2013 in Review: Richard Fairgray

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?
Finally catching up on my work so that I've now averaged a page for every day i've been alive (and currently 47 days ahead), selling thousands of copies of a picture book without anyone realising it's actually a comic, and finally having quality tee shirts for my staff to wear at shows (after ten years of shitty shirt makers letting me down).

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2013?

The obvious ones. Saga, Lock and Key etcetera. Lots of old stuff (as usual).

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?

That's a hard question.

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Releasing more books than ever before (including a new project that starts next October that might just kill me...figuratively).

blastosaurus.com/

2013 in Review: Colin Wilson

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

In a year where I've had no original work published - a first for me in probably 15 years - I guess my personal highlight was seeing my name in the opening credits for the film Bullet to the Head, based on Matz and my series Du Plomb Dans La Tete first published in France ten years ago. The fact that the film never made it to the big screens in Australia, and in reality bore no relationship whatsoever to our original source material might seem like a little churlish to mention at this late stage. But what the hell...... one of my books made it to the big screen! Thanks Sly......

A second highlight for me this year has been watching the career path of my good friend and occasional co-auther Tom Taylor, who has progressed from our comic adaption of his short theatre piece The Example back in 2007 to working as one of DC Comics top writers on series such as Injustice and Earth 2, not to forget the wonderful work he is doing on The Deep (published here in Australia by Gestalt) with James Brouwer. Good stuff....

What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

Spending so much of my time working on producing my own stories, I actually read very few comics these days. But one of the series that really caught my eye is Stuart Immonen and Wade Von Grawbadger's (hey, great name!) current run on All-New X-Men. Not ever being a superhero fan I find the story completely impenetrable, but the art those guys are turning in (along with Marte Gracia and Rain Beredo's impressive colour) continues to amaze me month after month.
 

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?  

For a variety of non-comic related reasons 2013 has been a very difficult year around here, and so these days I prefer to put this year into the bottom drawer and work towards improving the prospects for the next one....

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Comic related, I have two books scheduled for publication in Europe next year, via two major French publishers. The first is a one-off single volume for an already well-established and very hi-profile series published by Dargaud, the second is the first book in a new original series for Delcourt. I am working with the same co-authors who wrote the two Jour J books we published with Delcourt over the last couple of years - Fred Duval and Jean-PierrePécau, and everyone has high hopes for this new series - my first for Europe in many years. Currently I am completing the final pages of this first book, and the current plan for 2014 is to get as much work done on the second volume of the series before heading over to Europe mid-year for an extended book signing tour. These things never go completely to plan, but at the moment everything is shaping up for a very interesting year.......

colinwilsonart.com/

2013 in Review: Jason Franks

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

I got to work with some brilliant artists this year on the new Sixsmiths book. A lot of new collaborators, like Dean Rankine, Sarah Howell, Tim McEwen, Gregory MacKay, Trev Wood, Jase Harper, Sacha Bryning, and Anton McKay, as well as a crew of my old mates: Bruce Mutard, Bobby N., Luke Pickett, Jan Scherpenhuizen, Greg Gates, and Ed Siemienkowicz. It's been incredible.

The other highlight, of course, was going to SPX with Matt Hoddy, Caitlin Major, and Keith McDougall and that crazy freak who does Guzumo. I haven't been to SPX since 2006 and it's grown, but it stills feels like the same show. It was a pleasure to reconnect with some old acquaintances ( and to make so many new ones. What a blast! Massive thanks to Warren and Bruce for organizing it.

What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

2013, for me, was the year of genre comics. Fatale, Locke and Key, Luther Strode, Saga, Amala's Blade, Chew and Witch Doctor remain my favourites. Most of these books started running in prior years, but in 2013 my intake of alternative books and manga was diminished. Not sure why that is; it wasn't a conscious decision. As far as local works go, Tim Molloy's collection Mr Unpronounceable Adventures was the stand out for me.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?  

In 2013 I found a lot of new opportunities in the medium of prose on the back of my first novel and that gave me a lot of validation. Prose can be a grind, because every word has to be perfect, but it's been really good to be able to just focus on the writing and not have to project manage and produce every aspect of the work. That has been a nice change. 

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

I'm looking forward to a more relaxed 2014. 2013 was nuts: book launches, honeymoons, hospitals, mortgages, the con circuit, on top of some brutal deadlines at my day job have really worn me down. Next year I'm looking to simplify things. I want to ramp up some new projects, in prose and comics, and I want to have a more evenly productive year.

jasonfranks.com/

2013 in Review: David Follett

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

Biggest highlight for me is my nearing the completion of my first draft of Uncle Silas 2: Earth, sequel to Uncle Silas: Genetis. Thankfully this adventure is mostly out of the forest from book 1 so when it comes to inking and colouring stages, things should move along quickly. The tripled page count might negate that advantage somewhat, but the illusion of productivity will sustain me. I've ditched the sunday newspaper comic format entirely so the pages flow along like runny butter in comparison to the staggered doubled-up page design Dark Horse edition of book 1.

Which was a decision not of my making, by the way- when I eventually re-release it I'll publish it how I originally intended- large and landscape. Yet again this has been a massive undertaking for me as it's pretty well happened in my own spare time and this year's been packed with plenty of distracting incidents. Ah, the romantic life of a cartoonist/comic creator… sitting at a desk for hours on end neglecting food, sunlight, personal hygiene and going slightly insane… It's blindingly obvious why we get the girls.

Getting my Sunday comic strip Harry the Dog, NewsHound nominated for a Stanley this year, and a Highly Commended from the Illustrators Australia Awards was also pretty nifty.

Also being involved with the [imi] creativity research project put on by the QUT, ARC and Australia Council has been a big highlight. This led to artist's placements with Halfbrick Studios for a week working on generating app concepts, and then with Mod Productions for my own app idea. Stay tuned on that one...

What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

Pat Grant's Blue, Anzac Tale by Holfeld and Starke, collected books of Paulos' Hairbutt the Hippo, Franquin's Spirou, Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse run, E.C. Segar's Popeye, Eddie Campbell's Alec the Years Have Pants, the Blake and Mortimer reprints… Oglaf is a joy that never ceases to entertain.

I'm sure there's more that I can't remember off the top of my head right now.

And a bunch of stuff earmarked for reading but not gotten around to yet.

Enjoying the revamped Comic Spot Podcast as well. Two clinks from me.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013? 

Read Shogun for the first time- brilliant and epic. A terrific matching of narrative/plot and emotional depth. A page turner! Colin Cotterill's Jim Juree stories- a great companion series to his Dr Siri books. Douglas Adams/Gareth Evans Dr Who story SHADA was a fun ride. Tim Flannery's Here on Earth was compelling. Doc Wilde and the Frogs of Doom is mighty fine escapism for the young at heart. Writing Irresistible KidLit by Mary Kole is awesome and highly recommended. Snowboarding in the Spanish Pyrenees was utterly brilliant, too. That last one's not a book, by the way.

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Keeping up what I've done in 2013, pretty much. And winning the lottery so I can focus all my time on my comics and I don't have to freelance. I hope no one else steals that idea.

unclesilas.com.au

davidfollett.com/

2013 in Review: Scarlette Baccini

 

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

The highlight for me was undoubtedly visiting TCAF with the Caravan of Comics, and the rest of the North American tour. I met so many incredible artists (including David B!), and it motivated me to work harder and aim higher. I'm slightly less crap at public speaking now too, I think.

I had heaps of fun and also learned a whole lot organising The Naked Launch in April - I launched my first self-published efforts, Jesus Reloadeth'd and Zombolette's Floppy #1.

What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

Tim Molloy fried my brain in the best possible way with Mr Unpronounceable Adventures. I'm a big fan. I also really enjoyed Roman Dirge's latest issues of Lenore.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?

I play in a band, and we're just wrapping up an album that we've worked on all year - so much hard work, but very rewarding. Launching our first single in October was great fun.

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Getting back to my Zombolette comics - I haven't drawn her since March and I miss her! I'm also working on a couple of kids books, which is a whole new area for me, and I'm really excited to see how it goes.

scarlettebaccini.com/

2013 in Review: Sarah Laing

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

Having my Let Me Be Frank comics published by Pikitia Press! And getting paid to work on my Katherine Mansfield graphic novel. Also having my novel The Fall of Light published, with sequential art running between the chapters. 

 
What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2013?

The comic that I most recently loved is Anders Nilsen's The End - very affecting and his grief was brilliantly rendered. I went on a memoir binge and enjoyed Lucy Kinsey's Relish, Nicole George's Calling Dr Laura, Ellen Forney's Marbles and Uli Lust's Today is the last day of the Rest of your Life. I've been reading lots of kids' comics because I'm always getting them out for my son, and I was particularly excited to discover Luke Pearson. We both just read Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, which was pretty awesome. Locally, I loved Toby Morris'  Don't Puke on Your Dad (so touching! So familiar!) and I'm really enjoying Dylan Horrocks' frequent updates of his Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen story.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?  

Novels are my weakness. I loved Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowlands and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. I also discovered Patrick Ness, and was thoroughly disturbed by Sally Gardner's Maggot Moon. I've also been reading all of Jennifer Egan's back catalogue because I loved A Visit from the Goon Squad so much.

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

I am looking forward to getting some stuff finished! I want to send off issue 5 of Let Me Be Frank, and also I'd love to get my Katherine Mansfield project done. But everything takes longer than I hope it will...

 sarahelaing.wordpress.com/

2013 in Review: Sam Orchard

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

Getting to be on panel discussions with some of my comic heroes like Dylan Horrocks, Sarah Laing, Ant Sang and Adrian Kinnaird. Plus I got to meet the great Robyn Kenealy this year!

 What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

I became obsessed with Strip Search's first series - a reality comic artist show? Addictive.

Erika Moen's new 'Oh Joy Sex Toy' is amazing. Getting to pledge and get a copy of Jem Yoshioka's Sunshine Comic was excellent also.And I haven't managed to get my hands on Adrian's "From Earth's End" yet, but I am hoping I will get copy for xmas (*wink wink* xmas present gift givers) and so I am sure I will enjoy that as 2013 draws to a close.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?  

There are non-comics things? I got an awesome job this year following Philip Patston around, that is something I really enjoy.

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Busting out some more comics, and finally kickstarting my queer comics books 'Family Portraits.

roostertailscomic.com

2013 in Review: Gavin Aung Than

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

Zen Pencils has continued to build a fantastic, international community of readers which makes me extremely happy. Hearing from teachers, students, office workers, parents and retirees and how they all enjoy my comics is really the highlight for me - I never thought my work would have such an impact. Zen Pencils has been featured by big mainstream websites such as Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, Gawker, The AV Club and Slate - which is kind of cool, since I'm just a dude working out of my spare bedroom in suburban Melbourne.

 

What are some of the comics/cartoonists you've enjoyed in 2013?

Thanks to my iPad, I've started reading comics regularly again - I've enjoyed Hawkeye, Daredevil, Fury: Max and Prophet.

 

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013?

Well, I'm a TV junkie, so ... Breaking Bad, House of Cards, The Newsroom and Game of Thrones.   

 

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Continuing on improving my work at Zen Pencils and reaching a bigger audience. I've got a big project that will hopefully happen in 2014 that I can't talk about right now. I also hope to do a bit more travelling, with the US on the agenda and possibly San Diego Comic Con!

 

zenpencils.com