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I’ll have a longer report (HA) later, but to hold you over here is Robyn Chapman’s MoCCA Festival wrap-up at The Tiny Report, which hits all the main points, including the big one, which was “Whoa! Charlie Brown!”

PW Comics World also has a photo gallery up by Jody Culkin and Calvin Reid, including the above shot of Guests of Honor Howard Cruse and ALison Bechdel.

Short version: MoCCA is back, baby! Spurred by the $5 entrance attendance on Saturday equalled all of last year’s show, there was great energy all the way through Sunday, and way too many good comics to even think of buying them ALL. Sales were good but not mind boggling (i son’t think there was a big debut at the show that drove excitement the way some years have had.)

But yeah, good times, and after some tough years, MoCCA Festival seems to have reestesblished itself as a prime stop on the CAF circuit.

5 COMMENTS

  1. I sent an email about MOCCA fest to another attendee this morning. here’s part of that email:

    ” I had such a great time. I’ve said it before, but when I go to MOCCA I always wish that I was independently wealthy so that I could stop at each booth and make a purchase. The energy, the enthusiasm, the talent on display at this event is just plain exciting and needs to be rewarded. It’s not that everything there is of real interest to me, but I sure would like to encourage. As a grandfatherly older gent myself, in does my heart good to see a such a large room of comic and graphics creators represented by such a diverse population of race, nationality, gender and age.. For much of the years that I have followed comics it was virtually only white guys.
    The Allison Bechdel/Howard Cruse panel was terrific. Allison is a fantastic lady. Most of that audience was there to see her, but she was there to make sure that Mr. Cruse was the center of attention. Though the panel was moderated, she nearly acted as a second moderator, briefly answering question from the official moderator succinctly, charmingly and wittily, and then turning to Mr. Cruse to have him speak.. She did the same during Q&A, when most of the questions were addressed to her. I did not realize before how much her inspiration to start her comic strip came from her seeing Mr. Cruse’s work and then meeting with him for advice. Later in the day I got both Howard and Allison to autograph my original copies of Stuck Rubber Baby and Fun Home respectively.

    The last panel in Room 1 was artists drawing live while a 3 piece band played music. A large screen projected the drawing in progress. I especially enjoyed Miriam Katin. ”

    And let me add that the Society Of Illustrators has brought great organizational professionalism to the event, and I thank them for this. MOCCA is my favorite Comics event

  2. Seeing Howard Cruse and Alison Bechdel together like that reminds me that there was a time when The Advocate carried full- or two-page strips by each of them. Then abruptly dropped them both. [shaking head sadly]

  3. I LOVED MoCCA this year! I thought the new aisle layout was awesome. I loved how crowded it was! It felt like a huge mosh pit! Good times!

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