My precious, precious babies, Daddy is coming home to NYC this weekend.

As those of you with class and distinction know, this weekend is the annual Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art (MoCCA) Festival at the Puck Building on Houston St. Last year I was forced to forego the show, as I was suffering from a congenital case of poverty and homelessness. That was the first time I'd missed MoCCA since it began, and it's an interruption in my streak I hope to never have to unwillingly make again.

What makes MoCCA different than your run of the mill comic convention (one of which is also happening this weekend, but never mind that)? For starters, it's almost ALL comics; no bullshit coattail riders like wrestlers, prop-makers, has-been sitcom actors and porn stars (sorry). Also, there's no endless tables of back issue bins; this event supercedes the insane collector mentality that weakens the medium and industry every time it flares up again. No, MoCCA is specifically for the people who make comics, often at a financial loss, who love comics just for being comics, and who want for little else. And real people, which includes the ladies, are behind and in front of the tables.

I'd hoped to have a minicomic finished in time to print up and sell there, but that seems not to be in the cards this time around. (I've got my eye on you, Small Press Expo!) I will, however, have the previews of my upcoming comic License Farm for free, as well as some samples of my art, though at no fixed location in the show.

One of the perks of the modern comic con is that there are a buttload of affiliated parties, and in my experience nobody partys harder than indie comic kids. It's worth noting that this weekend is also National Gay Pride and the infamous Coney Island Mermaid Parade, so there's certain to be even more than your usual amount of NYC weekend shindigs, which is already substantial.

Here now is an early, unconfirmed itinerary for my weekend:

FRIDAY:
• Arrival, late afternoon. I'd previously thought the release party for my boys in HeadQuarters would be happening this night, but it would seem that was rescheduled for next Saturday. Sucks to be me. So instead, I'll be attending:
• Party at Rocketship comic gallery, 208 Smith St., Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, 8 pm.

I may only do this one event, but I've been informed there is also:
• "New Mutants" opening reception, 7 - 9 pm @ Canada, 55 Chrystie St.
AND
• Windy Corner release Party, 8 pm @ Union Pool, 484 Union Ave, BK
Barring further adventures, I'm likely to turn in relatively early after a long day so as to be fresh as a daisy for:

SATURDAY:
• MoCCA Fest, 10 – 4? 6? Time of depature depends on whether I go to see:
• MC Chris and MC Frontalot @ Passout Records, 131 Grand Street b/t Bedford & Berry, Williamsburg, BK.

If you're not familiar with the nerdcore rap scene, I can't think of a better time to get hipped than in conjunction with a comic convention and with these two pillars of the subgenre. Speaking of which, there's also
• Mauled #4 release party/MoCCA after-party, 8 pm @ R Bar


AND
• The Art Army New York launch party @ Toy Tokyo's The Showroom, 121 2F 2nd Ave. (I think b/t St. Marks and 7th St.), 6pm. Art Army is an L.A.-based toy customizer who specializes in celebrity customs and homages to luminaries of urban culture, especially graffiti artists.

Supposedly there's a 2 foot tall wooden Andy Warhol!
While I may not make it to either of these, I also know there's:
• Free Ice Cream Day exhibit opening reception, 6:30 - 10 @ GRNY

AND
• The Top Shelf Publications 10th anniversary party: 6PM - After Hours @ GSTAAD, 43 West 26th St.
There might be a couple other gatherings affiliated with the show, and I'll let you know if I hear of more, but my ultimate destination for the evening will be
• The Rated X Panty Party at Luke & Leroy by 2 am, when the infamous Hot Body Contest takes off (its clothes).

SUNDAY:
MoCCA Festival, likely hungover, late and/or asleep, 10 - 6

I'm uncertain whether I'm definitely staying in town until Monday, pending confirmation of a crash pad for Sun nite. Volunteers? I'll let y'all know whether that happens and we can plan for further frolicking if I remain. Not too late, because most of you have work in the morning, and I have an interview!

Would love to see as many of you as possible while I'm in town, as I'm unsure at this moment when I'll be back next. There's already at least a few of you I know I'll be missing and that bums the shit out of me, but what are you going to do. As for the rest of you, let's make this time count as much as possible. Excelsior, bizzatches.