Comics are fun, delightful, even a bit addictive to make. There's nothing like making a story come alive on the page in both words and pictures.
And, comics are also a really tough medium for an artist. I don't think there's necessarily an "easy" one mind you, but comics especially can be brutal -- physically taxing, needing a high volume of output that can take years to make, only to be consumed in minutes, oh yeah, and you need to know not only how to draw but also to write?
It's a lot.
It can be really isolating, heartbreaking work. It can also be a source of great pride and joy. Oh, comics!
Going to independent comics shows and meeting other 'indie' comics artists has been one of the highlights of being a cartoonist myself. The conversations I've had with other creators have always left me energized and delighted, even when our work could not be more different in style and content. The love of the medium and the dedication (and frustration) brings us all together, and I think you'll find these creator-to-creator conversations just as wonderful as I do, whether you're an appreciator or an artist yourself.
About the word "cartoonist"
To me, the word "cartoonist" is interchangeable with "comics artist." I recognize that not all artists in the comics medium agree on this. To me an artist is a cartoonist whether they make strips for the Sunday funnies or for a Xeroxed zine or for a thousand-page heart-rending magnum opus meditation on life and death.