As for the stagnation or not, I really wouldn’t know. I felt the odd man out at MoCCA, my tastes way too mainstream for most of the stuff on display. I brought home a lot of good stuff, though. The whole trip was really inspirational, great meeting other artist. And it seems my work has finally found it’s real audience, Can’t wait ’till my book hits the stores..!

However: I did walk all the aisles, several times, and I did look closely at books at many of the tables. I talked to people. Plus I have a certain amount of experience in the field, and have been to many festivals. This is the impression I came away with.

But as I say, I may have missed some great work somewhere. I couldn’t buy or read more than a fraction of what was on offer, so I apologize in advance to anyone whose work I may have slighted inadvertently.

I find it highly offensive that you can make sweeping pronouncements about whether there was fresh or exciting work at a show when you also admit that you didn’t see everything.

A comic journalist should have different concerns from a casual show attendee. Did you look at each table? Not just glance as you walked down the middle of the show aisles; did you actually go table to table and consider each attendee, regardless of initial impression? Because realistically, it’s not hard to do. Yes, it’s time consuming and yes, it would take the whole weekend and yes, you will have a lot of awkward conversations with socially inept cartoonists. But that is the job.

I hate to come down on you alone because a whole lot of other comic journalists have been doing this for years. But basically, if you don’t walk table to table and handle all of the comics, it’s wrong to dismiss the exhibitors as a whole.

In your article, you talk about mostly established cartoonists, some with decades-long careers. At one point, you reference the comics culture’s interest in someone’s project. Come on! YOU ARE THE COMIC CULTURE! Ironically, I have a hard time at shows seeing established cartoonists because I am so busy checking out new work. See the work for yourself, discover new work in addition to old favorites. Discover things you’re not immediately familiar with before you call yourself writing a convention report. Otherwise, you’re just a casual attendee, not a serious journalist. Ask the questions. Do the work. Talk to the people.

Again, I’m sorry to come down on you alone, because you’re far from the only culprit. I’m saying that comics deserves better.