Toronto Comic Arts Festival: 5/7-5/8

Here's a big ol' post about my upcoming trip to Toronto for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival! If you're anywhere in the southern Ontario area, you should really come to TCAF. It's free, and it's one of the most concentrated gatherings of international comics talent anywhere. I'll be at TABLE #234 on the SECOND FLOOR with my husband Dave Roman, and I'm debuting THIS:

SMILE t-shirts!! The braces are printed in shiny, glittery silver ink, and the smiley face is high-quality silkscreen on aqua American Apparel t-shirts. Here's a close-up:

I haven't decided whether to take orders over the internet yet; I'll post about that after I'm home from TCAF. But I will definitely have these babies for sale at the following conventions and events this summer: TCAF, Kids Read Comics in Michigan, and San Diego Comic-Con. Come and get a SMILE shirt, hot off the press!

Here's my schedule for TCAF:

SATURDAY

4:00pm-4:45pm Carousel for Kids R. Sikoryak hosts a cartoon slide show featuring Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier and Colleen AF Venable where the creators will read their work with music, sound effects, and audience participation! Plus a 3D comic presentation! (With glasses, of course.)

SUNDAY

11am-12pm Free Comic Book Giveaway & Costume Contest Come dressed as your favourite comic book character! The best costumes will be selected by Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Eric Wight (Frankie Pickle) and Colleen AF Venable (Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye). And be sure to pick up some FREE COMICS, too! Limit 3 for children 12 and under. Limited quantities.

1:45pm–2:45pm Married in Comics Panelists: Kathryn and Stuart Immonen, Joe Ollman, Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier Moderated by Robin Brenner Location: The Beeton These cartoonists are married to their work — literally! Come hear a discussion of marriage in comics, encompassing the topics of being married to another cartoonist and depicting married life on the comics page.

2:45pm-3:30pm Turn Your Life Into Comics: Autobiography Workshop The inspiration for Raina Telgemeier’s book, Smile comes from her own life as an eleven-year old girl who injures her two front teeth. Are you ready to tell your life story in comics? Get tips on how to pick ideas from your own life to create your own autobiographical comics.

Pretty much the entire rest of the weekend, you can find me at table #234 on the second floor, selling books and t-shirts and artwork, and signing stuff. Look for my SMILE banner! The organizers are usually very good about providing maps of the tables, so if you can't find me, just ask someone. Feel free to bring your own books for me to sign.

Dave will also be giving out advanced reader copies of his forthcoming kids' graphic novel,
Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity, so if you're a kid or parent, stop by and ask us how you can get one!

I drive home Monday, then Tuesday I hit the road again for a school visit in Baltimore! The fun never ends around here. Hope to see you at one of my stops along the way!