BA3 Comic Launch Melbourne

 

Now a firm institution in the Melbourne comic calendar, the third Big Arse combined comic launch took place last weekend with fifteen new comics released from primarily Australian and New Zealand artists and writers. Compared to last year's, overcast day of showers, Melbourne provided a warm sunny day for comic folk to gather at the Fitzroy Beer Garden. From my involvement in the three launches to date, I've witnessed the event grow in scale and ambition with a companion launch organised by Bruce Mutard during the Melbourne Writer's Festival last year looking to also become a yearly fixture. A further spin-off has been discussed to accommodate the growth in the local comics community and audience which bodes well for the future.

Nalini Haynes of Dark Matter Fanzine captured video and audio on the day here.

MC Bernard Caleo

 Passionate Bruce Mutard

 

Dillon Naylor and Bobby N

 James Andre

 Frank Candiloro and Steve Sparke

 Colin Wilson and Ian McColl

 Tim Molloy

 Fred Atkins

Darren Close

David Blumenstein and Andrew Fulton

  Jesca Marisa

 Peter Foster

 Brendan Halyday

 Marijka Gooding

BMB

Frank Candiloro and Scarlette Baccini

 Alisha Jade

Troy Varker, Jason Franks and James Andre

Alleyway beside the Fitzroy Beer Garden

BA3 Melbourne Comic Book Launch

  

I have a couple Pikitia Press comics launching at this weeks BA3 launch.

From the press release: 

Melbourne, Australia - the Melbourne comics community is hosting its third annual Big Arse Book Launch. This year they will be launching fifteen (15) new works created by authors from around Australia and New Zealand.

Once again the launch will be conducted by the one and only Bernard Caleo.

Saturday, March 2nd from 2:00pm
Sentido Funf
243 - 245 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy
Victoria, Australia

  

Big Arse 3 is proudly sponsored by All Star Comics.

 

 DIGESTED #6 (Gestalt Comics)
The sixth issue of Bobby.N’s series, continuing the lead feature OXYGEN and a variety of other tidbits and goodies. http://www.bobbyn.com

 

YUCK! #7 (Milk Shadow Books)
The Universe's greasiest comix anthology returns with Yuck! #7. Original surreal black comedy from a plethora of low-lives, including Ben Hutchings, Tim Molloy, Bruce Mutard, the Phatsville crew, Gregory Mackay, J. Marc Schmidt, Michael Aushenker, Scarlette Baccini, David DeGrand, Kapreles, Frank Candiloro, James Andre, Ben John Smith, Andrew Fulton, Johandson Rezende and many more surprising sickos. Straight from the gutter into your hands. Cover by Ben Sea. Edited by Mr. Slime. www.milkshadowbooks.com

 
ADVERSARIES (Pikitia Press) 

Matt Emery's laughey comics from the comics ghetto. www.pikitiapress.com

AWAKENINGS #2
Awakenings 2 is a stand-alone book in a series of two volumes. It contains short stories written and illustrated by artist and animator Jesca Marisa. Awakenings is an intensely colourful and beautifully illustrated book composed of multiple interweaving stories of a surreal and fantastical nature. The book was inspired by the author's remembrance of dreams which she has woven into stories of journeys undertaken by the diverse cast of characters. http://be.net/jescamarisa

BALLANTYNE: THE FLAW IN THE JEWEL (Pikitia Press) The third volume of artist Peter Foster’s collaboration with writer James H. Kemsley, originally featured as an adventure strip in the Sydney Sunday Sun-Herald during the 1990s. Based on Kemsley’s vivid memories of working as a patrol officer in post World War Two New Guinea, Ballantyne is a classic adventure tale in the fine tradition of Lee Falk’s The Phantom and John Dixon’s Air Hawk. www.pikitiapress.com

BUDD & LUU - PART I (FrankenComics)
Budd & Luu are a lovable comedic duo who get into all sorts of random and crazy adventures. When some mysterious force starts to erase their world the pair escape through a strange portal, which lands them in a high-tech asylum located in an alternate dimension. Soon, they are subjected to painful experiments, and they discover the truth about their existence, as well as the real purpose of the asylum. By Frank Candiloro. www.frankcandiloro.com

 
A BRUSH WITH DARKNESS (Milk Shadow Books)
Before Da 'n' Dill... before Batrisha... Dillon Naylor was the defining artist of the 90s Melbourne underground/alternative music scene. Naylor created comics for Area 7 and The Fireballs and many other bands, as well as tour posters for The Beastie Boys, Powderfinger and the Pushover Festival. This material is collected in its entirety, along with Dillon's early horror comics, unseen pages, sketches, notes and Anecdotes. www.milkshadowbooks.com

 
GRAPHIC/NARRATIVE #1
Graphic/Narrative #1 presents 'Panic', an autobiographical tale about the author’s struggles with an anxiety and panic disorder. The book conveys the experience of a panic attack and discusses the progression of anxiety disorders. Follow Brendan Halyday as his life falls apart around him. www.brendanhalyday.com

 
KRANBURN #6 (FEC Comics)
Both Brand and Silvia are on their own personal rampages. While Silvia takes care of the Nong messenger in her own way, Brand continues levelling the playing field on the Nong home turf. Do not mess with the people of Kranburn. By Ben Michael Byrne. www.feccomics.com

 
LADY McBLACK #1 (Black House Comics) 

At the behest of her three sisters, McBlack investigates the murder of Lila Bodicker by the Wester Reapers, a mixed municipal soccer team. But whoever killed Lila does not want the Bodicker sisters to find out what really happened and before long McBlack himself is being hunted in the streets. Written and pencilled by Jason Franks. Inks by Dave Gutierrez. Cover by Rhys James. www.mcblack.com

 
MR UNPRONOUNCEABLE ADVENTURES (Milk Shadow Books)
Tim Molloy has finally bound the exploits of Mr Unpronounceable, the ultimate anti-hero madman, into a single volume. 213 pages of throat-tearing, void questioning, dimensional tripping, laughing, crying, laughing, questioning adventures through the city of the Ever Open Eye by the creator of It Shines and Shakes and Laughs. www.milkshadowbooks.com

 
SEVEN #2 (FEC Comics)
Book 2 of the Seven series follows Kat and Hans on their search for their brothers - and as they stumble on a plot of betrayal, murder and an innocent goose girl, they find that acceptance of your fate does not lead to happiness.  By Alisha Jade. www.feccomics.com

 
STRANGE BEHAVIOUR
The debut graphic novel by Melbourne illustrator Marijka Gooding. Retold through the eyes of a six-inch version of herself, these short stories emphasize the ridiculousness of the world and encourage others to appreciate the subtle ironies hidden in the mundane. http://www.marijkagooding.com/

UNGENRED (Black House Comics)
A collection of Jason Franks’ non-genre stories. Drama, comedy, travel, autobiography, social realism and sentient robots. Illustrated by Bruce Mutard, J. Marc Schmidt, Nic Hunter, Ed Siemienkowicz, Renan L’Hopsum, Joe Pimienta and others. Introduction by Bernard Caleo. www.blackhousecomics.com

 
VELOCITY #3
A fantasy and sci fi anthology by some of Australia and South Africa’s most best creators. Edited by Moray Rhoda and Neville Howard. www.gaining-velocity.com

 

BIG ARSE 3 COMIC BOOK LAUNCH

Fifteen comics will be launched in March including two Pikitia Press titles, more details to come.

2012 in Review: Marijka Gooding

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

Being introduced to the Melbourne comic book scene and all its lovely people. I think because the Melbourne scene is still quite young there is this stronger feeling of camaraderie and support amongst its members.

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

Early this year I discovered the Nobrow books. Nobrow are a small, independant publishing group from the UK, started in 2008, who specialize in beautifully crafted, one off comics and publications. Their work hit home for me the importance of looking at books as physical objects and as commodities to be kept and admired.  This pushed me to see my own work as a final, packaged product and take into consideration basic aesthetics like the weight and feel of a book.

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

Mostly due to the comic book (Gooding's debut graphic novel, Strange Behavior.), I've been a bit of a shut in this year so my most enjoyable moments have been mostly small wins, like the day I found a slightly squished Caramello Koala wedged in between the couch cushions.

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

I am happy to say that this year I finally become friends with typography. After undergoing, and almost failing, first year typography classes at Uni, I had written myself off as never being any good at it. I found the whole thing so intimidating with its strict conventions and anal retentive specifications that I completely avoided using type in any of my work. It wasn't until I started to collecting examples of type myself (old tins, on the side of old trucks, wrappers, vintage signage, comics) that I started to really love it.
 
I noticed that the work of the comic artists I admired (particularly Dan Clowes, Chris Ware and Charles Burns) all had this strong, graphical consideration of type and I think that all stems from their mutual respect for both the written word and image. I wish someone had shown me sooner how exciting and varied type could be.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

 

The Big Arse 3 comics launch scheduled March next year.

 http://www.marijkagooding.com/