I have some seepage of oil out of my front valve cover. Looks easy enough to change the gasket, but do I need to drain oil before I do it or will it be fine in there and not go all over the place? Also a good gasket is made by???

Fel-Pro. Don't drain. Wipe it dry and do it. You may want some sealant in the 'track' to help hold it as you put the valve cover back on.

Very easy.

Do not use any sealant in the groove. The gasket is rubber and has tabs to hold itself into the cover.

The front is a piece of cake, the back is easy and time consuming.

Loosen engine lift bracket used to pull motor on front right of motor. (loosen, no need to remove)
Loosen coil pack bolts and remove the one at the rear of the coil packs, flip coils upward in the front.
Remove valve cover bolts and remove valve cover.
Pull old gasket, bolts and rubber bolt pass throughs and clean valve cover groove (Brake clean and a brush work well)
Clean surface on head (I wiped with rag and brake cleaner)
Put new bolt pass throughts, bolts and gasket in groove on valve cover and reinstall. Torque spec is a certain amount plus 40 degrees. Once the torque amount is met turn handle of ratchet 40 degrees more.

Put coil pack back down and tighten engine lift bracket.

here'* some pics
Front cover (Engine pull bracket front right, coils left)

Expect the gasket to look squashed

If you are also going to do the rear, pull the bracket the O2 sensor connector clips to, the bracket w/map sensors and egr guard and flop alternator out of way.

Mine wouldn't stay in perfectly. That'* why I put a TINY dab of sealant in the groove adjacent to the tab location. Just enough hold to gently flip the cover and put it in place. Particularly on the rear.

Interesting Optimus.. I did both (front and back) on my 97 and Frankenbonne'* 97, all held nicely.

Let'* say this, do not use sealant or goop whenever possible. In the future if you need to do them again it is 100% easier w/o having to try and scrape goop off the plastic.

Me back gasket held in place.The front would not.