Announced in February, this year’s MoCCA Arts Fest (March 15 – 16) will feature some fantastic creators at the 2025 event. In anticipation of the New York City comic arts festival, The Beat caught up with Love and Rockets co-creator Jaime Hernandez, who will be appearing on a spotlight panel hosted by Marc Sobel, author of Reading Love and Rockets and The Love and Rockets Companion, on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
An indie comics icon, Hernandez’s ‘Locas’ storyline chronicles the lives, loves, joys, and heartbreaks of Maggie, Hopey, and their diverse friend group. It has been developed over the four-plus decades that the Love and Rockets series has been in publication, and it is also included in his new graphic novel, Life Drawing. At MoCCA ’25, Hernandez will be signing at the Fantagraphics booth. He is also set to appear on the “Rivers of Ink: Burns, Hernandez & Tomine” panel on Saturday, March 15, from 3:00-4:00 p.m. and the “Jaime Hernandez in the Spotlight” panel on Sunday, March 16, from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Check out our interview below and come out to MoCCA fest if any of this interests you!
OLLIE KAPLAN: At this point in your career, you’re lauded in the industry for your work in the indie comics space. When looking back at your life and work, what stands out most? For example, are there any highlights and/or pitfalls? Is there anything you would have changed? Etc.
JAIME HERNANDEZ: I’m very happy with all of it, mistakes included, and wouldn’t change a thing.
KAPLAN: Can you tell me more about the process of creating the most recent ‘Love and Rockets’ entry: Life Drawing?
HERNANDEZ: It’s never a complete book until I see it becoming something, and then I find a way to make it all make sense when I wrap it up.
KAPLAN: What’s next for the ‘Locas’ saga?
HERNANDEZ: The characters are getting older and dealing with it or not dealing with it.
KAPLAN: What messages do you hope readers can take from your work in 2025?
HERNANDEZ: I’m still here and hope the work still stands up.
KAPLAN: Why do you think indie comics are so important right now?
HERNANDEZ: I don’t know if they are, but I hope they are.
KAPLAN: A Bauhaus rock band inspired the name ‘Love and Rockets.’ Can you tell me more about the interplay of the comics and underground music scenes?
HERNANDEZ: It’s all part of creating art the way you want without someone telling you you can’t.
KAPLAN: What do you have in store for comic book fans at MoCCA ’25? For those of your fans who can’t attend this year, can you give us a look at what you’ll be discussing during your spotlight panel on Sunday, March 16th?
HERNANDEZ: I’ll have a new collection (Life Drawing) and a new issue (Love and Rockets #16) that I’m excited to share.
KAPLAN: What are you looking forward to about this year’s festival?
HERNANDEZ: Meeting fans from a different time zone.
KAPLAN: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
HERNANDEZ: Sorry my answers are always shorter than the questions.
Check out sample panels from Life Drawing below:
(featured image: Jordan Crane)
At MoCCA’ 25, Jaime Hernandez will sign at the Fantagraphics Tables 007-011 in the Metropolitan Pavilion. If you want to attend New York’s MoCCA Fest 2025, click here.
For more of The Beat‘s coverage of MoCCA 2025 click here.
