2012 in Review: Bruce Mutard Part One

 Bruce Mutard

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2012?

Where can I start with this?

Bologna Childrens Book Fair - 15 times the size of Supageddacon and vastly more interesting. You'll never see such a concentration of illustration talent from all over the world. Amazing. I plan to create an Australian comics showcase to go there in 2014.

Meeting Robert and Aline Crumb at the opening of his retrospective in Paris.

Presenting papers on comics at University of Arts, London; Mansfield College, Oxford; Loughborough University.

Attending the SPXO, which was basically Artists Alley made up only of comics and about the size of Supageddacon. Amazing.

Meeting Chris Ware, Charles Burns, Dan Clowes, Adrian Tomine, Los Bros Hernandez and Francoise Mouly at SPXO. Okay, so I'm a fame junkie. Sue me.

Winning an Australia Council grant to produce the Fight in 2013-14.

Winning an Australia Council grant to take Caravan of Comics to TCAF in 2014.

The Graphic Novels Melbourne Filming process and premiere - even if I did look like a sad sack at the end. Adam Sandler will have to play me in the fictional version of my life.

Who are some of the comics creators that you've discovered and enjoyed for the first time in 2012?

Mirranda Burton - her book 'Hidden' is brilliant and she has some exciting projects up her sleeve. 

Jesca Marisa is a Sth African expat who now lives in NZ. I met her at Sydney Supanova. She has a book called Awakenings that is ravishingly beautiful to look at. She is also an animator whose films are equally good. I am reminded of Miyazaki. She has work to do on her storytelling, but she'll go far I'm sure. She'll be at Big Arse 3 to launch her book in Melbourne. 

Lisbeth Russell, known by her stage name Black Betty, I met at Perth Supanova, is an ex-pat Dane who is a cartoonist, designer, burlesque artist and model for off-mainstream fashion and photographers. She's in Perth and has become a really good friend of mine. Talent to burn. 

 Marijka Gooding is a recent graduate graphic designer I met at a talk I gave at Monash Uni, whereupon it seemed clear she had a very strong interest in comix. I caught up with her later in the year when I recommended her as a designer to Milk Shadow Books and 12 Panels Press. She will also do the design work on books I am publishing  - under Fabliaux imprint. She wrote and drew a comic, Strange Behaviour for her Honours thesis and it is an amazingly accomplished book notwithstanding the fact it's her first. The book's not up on her site unfortunately. 

Badaude (real name Joanna Walsh), whom I met as a consequence of sharing a panel at the Melbourne Writers Festival. A writer/illustrator of observation and life. I still haven't seen her book though one was meant to be sent to me. Interesting woman though I wouldn't say we hit it off in any brilliant way. Worth a look though. 

Caitlin Pesky of Pesky Studios. Met her as a consequence of being invited to participate in an exhibition she organised for the Fringe Festival called This Is Melbourne. She worked in the rag trade (desiging the anonymous images that go on all the clothes for chain stores like Target and Kmart). She has moved out of it to become an illustrator and artist who can at last sign her name to her work. 

Serena Geddes - whom I met in Bologna, is a very talented and lovely woman who is primarily a picture book illustrator. 

Lesley Vamos - another I met in Bologna, coming from an animation background and now does primarily picture books and some comics. Incredibly fast and reminds me a lot of Doug Holgate in style. You should see her go when she is sketching for food… whooboy.  

And check out Dan Drobik who just emailed me for advice. Just graduated from Monash fine art, too. Referred to by a good friend of mine who was a fellow student and orthodox Jewish grandmother (not kidding). She wants Dan to go on the straight and narrow. What, and waste a good filthy mind like this? http://creativelydisappointing.tumblr.com/

Tamryn Louise - another ex pat Saffa, whom I've not met, but put onto by Jesca and Neville. 

Also, the poster artist for This is Roller Derby, Dave um… forgot his surname. Gosh this bloke is better than good. He even digitally paints using a mouse! NO!

http://brucemutard.com.au/