MoCCA Arts Fest 2023: Comics on the Frontline of Change

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Tuesday, 28 March 2023 15:40

Written by Brad Balfour

The MoCCA Arts Fest (named after the defunct Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art) is Manhattan’s number one convention for independent comic authors, zine scribes, and Risograph fanatics. Running April 1 and 2 at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street, NY NY), MoCCA Fest brings together the independent voice of comics, from fledgling art school students to long time veterans of comics. This year’s festival will be featuring guests tackling the issues of the day, including the rising tide of right wing censorship, the looming threat of AI, and the representation of queer youth.

Featured guest Maia Kobabe, author of the award-winning and frequently-banned Gender Queer, will answer questions posed by writer Michele Kirichanskaya (Ace Notes) in a special spotlight session. Kobabe will also participate in a very special panel about comics and censorship moderated by PEN America’s Jonathan Friedman, and also including Mike Curato, author of Flamer, and Cathy G. Johnson, author of The Breakaways, who have all been affected by the wave of censorship currently sweeping parts of the United States.

In other spotlight sessions, Barbara Brandon-Croft (Where I’m Coming From) will discuss her life and career as the first Black woman to write and draw a nationally syndicated daily comic strip. Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil) will appear in conversation with Neil Gaiman (Sandman) to discuss her career and their history of collaboration. This event is scheduled in conjunction with the exhibition “Colleen Doran Illustrates Neil Gaiman,” running from March 22nd to July 29th at the Society of Illustrators and curated by scholar Kim Munson, who will also moderate the conversation. Noah Van Sciver will discuss his prolific career in conversation with Gil Roth (Virtual Memories). 

Other guests include Kim Deitch, Drew Friedman, Miriam Katin, Toma Vagner, and Noah Van Sciver. MoCCA Fest also includes panel discussions on independent manga, animation, publishing, and artist spotlights.

To learn more, go to: https://www.moccafest.org/

MoCCA Arts Fest
April 1 - 2, 2023

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011

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