Toronto Comic Arts Festival has a fun draw for everyone

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) has grown into a sprawling event with a little something for all types of fans of sequential art. Here are a few events and activities that caught our eye.

LEARN SOMETHING

While the main spaces of TCAF offer more than enough to keep most people busy talking with artists or shopping, the show’s panels offer something for anyone who has thought about making a comic. There are way too many to list, so it is worth checking for what might speak to you. Here are three that jump out at us: Science of Superheroes, Saturday, 11 a.m., Summerhill Ballroom, Marriott Bloor-Yorkville; Who Are Your Heroes: Comics and Representation, Saturday, 12:15 p.m., Masonic Temple; and Comics As Political Resistance, Sunday, 12 p.m., Forest Hill Ballroom, Marriott Bloor-Yorkville.

COMICS X GAMES 6

Curated by the Hand Eye Society, Toronto’s gaming collective, this now annual component matches three pairs of game makers and comics artists two months before TCAF and puts them to work to make a game for the event. You can check out the results on the second floor of the Reference Library, as well as a bunch of other locally made games, including some sneak peaks of unreleased games.

THE GERMAN COMICS PAVILION AT TCAF

TCAF does great work partnering with creators from other countries, and this year, German artists are being brought in and their work celebrated. Located on the 2nd floor of the Reference Library, art from Anna Haifisch, Ulli Lust, and Martina Schradi will be on display, as well as other curated work from Germany’s thriving comics arts scene.

KID’S PROGRAMMING

There is a ton of programming for the budding young comic artist or reader, with lots of fun hands-on activities. Saturday is TCAF’s official kids’ day with events taking place at St. Paul’s On Bloor, (227 Bloor St. E.) with presentations and signings by several artists. Sunday’s Comics Games session at 11:30 with Brian McLachlan ( Princess Planet), Kean Soo ( March Grand Prix) and Hilary Leung ( Ninja Cowboy Bear) also sounds like too much fun.

BIÉRE PAUL BEER — TCAF LAUNCH PARTY

On Saturday night, The Pilot (22 Cumberland St.) is the place to unwind and rub shoulders with artists and fellow fans. TCAF partnered with Brasserie Dunham to specially brew a Wild Pale Ale, with a label by illustrator Michel Rabagliati, creator of its namesake Paul series, who will make an appearance.