Jen Wang

Felt like getting a little brushy today. How good is Jillian Tamaki?

I listened to this mix while drawing.

I’m cheating a little because I didn’t draw this today, but it was recent. It is the weekend.

This is the protagonist for a story I’ll eventually do once I figure it out. It’s a tough one to crack, but I’m pretty committed to her.

Two things on my mind, lately. Cats, and finding places to live.

I actually spent a little too much time on this one and I still don’t think it’s done. Don’t expect to see this kind of thing every day!

In an effort to keep drawing outside of work, I’m going to try to post something every day in June. I’ll also be moving soon so I might put some of these up for sale at the end of the month.

Almost a month after the fact, I am finally here to assert that TCAF was nothing short of amazing. Three weeks after getting home I’m still buzzing off the great energy, and that’s saying something. I’ve been going to conventions for about a decade now, and TCAF reminded me of those first few golden years when everything was inspirational and exciting, before it became just exhausting and anxiety inducing. Being next to the entrance I had a direct view of the folks coming in, and I was moved by the constant flow of people here just for comics. Nothing against cosplayers and people interested in peeping celebrities, but it’s standard nowadays for comics to take a back seat to Hollywood spectacle at comic conventions and TCAF was all comics. Instead of Johnny Depp and J.J. Abrams, the biggest stars of TCAF were Chris Ware, Chester Brown, Kate Beaton, and the like.

(photo by Vera Brosgol)

I met a ton of great people and discovered so much amazing stuff. The North American comics scene is so small and underexposed, it’s easy to miss things and think nothing’s happening. But I came back from TCAF feeling like we’re really on to something. There’s no money in comics (contrary to myth), but people have ideas and they have guts. Cartoonists, you are the coolest. I’m proud to be one of you.

It was also my first time in Toronto, and I had fun walking around a city again after living in LA for a year. I brought my Olympus and took a couple snapshots of us hanging out outside the con. You can check them out here.

Our table did great! I sold a ton of books and signed a bunch of KOKO’s people brought from home. I even got some fanart in person! I was happy to hear from so many Canadian and American readers. Hope to see more of you next year.

p.s. I just redid the store, and you can buy paper dolls now! Each one is $10 and comes signed. Check it out!

Quick post before I head out for Toronto. TCAF is this weekend (duh), and I’ll be at table #109 with Vera Brosgol and Emily Carroll who are each debuting some new things. Both those ladies, so hot right now. Seriously though, you can’t miss us. We are literally adjacent to the Welcome Table at the library entrance. To prove it, here’s a map.

I’ll have books, prints, tiny original paintings, and paper dolls!

You can see the rest of the photo set here.

I’ll put up a little page for these guys when I get back. I hope to periodically design new outfits for people to download and print out for their dolls. Like a Sim, but on your bookshelf! Halloween! Christmas! The possibilities are endless.

Anyway, I gotta pack, but you should really go to TCAF this weekend if you’re anywhere close to Toronto. The line up of guests and exhibitors is amazing, and most of all, admission is free. Bring your friends, introduce them to comics. Everyone I know in comics is stoked out of their minds for it and I feel like we’re going to prom. See some of you this weekend!

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival
Saturday May 7th, 9am-5pm
Sunday May 8th, 11am-5pm

@ Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge St., Toronto, Canada