Paper Trail

Cartoons about #nzsnowden and GCSB. (Above cartoon by Sharon Murdoch.)

Go have a look at what Louie Joyce is doing.

Caravan of Comics are offering free minicomic downloads every week for a limited time, get in quick and download Meg O'Shea's The Wolves of King Street and Dean Rankine's EEW!

Catching Up File: I'm rapidly accumulating backed up days of podcasts to listen to, one on the to get to list, Richard Fairgray and Tara Black's Living the Dream featuring Robyn Kenealy.

Radio As Paper new anthology 8 x 3 featuring Australian and New Zealand contributors.

This Wednesday at Silent Army Storeroom: Communications - Onyenho Acong

Silent Army Impresario Michael Fikaris launched a new Silent Army comic studio last month in a new location at 8 Weirs Lane in North Melbourne. This Wednesday night the Silent Army Storeroom hosts a one night exhibit and zine launch by Indonesian artist Onyenho Acong.

I asked Michael a few questions about things in a dashed off cavalier fashion,

Matt Emery: Hey! How was the launch of the new Silent Army Storeroom? I wanted to come but had tickets in advance to see Steve Malkmus at the Melbourne Zoo. It was an okay gig, I think he was a little reserved because of the family audience. No mention of love children in Geelong this time.

Michael Fikaris: It was perfect, thanks. Many familiar face, some new ones and all happy in the service.

Emery: Can you tell me about Onyenho Acong? How did you meet this artist person?

Fikaris: Onyenho and I met last week matched up to collaborate on FCAC Jogja. We really got along and did about 20 cartoon/hanging pieces in the show and I asked him if he would be interested in making a zine and displaying some other stuff Northside in my space. Come have a look! He's funny and hard working - my type of artist.

Emery: Will there be any more Dailies anthologies?

Fikaris: Done with the Dailies for now - spreading it more for the meantime, Bird Cage Books.

Emery: Apart from the Pikitia/Retrofit/Kilgore event that can't be spoken of yet can you talk a bit about other things that are happening at the Silent Army this year?

Fikaris: The next launch is a collaborative zine of comics and drawings with my old pal Nelio. It's some abstract pieces combined with a print from each of us. He will be here for a big exhibition and will do a launch with the storeroom. After that is a few things, from some artists you would know and some you may not. Stay tuned!

Emery: What are you working on personally art-wise at the moment?

Fikaris: I am working on a few things locally and abroad this year. Putting time aside to focus on comics a bit more but still poking my head out the door to lick the walls. Will maybe send some of the comics to other specific people if I find the gall as I have still not done that yet.

12 Comics you can buy at Sticky Institute Right Now

A selection of comics currently available from The Sticky Institute, 10 Campbell Arcade, Degraves Subway, Melbourne.

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2014 in Review: Michael Fikaris

Highlights for me have been international exchanges as an illustrator/cartoonist - finishing a new graphic novel 'Art As Life' about the question of a working class artist putting comics into the streets again as murals and posters.
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Writing from Indonesia where I am in the progress of doing a large colaborative comic strip
here in Yogyakarta where the culture is MASSIVE and where I just finished a project in Duri Sumatra consisting of 100+ cartoon portraits I put onto kites and installed across a village.

Looking forward to a few exciting projects like one with old mate Sam Wallman 'Where Do I Belong?' which will involve getting stories from people in detention centres and turning them into comics.

Fikaris Art

Silent Army