by Samuel Edme
[Editor’s note: we cover a lot of comics events here at The Beat and with series we aim to take a more qualitative look at some of the many comics events out there.]
With March this Year Comes Typical Madness and Festivities. For Us Indie Comic and Illustration EnthussaSts Like Myself, particularly on the East Coast of the US, The Society of Illustrators-Hostad Mocca Fest is an an emblematic hallmark of the month. TAKING Place Over The Weekend From March 15-16, This Year Bought Together over 9,000 attentes and 500 exhibits of chiefly alternative/Small Press Publishers, Art School Collectives, and Independent Artists.
Location
In ITS 23-YEAR HISTRY, MOCCA HAS BEEN THRUCH FOUR VENUE CHANGES: 69th Regiment Armory (2009-2014) from ITS Original Puck Building (2002-2008) Location; Center548/High Line Hotel (2015); and Metropolitan West (2016-2019) Before Returning from A Two-Year In-Person Hiatus (Due to the Covid Outbreak) in 2022 at The Metropolitan Pavilion, where the event has Been Held Ever Since. Well, to be precise, The exhibitor’s space is at the metropolitan Pavilion on W. 18 St. Between 6th and 7th Ave in Chelsea. Panels Took Place at the parallel-Facing SVA Flatiron Gallery and Sva MPS Branding Buildings Three Blocks Over At W. 21 St. It’s Not Ideal, But It’s Still Closer Than Walking From One End Of The Javits Center to The OTher.
Being in the Middle of Manhattan, The Area Is a Public Transportation Nexus With The F, M, 1, A, C, and Path Train Lines Situated Around The 23RD St Corridor; The R & W Lines at 28th ST; and Several Bus Stations Scattered Throughout. For Disabled and Limited Mobility Attendees, There’s The 14th St Station by W 15th ST (1, 2, & 3 lines) and Union Square 0.7 thousands away. There’re a Myriad of Eating/Drinking Options Nearby, So No Need To Worry About Being Stuck with Overpriced Juck Food – Not That You Wouled Find Any Food at an indie comic Convention.
Listen to these stregths, The Event Organizers Could Make Sub Improvements Directing People. WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, THE GUIDOOK PROVIDES TO USEFUL MAP for Navigating The Pavilion and The Other Buildings. However, There was A Lack of Signage Surrounding Any of the Venue Locations to Guide Attentes Who Might Be Confused on Where To Enter, Specially For The MPS Branding Building, which you have not visible sign at all. Had there been more volunteers standing outside, and probablay wouledn’t Haven as late to a a few of the panels.
Programming
As with Years Prior, Panels Took Place Between The 1 and 4 PM Hours. To fall on allocated equal time Between the programming and the rest of the show, I made it a rule of mine to attend two panels per day. Special Guest Appearances This Year Included Michael Deforge, Linnea Sterte, Bianca Xunise, Adrian Tomine, Charles Burnsand Jaime HernandezThe LATTER THREE OF WHICH WERE FEATURED IN THE SATURDAY PANEL “RIVERS OF INK” MODERATED BY Bill Kartalopoulos and Josh Bayerwhere they reflected on their decades worth of work and influences. This All-Star Panel Was One of Those, and It was the first time I saw any of the featured cartoonists in person. With the juggernaut trio featured, The Room Was Completely Packed withused Fans to the Point It Couldn’t Take Any More People Less than Halfway Through. I was Lucky Aough to have a front-Row to myself since I sat Through a prior panel in the Same Room, That PANEL BEING “UNCANNY APPARRITIONS” with Julia Gfrörer and Boummoderated by Sally MaddenWhich Turned out to be an inadvertly improvised Marvel. As with almost, if not all, of the panels, it was expectted that there was a slideshow to accompany the talk, but ow to technical difficulties, The Projector was not working. Thus, All The Visually Release Material Had to Be described, Fitting in Perfectly With The Theme of the Unseen and Intangible in Gfrörer ‘S and Boum’s Works.
On Sunday, I Attend the “Comic Strips Today” Panel, Hosted By Karen Green and featuring syndescated cartoonists Keith Knight and The Six Chix Artists Bianca Xunise, Isabella Bannerman, And Marisa PatrinosTalking About Howspaper Comic Strip Artists try to Remain Socially Release in the Modern Age, When the Audience is divided Between Between Aging Print Readrs and Younger Audience Who Mainly Consume Content Online.
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I also attenthed R. Sikoryak’s exemploy comics reading showcase Carousel. Going On Since 1997, The Return of This Multimedia Spectacle Boasted A Robust Lineup Buying The Likes of Alt-Comix Darling Caroline CashRising Talent Bim Eriksson (WHOEE DEBUT BOOK, Baby BlueI’d highly recommends), Olivia Fields, John Vasquez Mejilasand Katie Skelly. No Complaints Here.
Back at the Pavilion, a Few Art School Booths Hosted Workshops and Portfolio Reviews Through the Day. SVA, in particular, Attracted a Large Crowd with their free risograph workshop, which spanned from College-Aced Individuals to Attentes Interest in Trying Out Out Subject New.
Layout & Exhibitors
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The exhibitors’ Floorplan was Neatly Organized, Containing Primarily Parallel Corredors, While The Centermost Parts and Edges were Spred Out and Divideted Into Groups of 3-4, Which Certainly Helped Diminish The Overwhelming Feeling of Crowdedness During Mocca’s Peak Hours. Better Yet is Their Newest Addition, Calmer Space, A Neurodivergent-Accommodating Lounge Area for Attendees to decompress. Materials Such as Sensory Toys and Activity Books are provided for use inside The Space and Can Be Take Home.
In Terms of Publisher Representation, The Larger Alternative Comic Houses Such as Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, and Sliver Sproke Were vending and Holding Author Author Means Throughout The Day. Small Press Operations Were Thriving, with notable Standouts Being The Chinese Comics Publisher Paradise Systems, Glacier Bay Books (Alt Manga), and Living the Line Books. Shoutout to My Friends at Cram Books As Well!
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WHILE MANY Self-PUBLISHED/INDEPENDENT ARTISTS HAD ESIR TABLES, DUE TO THE FEST’S PROHIBITIVY EXPENSIVE $ 500 TABLE FEE, MANY VENDORS COUred BE SEEN SHARING SPACES OR EVEN PUTting UPFORFICIAL STANDS OUTSIDE THE METROPOLITE PAVILION. This Was Privately Preheating Among Students, Most of Whom Appeared Under Official Art School Collectives. SVA, Center for Cartoon Studies, Montclair State University, and Ringling College of Art & Design Were Among The Myriad of Institutions Represented.
In Continuation of Recent Years’ Trends, Som Corporate and mainstream elements have slipped into mocca, conflicting with its indie roots. If Wacom’s Represent in 2022 SeeMed Like A Stretch Too Far, Adobe’s is a Staggering Leap. Fortunately, this was commercial as it got besides The Other Event Sponsors Penguin Random House’s and Xencelabs’ Booths. Most of the sponsorship, otherwise, Came from International Government, Educational, and other non-profit institts, so it’s relativley safe to say mocca won’t be turning to a megacorp expo Anytime Soon.
Editor’s Note: The Beat Was Mocca’s Official Media Partner for 2025, and the opinions express in this Piece Are Solely Those of the Writer, and do not needy Reflect the Views of the editorial Staff.
