2013 in Review: David C Mahler

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

2013 was the year I decided to start reaching some goals. After making a concerted effort to (keyword) start improving my work I released something like seven or eight self published books, which led to an offer from Pikitia Press (ever heard of em?) to put out my first book. So that was a big tick off the list. Outside of my own work, a massive highlight was being able to attend Comic Arts Brooklyn in New York last month. I had the time of my life, meeting so many online friends in real life for the first time, meeting new friends who I know I'll be staying in contact with, and just generally being blown away by the amount of quality alternative cartoonists working today.

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

'A Drifting Life' by Yoshihiro Tatsumi changed my life. My future is better for reading that book. 'The Cartoon Utopia' by Ron Regé Jr. 'Princess Knight' by Osamu Tezuka. 'Backyard' by Sam Alden. 'Mimi and the Wolves' by Alabaster. 'Pen Erases Paper' by Sam Wallman. 'Tender Tinder' by Jeremy Sorese. 'Life Zone' by Simon Hanselmann. 'Black Pillars' by Andrew White. 'Windowpanes 1 and 2' by Joe Kessler.

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

Honestly, 2013 was pretty 'comics' for me...is that sad?

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

I have a few more goals I'd like to reach. After CAB I was fortunate enough to be able to travel around the East Coast and Canada, and I made sure to put some of my books aside for various publishers. Nothing's set in stone in the slightest so don't get excited, but putting something out in North America is definitely on my list for the new year. Also, I'll be completing my final year of uni this year, so that's extremely exciting/terrifying.

 davidmahlercomics.tumblr.com/

Places To Put Your Money

Chromacon, the upcoming New Zealand Illustration and Comic Art Festival are five days out from the end of their crowdfunding campaign on Pledgeme. As of this writing they are about $200 short of their target.
 

Ben Hutchings is primarily known as a musician but he does have a sideline making comics. Ben's publisher Milk Shadow Books have a Hutchings sale on at the MSB store.


A fine cover by Hutchings' band Tootleg Boy of Limahl's sublime classic The Never Ending Story. One time I listened to this for two hours straight and came out a better man for it.

Ive Sorocuk's latest mini comic Everybody Comics Face is available to order online.

Bathwater Books have two recent comics by Scarlette Baccini.

The Silent Army Online Store offer comics by a fine selection of cartoons including Tim Danko, David C. Mahler, Jase Harper, Simon Hanselmann, M P Fikaris and more.