Organized by Dan Nadel, publisher of indie comics publishing house PictureBox, and Gabe Fowler of comics shop, Desert Island, the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival was a whirlwind of intense comics activity and relentless crowds of fans that jammed the exhibition space at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Williamsburg despite the miserable weather.

The new show had about 40 or so exhibitors—from Drawn & Quarterly, Sparkplug Comic Books and Bodega Distribution to cartoonists Lisa Hanawalt, Julia Wertz and Frank Santoro—and an impressive slate of panels and signings. Kim Deitch and Dash Shaw were signing on a big stage at one end of the hall while off on the side aisles, Adrian Tomine, Gabrielle Bell, R. Sikoyak and others were signing throughout the damp but happily crowded and comics-filled day. Although the exhibition space was small (perhaps 500 or so people attended all day) there were separate venues for the panels (and music) not far away. The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival comes not too long after King Con Brooklyn—yet another first time indie comics show—opened in early November for two days at the Brooklyn Lyceum. While Brooklyn has been a residential magnet for comics artists for a few years now, it seems that it's also become the ideal locale to hold a small-scale show and attract a crowd of enthusiastic fans.

Here’s a few photographs from the past weekend.



Dan Nadel at the PictureBox table.



Kim Deitch signing.


Adrian Tomine at the D&Q table.



Busy tables.



More busy tables.



Dash Shaw signs his new work Body World.




Desert Island table.



Gabrielle Bell and R. Sikoryak at the D&Q table.



Flatlands panel with (l. to r.) artists Mark Newgarden, David Sandlin, Lisa Hanawalt, Ron Rege and moderator Bill Kartalapoulos.



R. Sikoryak and Gabrielle Bell at the D&Q table.



Fart Party creator Julia Wertz.




Kim Deitch signing on the big stage



James Romberger, artist on the forthcoming Bronx Kill by writer Peter Milligan.




The Bodega table.



PictureBox publisher Dan Nadel (l.) alongside Chris Forgues, aka C.F., creator of Powr Mastrs




More busy tables!