New at Casablanca Comics

The Maine Comics Arts Festival will be held on Sunday, May 17 at Ocean Gateway in Portland (directions at the end). This will be an amazing event. Visit the official website for more details and a full guest list at www.mainecomicsfestival.com. The blog is http://mecaf.blogspot.com/.

What can I expect from the festival?
The festival is really a showcase for the creators. We will have over 70 comic writers and artists on hand for this event. There will be everyone from mini comics publishers to seasoned professionals. There will be comic book writers and artists, gag cartoonists, newspaper cartoonists, web comics creators and more. The guests will have their own work available for sale. Some people will be doing sketches and selling original artwork. Others will have t-shirts, buttons and posters. All of them have one thing in common... a love of comics.

What are the panel discussions?
We will be holding panel discussions every hour. This will feature various guest creators who will be discussing a specific topic. A full schedule will be posted this week. The topics include how to create your own comics and mini-comics, web-comics and much more.

How much does it cost?
Admission is only $5.00. Children 12 and under get in free. There is also no charge for educators and librarians attending our educator workshop.

What is the schedule?
The festival opens to the public at 10:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. You may leave and re-enter the festival as many times as you like. There are lots of places to eat and shop close to the festival site.

Will there be dealers at this show?
There will not be any dealers in the traditional sense. There will not be any tables with long boxes of back-issues for sale. There will be plenty of books available for sale, but all of the books will be produced and sold by the guests that we have on hand. If you are looking for lots of Marvel and DC comic back-issues this may not be the show for you. Still give it a try though....I think you will be able to find some pretty cool comics in the room.

Where is Ocean Gateway?
The question that we seem to get asked the most is "where is Ocean Gateway"? The short answer is that it is on the waterfront. Turn left onto Commercial Street from Franklin Street (at Casco Bay Ferry Terminal) and drive 2/10 of a mile and you will see it.

Driving North
Take the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95) toward Portland to Exit 44, I-295. Proceed on I-295 North to exit 7, the Franklin St. exit, and continue straight on Franklin Arterial Street until it ends at Commercial Street. Turn left on Commercial St. (Commercial St. becomes Thames St.). Ocean Gateway will be on Thames Street, on the right, just past India Street.

Driving South
Take exit 103 off the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95), which will take you to I-295. Head south. Proceed on I-295 South to exit 7, the Franklin St. exit, and continue straight on Franklin Arterial Street until it ends at Commercial Street. Turn left on Commercial St. (Commercial St. becomes Thames St.). Ocean Gateway will be on the right, just past India Street.

Labels: Maine Comics Arts Festival