2014 in Review: Ben Rosenthal

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
Seeing the download numbers at Man In Suit Comics jump in leaps and bounds.  In May Mike (Perry) and I were excited to hit 1000 downloads in total.  As of today we are way over 6500 total downloads, with some titles breaking or close to breaking the 1000 mark.  Also, accomplishing the goal I set last year – to get more writing done and published.  It shows that I have not been slacking off (which I worry that I do) and that I will/have improved.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
There were many quality books this year.  From the main guys -  HAWKEYE and SAGA were the standouts for me (where they this year?).  Dan Slott is doing no wrong over at Spider-Man, with Superior being a great arc for the book, and Spider-Verse being all kinds of awesome.  D4VE is one of the most comically heartfelt books I have read, and HEADSPACE is a psychologically mind messing story – and I love every bit of it.  I also got around to finally reading THE DEEP Vol 1 and 2 and what can I say that has not already been said about them – brilliant.  Tom Taylor is a master of character and pacing.  

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
Being a dad is always cool.  Always.  Watching The Legend of Korra with my daughter Parker (yup, she is named after Spider-Man) and introducing her to Sailor Moon were two of my highlights this year.  For no other reason than I was introducing her to my world - and she loved it.  Apart from Sailor Moon wearing high heels while fighting.  She did not buy that.  

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
A mate has a big time announcement to make in 2015, and I cannot wait for that.  The hopeful launch of a series I was involved and wrote two scripts for called CURRICULUM.  Finalising 3 pitches I am currently working on and hopefully gaining some interest with them.
And Hoverboards.

Benjum.com

2014 in Review: Myles Loughran

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?

Honestly this year has not been great for me comics wise with very few highlights. As I decided this year to kill off my series, Pushing Pencils, as I grew tired of waiting on things to happen to draw about. I spent most of the year trying to decide what I wanted to work on and have reached the light at the end of tunnel.  The main thing for me is that this has been refining and being honest with myself about what my weak points are and getting rid of them.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?

For me the best comic of the year was Megahex by Simon Hanselmann, I must have read it 5 times now, fuck me that dude has talent (Simon if you are ever looking for an apprentice give me a shout, HINT HINT).  Also I really enjoyed Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust, as a journal comic artist it really hit home, It's a fine piece of work. Everyone should read it.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?  

... Em... Oh wait...no... I HAVE IT! I bought the new 3ds XL this year. Recently I have become a games junkie, you will catch me wandering around Cash Convertors with the rest of junkies (looking for games through not smack).

What are you looking forward to in 2015?

I am looking forward to launching my new comic and working my ass to get people to read it and growing from there. I am going to call in every favour, suck every dick but by the end of year I should have a reader or two.

Pushing Pencils

2014 in Review: Tricky Walsh

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?

Well, this year I managed to get another Hoppers out of my head and onto paper which seems like a not-so-large achievement but I guess to me it signifies a bit of “Oh this thing is actually happening.” I also scratched out the entirety of the series and have set myself some deadlines of “finish it before you’re eighty” which is also at this point (should it happen), an achievement.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?

I went to Japan last year and saw the work of Yuichi Yokoyama and pretty much bought everything I could get my hands on. Colour Engineering is spectacular – it really bridges the comics/art media in a way that I really appreciate. I’ve also got a copy of Brecht Evens’ The Making Of and Simon Hanselmann’s Megahex sitting on the shelf waiting for the festive season to sneak off and read too.  My comics reading doesn’t seem to line up that well with “Things released in that year” but Sam Wallman killed it all with A Guard’s Story and Katie Parrish’s work is stunning.  

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?  

I enjoyed a lot of art making this year. In particular I got to do a bunch of research on Daphne Oram and her oramics machine – a 1950’s electronic instrument of sorts that uses celluloid to make sound. I made a replica of it out of wood and showed it in a gallery in Melbourne. I guess I’ve enjoyed having some dedicated art making time. Which I probably have every year, but this year has felt a little more comfortable or less stressed or something. I’ve also been doing a lot of gouache works which has made me want to bring the colour on into my comics more. Which I guess will happen at some point. Natural evolution, whatnot.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?

I’m doing some travel next year which I can’t wait for. I got an Australia council residency in London to go do some recording and research which will be fun and not laboursome or back breaking. Woo! Also I've promised Josh Santospirito ( @ San Kessto publications) that I'll speed it up a bit (for my own sake, old age, etc) so next year we're releasing Hoppers 3 & 4 in June and November (I think. Josh will be weeping silently at these dates probably because i always get them wrong. I am my own bureau of misinformation)

I’m also working on a show of drawings with my partner Mish Meijers at Cross-Arts gallery in Sydney  in June 2015 that will probably turn into a publication at some point. It’s called Dear Minister for Women and is basically to educate the current minister for Women about women’s history and issues along with a bunch of smartmouthed and pissy outpourings of outrage. Because still angry.

Tricky Walsh

2014 in Review: Owen Heitmann

 

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?

Performing a public reading of one of my comics at the Emerging Writers Festival in Adelaide in September really stands out. It was an honour to be one of two comic creators reading alongside prose writers such as Benjamin Law and Clementine Ford. It was also nerve racking – I’d never read one of my comics in public before. In fact, I’d often been perplexed at the urge that drives people to stand on a stage and try to entertain others. But having now done it myself, I can tell you that it feels pretty damn good to hear a roomful of strangers laugh at your jokes. 

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?

Awkwood by Jase Harper (Milk Shadow Books) – crisp art and a funny concept with a believably flawed protagonist 

Through The Woods by Emily Carroll (Margaret K. McElderry Books) – beautiful and creepy

The Don Rosa Library by Don Rosa (Fantagraphics) – the archive series I’ve been dreaming of for 15 years 

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke Allen (Boom! Box) – pure, manic fun

Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Random House) – engrossing and moving

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?

I traveled to Newcastle with my partner, fellow cartoonist Georgina Chadderton, in October for the National Young Writers Festival. It was my first time at the festival, and it was an enormous amount of fun. Strictly speaking, this was still comics related, as we were invited there to participate in events as cartoonists, but we attended as many of the other, non-comics sessions as was physically possible, and I immensely enjoyed all the workshops, panels and readings. A great trip, and a great festival – but I nearly needed another holiday afterwards to catch up on sleep and recuperate!

What are you looking forward to in 2015?

After several years of focusing on short comics for anthologies, I’m planning my first proper graphic novel: a screwball romantic comedy for young adults and the young at heart. The idea been gestating for a few months now and I’m really excited about getting it on paper! My aim for 2015 is to complete the script and start drawing – I expect it to be a multi-year project.

24 Hour Cynic