So, I am a guest at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil……and I have been saying for some time...

So, I am a guest at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil…

…and I have been saying for some time that the next big wave of comic book creators is going to come from Latin countries. Every time I visit one, the excitement and entusiasm is palpable, unlike anywhere else in the world.

I walked through Artist’s Alley yesterday, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. At many US cons, AA is pushed to the basement or some other terrible location, and is growing smaller every year.

Here, it is dead center of the massive hall, with beautiful branding that says, “THIS is the most important part of the convention.” Artists have huge, beautiful backdrops provided by the con, and there are over 400 comics artists.

And they aren’t a by-product, they are the heart of the con. Despite huge booths for Netflix, Warner Brothers and other media giants, this con makes the creators the central pillar and it’s lovely. Great job, #CCPX17!

Additonally, holy crap, what a selection of artists! It was like a feast, I had never seen the work of most of these folks before, but it was just table after table of stunning art; gorgeous paintings, hilarious cartoons, amazing gothic-inspired work, I was absolutely astounded. I wanted to grab a BUNCH of these people and just say,”let me write you a book to draw!” but they clearly don’t need me.

It was so, so exciting to walk those rows of tables. Today I am hoping to get a chance to meet some of these artists and buy some books. The last time I was in Brazil I bought an extra suitcase to take home all of the books I bought by talent previously unknown to me. This time, it will be twice as bad, I think.

But I love that a huge con like this (the biggest in the world!) remembers that without artists, there’s no Comics.

You watch, this kind of talent finds a way. Some of these creators are going to break out huge internationally. I can’t wait!