So here it is - the REAL recap of my MoCCA 2011 – A little late, but always great! On a personal level, MoCCA was pretty awesome this year – as always, got to see some of my favorite cartoonists (several of which are here in these fine trades!), and drink beer with some, & chat with others. Sales – wise, the show was also great – I completely sold out of the first run of “Wall Street Cat”, which means the silk-screened covers are all sold out! Thanks to everyone who bought a book – I hope you still feel good about that purchase!
On to the trades! This first group of trades were all items I received in exchange for my own books – I’ll cover some of what Steve got in part two. From the top left:
David Stoll – “That I Am” (Collected strips from Northern Arizona University’s Student Newspaper “The Lumberjack”) Books 1-4 – “That I Am” is an enjoyable, semi-autobiographical gag-strip comic that originally appeared in David’s college newspaper, where he single-handedly revived the “comics” section all by himself! These strips are funny, but also made me smile and think of my own time with roommates, video games, and all-nighters. I’d love to see more work from David, perhaps something in a longer-form story! That I Am Online!
Morgan Pielli -”Indestructible Universe 7″ – More strange, short sci-fi-ish tales from Morgan! ”Living Room”, a claustrophobic vignette, and the continuation of “Driftwood” are two choice pieces from this particular issue! It’s been fun watching Morgan develop as an artist from the first IUQ to number 7 now – his work keeps getting better, and his covers increasingly creative! See more IU at Morganpielli.com!
Melanie Gillman – “Smibitten, Pt.1″ - A beautiful, hand- colored mini about an exciting & liberating dance lesson!! I love Melanie’s colored pencil technique - it really brings her characters & their surroundings to life! It’s always great to see other people working in full color – I love checking out other’s techniques! One of my favorite trades! Contriveathon.Livejournal.com
Marguerite Dabaie – “He Also Has Drills For Hands” (Daily Strips 2010-2011) – Whether you’ve been following Margo’s dalies or not, “HAHDFH – the Book” is a great little “best of” of the strips that are available here. I’m always a fan of hearing what Shirley the cat is up to, but there’s plenty of other daily cartoonist-and -life goodness in here as well!
Alex Robinson – “Box Office Poison #78″ – I actually picked this up at Wild Pig a few weeks ago, but I’m lumping it in with my MoCCA haul…In this short, we get to see our B.O.P. friends a few years into the not-too-distant future – and how they’ve grown and changed (or, not). I also got some nifty A-Rob post-it notes (not pictured!) that are hanging out on my new desk at my new job! Not sure if he has any of these left, but I’d find out soon, as it’s a fun mini for B.O.P. fans! ComicBookAlex.com
Emi Gennis – “Spaz #3″ and “The Collyer Brothers” – Unusual deaths, ghosts, fertility, and irrational worry – this is why I love Emi’s ‘Spaz’ comics! I laugh, and then I relate, and then I laugh some more. And then I think about my eggs. A must read if you like walking, talking Zygotes. Also, a bonus – if you don’t know the story of the Collyer Brothers, buy Emi’s book, and read this strange tale of some original hoarders. Spazcomix.com
Nomi Kane – “Sugar Baby” – A series of autobiographical shorts about living with type 1 diabetes as a young girl, Nomi’s ‘Sugar Baby’ is both an interesting read and a beautifully crafted book. Nomi silk screened, die cut, and tied each book together to create a really beautiful presentation for her very personal stories. I’m always interested in seeing how talented artists interpret (somewhat) common experiences – Nomi really brought you in to her experiences as a young girl, and made me want to know more. I would love to see some more longer form stories about living with diabetes – I was really intrigued by these little glimpses! BrewForBreakfast.com.
Alexandra Beguez – Silk-screened “Alien Raver” Postcards – What else can I say, but Super Awesome! They make a fabulous triptych!! I need to frame them all together n’ hang ‘em up! Alex was also selling her amazing “Owl Maiden” 6 color silk-screen book, which is really beautiful! AlienRaver.com