(i took this photo at last year’s in‐person exhibition.)
yes, this TCAF is much earlier than the usual (which was early‐mid‐May). i’m not sure why; last year’s was also much later, so it’s only like 10 months between these two. feels way too soon for there to be another one already. then again, my grasp on the flow of time still hasn’t fully recovered since 2020.
anyway! if you don’t know, “TCAF” (affectionately pronounced “tee‐caff”) is like, a free pseudo‐convention? or i hear people describe it like this, i’ve never actually been to a “con” myself. anyway there are lots of tables where comic artists big and small — but mostly small & independent — directly sell their (often queer) books, zines, prints, etc. along with a full schedule of various panels and sometimes signings. but it’s free! in‐person exhibitions and programming are hosted in the Toronto Reference Library, open to the public. also cosplay and stuff is explicitly discouraged at TCAF, unlike actual conventions (an important distinction which some painted‐over Homestuck fans visibly didn’t understand one year in ye olden times).
also, they’re maintaining a digital marketplace and some digital programming like the last 2 years, so you don’t have to be physically in the library to see everything being showcased! who knows, maybe you’ll find some new favourite artists! it’s all on their website: https://www.torontocomics.com
the primary focus is on cartoonists (hence the “Comic Arts” in “Toronto Comic Arts Festival”) from independent, alternative, and marginalized communities using comics to tell their stories. but for a few years there were exhibitions and programming specifically for video games too! they didn’t have any of this in‐person last year though, which, while very understandable, still saddened me. i don’t know that the Hand Eye Society’s “Comics × Games” showcase will run at all this year either…
i figured i should explain what exactly TCAF is this year, given that most of my followers from Twitter — who had been hearing me talk about TCAF every year since, gosh, 2011? maybe even 2010? — didn’t carry over to Mastodon and cohost. and unfortunately this includes basically all the friends i’ve met up with at TCAFs in years past. since this will be the first time i’m not keeping up with everything going on at TCAF through Twitter, it’s gonna be… a weird year, for me.
i still want to make a point to keep going to TCAF though. i have such a long history with it now, and it’s notable as the only public outing i make every year (besides 2020 & 2021 where it didn’t run in‐person). but i doubt this year will be as grandiose in the library as it was pre‐pandemic either. i mean, TCAF’s certainly not going anywhere, but i still yearn for a return to form, massively and internationally attended and with video games. hopefully the world will permit that again soon.
ah right, i should mention online that i’ll be attending in‐person tomorrow at this year’s Toronto Comic Arts Festival! (see the shared post for more details about what it is exactly.) this remains the only public outing i make every year, if anyone happens to want to find me and say hi. i used to hang out for the whole weekend, but i’ll probably only be there from 9–12 tomorrow!