Comicfest 2015

I'm tapping this out on grueling Airport WiFi so please forgive the cut and pastery below.

This week I'll be involved in the second Comicfest event at the Wellington Public Library. On Friday I'll be taking part in a panel discussion with Tim Bollinger, Jonathan King and Tim Gibson. On Saturday I'll be moderating a panel on New Zealand Women's Comics with the Editors of Three Words, Rae Joyce, Sarah Laing and Indira Neville.

Samples of Noel Cook's work from 1920's- 1940's.

The Wellington Library is currently displaying an exhibition featuring the breadth of New Zealand cartoonist Noel Cook's career from his early days working post WW1 in Auckland through to his work in England in the 1960's.

All the events of Comicfest are listed below including ones that may have already happened.

Wellington City Libraries and GRAPHIC comic store are once again joining forces to celebrate international Free Comic Book Day. From workshop and panel discussions with leading cartoonists, to costume and Manga competitions, exhibitions and free comic giveaways - there's something for comic lovers of all ages!

Here’s a summary of this year’s expanded programme featuring many of New Zealand’s best cartoonists with Sarah Laing, Tim Gibson, Matt Emery, Rae Joyce, Jonathan King, Sharon Murdoch, Toby Morris, Cory Mathis, Tim Bollinger, Indira Neville and Weta’s Chris Guise attending!

http://www.wcl.govt.nz/comicfest/

ComicFest 2015 programme:

Exhibitions throughout ComicFest
- Noel Cook: New Zealand’s Comic Pioneer (1st Floor, Central library)
- The 12 Cartoonists of ComicFest 2015 (Ground floor, Central library)- Find our life size Captain Haddock statue!

Wednesday 29th of April
6 – 8.00pm | Free mystery Comic film!
Come along to our mystery comic-themed film at the Central library. We guarantee comic satisfaction and prizes at this once only ComicFest screening. Seating is limited to 50 only, so contact us at the Central library to book seats or email enquiries@wcl.govt.nz! (For Teens +)

Thursday 30th of April
6 – 7.00pm | Panel: From cartoons to comics
When is a cartoon a comic – New Zealand cartoonists and comic artists consider the relationship between the two and ask how this may be changing. Join this panel discussion including Sunday Star Times cartoonist Sharon Murdoch, comic artists and cartoonists Toby Morris and Cory Mathis, and comic writer and historian Tim Bollinger. Moderated by Alexander Turnbull Library cartoon librarian Melinda Johnston.
(Sponsored by Alexander Turnbull library)

7.15 – 8.00pm | Comicfest get together at MEOW
All are welcome to the 2nd annual Wellington ComicFest mixer at Meow café (9 Edward St, Te Aro). A great chance for graphic novel followers to meet with some of New Zealand’s best comic and cartoon talent! (18 years or older)
(Sponsored by Wellington City Libraries)

Friday 1st of May
5 – 6.30pm | Digital comics workshop with Tim Gibson
Tim Gibson is known as a digital pioneer in NZ comic’s circles with his successful ‘Moth City’ title performing well on international website Comixology. Join Tim for an hour and a half of insight into the planning, creation and distribution of a comic using current digital tools and insider tricks of the trade. For all ages and bring your tablet and stylus if you can!
(Sponsored by NZ Comic Con)

7 – 8.00pm | Panel: The current and future state of New Zealand comics
New Zealand comic artists and publishers discuss their work and the changing face of local comic book production. Panel discussion with Pikitia Press publisher and comics creator Matt Emery, ‘Moth City’ creator and digital comics pioneer, Tim Gibson and film maker and comic artist, Jonathan King. Moderated by Wellington cartoonist and comics historian, Tim Bollinger. Attend this panel and enter the draw to win a Pikitia comics prize pack!
(Sponsored by Pikitia Press)

Saturday 2nd of May
Free comic book day
Grab your free comics from our stands, buy from the great folk at Graphic comic store and chat comics with our librarians. Dress as your favourite comic character and win prizes!

All day:
- Free comic book day
- World comics display
- Manga drawing competition
(Sponsored by GRAPHIC comics)

10 – 11.30am | Comics 101 workshop with Sarah Laing
Sarah Laing (Let Me be Frank, cartoonist and novelist) has unique insight into what is required to make successful prose, comics and cartoons. Bring pen and papers along as Sarah imparts tips on the important relation between pictures and words, the value of honest drawing, emotion and story-telling. All ages.
(Sponsored by NZ book council)

11.30am – 12.00pm | Cosplay competition
Winners will be announced for the best ComicFest costume! Prizes for all categories, including children, teens, and adults.
(Sponsored by Unity books)

12 – 1.00pm | ‘Tintin – the journey from comic to film’
Let Tintin and Weta Workshop lead conceptual designer, Chris Guise take you through the process of transforming a much-loved comic into the successful film version of, ‘The adventures of Tintin – the secret of the Unicorn.’ Chris will guide you through this multi-media journey with slides and videos and don’t forget to have your questions ready for Q&A.

1 – 2.00pm | Panel: New Zealand Women’s Comics with the editors of Three Words
Join cartoonist and Let Me Be Frank creator Sarah Laing, award winning graphic poet Rae Joyce, and comics maker and editor Indira Neville in a panel discussion on the rich history and future of New Zealand’s female cartoonists and comics. Sarah, Rae, and Indira will also discuss the genesis and work behind assembling Three Words, a forthcoming comprehensive anthology of New Zealand Women’s Comics. Moderated by cartoonist Matt Emery.
(Sponsored by NZ book council)

2.00 – 2.15pm | Comicfest announces winners for the Manga drawing competition

Don’t forget your free comics posters courtesy of GRAPHIC comic store!

All events are free and unless stated otherwise, open to participants of all ages.

HIT 'EM HARD!! - A 23 Page Virgil Reilly War Comic

Virgil Reilly made a significant contribution to Australian comics during a concentrated period in the 1950's with his work on Silver Flash, Punch Perkins, The Invisible Avenger and assorted war comics. Reilly was also a prolific illustrator of magazines, books, and newspapers.  Many of Reilly's war comics were reprinted and repackaged in the sixties, at least as late as 1966.

Kevin Patrick at Comics Down Under has an extensive profile of Reilly's career here.

Illustration and cover gallery.

Film Illustrations from the Evening Standard 1920.

Wartime illustrations.

I'm unsure of the original publication the Virgil Reilly war comic below featured in but I found it in one of the glorious 300 page compilation comics that at one time dotted the bookshops and newstands of Australia. GREAT COMICS BOOK is filled with reprinted American material and two full length Virgil Reilly war comics. Most of Reilly's true life war comics were Naval stories and are frequently set up with an adult telling a child about a particular battle during the War. This example is the only one I've come across that features a coda concluding the story back in the present where it began.

Faction Presents High Water: Damon Keen Interview

New Zealand publisher Faction Comics have a new themed anthology HIGH WATER launching tomorrow night in Auckland, 6:30pm at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium. The launch will feature guest speaker Russel Norman and performances by Tourettes/The Climate Quartet. I asked HIGH WATER Editor Damon Keen a few questions about the background of producing a climate change themed anthology.

Faction Comics site

Faction twitter

Matthew Emery: When did you first become aware of climate change?

Damon Keen: The late 1980s if I remember correctly! I've always been fascinated by science, so I was interested in global warming from quite a young age. Also the Montreal Protocol had just come into effect, phasing out ozone-destroying CFCs, so I naively imagined a similar fix for greenhouse gases at the time.

But yeah... it's been over 25 years of watching our politicians do nothing. So while it's been great to see the green movement grow, between Abbott in Australia and Key in New Zealand, and a media owned heart-and-soul by the corporates, it's a bit disheartening at times.

Image from High Water by Ross Murray

Emery: I know you've campaigned to promote climate change awareness in avenues other than comics, have you personally experienced pushback from climate change deniers?

Keen: Absolutely; particularly online of course. Often it's people spewing out nearly incomprehensible gibberish, and crazy claims that have no basis in the modern understanding of climate change or even science. They're often just trolls, and not remotely interested in reasoned discussion, which I suppose makes them easier to ignore.

More disturbing is having encountered quite intelligent people who hold these beliefs. I talked to someone recently who had been soured by Auckland University Professor (and NZ Herald favourite), De Freitas, a man who insists on feeding his students denial information. Reasonably enough they think they're getting balanced information. They always parrot the old chestnut about "dissenters in science" having their place.

Yeah, De Freitas isn't Galileo.

Other deniers, who I would consider relatively scientifically literate (as much as I am, anyway), strike me as a real baffling curiosity. In the end I wonder if they cling to their beliefs out of a kind of incomprehension in the face of change. I think people really fear change - of any kind, and when things have been stable for a while they really struggle to imagine that things could be different. I think it just becomes easier for them to believe that things must stay the same - largely because they simply can not conceive of their lives changing that radically.

Image from Dear Hinewai by Dylan Horrocks.

Emery: Can you talk a bit about Creative NZ's involvement in the High Water anthology?

Keen: Creative NZ funded Faction to help pay for the printing costs of "Faction 3" and this special themed issue of Faction - "Faction Presents High Water". We hope to do more of these themed Faction hardbacks in future. They won't be included in the normal numbering of Faction issues (for those of us who are OCD inclined - like myself!).

Anyway, it was Faction's first support from CNZ, so wonderful to have! I think they're a lot more open to supporting the NZ comic community these days - and it's hugely appreciated. But actually High Water was also independently funded by a friend of mine, who thought it was a worthy cause and donated money to help make this happen. We're really indebted to her generosity.

Emery: Did you have editorial input into the comics in High Water?

Keen: Only to the extend that I outlined a few conditions to the artists about what we were envisaging from the beginning - and the kind of book it would be. Additionally I fed back a few ideas here and there as the comics came in, and asked for the occasional cosmetic change. However to be honest, these artists are all working to a very high standard, so my input just wasn't that necessary.

Come to think of it - my main job was chasing the ratbags down, to make sure they delivered!

Image from Below the Waves by Katie O'Neill.