Entering CAKE, a banner of the 2024 poster designed by Jasjyot Singh Hans greets guests beside the walkway into the first expo floor and a table of cheerful CAKE volunteers. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) returned for a second year after its two year hiatus in the Zhou B Arts Center on Saturday and Sunday August 24th and 25th. CAKE has been celebrating independent comics and comics artists in Chicago since 2012. With two expo floors of comic sales, workshops, exhibitions, panels, and more, CAKE empowers and inspires artists of all kinds in the small press, publishing, and the independent artist community.
The environment was lively inside the Zhou B Arts Center. Attendees were greeted by a table of volunteers providing pamphlets with expo and sales information. The expo floor was packed with tables of people down every aisle. But the space accommodated guests to sit down or step outside whenever needed. CAKE has been extremely conscious of accessibility, maintaining safer spaces and DEI policies, promoting the use and acceptance of masks, and this year, providing a shuttle from the Sox-35 red line train station due to the DNC CTA reroutes and closures.
Walking up to the second floor of the Zhou B Arts center, a sea of vendors and viewers occupies the expo floor. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.
On the first floor of the Zhou B Arts Center, panels take place beside books and artwork on a stage before rows of chairs. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.
The vendors were diverse, sharing all different kinds of stories through their comics. Many current students and alumni of the School of the Art Institute Chicago were present and selling their work, assisting friends, or volunteering. Ruby Carter, a BFA Fall 2024 student specializing in comics and fibers, hosted a table and did signings for her new book “bird comic” distributed by Field Mouse Press.
This was her second year presenting at CAKE, she shared her experience with F Newsmagazine: “As someone who grew up in Chicago, I loved to visit CAKE when I was just getting into comics. Last year I was able to squeeze into Field Mouse Presses’ table—my publisher, but they’ve grown a lot so they have no room anymore at their table. So I bought my own table”.
SAIC BFA Fall 2024 student Ruby Carter shares her excitement for her newly published comic “bird comic” at the Field Mouse Press table for book signing. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.
Ruby expressed that CAKE’s vending application process was streamlined allowing her to apply and participate with ease. When considering advice for artist looking to get into the publishing sphere or sell their work, Ruby reflected on advice that she gave her highschool students in a class that she TA’d for recently:
“When you find a zine or a comic that you really like, check on the back to see the publishers, get a sense of what publishers you vibe with, if the work is similar [to your own], you can follow their social media or their website to see what their openings are and just apply. Even if you don’t think you’ll get in, the worst they can say is no. If you don’t get in, the best they can do is point you to another publisher who might be more suited to you”.
Opportunities like CAKE are important. Not just for bringing sales to artists or providing an activity in the neighborhood, but for community building and pure connection. 2023 alum and previous F Newsmagazine comics editor Teddie Bernard, who was present sharing a table with a friend SAIC 2022 alum Dante Lunmsden.
Bernard gave his perspective, “I think that the pandemic spurred an entire group of people who were like, ‘oh my God, everything in my life is online. I need to be making zines’. Zines have already been becoming super popular in the last decade, but having that sort of isolation, I think that having a physical thing that people were making and sharing together once we could come back in person has been like such a vital thing for so many people”.
SAIC 2022 alum Dante Lumsden (left) and SAIC 2023 alum Teddie Bernard (right) selling both of their own comics together at a table on the second floor. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.
The constant growth of CAKE reflects its significance in the community. CAKE’s digital archive of posters and photos from their past events beautifully documents its growth. This year CAKE featured seven special guests, awarded their Cupcake and First Slice Award to eight tabling artists.
Past organizer of CAKE and 2016 SAIC alum Gabi Cracraft explained changes CAKE has gone through and encourages its growing appeal: “It’s gotten a lot larger. They’ve definitely had to adjust to growing because we’ve moved from space to space to space. So it’s a balancing act to see what works. I think self-publishing is definitely becoming more acceptable. Which I think is always a good thing. I think what stops people a lot is they think, ‘oh, I can’t do it because I don’t have a professional publisher’. But it’s not really about that, just put it out there and you’ll grow from there. I think the more the merrier. We definitely want more people”.
Here’s to wishing for an even bigger and better CAKE next year full of captivating stories, copious opportunities, and a large slice of community.
