A few local cartoonists were selected to attend TCAF in Canada this year - it's a curated show, and not a lottery like SPX is. I think it has invited guests and people who apply to exhibit. I reached out to ask about their experiences. Alex's profile interview is here and when I saw him recently at Fantom Comics, he said new issues of Sand are coming.
How did you get selected for this show? Did you have to apply?
I
did have to apply and was selected. TCAF is a curated show, and from
what I can tell a lot of thought goes into that decision making process.
I also applied last year, and was not selected, but that rejection came
with an email explaining their decision. This is relatively rare in my
experience. They specifically took the pains to explain that they
reviewed my work and would consider me a stronger applicant this year,
and encouraged me to apply again. These application processes can often
be fairly opaque, so that small touch truly went a long way.
Was this your first time?
Yes
and no. I've been to TCAF many times starting in 2015, but all prior
times it was either as a table helper, with maybe one comic on the
table, or just attending for fun. Even though this was my fifth TCAF, it
was the first where I applied by myself and was accepted.
Why do you go to TCAF so often? It's got to be a fairly expensive trip from the DC-area....
Initially it was because my partner at the time was accepted to table, and I tagged along to help out & cover the event for my blog at the time (now defunct for years). That fist time I just fell in love with the show & Toronto, so tagged along again in 2017 & 2019. It's really one of the premier shows of its type & size. Finally in 2022 I went for fun, and it was honestly part of what motivated me to return to Sand and finish writing the story. There was a hiatus of six years between the first issue and the second, which was then finished the following year in 2023. After all that, I was fully motivated to be accepted on my own, and so here we are!
How was the experience? How does it compare to SPX or other local cons?
TCAF
is always a great time. Comics are frequently a solitary experience, so
these periodic pilgrimages we undertake to shows like TCAF are a good
reminder that we're not alone on this creative journey.
TCAF
is in many ways very similar to SPX, but with some clear advantages.
Whether previously when it was located in the Toronto Reference Library
or this year at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, TCAF has always been
located fairly centrally in Toronto. It is also free to attend. All of
which makes it much easier to attend and makes for a very diverse &
receptive audience. It is also much more carefully curated, while the
SPX lottery feels very arbitrary. I've only ever tabled at SPX thanks to
being able to share a space with friends. I've never won the lottery
myself, meanwhile it feels like other creators are there every year.
That said, I live about five minutes away from SPX, so it will always have a special place in my heart.
How were your sales? Did you reach a new audience?
Sales
were okay. I reached the minimum amount where they didn't feel bad, but
I definitely had higher hopes. It was actually somewhat shocking that I
did better at Zenkaikon, a smaller anime show in Lancaster, PA. Some of
this might have been due to the general uncertainty of the times, or
maybe just that I was located at the back of the smaller room, which may
have impacted foot traffic. It also did not help that I was in the room
that literally had a waterfall spring from the ceiling. My own table
was not damaged, but some were, and from what I understand TCAF intends
to refund table fees for those individuals. It is worth noting that this
was TCAF's first time in a new space, and clearly that came with some
growing pains.
That said, it's always great to
engage with a new audience, and see their excitement for your work. One
person in particular returned on the second day to buy all of my
comics, after buying & reading one the day before. How can that not
feel great?
How did Canadians react to Americans in light of the current administration's misbehavior to our ally?
People
were exceptionally friendly. It was actually impressive how little the
current administration's misbehavior actually impacted things. There
were some remarks for sure, but all in good jest like people mentioning
the Trump/Musk breakup. It was also interesting to note that I did have a
couple of expats come by my table, and mention that they specifically
left the US due to the volatility of the past several years. You hear
people joke about that, but I was surprised to see it manifest.
Lastly,
I did attend a baseball game while I was in Toronto (and specifically
as a Nats fan enjoyed seeing the Phillies lose to the Blue Jays), but
was genuinely surprised at the amount of people genuinely clapping after
the American anthem played. I would have expected either a lack of
response, or even booing.
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