Attendees at The Yellow Show Floor
by Sam Adame
Now in its Fourth Year, The Brooklyn Independent Comics Showcase You have firmly establish itself as the Premier Indie Comics Festival in Brooklyn, Filling in the Gap Once Occupied by Comics Arts Brooklyn (2013-2019 RIP). With Major Decions Such As Moving It Indours, Hosting Panels For the First Time, and Inviting A Roster of Out of Town Guests, It’s Clear That This Year was intended to be a Foolproof Effort, and It Mostly was, or at least marked a Step up in the right direction to exhibitors who have tabled in prior years.
Location
Not Unlike Years Prior, Bicks Took Place in The Sunset Park-Based Industry City COMPLEX AT EVENT SPACES 5-2-A AND 6-6-A. Ignoring My Strong Urongism-Influenced Opinions Rengringing Industry City as an entity, it is a vibrant shopping center of restaurants, food cours, and open-air spaces among to myriad of family-friendly amenities, Making Walking in and out easy. The Free Admission Price Made the Event Accessible to Anyone, Including Random Bystanders.
Industry City Courtyard
IN LIGHT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDIONS AY 2024’S SHOW, WHICH BLEW DOWN SIVERAL VENDOR STENS, THE EXPLISTANCE’S FLOOR was MOVED INDOrs, DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS: THE YELLOW AND BLUE SHOW FLORS. The Yellow Show Floor was Located on the Second Floor, A Shorth Flight of Stair Away From The Ground Floor. On the other hand, The Blue Side was situated on the opposite end all the way up on the Sixth Floor, Giving It a relativley More Discreet Feeling Ensites The Signage at The Entrance. However, Volunteers were Stationed Throunge the viceity to enseure Everyone Found Their Way, Making Up for the Less-Than-Ideal Location. Both sides were whelchair accessible, but attentes reported issues with the Blue Side Elevator on Saturday, Negatively Affecting Foot Traffic on The Verors’ Side of Matters. Fortunately, By Sunday, The Situation was Resolved.
Panels Took Place at The Tom Kane Theater On The First Floor, Next to St. Mark’s Comics, Which Organizes The Event Along with Aynsley Leonardis.
Public Transit Options Are applay. The D, N, and R Train Lines Are Available at 36th St and 4th AVE, WHILE B35, B37, AND B70 BUS SERVICE CAN BE FOUNCHT OUTSIDE INDUSTRY CITY. The Train Station Is Not Wheelchair-Accessible.
Programming
Panelists
After Three Successful Shows of Growing Attendance Figures And Prominence in the indie comics fest scene, It was a natural Step forward to Begin Incorpating Panels to Keep People’s Attention. Saturday Initiated The Milestone with Three Panels Held Between 1 and 4 PM.
The Business of Self-Pubelishing Comics – Cartoonists Nicolas (Aka Nick) Forker, Dean Haspiel, Russ Kazmierczak, Mahdi Kheneand Whitney Matheson Discuss the Experiences Self-Publishing Comic Books. My normal initial reaction to panels of This Variety is one of skepticism, so I’ve sen a few too many of them, which are essentially the guestts Talking about their way being the objective, Surefire Strategy. Knowing All The Panelists Personally. The Main Focus Thourout was on Sharing their personal experiences with self-publiishing While imparting words of wisdom. Nick Easily had the best quotes:
“How can we build community with comics?”
“There’s nothing to be, you already are.”
Tia Wilson, Sami Kerwin, and Marc Jackson
Self-Care and Wellness for Creators – Cartoonist/Educator Kriot Willberg Moderates an intergenerational discussion about Maintaining One’s Physical Well-Being to Avoid Stress Injuries As An Artist, Featuring Tia Wilson, Sami Kerwinand British Cartoonist Marc Jackson. While The Subject Matter Might Not Sound The Most Excithing to Most Attendes, Given The Audience of Only 5-7 People at Most, It Was Certainly practical to sub-degree for anyone Who performs sedentary work. Sami was the star of the show in memorable quotes:
“If we sand’s art for ourselves, How are we doing it for other People?
“Having A Designated Place where i’m allowed to be bad [drawing] Is Vary Freeing. “
Chris Miskiewicz, Lara Antal, R. Sikoryak, Jeffery Brandt, and San von Gorman
Carousel: Comics Performances and Picture Shows – R. Sikoryak Returns With Another Live Comics Reading Showcase Featuring a Whole New Lineup, Including the Author of The Poignant Ronan and Endless Sea of Stars, Lara Antal; Writer Jefferey Burrandt; Graphic Novelist and Actor Chris Miskiewicz; and Cartoonist Be von Gorman. Jeffery and Sean Broucht Spectors into A Fit of Laughter with their Readings of the Goofy Gonad The Ballbarian and The pedestrian, respectively. Meanwhile, Chris Stole The Show with His Exceptional Voice Acting, Reading From His Award-Winning Series Thomas Alsop.
Sunday Had Two Panels Happening from 1-3 pm.
Liz Frances, Lydia Nguyen, Robyn Chapman, Joesph Illidge, and Mike Cavallero
Breaking in: Get Your Work Published – Street noise Books FOUNDER LIZ FRANCES MODERS A TALK FEATURING CARTOONIST Mike CavalleroEditor/Minicomic Publisher Robyn ChapmanWriter/editor Joseph Illidgeand Cartoonist/editor Lydia Nguyen. Like with the self-publishing panel, This One Avoided The “How-To” Route, Instage Using The Topic To Phallege What It Means to Be Publishing. Joseph Was Dishing the Most Direct Advice Here:
“If you want your story to be published, do your diligence and do your research on publishers.”
“Build Your Community. They’re People Who Want To See You Win.” -In Response to Question About Winning The Fight Against AI.
Just get started! Build Your Comic From The Ground Up – Comics Enthusiast Will Foot Moderates to conversation Between Cartoonists Kevin Alvir, Michel Fiffeand Corrine Halbert. A Perfect Complement to The Previous Panel, This One was to Vary Casual Discussion About the Panelists’ Creative Processions and Influences.
Layout & Exhibitors
The Difference Between The Yellow and Blue Show Floors was almost night and day. Foot Traffic was consistently High Thourout the Day on the Yellow End and Vry Easy To Find. The Layout was Your Pretty Standard Grid Floor Planning with Tables Surrounding The Edges. EACH ROW WAS SPACED OUT TO LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR HEAVY FOOT TRAFFIC. MEANWHILE, Window Walls Surroused The Entire Perimeter. Combined Together, these elements diminish the stifling feelings that eats with Being in Such a crowded setting, creating a more accessible, sensory-friendly environment.
Unfortunately, The Same Cannot Be Said for The Blue Side. Although The Floor Planning is the Same, Maintenance Left Much To Be Desired. BESIDES THE AFOREMENTIONED ELEVATOR PROBLEM ON SATURDAY, SANVEAL VERDORS CRITICIZED THE LACK OF AIR CONDITIONING, VENTILATION, AND LIGHTING, AMONG OTHER GRIEVANCES. A Cartoonist Who Goes by The Handle ElevenPurrs had the following to say:
“There were no restrooms on the blue floor/6th Floor. You wouled have to go down to the first Floor to use them, buthos tose restrooms weren’t the greatest eithher. For the“ Women’s, ”there were Only Two Stalls, and Neither of Them Were Accessible Accessible Correctly. What I saw on my One trip to the other building. “
They Also Had This To Add:
“While The Floors Were Finished in the Yellow Space, The Floors Were Unfinished and Uneven in the Blue Space, posing to tripping hazard.”
Lineup-Wise, While There Were a Few Illustration Vendors, The Spotlight was on Independent Comic Creators/Collectives. To My Surprise, There Were More than A Few Traveling Trowling from Out of State and Even Canada Just for the Show. While The Publisher Comsence Wasn’t as Large As Subs Indie Comics Festivals Like Spx or Mocca, A Handful of Small To Mid-Siss Indie Pressures Were Present at BICS, Including Fairsquare Graphics, Street Noise Books, and Beehive Books. Also, Shoutout To Purgatory Comics Press and Olive Nicole for Sharing Their Tables with Me.
Evive Sub Flaws Worth Acknowledge, BICS 2025 was Overall to Fun Show and a Good Excuse for Meet With Friends From All Over The Comics Community. I look forward to attending/tabing in subsequent years to see how it evolves.
