th 2013 at Toronto Reference Library & The Appel Salon, TCAF is expected to draw a record crowd of 20,000 across all festival events, and will reach new heights as one of the most celebrated literary comics events in the world!

Founded in 2003 in conjunction with The Beguiling Books & Art in Toronto, The Toronto Comic Arts Festival seeks “to promote the breadth and diversity of comics, and what is considered comics, as legitimate medium of literary and artistic worth.” By partnering with Presenting Sponsor Toronto Public Library, TCAF has achieved its goal of changing the Canadian comics landscape… and the first ten years were just the beginning! TCAF 2013 will feature the largest and most international array of comics authors and artists in the history of the Festival, a virtual who’s who of literary cartoonists including featured guests:
• Art Spiegelman: Author of Maus, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Co-Founder RAW Magazine. Debuting:Co-Mix
• Francoise Mouly: Art Editor of The New Yorker, Founder of Toon Books, Co-Founder RAW Magazine
• Taiyo Matsumoto Author of Tekkon Kinkreet (adapted into film by Sony Pictures). First North American event. Debuting: Sunny Volume 1. (Japan)
• Raina Telgemeier: New York Times Bestselling Author of the childrens’ and middle-grade graphic novels Smile and Drama
• Blutch: Angouleme Grand Prix Winner. First North American event. Debuting: So Long, Silver Screen. (France)
• Gengoroh Tagame: Acclaimed Japanese gay comics creator. First North American event. Debuting:The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame. (Japan)
• Dash Shaw: Author of BodyWorld. Debuting: New School.
• Maurice Vellekoop: Acclaimed illustrator and comics author. Artist of TCAF 10th Anniversary Poster.
 (More detailed biographies follow at the end of this release).

These seven featured guests join a fantastic and diverse array of more than 300 Canadian and international cartoonists who will make up the 2013 Festival.

PROGRAMS:

The World’s Stage (in Toronto): The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is the most internationally-focused comics Festival in North America, and TCAF 2013 will see the largest number of international cartoonists yet!Representative cartoonists will be on hand from more than 17 countries, including Austria, Australia, Brazil, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, The U.S.A., Canada, with more to be announced. TCAF 2013 will prominently feature gallery showings and installations of work by Australian, Finnish, French, and Japanese cartoonists, details TBA.

TCAF TURNS TEN: The 10th Anniversary of The Toronto Comic Arts Festival will not go unobserved, as a massive participatory gallery-show will mark the official kick-off of the festival, held at and in conjunction with Steamwhistle Gallery. The thousand-plus cartoonists who have participated in TCAF events since 2003 will be invited to contribute their special vision ofToronto and Comics in a wonderful celebration of the Festival and the city we call home.

The World Of Taiyo Matsumoto: This talented and prolific cartoonist’s career will be explored through a full program of Festival events, headlined by an exhibition of original artwork and goods, to be held at and in conjunction with The Japan Foundation, Toronto. Further events will include a special screening of the filmTekkon Kinkreet (based on his graphic novel), with Director Michael Arias and Screenwriter Anthony Weintraub in attendance.

Everything You Love… And More!: TCAF 2013 will reprise our most popular programming from the history of the Festival, including our popular Webcomics Pavilion, OWLkids Kids Area, Wowee Zonk Small Press Area, Panel Discussions and Interviews, Workshops, Readings, and much more. These events will take place in and around Toronto Reference Library, official TCAF hotel The Marriott Bloor-Yorkville, and the Yonge-Bloor neighbourhood.

Over the next several months, TCAF will announce additional Featured Guests from Canada and around the world, details of programming and related events, and a full run-down of all that’s in store at the 2013 Festival. We will be sending PR for all events, but be sure to check the TCAF Website and social media for up-to-the-minute updates!

1 COMMENT

  1. Oh my gosh, does that mean Matsumoto’s Sunny is being published in English? That would be all kinds of delightful. The bad news I have a major work event on May 11th – no way to wiggle out of it.

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