TCAF: The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2016

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is thrilled to announce our initial Featured Guests and Events for TCAF 2016, taking place May 14th and 15th in Toronto, Canada! With over 400 cartoonists scheduled to attend from more than a dozen countries on their way to Toronto this May, we’re getting ready celebrate the very best in comics, graphic novels, bandes dessinées, and manga! Prepare yourself for a week of readings, launches, and art events culminating in a massive, FREE two-day exhibition at Toronto Reference Library, May 14 and 15, 2016! UPDATE MARCH 31: Featured Guests Added! - Adrian Alphona artist of Runaways, Ms. Marvel (Marvel Comics) (Canada) - Pia Guerra, co-creator of Y: The Last Man (DC Comics/Vertigo) - Steve Skroce, co-creator of We Stand On Guard (Image), storyboard artist for The Matrix. (Canada). - Brian K. Vaughan, author of We Stand On Guard, Y: The Last Man, Runaways, Paper Girls, and SAGA. (USA) UPDATE MARCH 11: Featured Guests include: - Marguertie Abouet, writer of AYA (Drawn & Quarterly). (Ivory Coast/France) - Balak, co-creator of LAST MAN (First Second). (France) - Kate Beaton, illustrator of the TCAF 2016 Poster and author of Step Aside Pops (D&Q) and The Princess and the Pony (Scholastic). (Canada) - Boulet, debuting his collectiong NOTES (Soaring Penguin Press). (France) - Chester Brown, debuting his new book Mary Wept Over the Feet of Jesus (D&Q). (Canada) - Duncan Fegredo, artist on acclaimed works Enigma (DC Comics), Hellboy (Dark Horse), and MPH (Image). (UK) - Manuele Fior, making his English-language debut with 5000km Per Second (Fantagraphics). (Italy) - Matt Furie, creator of BOYS CLUB (Fantagraphcis) and the "Pepe" meme. (USA) - Lisa Hanawalt, Debuting her new graphic novel Hot Dog Taste Test (D&Q). (USA) - Simon Hanselmann, creator of Megahex (Fantagraphcs). (Australia). - Jennifer Hayden, in support of her graphic novel The Story of My Tits (Top Shelf). (USA) - Faith Erin Hicks, debuting her new graphic novel series The Nameless City (First Second). (Canada) - Shintaro Kago, debuting a brand new graphic novel from publisher Hollow Press. (Japan) - Jeff Lemire (Canada) and Emi Lenox (UK) debuting their new graphic novel PLUTONA (Image Comics). - Francisco Sousa Lobo, in support of his graphic novel The Care of Birds (Self-Published). (Portugal) - MariNaomi, debuting her graphic novel Turning Japanese (2D Cloud). (USA) - Sean Phillips, curating the PHONO=GRAPHIC art exhibit, and co-creator of the series' The Fade Out and Criminal (Image). (UK) - Michel Rabaglitati, with the book Paul Up North (Conundrum/La Pasteque). (Canada/Quebec) - Rokudenashiko, creator of the internationally renown "Vulva Kayak" and debuting her new graphic novel and essay collection 'What Is Obscenity? The Story Of A Good For Nothing Artist And Her Pussy (Koyama Press). (Japan) - Bastien Vives, co-creator of LAST MAN (First Second). (France) - Barbara Yelin, making her English-language debut with Irmina (SelfMadeHero). (UK) - Chip Zdarsky, debuting Sex Criminals Volume 3, and illustrating a TCAF 2016 Poster! (Canada) And these are just some of the featured guests among the more than 400 Canadian and International cartoonists participating in the 2016 Festival. In addition to the programmes mentioned above, TCAF 2016 will also feature several programming spotlights including a special tribute to the wonderful and hardworking Canadian publisher Conundrum Press, on the occasion of their 20th Anniversary, and First Second Books on their 10th Anniversary. Additional Programs will be announced in February and March, including the CSSC-SCEBD Academic Conference, Library & Educator Day, Word Balloon Academy, Comics Vs. Games 5, Gallery Showings, Screenings, and much more. Visit TCAF online for up-to-the-minute updates. Website: www.torontocomics.com Twitter: @Torontocomics Facebook: www.facebook.com/TorontoComics Tumblr: torontocomics.tumblr.com – MEDIA Please include in your listings. The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2016, Saturday May 14, 9am-5pm, and Sunday May 15, 10am-5pm, @ Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street. Attendance is FREE to the public. Select guest bios and images are available upon request. Please send all inquiries to media@torontocomics.com. — SPONSORS & PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS The Toronto Comic Arts Festival would not be possible without the assistance of our sponsors and partners, including presenting sponsor Toronto Public Library and primary sponsor The Beguiling Books & Art. TCAF is produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council. We would also like to acknowledge funding support from the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $157 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country. Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 157 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays. TCAF would like to thank 2D Press, Conundrum Press, Drawn & Quarterly, Koyama Press, The Lakes International Comic Arts Festival, Massive, and La Pasteque for the support of the artists and programmes mentioned in this announcement. Sponsorship opportunities for TCAF 2016 are still available, please contact us at: contact@torontocomics.com for more info.