SPX 2014 Debut: The Cartoons Of Will Donald

The Cartoons of Will Donald

A collection of the early work of one of Australia’s pioneers of cartooning, Will Donald.  Donald produced cartoons for socialist newspaper, The Australian Worker socialist, from 1921 -1944.  This collection reproduces in chronological order six months of cartoons from Donald’s first work in March 1921. Donald’s work like his predecessor at The Worker, Adam Plass,  depicted the growing pains of Australia’s unionised workforce and Australian people at odds with the William Morris ”Billy” Hughes led Nationalist Party Government.

Will Donald also contributed to mainstream newspapers of the period with political cartoons and cartoon strips, notably Fashion Plate Fanny. From the 1920’s to late ’40’s Donald created some of Australia’s first original comic books.

Compiled by Matt Emery

Paper Trail

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Becky Dreistadt and Frank Gibson‘s Capture Creatures is coming out as an ongoing series from Boom Comics.

Wanted - Exhibition at the Richmond Library, Melbourne 12 Aug - 31st Oct.

This exhibition presents comic artist Chris Gooch’s original drawings for Wanted, a video piece commissioned for and screened at the Sydney Opera House’s Studio Theatre as part of Graphic Festival’s Radio With Pictures program.

On show are works from the original comic, which were turned into the radio play in collaboration with Aden Rolfe. The works follow the story of Edward Cole’s book arcade and his search for a wife. Chris Gooch is a Melbourne based artist/cartoonist who is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Art at RMIT. He released his graphic novel ‘1792’ in 2012.

Graphic Narratives Comic swap today at 6:00pm - 8:00pm at University of Melbourne Grattan, St, Melbourne.

Matt C at The Indie Club reviews Faction #1 - #3.

Ditko Distraction: Steve Ditko's new Mr A comic is in it's last few days of fundraising on Kickstarter.

Paul Luker profile of Chris Knox with selection of his work.

Video for Grafix Knox: The Graphic Art of Chris Knox a showcase for the innovative and eccentric visual output of one of New Zealand’s most important artists and performers. Beatnik Publishing are currently raiding funds though Fundnation for this extensive monograph of Chris Knox's career.

Rachel Fenton is one of the finalists for the Dundee International Book prize 2014.

Paper Trail masthead by Toby Morris.

SPX 2014 Debut: The Adventures of Silver Flash and his Frog-Men #1

Virgil Reilly (1892-1974) was a significant contributor to the golden age of Australian comics with his work on Silver Flash and his Frog-Men, Punch Perkins and The Invisible Avenger. Reilly was also a prolific illustrator of magazines, books, programmes, posters, newspapers and in advertising.

One of the few long running series of the fifties by a single artist was Reilly's Silver Flash, with 54 issues produced during 1950-1955 and 3 issues of Captain Silver Flash circa 1955. Each issue featured frantically rendered artwork that owed as much to the Boy's Own adventure of English Comics as the dynamic action of American comics of the time. A complete tale featured in each issue with Captain Silver Flash and his submarine crew battling arch villains and underwater sea monsters whilst saving the requisite damsels in distress.

Pikitia Press are proud to debut at SPX 2014, a reproduction of The Adventures of Silver Flash and his Frog-Men #1. Our reproduction will be expanded to 40 pages including a biographical essay and gallery of Reilly artwork.

Grateful thanks to Kevin Patrick for some of the comics history featured above.

Virgil Reilly Film Illustrations.

Wartime cartoons by Virgil Reilly.

Australian Woman's Weekly painted covers by Virgil Reilly.

Kevin Patrick's Virgil Reilly profile.

SPX 2014 Debut: The Fuglies

The Fuglies:

"A pair of genetically enhanced girls go on a rampage of murder and cannabilistic mayhem while being chased by the authorities through a wilderness populated by savage genetic freaks & horrific mutations. "

Steve Carter and Antoinette Rydyr as the collective S.C.A.R. have produced some of the most powerful Horror and Sci-fi comics to come out of Australia. Drawing inspiration from the themes and art of 50's and 60's genre comics and then taking it up several notches, The Fuglies is the perfect example of Steve and Antoinette's modern blend of hardcore Horror and Sci-Fi.

The Fuglies will be available at SPX in September and elsewhere soon after.

Pick up 104 pages of full colour S.C.A.R. in the Savage Bitch collection available now from Te Pikitia Press Store.