The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2020
Sat May 9, 9am-5pm & Sun May 10, 9am-5pm
@ Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge
Free to attend | torontocomics.com | #TCAF
TCAF has announced the Featured Young Adult Authors attending the 2020 Festival. Each will be debuting a new book for readers 12 years old to 18 years old.

“We’re really excited to build on our already strong YA program. Last year we were fortunate to host Mariko Tamaki and Valero O’Connell for the debut of Laura Deen Keeps Breaking Up With Me, which recently took home a highly-coveted Printz Honor! We are excited to keep making space for important YA authors and graphic novels, and their fans, at TCAF. This year is going to be an incredible year.” – Artistic Director Christopher Butcher.
This year, TCAF’s 100+ hours of programming will have a clearly labeled “YA” stream in all panel descriptions and grids, and clearer search tools and pages on the TCAF website. In addition, the website and program guide will feature a YA program overview so that even casual attendees can discover these authors and their works at the Festival.
Full programming will go online at the TCAF website in April. But here’s some of this year’s Featured Young Adult Author Guests and books highlighted in today’s announcement.
M.T. Anderson and Jo Rioux, debuting Daughters of Ys. M.T. Anderson is the New York Times–bestselling author of Feed, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, and many more. Jo Rioux is a Canadian author and illustrator whose first graphic novel, Cat’s Cradle, won the Joe Shuster Award for Comics for Kids. Together the duo attend TCAF to premiere The Daughters of Ys, their new Fantasy graphic novel intended for an adult audience, from First Second Books.
Daniel Barnes and DJ Kirkland, debuting Aggretsuko, and supporting Black Mage. Daniel Barnes is a writer from Fresno, CA, and DJ Kirkland is a comic book artist from Charlotte, NC. Together the duo created the incisive young adult graphic novel Black Mage, published by Oni Press in Fall 2019, exploring race and racism in Fantasy worlds. The duo attend TCAF in support of Black Mage, and to debut issues from their smash-hit new series Aggretsuko, based on the popular Netflix animated series, and published by Oni Press.
Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg in support of The PLAIN Janes. Long time friends of TCAF, writer Cecil Castellucci (Girl on Film) and cartoonist Jim Rugg (Street Angel) return to the Festival with The PLAIN Janes, the completed, all-in-one graphic novel trilogy that originally made its debut at TCAF back in 2007! This early foray into Young Adult graphic novels is now complete and ready for a new generation of young readers to discover its message of rebellion through art!
Wook Jin Clark, debuting Gudetama: Adulting for the Lazy. Wook Jin Clark is a Korean-American illustrator, cartoonist, and storyboard artist, based in Portland, OR. The creator of a number of original graphic novels for Young Adult audiences including King Doug and Megagogo, Wook Jin Clark attends TCAF 2020 in support of his new graphic novel Gudetama: Adulting for the Lazy, based on the hit character by SanRio, and published by Oni Press.
Tyler Feder Debuting Dancing at the Pity Party. Tyler Feder is a full-time illustrator from Chicago, IL, and graduate of Second City. Best known for her work illustrating Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin’s Unladylike, you may have also seen her work for Netflix, Comedy Central, or ESPN among others. Tyler Feder attends TCAF to debut her new memoir dealing with loss and acceptance, the bracingly candid and sweetly humourous Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir, published by Dial Books / Penguin Random House Canada.
Laura Lee Gulledge Debuting The Dark Matter of Mona Star. Laura Lee Gulledge is a teaching artist in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the author of the graphic novels Will & Whit and the Eisner-nominated Page by Paige. She attends TCAF in support of her brand new graphic novel The Dark Matter of Mona Star, a bold new work about battling doubt, insecurity, and fear, from Amulet Books / Abrams.
Robin Ha, debuting Almost American Girl. Robin Ha grew up reading and drawing comics. At fourteen she moved to the United States from Seoul, Korea. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration, she moved to New York City and started a career in the fashion industry. She is the author of the bestselling comic book recipe book / memoir Cook Korean!, and attends TCAF to debut her important new memoir Almost American Girl from Harper Collins Canada, about her experiences moving from Korea to the U.S.
Hope Larson, debuting All Together Now. Hope Larson is the author of All Summer Long, which was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018. She also adapted and illustrated A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel, which spent forty-four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and for which she won an Eisner Award. She attends TCAF to premiere her new coming-of-age graphic novel All Together Now, published by First Second Books.
Kat Leyh, debuting Snapdragon. Kat Leyh is a Chicago based writer and artist. She’s best known as the current co-writer and cover artist for the series Lumberjames, and for her queer superhero webcomic Supercakes.
Kat Leyh attends TCAF in support of her witchy-new graphic novel Snapdragon, published by First Second.
Kamome Shirahama, debuting Witch Hat Atelier Volume 6. Previously announced, Shirahama Kamome is the author of the incredible Fantasy manga series Witch Hat Atelier, published by Kodansha Press. TCAF will see her first visit to Canada in support of the series, with a debut of volume 6 and a gallery presentation of her work at The Japan Foundation Toronto. Japanese Cover Art Shown. Not Final Cover for English edition.
Ngozi Ukazu, debuting Check Please Volume 2: Sticks and Scones. Ngozi Ukazu is the Austin, Texas-based fan-favourite (and TCAF-favourite!) creator of Check, Please!, an online graphic novel. She graduated from Yale University in 2013 with a degree in Computing and The Arts, and received a masters in Sequential Art in 2015. She attends TCAF in support of Check Please Volume 2: Sticks and Scones, from First Second Books.
For full author bios and book descriptions, please visit:
Featured Guests Page @ Torontocomics.com
Debut Books Page @ Torontocomics.com
All of these authors will be present at TCAF on Saturday May 9 and Sunday May 10, either at their own exhibition tables or signing with their listed publishers.
TCAF 2020 will feature more than 300 participating cartoonists. To keep up on announcements check their site, and social media.
Website – Twitter – Facebook – Tumblr
TCAF 2020. Saturday May 9, 9a-5p, and Sunday May 10, 10a-5p, at Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, and the surrounding neighbourhood. Attendance is free.