TCAF Recaf!

Hey! New Assistant Editor Jonathan here! Any of you who were following the Broken Pencil Instagram or Twitter (both @brokenpencilmag) this weekend probably gathered that someone new had gotten their paws on those handles— and that this someone really loves comics and the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF). And you’re not wrong! In fact, I also work for the legendary Toronto comic book shop, The Beguiling, which is the same crew of people who organize TCAF. If you don’t know, TCAF is the biggest and most bad-ass indie comics gathering in the world, and had its 11th iteration this year. And although I spent most of the weekend running around the Toronto Reference Library, lifting boxes, organizing displays, and herding volunteers and visitors around, I was also over the moon witnessing the ecstasy that occurs when people all obsessed with basically the same thing come together and share it. It’s where comics people who work super hard doing something they love are recognized big-time, and where people of all ages and walks of life get to feel why comics really are that exciting. Maybe my favorite moments of the TCAF showrooms are seeing the people who have wandered in off of the street, or people who just heard about comics and can’t believe what they’re seeing. It’s like watching someone wake up to breakfast in bed. Although it’s impossible to take in the whole festival— particularly because a good bit of programming happens off-site at venues like The Pilot, The Japan Foundation, the Marriott and St. Paul’s Church— I did my best to stop and capture a few friendly faces, their art, and the general vibrations of the situation. Here’s a little best of after the jump!