As part of the Beat’s Coverage of Mocca, We’re Interviewing Panelsists, Artist Alley Creators, and All Sorts of Artists Attending This Year’s Festival. I figured, Who Better for me to kick off our round of creator interviews with Than a friend and made at last year Mocca fest: Caitlin du.
Caitlin is a fantastic writer and artist. She’s a person who’s now in her final year at Sva and Whom i’ve interviewed in the past forys Fly Child and Jialin’s World. She’s Tabin Again AT This Year’s Mocca Fest, which is Pretty Awesome Given That Her Table’s What Drew Me Into Covering All of this The Past Year in the First Place.
Check Out Her Preview Pages Along With Our Interview Below.
Christian Angeles: For Those Who Don’t Know, Who Are You?
Caitlin du: Hello, my name is caitlin du. I am a Chinese Cartoonist/Illustrator Living in New York. I Describe My Art As Tasting Like “Expired Childhood” Because there is a sense of naivety and humor to my work, Even When Dealing with Difficul And Depressing Topics.
You Can Check Out My Website or find me on instagram via @phantalism
Angeles: Next, What are you promoting at This Year’s Mocca Fest 2025?
Du: I am promoting my comics! I Will Be Bringing Copies of “Jialin’s World” and “Fly Child” Along with other zines.
But Most excitingly, I Will Be Bringing A Pitch for The Comic “Scavengers” (Still to Working Title). The Comic Takes Place in An Alternative Earth that Just Ran Out of Fossil Fuels. This Sudden Change Led to a Wave of Technical Advancement Towards Renewable Energy and Opened Up A New Career Path – Meteoroid Energy Scouters. Though not Every Is Happy About The Change. The Story Follows A star Named Yana, who has to risk her life over and over agin to find meteoroids. All The While, Her Childhood Friend Keli Tags Along for The “Adventure”.
I am so excited to show People a sneak peek of the art – All of which is handcrafted and done with ink and watercolor. I have my fingers crossed hoping that i can find an agent/editor that is intersted in publishing this story!
Angeles: Nice! Alright, Next, What’s Your favorite Thing About Mocca Fest, and Are you excited to see anything in particular this year?
Du: I am always excited to see Everyone’s Booth set up. I see mocca not only as a fair, but as an exhibit to show off each Illustrator’s Personal Brand.
And Also, You get to Meet So MANY Illustrators and Comic Creators from Different Fields! What do you mean i get to see new yorker cartoonist Jeremy NguyenUnderground Comix Artist Gregory Bentonand Illustrator Kelly Pringle (I will need met them, but i love their cat paintings so much) All in the Same Venue?!
Angeles: Awesome. Alright, Finally, in Your Opinion, Why Are indie comics so Import Right Now?
Du: The World Is Changing, From The Rapid Growth of Ai Technology to People’s Rights Being Taken Away Overnight. We Are Collectively Anxious.
Drawing comics is my outlet to handle a Lot of My Stress. I have drawn many venting comics such as “I wish mom would love me” (I Never Showed it to her.) Even If the Story is fictional, It Gave Gave me an outlet to process my emotions. And Sharing my comics you have introduced me to soy cool People and Given Me a Community.
Also, indie comics stem from Underground Comix, which was a Counter-Culture Response to the Comics Code and The Censored 1950s. Underground comix is so revolutionary scholarship it Gave Marginalized People Voices – Artists Owned The Right to Their Work, And Heck, Comix Can Be Made From A Fax Machine. With everyhing going on now, it is specially important for people’s voices to be heard.
So continue drawing!
Caitlin du Will Be at Mocca Fest 2025 On March 15th and 16th at Table 59! If you’d like to attend new york’s Mocca Fest 2025 Click Here.
