My Time at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

This year, I vowed to spend more time delving into independent comics. So, I jumped on the opportunity to go to the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival (BCGF). Filled with (almost) every indie publisher under the sun, it's a great opportunity to try some new comics that aren't always accessible. And with a $0 admission fee, I definitely had a few bucks in my pocket to do just that. This festival wraps up the year in a fun comics bow, plus gives people a chance to get some prezzie shopping done. Here are a few of my favorite things from BCGF....


 I will admit, I only recognized a few names on the list of attendees. However, I was super excited to finally get an autographed copy of Sarah Glidden's How To Understand Israel in 60 Days. As a Birthright Israel alum, this is one of those stories that hits home and made me tear up a little.

I also swung by the ACT•I•VATE table for a little chatting time with creators Simon Fraser and Chris Sinderson. In case you don't know about ACT•I•VATE, it is a web comic goldmine! Just filled to the brim with creator-owned projects, this site will keep you entertained for hours at a time.

Photo by Chris Mautner

One of the new things I found was a copy of The Complete Ouija Interviews by Sarah Becan.  It is a book of actual Ouija board sessions, illustrated with cute ghost pics.  It intrigued me enough to pick up a copy and it was a great read.

The bad thing about going to a show in December is that the holiday season is around the corner. I had wanted to buy a copy of Kate Beaton's Hark! A Vagrant but my friend stopped me. Said it was a bad time to spend money during the holiday season. I hate ruining surprises. :( I had to ask permission to buy anything else.

My one real complaint about this show is it's too big for its home. The crowds felt worse than New York Comic Con on Saturday! There were a lot of booths that looked interesting, but I couldn't get anywhere near them. Once you got to a booth, it was hard to move on to the next one. The exhibit floor was broken up on two levels, so the stairs were crowded at times. Additionally, the programming was in a different building, so I skipped it. Hopefully next year they will find a building that can contain all of the awesome that BCGF has.

Even with the crowds, it was still a fun time. I found some new things I hadn't heard of before and got something that I have always wanted. This is definitely a show you should add to your convention list for next year if you can.


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