Paper Trail

Tomorrow: Zine and comic event Copier Jam. FB Event page.

Copier Jam is an exhibition showcasing current zine and independent comic creators, collectives and distributors from across Australia. Join us at Childers Arts Space (CHARTS) during the Childers Festival for the Copier Jam! opening event, "The Staples Sessions: Zine and Indie Comics" with curator Jeremy Staples

Laura Renfrew reviews Jen Breach and Doug Holgate's Maralinga.

Georgia Kartas interviews Cazz, Naja and Soph, founders of the All Star Women's Comic Book Club.

Caravan of comics are giving you free comics weekly, just take them.

Darren Close revisits making comics in Australia during the early 2000's.

Catching Up: Cartoonists at the Auckland Writers Festival in review by Eddie Monotone.

Clockwise: Rae Joyce, Damon Keen, Ant Sang, Sam Orchard.

Sharon Lam interviews Wellington artist Claire Harris, one of the founders of the New Zealand Comics Creators Collective, now a multi-disciplinary artist.

Catching Up: James Zee investigates works created in Australia during a brief period of residence by Italian artist Guido Scala.

New Melbourne comics publisher Twelve Panels Press launch their first title at The Salty River by Jan Bauer at Readings in Carlton, Melbourne, 27th August. FB Event

Coming up this week if I can get my act together: A lengthy investigation into the career of one of New Zealand's unsung pioneering cartoonists Phyllis Fitzgerald by Darian Zam.

This column is sneakily bought to you by the Barry Linton Kickstarter. Finely crafted comics and prints by Barry delivered through the mail system into your sweet sweet hands.

Barry reviews a copy of 20th Century BC.

Paper Trail masthead courtesy of Toby Morris.

2014 in Review: Ant Sang

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
 
Working on the collected edition of The Dharma Punks with my awesome mates at Earth's End has been a real highlight this year. From the nerve-wracking experience of launching our Kickstarter campaign, the excitement of hitting our target in five days, and launching the beautifully produced book on an amazing, jam-packed launch night at Heroes For Sale.
 
Travelling to the wonderful and exotic Ubud Writers & Readers Festival where I did my first Pecha Kucha and talked faster than I ever have in my life, about my work and ten things I've learnt during my twenty years of making comics; hung out with comic pals I haven't seen in years and met a heap of other inspiring creative folk.
 
Spending a week in Long Bay as part of the NZ/Taiwan graphic novelist exchange - getting to know Rae, Tim and the Taiwanese artists and planning our collaborative graphic novel.
 
Tutoring a nine week Comics course at Studio One - a great group of people in the class and a chance for me to re-learn a lot of comics-process stuff.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
Dylan Horrocks' Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen, Paul Pope's Battling Boy, and loving the artwork of James Harren, Becky Cloonan and Toby Cyprus.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
I've been working on some film projects - an animated short film, and co-writing a feature film.
Hanging out with wonderful, inspiring people and being constantly amazed by my daughters.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
I'm developing a couple of collaborative comics projects which I'm really excited about.

Travelling to Taipei for the Taipei Book Fair and the second part of the graphic novel exchange.
 
New Zealand comics: Three Words comics anthology, Faction climate change issue
 
Movies: Star Wars: the Force Awakens, Mad Max: Fury Road.

Ant Sang

Paper Trail

Ronnie Scott profile and interview with Simon Hanselmann.

Virgil Reilly Painting uncovered at the State Library of NSW.

Melbourne and Brisbane launch parties for Jase Harper's AwkWood from Milk Shadow Books in August.

Down There #3 - Tom O'Hern's Blood and Bone available online at San Kessto Publications.

Kelly Sheehan writes about the launch of Earth's End Publishing.

Dave Dye writes about the beginning of World War One for Australians and New Zealanders. Dave's extensive graphic history of Anzac involvement in the WW1 is available at the Wotsleft store.

Jaden Legget reviews Milk Shadow Books' Yuck #7.

Lee Gracie's The Adventures of Doctor Duck, is an odd sci-fi epic webcomic starring a duck with a moustache. A lot of unintentional humour from mispellings and Lee's crude, almost "outsider" art gives it a certain appeal that I wouldn't ascribe to more polished efforts. Lee's bio from Doctor Duck: "Lee Gracie has been drawing comics for over 25 years in Australia. He has worked on drawings for TV and movies, and once owned his own comic shop. He has ADD, Bipolar disorder, and dyslexia. He still sells his comic books at fairs."

Hey look! Some cool covers from Virgil Reilly's Silver Flash comics circa 1950's.

Paper Trail masthead by Toby Morris.