It may not be as big as Comic Con, but the Dartmouth Comic Arts Festival packs a punch.
“Every middle Sunday in August we set up our own kind of farmers market with the homegrown talent of the Maritimes doing illustrations, stickers, prints, comic books, cartooning,” said Calum Johnston, event organiser and owner of Strange Adventures in Halifax.
“You can bring the whole family and really see how much talented people we have right here in Atlantic Canada.”
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In addition to selling goods, Johnston said the festival is a way for emerging artists to launch their careers by connecting with publishers.
“We’ve had deals made here where some of the people have brought their mini comic or brought their story pitch and they’ve met with a publisher who’s presented here,” Johnston said.
Now in its sixth year, the festival features more than 100 cartoonists, artists and exhibitors, bringing together an ever-growing community.
“I’m used to basically working in my home, alone drawing all day,” said guest speaker and political cartoonist, Michael de Adder.
“So, to get out and talk to people is always refreshing and this is one of the best events to do that.”
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For 10-year-old Hayden Little of Charlottetown, P.E.I., the festival marked the first time she decided to sell her own drawings alongside her parents, both of whom are cartoonists.
“I’m really inspired by a lot of anime, manga,video games and things like that,” said Little.
“I want to be an animator when I grow up.”
Troy Little said he, along with his wife Brenda Hickey, are proud to see their twin daughters carry on the tradition of cartooning.
“Both the girls are really talented artists,” said Little.
“They watch their mom and me just working away at comic books all day. She spent the whole week just drawing getting ready for this DCAF show.”
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