Paper Trail

Rejected Pat Alexander 4 pager from Dark Horse Presents here.

 

Andrew Fulton's Smaller Comics have a pay what you want sale on here.

Chromacon is a new Illustration and Comics Art convention in New Zealand launching on 12 May at the old Armageddon stomping grounds, the Aotea Centre. A fine line up of illustrators and cartoonists have already been announced on their site and unlike other conventions down this way entrance to Chromacon is free. More information here.

Jason Franks writes about crowdfunding.

 Art by Jan Scherpenhuizen and story by Jason Franks from Sixsmiths vol. 2

Toby Morris has a tumblr!

What if money was no object - Alan Watts at Zen Pencils.

Hamilton comics alert: www.cakeburger.com

(I once saw Mr Cakeburger walk into a comic shop, swipe an issue of Gaiman/Romita Jr's Eternals off the shelf, pay for it and then roll it up and shove it in his back pocket. Cakeburger ain't precious about his comics, I like that in a comics creator.)

The Duluxe Tiny Kitten Teeth Hardcover is now available from Topatoco.

 The Beardy and the Geek podcast interview T-Rex Jones.

The latest issue of The Lifted Brow #15 is available and continues their run of featuring fine cartoonists from Australasia and around the world. Cartoonists featured int he latest issue are, Ben Sea, Blaise Larmee, Noel Freibert, Tin Can Forest, Ben Juers & Bailey Sharp, Simon Hanselmann.

  

The Melbourne comics scene documentary Graphic Novels! Melbourne! film makers Daniel Hayward and Bernard Caleo have announced a screening at the 2013 Angouleme Comics Festival in France (French article here), with screenings in Berlin, Hamburg and London to follow. Focusing on the work of Pat Grant, Mandy Ord, Nicki Greenberg, Bruce Mutard, Graphic Novels! Melbourne! also features Scott McCloud, Dylan Horrocks, Paul Gravett and Shaun Tan amongst others.

 Pat Grant's poster for Graphic Novels! Melbourne!

Another screening in Melbourne will be at Cinema Nova (380 Lygon Street Carlton) on Wednesday 23 January at 6.30pm, with a Q & A afterwards.

Photos from the Carlton Readings laneway premiere are here.

2012 in Review: Daniel Reed

Daniel Reed

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2012?
 
I think Pat Grants 'Blue' was a great achievement, those spreads where the kids are on the rail line amongst all of the crazy vegetation were just amazing. I also liked Sam Wallman's 'Being Born is Going Blind' and lots of others.

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

I had seen bits and pieces of Charles Burns work before, but I read 'Black Hole' for the first time this year. Has to be said that it stuck in my head for ages. The line work is so clean, dark and emotive. The weird story marries perfectly to the images.

I also read 'Safe Area Gorazde' by Joe Sacco. It was certainly not as easy to read as 'Black Hole' but succeeded in many other ways. I think the reporting (of the war in Eastern Bosnia 1992-95), in comic format had a much greater impact on me than it would have done had I seen it in a documentary format. Not sure that I can put my finger on why...
 
What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2012?

Was introduced to "The Game of Thrones" TV series, which is cool. Gigs by 'The Mountain Goats', 'Bonnie Prince Billie' and Robert Forester were all really enjoyable. "Graphic Novels! Melbourne!" documentary was a hoot!

Have you implemented any significant changes to your working methods this year?
 
Working a lot in colour at the moment. Compositing together water colour, ink and pencil images in PhotoShop.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?
 
Getting to as many book launches, drawing nights and meet-ups as I can. Writing and drawing as much as I can. Seeing Hawthorn beat the Cats for the first time since 2008. Other than that, my title "Grubby Little Smudges of Filth" is due out in limited release hard cover sometime in 2013, so I'm looking forward to that too.

Grubby Little Smudges of Filth

2012 in Review: Scarlette Baccini

Scarlette Baccini

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

Being a part of the Big Arse 2 launch was really special. I launched Zombolette, which is a collection of my comics about a zombie and her mutant guinea-pig best friend. Over the years I've come to care deeply for these characters, and I was really proud to see it all finished and in the hands of real-life nerds.

Watching Graphic Novels! Melbourne! at Readings with the good vibes of the local comic book community was also a mega highlight. I've always been a bit of a hermit in comic book land, but there's a real buzz in Melbourne comics at the moment, and finally being a part of it this year has been wonderful. The film kind of summed it up for me.

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

This year I discovered Warren Ellis, who created such a massive and wonderfully realised world that I felt totally lost in the landscape. I also very happily discovered about a zillion local creators. Tim Molloy's It Shines and Shakes and Laughs was so moody and delicious, I
can't wait to see more of his work. Ben Hutchings' Lesson Master killed me, and I think Walking to Japan is one of the loveliest creations I've seen. Discovering the prolificacy of Frank Candiloro was also really inspiring.

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

Seven Psychopaths! Possibly my favourite film of 2012. I'd been having conniptions over drawing a lot of violence in a new comic I'm working on, and that film helped me to sort out my feelings on the matter.

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

I used to be very haphazard about drawing, and so years of strangling pencils whilst sitting awkwardly on the floor has given me pretty awful RSI. A few months ago I got my hands on a proper drawing board, started sitting at a desk, and learnt how to use brushes. It's been a bit rough learning to use all these new tools, but I'm sure I'll thank myself later.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

Finishing a Zombolette graphic novel, and a few other shorter projects that are a bit out of my comfort zone.

http://scarlettebaccini.com/

Paper Trail

 Tom Taylor with a Colin Wilson 'warm up' sketch at Melbourne Armageddon 2011

Prolific Melbourne comics writer Tom Taylor has commenced a months residency at insideadog.com.au. Insideadog focuses on young adult literature and is managed by the State Library of Victoria. Over the course of the month Taylor is answering questions concerning writing and his career as well as providing insight into his work processes. Read Tom Taylor's contributions here.

Copyright 2012 Peter Bromhead

Michelle Hewitson interviews septuagenarian cartoonist Peter Bromhead for The New Zealand Herald here. The New Zealand Listener has a brief piece from earlier this year on Bromhead here.

Copyright 2012 Dylan Horrocks

Dylan Horrocks is conducting a visual storytelling workshop at the Whitireira Library in Porirua, Wellington, from 25th -29th June. Writers, artists, curious beginners and experienced cartoonists are welcome. The workshop costs $150, email Chris.White@whitireia.ac.nz for bookings.

Zombie Cities illustration by Martin Szabo. Copyright 2012 Silver Fox Comics

Sydney Publisher Silver Fox Comics are releasing their first graphic novel, Zombie Cities, at this years Sydney Supanova on June 15th. Silver Fox Comics debuted in 2011 with a modernised take on Zorro. Zorro was distributed via Gordon and Gotch to Australian newsagents which is exceedingly rare for a locally produced comic in this day and age.

Zombie Cities is 104 colour pages and written by Silver Fox publisher Sorab Del Rio with illustrations handled by multiple artists from around the globe.

Film Maker Daniel Hayward and Cartoonist Bernard Caleo have been making a feature documentary Graphic Novels! Melbourne! that examines the extraordinary graphic novel culture of Melbourne. Focusing primarily on four cartoonists, Nicki Greenberg, Mandy Ord, Bruce Mutard and Pat Grant, the movie will also cast its eye over the comics-making culture of Melbourne. To aide production of their documentary Hayward and Caleo are hosting a fundraiser in conjunction with Readings cinema in Carlton. For more details they have a dedicated page here.

 Illustration by Glenn Smith 2001

Michael Hill writes about 2001 Savage pencils exhibition of contemporary comic art that featured work by Australian and New Zealand cartoonists here.

New Zealand comics blogger Adrian Kinnaird appears on this weeks episode of Media 7 discussing comics creator rights. View here.

 

Kidzone Copyright 1983 Bob McMahon  

This week on Pikitia Press I'll have a feature interview with Dunedin cartoonist Bob McMahon.

 Ballantyne Copyright 2012 Peter Foster and James H. Kemsley

I'm still in the midst of setting up Pikitia Press as a publishing entity but the above image is a proof of the second volume of Ballantyne adventures by Peter Foster and James H. Kemsley scheduled for July 2012. Reformatted from their several year run at the Sydney Sun Herald, Foster has meticulously coloured his black and white Ballantyne daily strips to produce a dynamic full colour adventure comic. More details about publishing plans this week with several comics and books by some of Australia and New Zealand's finest cartoonists currently on the publishing slate.

Sources: Bromhead image http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=11169