Murray Ball - What Is It Like To Be A Cartoonist?

Back in 1988 when becoming a cartoonist was a viable career Highgate/Price Milburn published Murray Ball - What Is It Like To Be A Cartoonist? Part of a series of books for young readers profiling successful New Zealanders in various professions. Ball talks about his early life in New Zealand, working as a cartoonist in England, and the development of his most popular strip Footrot Flats. The excerpted pages below show a day in the life of Murray Ball during the production of Footrot Flats.

Murray Ball - Junior All Black

New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange (Centre) and Murray Ball (Right)

Paper Trail

Roger Langridge shares a comic for his daughter's tenth birthday. The Popeye series Langridge is currently writing for IDW will be concluding with the twelfth issue. Langridge has also set a goal to post a comic or illustration on his blog daily for 2013 so keep an eye on frequent updates at Hotel Fred.

Sarah Laing dissects the making of a book cover.

 

Brandon Graham teases a forthcoming Fil Barlow wraparound cover for Prophet #33

 

Bob Temuka at the Tearoom of Despair writes about Murray Ball's Footrot Flats.

Josh Santospirito is interviewed by Framed magazine here.

Tim McEwen reviews Chris Downes The Littel Dragun.

Steve Holland serialised a John McNamara illustrated Paul Temple strip over at Bear Alley over December, first episode here.

 © Evening News courtesy Bear Alley

Holland's Bear Alley Books has announced their latest publication, a 262 page Index and history of the Almalgamated Press/IPC comic Lion. Pre-orders available here.

 
From late 2012, Daniel Best at 20th Century Boy, ran a fascinating series of articles on Australian comics and comics in Australia.

 Was K.G. Murray a Spy?

Desert Dragon Comic by  George T.C. Hubble

The Banning of Detective Comics

 Comics or Classics?

Samples of the work of Tom Glover, at one time heralded as New Zealand's leading cartoonist. I'll have a feature on Glover's work on the Pikitia blog next week.

Tom Glover's Skeeter and his Magic Ring from Sydney Sunday Sun circa 1930's.