The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2007

UPDATE: AUGUST 9TH: The full programming info for TCAF is now available below!

DRAWN OUT APOCALYPSES BOOK LAUNCH
Featuring Jim Munroe, Salgood Sam, and Claudia Davila
@ The Bookworm, 512 Queen St. West (Upstairs)
Free

TCAF is proud to present the launch of two new graphic novels by Toronto authors. Therefore, Repent! is the first graphic novel by author Jim Munroe. He and artist Salgood Sam create a gripping post-rapture narrative inspired by sequences from Jim's last prose novel, "An Opening Act Of Unspeakable Evil".

spOILed is a peak oil parable about a world without petroleum by Toronto illustrator Claudia Davila.

The writers and artists will be in attendence for this event, and their original artwork from the comics will be on display. Books, original artwork, and silkscreened posters will be available for sale at the event.

THE TORONTO COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL KICK OFF EVENT
Featuring Joe Matt Returns to Toronto, and the 2007 Doug Wright Awards
Innis College Town Hall
6:30pm-8:30pm
2 Sussex, @ St. George (two blocks south of St. George TTC)
$5.00. Tickets available at the door.

It's here! The 2007 Toronto Comic Arts Festival kicks-off with a fantastic presentation featuring three of our headline guests: Joe Matt Returns To Toronto . 5 years ago, Joe Matt left Canada for Hollywood, with the hopes of turning his series Peepshow into a T.V. series, and he had to leave his good friends and compatriots Seth and Chester Brown behind. Now, on the release of Matt's new book SPENT, Joe is returning to Toronto and his friends are going to grill him live on stage about hollywood, his "habits", and accuracy in autobiography, amongst other topics. Sure to be a fun event for fans of these acclaimed graphic novelists or comics in general.

Also this evening, it's the presentation of the 2007 Doug Wright Awards for Canadian Cartooning! This year, the 10 nominees for Canada's premiere cartooning award feature an eclectic mix of personal memoir and travelogue to short fiction and experimental graphic fiction—all from the pens of Canada's finest cartooning talents.

Best Book
Shenzen: A Travelogue From China, Guy Delisle (Drawn and Quarterly)
This Will All End in Tears, Joe Ollman (Insomniac Press)
Scott Pilgrim and The Infinite Sadness, Bryan Lee O'Malley (ONI Press)
Gilded Lilies, Jillian Tamaki (Conundrum Press)
Nog-a-dod, Marc Bell ed. (Conundrum Press)

Best Emerging Talent
Gray Horses, Hope Larson (ONI Press)
House of Sugar, Rebecca Kraatz (Tulip Tree Press)
Was She Pretty?, Leanne Shapton (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux)
Bacter-area, Keith Jones (Drawn and Quarterly)
Mendacity, Tamara Faith Berger & Sophie Cossette (Kiss Machine Presents…)

This short presentation will also include a classic Canadian cartoonist being inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame.

Following the evening's presentation, Seth, Chester Brown, and Joe Matt will be signing copies of their works in a space adjacent to Innis Town Hall.

SATURDAY FESTIVAL EVENTS
Information includes signing schedules, readings, panels, and other presentations.

The main TCAF exhibitions at Victoria College will be open from 10am-7pm on Saturday.

10:30am: Finding Nemo and Searching for Skeezix: Reprinting the Sunday Funnies
Peter Maresca is the publisher of Sunday Press Books, and the force responsible for one of last year’s most interesting—and prestigious—reprint projects, the 22” x 34” Little Nemo: So Many Splendid Sundays. Join Maresca and Globe and Mail journalist Jeet Heer as they discuss what goes into putting together and publishing such a unique item, and celebrate the release of Sunday Books’ newest collection of Gasoline Alley comic strips, Sundays with Walt and Skeezix.
Chapel, Second Floor

11:15am: The Doug Wright Awards Presents: A Tribute to Rand Holmes
Who is Rand Holmes? This panel will explore the life and art of Canadian Underground comics pioneer Rand Holmes, author of Harold Hedd and new inductee into the Giants Of The North Canadian cartooning hall of fame this year. Join Holmes’ son Ron Holmes and the Globe and Mail’s Jeet Heer in this detailed and interactive presentation of Holmes’ work.
Chapel, Second Floor

12noon: 100 Manga Magazines in 60 Minutes
In Japan, manga is published in massive weekly, biweekly, and monthly manga magazines that fit every imaginable category: shojo to shonen, science fiction to horror, moe to yaoi, children's to adult. Jason Thompson (former editor of the English-language edition of Shonen Jump and author of Manga: The Complete Guide), fresh from reading every single manga published in English, provides a visual tour of the manga world from 1945 to 2007.
Chapel, Second Floor

1pm: MAKE MINE MANGA!
Are you a manga fan? This is the panel for you. Join experts on the manga industry, editors and translators, and the creators of your favourite World Manga all on one panel to find out everything you wanted to know… and more. Looking to write and draw your own manga? Find out how the pros did it, and what the newest trends just might be. Featuring Paul Gravett (Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics), Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide), Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon), Becky Cloonan (East Coast Rising, Demo), Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim), and moderator and manga re-writer Lianne Sentaur (Tokyopop).
Chapel, Second Floor

1pm: Mark Siegel’s Storytelling Workshop
Join First Second Books Editor-in-Chief Mark Siegel in a combination lecture/workshop on storytelling in graphic novels. Aspiring creators and established professionals alike are sure to find enjoy Mark’s presentation, as he discusses the difference in storytelling between graphic novels in Asia, Europe, and North America, and what we have to learn from one another. Note: Attendance for this workshop is strictly limited to 60 participants. Participants must register at the main registration desk at the front entrance to Victoria College on the first floor before 12noon on Saturday, August 18th.
Meet at the top of the stairs on the second floor to be directed to workshop room.

2pm: Webcomics: The hows and whys of comics on the net
Did you know that the top webcomics have readerships much, much larger than even the best-selling comic books in North America? Well They Do. It’s a whole ‘nother comics industry just outside our windows, and one that anyone can be a part of—with the proper time, talent, and dedication. Find out the ins and outs of webcomics with the creators of some of the most popular titles. Featuring Danielle Corsetto (Girls with Slingshots), Matt Forsythe (Ojingogo), Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie), Chris Hastings (Dr. McNinja), Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics), Jeffrey Rowland (Wigu, Overcompensating), and R. Stevens (Diesel Sweeties). Moderated by Jon Ellis and Ed Matthews from PopImage.com. Last minute addition: Rob Coughler (Butternutsquash).
Chapel, Second Floor

3pm: Webcomics: Transmission-X Launch Panel
It’s the official launch of the newest group webcomics site: Transmission-X, as this exclusive group of Canadian comics creators entertain a candid discussion about bringing professional comics to the web. Featuring Cameron Stewart (The Other Side), Karl Kerschl (The Flash), Ramon Perez (Butternut Squash), Andy Belanger (Dead End 56), Scott Hepburn (Sentinel), Brendan Fletcher (Ragni), Michael Cho (Max Finder), and Brian MacLachlan (No Dead Time). Moderated by the Eisner Award Winning author of The Spirit and DC: The New Frontier, Darwyn Cooke.
Chapel, Second Floor

3pm: Digital Comics and Digital Media Workshop
Various comics professionals take you through the creation of their digital art. All of the creators work differently with different results, and the creators will be sharing as much with each other as with the audience! Featuring artists from Imaginism Studios, Atilla Adorjany, James Jean (Fables), Jose Villarubia (Promethea), and Jim Zubkavich (Udon Comics). Note: Attendance for this workshop is strictly limited to 60 participants. Participants must register at the main registration desk at the front entrance to Victoria College on the first floor before 2pm on Saturday, August 18th.
Meet at the top of the stairs on the second floor to be directed to workshop room.

4pm: Comic books in the Library!? Yes!
Comics and graphic novels have made great strides into public libraries and schools over the past several years, and our expert panel will discuss the phenomenon and the future role that graphic novels may play in education and library patronage in the future! This panel will features including Mark Siegel (First Second Books), Paul Gravett (Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life), Diana Maliszewski (Toronto District School Board), and other panelists to be announced. Moderated by The Beguiling’s library services coordinator, Jason Azzopardi.
Chapel, Second Floor

5pm: Queer Voices In Comics & Graphic Novels
The burgeoning field of graphic novels has given a voice and a potential audience to creators who may have been stymied by direct market comic book stores. With Alison Bechdel’s riveting queer coming-of-age story Fun Home taking Time Magazine’s honours for ‘Best Book of 2006’, the field looks to be wide open. Creators J. Bone (The Spirit), Becky Cloonan (American Virgin), Tim Fish (Cavalcade of Boys), Steve MacIsaac (Shirtlifter), Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim), Jose Villarrubia (Mirror of Love), and moderator Ed Mathews (Popimage.com) discuss the landscape for queer comics in 2007.
Chapel, Second Floor

6pm: Spotlight: Darwyn Cooke & J. Bone
Darwyn Cooke’s panel at this year’s San Diego Comic Con was one of the most-commented-upon of the whole event—particularly after he took home three Eisner Awards in 2006! Now Darwyn and his collaborator on The Spirit J. Bone talk about what’s next and anything else that happens to cross their minds. It should be a great panel. Moderated by Jon Ellis of PopImage.com
Chapel, Second Floor

TCAF PARTY: SONGS & PICTURES
Featuring Kupek, Little Brown Bat, and Ragni
Saturday, August 18th, Doors Open at 9PM
Sneaky Dees, 431 College St. @ Bathurst
Second Floor
$5 Cover

What to do after TCAF? Why not head to Sneaky Dees (just 15 minutes walk from both The Beguiling and Victoria College) to hang out at the TCAF PARTY! Featuring plenty of cheap eats and drinks, the evening will feature performances by a number of talented Canadian comics creators who also play fantastic music as well!

KUPEK: Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley's one-man-band starts off the night with it's acoustic guitar-pop tracks. Fun Fact: Scott Pilgrim 4 is set inside Sneaky Dees. Meta! Check out Kupek on MySpace.

LITTLE BROWN BAT: Violet Miranda: Girl Pirate creator Willow Dawson plays the saw and sings in this atmospheric alt/folk band out of Toronto. Check out Little Brown Bat on MySpace.

RAGNI: Brenden Fletcher and Jakub Zapotoczny create moody soundscapes that chill and delight, and their debut album RAGNI features a full graphic novel by Karl Karschel! Check out RAGNI on MySpace.

Cover is just $5 at the door, doors open at 9PM with the first act on at 9:30, or thereabouts.

Note: As with all musical performances at this venue, SONGS & PICTURES will take place in the concert space on the second floor, not in the first-floor restaurant.

SUNDAY FESTIVAL EVENTS
Information includes signing schedules, readings, panels, and other presentations.

The main TCAF exhibitions at Victoria College will be open from 10am-6pm on Sunday.

Panels and Signing Schedule:

Sunday Panel Descriptions:

10:30am: Comics In The Academy 2007
In recent years, the number of comics appearing on university reading lists has increased markedly. In fact, at some schools, we might even find the odd course devoted entirely to the study of comics. But despite these gains, the study of comics in the academy remains a largely marginal project. Many academics still dismiss comics as (gasp!) mere popular culture or (gaaah!) ephemera with no lasting value, most academic papers on comics appear in little-read and/or hard-to-find journals, and new students are often at a loss as to where and how they should begin their research.

In response to these difficulties, the 'Comics in the Academy' panel will feature a multi-disciplinary group of comic scholars who bring a number of different perspectives to the study of comics, and who will speak about their field, their work, and their experiences, as well as field questions. Everyone is welcome to attend - our panel is aimed at those potential scholars who don't know where to begin and the present scholars who want to share 'how' and 'why' they study comics. Moderated by Neil Shyminsky, PhD Student.
Chapel, Second Floor

12noon: George A. Walker’s Graphic Witness: Four Wordless Graphic Novels
Graphic Witness reproduces in their entirety four rare wordless woodcut novels by well-know printmakers working from 1918-1951. These proto-graphic novels inspired and presaged the likes of Will Eisner’s A Contract With God and Art Spiegelman’s Maus.

Graphic Witness officially launches at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, and editor George A. Walker will be conducting a ‘reading’ of the material, as well as giving a short lecture on the history and techniques of these novels. Walker is an award-winning wood engraver, book artist, and illustrator, and is an Associate Professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Chapel, Second Floor

1pm: Spotlight on Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer
TCAF Guests of Honour Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer have never done a comics event in Toronto before, and we’re happy to have them here! TCAF Festival Co-Director Christopher Butcher will interview Evan and Sarah about their long and varied careers in comics and animation, how the birth of their daughter Emily (who will be appearing on her first panel ever!) has affected their work, and what’s around the corner for their fan-favourite series’!
Chapel, Second Floor

2pm: Spotlight on Paul Gravett: Great British Comics
TCAF Guest of Honour Paul Gravett is the author of many notable books on comics and graphic novels including Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics and Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life. His most recent book is Great British Comics, a exploration of the history of comics in Great Britain over the past 100 years. Gravett will give an extensive overview of the history—and present-day reality—of British publishing and detail his own essential contributions.
Chapel, Second Floor

3pm: Spotlight on Paul Pope & James Jean
TCAF Guests of Honour Paul Pope & James Jean are both friends and contemporaries, each turning out beautiful work unique to the comics industry. Paul Pope will be presenting a retrospective of his career, tying into his new book PULPHOPE: The Art of Paul Pope. James Jean will be presenting a look at his recent, more personal work. Moderated by Jon Ellis of PopImage.com.
Chapel, Second Floor

3pm: Darwyn Cooke Effective Storytelling Workshop
Reprising his well-received panel from 2005, DC: The New Frontier and The Spirit creator Darwyn Cooke offers a few choice words on page design, composition and staging. Note: Attendance for this workshop is strictly limited to 60 participants. Participants must register at the main registration desk at the front entrance to Victoria College on the first floor before 12 noon on Sunday August 19th.
Meet at the top of the stairs on the second floor to be directed to workshop room.

4pm: From Comic Books to Graphic Novels: The wide world of mainstream publishing.
With the boom in graphic novel publishing of the past several years has come a new paradigm; graphic novel publishers that exist almost entirely outside of comic book stores. Are comics finally taking their place in the mainstream just like they did at the newsstands 50 years ago? Or are graphic novels going to remain just a niche market in the massive North American publishing industry? Creators Hope Larson (Chiggers), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Kean Soo (Jellaby), and Raina Telgemeier (Babysitter’s Club) have all recently completed a graphic novel for mainstream publishers including Disney and Simon & Shuster. Come here their takes on this field. Moderated by Scott Robins.
Chapel, Second Floor

5pm: Caitlin Black Presents: The Mariah Trilogy
Artist Caitlin Black will be presenting a lively audio/visual presentation of her comics “The Mariah Trilogy”, three fictional stories inspired by the music of Mariah Carey.
Chapel, Second Floor

E-mail 2007@torontocomics.com for more information.