Saturday at Yurithon was lovely.

We started our day with a purpose – get as much time in the Dealer’s Room as possible. It’s been a while since I’ve been at an anime and manga con (as opposed to cons focused on comics and manga) and I wanted to see what was in these days. Otakuthon has a pretty darn huge DR and we had a chance to see a lot of cool derivative and original work in a variety of media and genre. Lots of fun original t-shirt art.

I picked up a copy of Shi-lin’s next artbook, Tocatta II. She’s also got all the volumes of her comic Carciphona here. Her art is all that and a bag of chips and she’s a strong storyteller, go take a look. We also had bought the most adorable items from a webcomic called Ponto about an orange traffic cone that leaves home (a road in front of a farm) to go to Montreal. It’s killer cute and is drawn with such love for the city of Montreal. The charm and cute are quite overwhelming. ^_^

Our panels went well, questions were pretty excellent in the Yuri manga anime panel and many books were handed out. ^_^

We wrapped up with delicious dinner again with Meggie and Kim in Chinatown, then we wandered our way back to the hotel after buying delicious pastry for the morning. It’s a good thing we’re going home soon, the pastries here are too delicious for my own good.

One more day, one more panel, undoubtedly more buying, to come!

I’m just going to start today’s post off with a repeat of something I said yesterday – get out and see the place you’re in.

We began our day with a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal. It was wonderful. The sound installation by, I think, the Ritters in the Expo ’67 exhibit was top-notch.

And so is Yurithon! Today I had one presentation, to a full room of enthusiastic people. We didn’t get to do many questions, and that’s my fault, sorry. But there’s two panels today Must-Read / Must-Watch Yuri from 1-3 and A Yuri Otaku in Japan from 7-8.Things will be given away. ^_^

Right after my panel, Shannon C. led an excellent panel on recommended Yuri anime. We enjoyed listening to her and her panelist talk about so many great series. I hope to see her today to tell her in person.

See you tomorrow!

It is said that first impressions are important. In that regard, both Montreal and Yurithon have been excellent.

I really hope to meet a lot of Okazu friends here at Yurithon, but we’ve already made two new friend, Yuthon’s chair Meggie and her partner Kim. Wonderfully fun people.

Today my first presentation will be at 5PM, where I’ll be talking about the “Secret” History of Yaoi and Yuri…by which I mean, we’ll be talking the literary and historical references that inform the two genres.

But first, we’re doing something that is the most important thing you can do for yourself in a new city…see it. Yesterday we wandered around, ate in Montreal’s Gay Village, walked through Old Montreal and this morning, as thousands of people head to the Palais de Congres for Otakuthon, we’re going to the Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s not that I don’t love conventions, but where else can I see Montreal’s Museum of Contemporary Art other than Montreal?

Write a note to yourself next time you’re at a con, rather than wander the Dealer’s Room for the 87th time not seeing anything new, consider leaving the convention center and seeing the city you’re in.

Today I’m just gonna list everything I bought at TCAF, because it was all so awesome. ^_^ In no particular order, just as I pull them off the pile. On Sunday, I finally had a chance to walk around the Toronto Public Library and see the exhibitors and their wares. The bottom floor includes the larger publishers, like Fantagraphics, Koyama Press and First Second. The second floor is where you’ll find smaller publishers like Northwest Press and Chromatic Press and scattered around both floors are sections given over to self-publishers and makers of mini-comics and doujinshi.

We’re starting with RAMCOM, a Ramen Yuri minicomic by Emily Forster.

As I was passing the table, they called my name and said, “Its Ramen Yuri!” and I handed them money and just kept right on going, because who doesn’t want ramen-themed Yuri? ^_^ And you know how I’m always looking for fun, original work, so this was all the wins. 

When I came home and read it, I handed it over to the wife and she loved it too. It’s a smile-maker.

Stéphanie Leduc‘s book Godless World caught my eye because of the art, but when she told me there was a Soundcloud soundtrack available that can be listened to as one reads, I threw money at her immediately.

Think about it – a multimedia, fantasy with a female lead. Yes, please.

I picked up Hannah Fisher’s Cosmo Knights because the postcards featured butchy women boxers that said “Fight Like A Girl” and I am a sucker for women who kick ass. 

And because the summary reads like this: The popular sport of cosmic jousting is alive and well, with tournaments in which Cosmoknights armed with spacesuits, medieval weaponry and jetpacks compete for the hands of princesses across the galaxy. Unfortunately for potential suitors, the princesses are over it.

Oh, okay. ^_^ I mean, it’s not like it’s hard to convince me to get cool-looking self-published comics, but this looks great!

I’ve reviewed two books by Barry Deutsch here, from his Hereville series. But even more in our wheelhouse he and Becky Dawkins are currently drawing a series called Superbutch that you should all be reading. “Someone is protecting the lesbian bar scene of 1940s Turtle City” reads the page metadata.

Lillian is a woman who has an amazing story about a woman of color passing as white during the day, lesbian superhero. It’s a great webcomic and I am now pleased to have a print volume of the first couple of issues. The book itself has a back cover that lists  More Comics With Queer Women of Color – several of which I have reviewed here on Okazu!

This list is not just an “oh good” it’s a “Yeah Baby!” so I’m sharing it with you all in hopes that you will run out and throw money at these. They deserve support and as much promotion as they can get!

Also from Barry and Becky, I picked up First Glance: A Young Girl’s Thrilling Quest for Lesbian Smut. This is not a smutty comic at all, but very much about the quest LGBTQ people have to go on to find themselves. This book is particularly wonderful for having front and back covers reminiscent of a mid-century lesbian pulp novel.

I mentioned yesterday that I had read Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward in preparation for the panel with her and Cecil Castelluccci so while I had a chance, I picked up her new book, Brave. 

This book, as I pointed out yesterday, is about the kind of microagressions one gets from people who position themselves as friends. And, to that point, Svetlana noted how mean I am to her. She’s not wrong, it’s a long-established habit of mine to be mean to people I love best. But I did apologize. It’s probably a really destructive habit, but it’s pervasive in my close circle where we’re all pretty brutal (but funny and supportive and loving, so I’m not about cutting a person down.) I’m not sure how this book is going to hit me – I may end up be the bad guy and not in a good way. Hrm. ^_^;

I was able to pick up a copy of Gengoroh Tagame’s My Brother’s Husband, which I am literally holding on to for a day where I can sit and savor it.

Although I mention this book last, it was actually my first purchase. So Pretty, Very Rotten is a book of “Comics and Essays on Lolita Fashion and Cute Culture” by Jane Mai and An Nguyen. They launched their book at the Japan Foundation as part of Koyama Press’s 10th anniversary. The book includes an essay by the creator of Kamikaze Girls/Shimotsuma Monogatari, Novala Takemoto.

The launch was accompanied by a party with very cute food – sushi rolls and Pocky and cute girl cookies and items of Lolita fashion displayed as if they were at a museum. Both An and Jane appeared in Lolita clothing – as did a number of reception attendees! I always assumed Lolita would die out, but to my (pleasant) surprise, it’s growing and changing and continuing as a living thing. Jane and An gave us a quick overview of  Lolita culture and the story behind their book. I’m really looking forward to reading this. Congrats to An and Jane! I stopped by their table in the library and they thanked me for the support with a copy of their mini-comic,  don’t talk to me or I’ll set myself on fire, which, as my wife points out, is a great title.

One last note about Toronto – the food is spectacular. I was able to enjoy Cafe Bouloud Toronto with my roommates, where we had fabulous French food and the best seat in the house. This is one of those meals that you just go all in or you don’t do it. Duck confit, pork belly, quenelles and steak frites, wine and profiteroles kind of all in.

On Saturday, I had the extraordinary experience of sharing an Indonesian Rijstaffel at Noorden, a Dutch Restaurant, with 10 lovely people. (We discuss this on the third Four Ladies in a Hotel Room podcast.)

I enjoyed the wares at the Museum Tavern with Alan and Giselle and with the 4 Ladies and friends we shared cocktails in the rooftop bar at the Park Hyatt and had exceptional duck (again) at Firkin on Bloor. 

And with that, as I rolled my stuffed body and bags away from Toronto, I am once again reminded of the old TCAF chestnut, “this year’s TCAF was the best year ever.” (At TCAF, everyone is nice and it’s always the best year ever.)

Thank you TCAF and Library staff and volunteers, publishers, comic creators, panelists, moderators, guests, attendees and my fabulous roommates and friends!

2017 was definitely the best TCAF ever. ^_^