The Lambiek Comiclopedia is an online reference source that offers information about over 13,000 comic artists. It is run by a Danish comics store.
Most of the articles are short, but can be a good starting point for your research.
TIP: use the letters to search for an artist by last name; it works a little better than their search box.
MoCCA Arts Festival- the festival once sponsored by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (now closed) is now held by the Society of Illustrators annually. The 2020 MoCCA Arts Festival will take place April 4 - 5 at Metropolitan West in New York City (West 46th Street between 11th and 12 Avenues).
Comic Arts Brooklyn - another annual local festival--with free entry--organized by the bookstore Desert Island and the Pratt Institute.
Here is the website from the 2019 festival and the Comic Arts Brooklyn Instagram to give you an idea of what it is like. The 2020 festival's dates are yet to be announced.
Two of the most important comics publishers (outside of superhero comics) are Drawn and Quarterly and Fantagraphics. Their focus is on graphic novels, memoirs, journalism, and other kinds of narratives.