MOCCA, Quick Version
Don't listen to what Brian Heater said about me at his Daily Crosshatch, MOCCA was a blast and we had a great time (one could come away from the paragraph on me thinking I was the lone dissenting crank at a comic book love in, frowning at autograph and sketch requests while "peddling" the goods in a malaise. I love the Crosshatch, but, jeez louise, I can't catch a break, even when I'm actually having a good time.)

I didn't do too many sketches (people weren't asking, even when I wasn't wearing my brace on Sunday, maybe they're all done after five or six years of me doing that Milk and Cheese doodle), but we signed a ton of stuff and gave out literally hundreds of HOF freebie comics, as well as a stack of Nickelodeon magazines and Kid Blastoff issues to the younger set.

I think it was the most fun I've had at the festival since the first event, it might have been even more enjoyable, actually. Great vibe in the room(s), great weather, great people stopping by the table, no weird moments (that I was aware of, anyway). I'm thinking there was perhaps no stand out premiered project at the show but everyone seemed to be picking up things from lots of tables and hauling around good-sized stacks of comics and hand-made objects. We had swell table neighbors and lots of room for Emily to romp around in at our traditional corner space in the back room on the first floor. She had such a fun time she insisted on coming back on Sunday, we were planning on not taking her to give her a day's break from the table and the long day.

We scored two more sketches in Emily's blank Little Golden books: Zander Cannon finished off the first sketchbook, and Charles Burns kicked off the second. Met some cartoonists I'd never met before, talked to lots of others I have met before, barely felt the effects of two hours sleep on Saturday save for a few dizzy spells, did a long, rambling video interview I'm sure to regret, carried Em around the rooms and "looked at more stuff" as she kept putting it. Great show, great time, great people, we've already paid for next year's table and are looking forward to going. I almost believe in comics (and NYC) again. But it's Monday, so all bets are off.

If time allows, a more detailed report will be forthcoming. We're starting a schedule-heavy month-long tv show gig today so it's going to be a barren few weeks for posts, unless I find I need the LJ to blow off steam and take a breather from the board at 3 a.m. We shall see.

Before I log off -- Our thanks to the H.O.F. faithful who came by the table, those who picked something up, had something signed, or just wanted to say hi and/or shoot the breeze. As always, it's appreciated.