2012 in review: Cory Mathis

Cory Mathis

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

Finishing another mini-comic and getting up to the Armageddon Expo in Auckland to sell it. Earlier this year I did a week long comics class with Dylan Horrocks. I got heaps from it and was great to meet him.

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

Some local talent - Karl Wills' Princess Seppuku and James Davidson's, Moa. I get totally amped when I discover great stuff being made locally. From overseas, James Stokoe's Orc Stain graphic novel was a wonderful gift from a friend in the States and I'm getting awful excited about Mike Mignola getting back into drawing the next Hellboy arc. Also found the original Nausicaa paperbacks which have completely blown me away.

 

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2012? 

I play a few video-games and I am finding it exciting the amount of original quirky games coming out by smaller independent studios. The PS3 game, Journey was a particular highlight for me.

 

Have you implemented any significant changes to your working methods this year?

I've been getting into a fair bit of dip-pen inking and watercolours, just to balance out all the digital work. That and pushing myself to use more colour and keeping at the figure studies - yip, student life. I think the most important thing I've done is really slow down and take my time with things, both reading and creating. I have a habit of power-reading and churning out pictures then regretting it later.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

Bringing it all together! That, and an illustration show early next year. I am working on a series of pieces that has nothing to do with dinosaurs!

www.corysaur.wordpress.com

2012 in Review: Karl Wills

Karl Wills

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

I managed to find enough time to complete the first two Princess Seppuku books, something I haven't done in about 5 years.
 
Who are some of the comics creators that you've discovered and enjoyed for the first time in 2012?

I really like the work of Josh Bayer (Raw Power) and Michael Deforge (Lose), Josh's work reminds me of Weirdo, it feels like it really belongs in there, it's dark and funny and the drawing is confident but loose, it looks like it's drawn fast, I'm totally envious of it. Michael Deforges comic is far more controlled but tidy and minimal, also a dark story, his design work is deceptively simple and exquisite, I love that cover Lose #4.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2012?

I've been enjoying the films of Takashi Miike, I went through a period of watching everything I could get all at once, and while his stuff is almost always very violent, it was films like "The Bird People in China" that I liked the most, a lot of great characters and lot's of heart.

Have you implemented any significant changes to your working methods this year?

Just more focus on getting stuff done and out there, I haven't been doing any comic work for a few years and really miss it.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

I'm working on a few animation projects that should be ready sometime in 2013, getting back into writing and directing my own stuff again.

http://www.comicbookfactory.net/

Bit and Pieces

Comicbook Factory Chief Karl Wills has recently released a new comic Princess Seppuku Book One. 32 pages, black and white with a colour center spread and in the style of his Jessica of the Schoolyard Tijuana bibles. For those unfamiliar with Wills work visit The Comicbook Factory.

Wills is one of New Zealand's finest cartoonists I heartily recommend you buy a copy from here.

I have been researching a piece on Anti-Maori propaganda in cartoons. Cartoon below by Garland William Woon is from the Taranaki Punch produced during the 1860's.

ARC2002-538 Taranaki Punch, Collection of Puke Ariki, New Plymouth, New Zealand

New Zealand born cartoonist Colin Wilson talks about his career on the latest episode of Melbourne comics podcast NonCanonical.

Cover of Prophet #29 by Australian cartoonist Fil Barlow (Image Comics).

Issue #22 of Prophet featured a four page back up by Barlow and series writer Brandon Graham has been very effusive in his appreciation of Barlow stating in an interview with Gavin Lees, "There’s this artist named Fil Barlow who, when I was 10, I got a hold of this six-issue series he did called Zooniverse. It changed my comicbook life, you know? It was so exciting, and he put so much work into these six issues that I’ve memorized the things pretty much." 

Barlow has been blogging in recent times over here.

Prolific Melbourne cartoonist Frank Candiloro has released a new 40 page horror comic available from his Etsy store as well as his past works over here.

Recent interviews with New Zealand cartoonists. Roger Langridge at the Washington Post here and with the Orbiting Pod here. Dylan Horrocks answers 15 questions with Sequential Highway here.

Congratulations to Becky Dreistadt and Frank Gibson for more than doubling their Kickstarter goal to raise funds for a 110 page deluxe hardcover collecting the first three years of their Tiny Kitten Teeth webcomic.

Gorgeous Stanley Pitt cover for a pulp western from Australian publisher Horwitz Publications 1958.

New Zealand born Maurice Bramley single page of a western comic digest undated from Australian publishers Page Publications. Apart from this page the entirety of the comic is made up of reprinted american material.