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Issue #63 Summer 2010 www.cartoonists.org.au ( 1300 658 581
ACA Board Patron Vane Lindesay (03) 9523 8635 President Jason Chatfield president@cartoonists.org.au Deputy President Peter Broelman deputy@cartoonists.org.au Secretary Kerry Anne Brown secretary@cartoonists.org.au Treasurer Grant Brown treasurer@cartoonists.org.au Membership Secretary Dee Texidor membership@cartoonists.org.au Vice Presidents:
President’s Parlay W
ell, the Stanleys are over for another year. The huge contingent of attendees in Melbourne this year is testament to just how popular and valuable this event has become to Aussie cartoonists, who are now largely out of the art-room and into the home studio. You’ll read much about the Stanleys in this issue, so I won’t harp on- however I do want to thank the army of volunteers who put their hand up each year to help co-ordinate this mammoth event.
I’m very passionate about cartooning,
You can’t co-ordinate an event like the
and I’ve always enjoyed simply drawing
Stanleys on your own, and the very reason
cartoons in every possible form. I’m very
the ACA thrives is due to their generosity.
honoured to have the opportunity to represent the ACA in this new capacity.
The Stanleys themselves wouldn’t exist without the contribution of our Sponsors,
Navigating the Association through
Lindsay Foyle (NSW/ACT) nsw@cartoonists.org.au
The Herald Sun, CAL and the welcome
the trepidatious territory in which we
return of our friends at Wacom Australia.
cartoonists find ourselves is something
Luke Watson(Vic/Tas) vic@cartoonists.org.au
As always our thanks go to our category
I’m very excited about. In truth, I am as
sponsors at The Australian, Viscopy, The
terrified as I am excited. The opportunity
Gary Clark (Qld) qld@cartoonists.org.au
Sydney Morning Herald, The Courier Mail
for this massive shift in how our readers
and the MEAA.
view our work has the potention to
Simon Kneebone (SA/NT) sa@cartoonists.org.au Mick Horne (WA) wa@cartoonists.org.au ABN 19 140 290 841
Inkspot is produced four times a year by the Australian Cartoonists’ Association. PO Box 318 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 ACA AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS National Cartoonists Society President: Jeff Keane Secretary: Rick Kirkman www.reuben.org Cartoonists’ Club of Great Britain President: Terry Christien Secretary: Richard Tomes www.ccgb.org.uk FECO President-General: Marlene Pohle Secretary-General: Peter Nieuwendijk www.fecoweb.org Australia Post Registration PP 533798/0015
become something of a renaissance for our The Stanleys weekend also involved the
craft, rather than some kind of ruinous
Annual General Meeting, which this year
unwelcome intrusion.
included the election of a new board for the ACA. As you will see over the page, we have
We’re very privileged in the ACA to have
a few new board members and some long-
not only great artists, but equally as deft
standing members in new roles- myself in a
and creative thinkers. Personally, I have
particularly different one to previous years.
always thought of cartoonists as not just artists, but individuals of great intellect and
I’d very much like to thank our out-going
influence. We have some wonderful minds
President, Jules Faber for all his hard
in our ranks, and I believe that is what will
work in the last two years. He had a
keep our craft afloat in these uncertain
particularly busy term, which not only
waters (pardon the awful pun).
included navigating the ACA through its most successful Stanleys in the midst of
At time of press, we had just learned of the
a financial crisis and introducing a brand
passing of two of Australia’s cartooning
new Stanleys Category, but getting married
family, Norman Hetherington and
right, smack in the middle of it!
Dave Allen. His loss is deeply felt
Needless to say, Jules’ efforts have been
amongst the ACA. We will be printing
genuinely appreciated by all members.
a tribute to Norm in the next issue of
I have some big Converse All-Stars to fill.
Inkspot. But for now, enjoy this fine issue
Inkspot Editorial Team
Editor: Steve Panozzo Designer: Jason Chatfield Many thanks to all Inkspot contributors, including Dee Texidor, Anton Emdin, Chris Kelly, Lindsay Foyle, Judy Horacek and all other contributors to Parz. Cover illustration by David Rowe
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Jason Chatfield by Anton Emdin • www.antonemdin.com
edited by our 2010 Jim Russell AwardI’m told by Lindsay Foyle I’m the
Winner, Steve Panozzo.
youngest President of the ACA, and by Peter Broelman that I’m the first president in the world to have bigger ears than Barrack Obama, so it’s a rather proud moment on both counts.
Jason Chatfield
President
Jason Chatfield Jason is a freelance cartoonist and stand-up comedian based in airport departure lounges across Australia. Originally from Perth, he now writes, draws and syndicates Ginger Meggs across 34 countries when he’s not scribbling editorial cartoons for a swag of newspapers and online. Despite the evidence on the previous page, he does not smoke pencils.
Deputy President Peter Broelman
Secretary Kerry-Anne Brown
Peter is a freelance cartoonist with a penchant for editorial cartoons, caricatures and the occasional stick man. He has served on the ACA for longer than he can remember and has now been punished for it by being made Deputy President. His term expires at the end of 2012 where, hopefully, if the world hasn’t ended, alzheimers would have kicked in and everything will be reduced to a blur.
Kerry-Anne lives with her cartoonist husband, Grant in Bendigo and runs her own bookkeeping business. With a strong background in Administration, particularly at Board level she has predominately worked within the State and local Government Sectors for the past 17 years. She likes men who play with crayons.
Treasurer Grant Brown
Membership-Secretary Dee Texidor
Grant is a freelance cartoonist from Bendigo and has been a member of the ACA since the early 1990s. He has his own cartooning business and is a keen cricketer. He regularly holds workshops at schools. As a gadget collector, you will catch him sitting at his computer searching out the latest electronics during his downtime. He never grew out of playing with crayons.
After 22 years in art direction/graphic design & illustration including publications, photo shoots, merchandise, corporate imaging, promotional events, websites, toys, calendars, packaging & t-shirts Dee is proud to be taking on the role of ACA Membership Secretary. She’s looking forward welcoming new members as well as getting to know the existing members more.
NSW/ACT Vice-President Lindsay Foyle
VIC/TAS Vice-President Luke Watson
Lindsay Foyle started work as a copyboy on the Daily Telegraph 1959, since then he has worked in the UK and Australia on various publications. He joined the ACA (ABWAC) in 1970 when working on Woman’s Day and was at The Bulletin in 1973 in 1985 where he helped in establishing the Stanleys. He Joined The Australian in 1996 as a layout sub and has contributed pocket cartoons to this day.
With the unwaivering support (and regular paycheque) of his wife, Luke has been freelance cartooning and illustrating since 2006. After joining the the ACA in 2007 he’s had work published and exhibited around the world and has been nominated for and won some awards and stuff. Luke is looking forward to supporting the industry that will hopefully (along with his wife) support him financially for the next 50 years.
WA Vice-President Mick Horne
QLD Vice-President Gary Clark
Mick is currently the Editorial Cartoonist for a local newspaper, his 3rd such position in WA. In an earlier life he was a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer, but has since swapped stress for humour. A stalwart of the ACA for many years, Mick was a legendary Treasurer before taking on the role of Membership Secretary, and now WA VP. He doesn’t mind the odd can of Carlton Mid-Strength...
Gary has been a member of the ACA for many years, and has served as Treasurer and QLD VP in previous terms. His internationally syndicated comic strip Swamp has earned him a staggering nine Stanley Awards for Best Comic Strip, including the very first in1985. If he’s not drawing his comic strip, you’ll find Gary flying light aircraft around Queensland.
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PARZ! Crowing with Laughter
Peter Broelman’s work is now literally on people’s lips. Carlton and United Breweries recently approached him to produce a caricature of Adelaide Crows player Mark Ricciuto for a range of beer cans. “The can now looks good on the outside and the inside,” said Broels. “I’ve done stacks of things, but always in print – never on cans. It’s always been 2D, as apposed to 375ml.”
Not Such Good Guys As many of us know all too well, James Kemsley was a cricket tragic. So it was quite fitting that the third annual Kemsley Cup was held at Chevalier College in Bowral during November in honour of the former Ginger Meggs cartoonist, who died from Motor Neurone Disease in December, 2007. The Ginger Meggs XI, led by James’ son Hywel, showed no
mercy towards their older opponents in the Greenwich Good Guys, recording a 72-run win. Helen Kemsley said the weekend marked the couple’s wedding anniversary, as well as both of their birthdays. “It was fabulous to see old mates having a hit and giggle,” she said.
Zeroes for Point Zero Manly Sea Eagles backer Max Delmege thought Steve Panozzo’s painting of Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was so hilarious that he forked out $2,000 to make it his own at a charity night for Point Zero Youth Services, held at Sydney’s Star City in November. Not bad for a Bald Archy Prize reject!
least sound as if you know what you’re talking about. It’s called Easy IP and can be ordered online at www.lawanddisorder.com.au
Maternity Streak Tony, Lori & Isaac Lopes are delighted to announce that the reason they couldn’t attend the Stanleys has finally arrived! Thomas Lewis Lopes was born on Wednesday, 1 December, weighing in at 3.5kg. Mum & bub are reportedly both healthy and doing beautifully, and Isaac has already taken to his new playmate, saying, “he’s beautiful.” Aww.
Sakai Sees Sydney
Not Such a Bad Night! South Australian cartoonists, unable to make the trek to Melbourne for this year’s Stanleys bash, got together anyway for a “Not the Stanleys” celebration at John Martin’s Glandore home. They were kept up-to-date with regular text messages from their man-on-the-spot, Peter Broelman.
IP, hooray! Intellectual Property, or “IP”, has been described by the Financial Times as one of the key drivers of business competitiveness in the 21st century. Lawyer, cartoonist and Stanleys auctioneer Paul Brennan has written a book which will enable you to say “that’s my IP” and at LEFT: Sydney real-estate identity Max Delmege with Panozzo’s take on Tony Abbott; BELOW: Dave Allen raises a glass to Stanleys attendees as he reclines amongst similarly-stranded colleagues at John Martin’s Adelaide home
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ABOVE: Stan Sakai hard at it between courses at the James Squire Brewhouse in Sydney
Anthropomorphic art legend, Stan Sakai jetted in Australia in November and took time-out to meet ACA members in both Sydney and Melbourne. Sakai has been drawing Usagi Yojimbo, a comic book series about a rabbit samurai in feudal Japan, for more than 25 years. He was in Australia for the 12th MiDFur convention in early December. ‘’I wanted to draw a series based on the life of a real 17th-century samurai named Miyamoto Musashi, but one day while drawing in my sketchbook, I drew a rabbit with his ears tied up into a samurai topknot,” Stan explained. “I loved the design, it was simple and unique. So I made my character a samurai rabbit.’’ Stan was made welcome to Sydney by a coterie of locals led by newly-installed NSW/ACT Vice-President, Lindsay Foyle.
A Stanleys regular since he was a baby, Jed Kemsley writes about the Stanleys weekend.
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F the 2010 Stanley Awards are anything to go by, the future of Australian cartooning is brightly inked in. Headlined by international guests, Stan Goldberg of Archie fame and Chicago-based caricaturist, cap-wearer and all around good guy Jason Seiler, the 26th Stanley Awards in Melbourne was a hit and lived up to expectations by the funniest group in the country. Cartoonists and friends had the chance to catch up, share a few - well, several dozen - laughs, some beers, and reflect on the year in cartooning in the heart of Australia’s cultural capital. Stories of past Stanley Awards and cartooning escapades flowed throughout the Friday and weekend, and the seminars and workshops proved popular as ever.
5th and 6th November, 2010 Friday’s conference saw Copyright Agency Ltd open the weekend’s proceedings, informing delegates of the new state of affairs in copyright after the introduction of the Resale Royalties Scheme. They then introduced the legendary Stan Goldberg, of Archie fame, who spoke at length on his carreer, passing around original artworks in pencil, as well as showing an array of his work with Marvel and Archie Comics over the his enormous career. No sooner was everyone fed, and well-versed on the Wacom tablets set up in the adjacent room, than they were treated to one of the most mesmerizing master-classes
the Stanleys has seen. Illustrator Jason Seiler had a brand new Wacom Cintiq 21” hooked up to the big screen behind him as he explained, and showed in detail, the process of creating his incredible caricatures. He invited John Allison, Dave Gray and Alan Rose to stand at the front as he picked the features he would be exaggerating were he to caricature them, to the great amusement of all in attendance. The Friday night saw the launch of the ACA’s “Drawtism Exhibition” at the iconic Old Treasury Building in the Melbourne CBD. After the television and print media had swept the dignitaries off to their various duties, the Awards Continued, Page 6
...And the Nominees are... Cartoonist of the Year Peter Broelman Mark Knight Tony Lopes David Pope David Rowe
Single Gag Cartoonist Dean Alston Matt Golding Will Goodwin Andrew Weldon Cathy Wilcox
Graphic Media Artist Dave Allen Anton Emdin David Heinrich Chris Kelly Geoff Richardson
Caricaturist Matt Adams Joanne Brooker Judy Nadin David Rowe Luke Watson
Editorial Cartoonist Peter Broelman Mark Knight Bill Leak Alan Moir David Pope
Comic Strip Artist Jason Chatfield Gary Clark Alex Hallatt Glen Le Lievre Tony Lopes
Illustrator Matt Adams Pat Campbell Anton Emdin John Tiedemann Luke Watson
Comic Book Artist Roger Fletcher Dave Gaskill David Heinrich Jason Paulos Peter Sheehan
*Recipients in white.
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Winners in attendance L-R: Steve Panozzo, Anton Emdin, Stan Goldberg, Geoff Richardson above David Pope, Jason Seiler, Matt Golding next to David Rowe and Lindsay Foyle playing Tony Lopes’ Stanley Award like a trumpet.
were prefaced with a rousing talk by Asbergers sufferer, Michael Rudov who was introduced by Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight. The exhibition was officially opened by the Victorian Minister for Community Development, The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, before members went downstairs to see the array of cartoon work that had been donated to raise money and awareness for Alpha Autism- A great success! Saturday was off to a flying start with the very popular animators panel, featuring Lee Sheppard, Peter Viska and the USA’s Michael Jantze. After delegates had their fill of lunch and caught their breath, they were entranced by the very charismatic and fascinating stories of childrens’ book illustrator, Leigh Hobbs. This was closely followed by a very special guest who made the trip from his home in country Victoria. Multi-Walkley Awardwinning Ron Tandberg had a full house of delegates enthralled as he took them on a walk through his career, and some of the incredible 6
stories therein. After a short break for afternoon tea where delegates were able to snap up the last of the Book and Volume collection of French graphic novels and comics, Stan Goldberg and Jason Seiler returned for one last Q&A session to cap off the day in style.
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“...even a Stanley award takes a back seat to the birth of a possible future cartooning great.” _____________________ As always, the highlight of the weekend was Saturday night, where the 26th set of Stanley Awards were handed out to the top artists in each field of the craft. Comedian Rod Quantock provided the backdrop for a terrific night, which also featured Nickelodeon funnymen Luke & Wyatt, injecting their own brand of musical humour into the night.
Award-winners for each category were judged by their fellow cartoonists, and none could be more deserving of being named top of their field for 2010. Anton Emdin took out the Stanley award for Illustrator, sponsored by Viscopy while Graphic Media Artist sponsored by Wacom went to a very appreciative Geoff Richardson. Tony Lopes - proud new dad of baby Thomas -earned the Stanley for Comic Strip Cartoonist sponsored by the Herald Sunaccepting his award via a video message on the AV. Yes, even a Stanley Award takes a back seat to the birth of a possible future cartooning great. The Stanley for Single Gag Cartoonist sponsored by the Courier Mail went to Matt Golding, while David Rowe added to his collection of Stanley Awards, another for Caricaturist sponsored by the Australian for 2010. In a year with plenty of fodder for editorial and political cartoonists
- an election, hung parliament and the country’s first red-headed female PM, local cartoonist Mark Knight did it just that bit better than most, taking out the Stanley award for that category, sponsored the Sydney Morning Herald. The very exciting result of the brand new Stanley for Comic Book Artist sponsored by CAL, was won by former Aussie resident, Dave Gaskill. Dave, now based in Lincoln, UK had to pull out of his trip at the last minute due to some emergency dental work! In what was certainly one of the most emotional moments in Stanleys history, caricaturist and ACA stalwart Steve Panozzo was awarded the Jim Russell Award for Contribution to Australian Cartooning. The Award was announced as Lindsay Foyle and Roger Fletcher handed over to a prerecorded video of his parents, who have attended the Stanleys almost as often as Panozzo himself! Clearly emotional and dumbfounded, ‘Noz’ said he couldn’t remember a word he’d said when accepting the prestigious honour on the night - and that the Award was “a bigger honour than most people realise.” Panozzo named his highlight of the weekend being able to meet Ron Tandberg. “It was really cool to meet Ron,” Panozzo said. “He and [Jason] Seiler were just incredible. They were the two stand-outs for me.” This year there were three new inductees to the Australian Cartoonists’ Hall of Fame. Cartooning greats Phil May, David Low and the legendary Norman Lindsay had their names etched onto the elite list, which now has a total of nine artists including Stanley Awards namesake, the immortal, Stan Cross. But undoubtedly the most
eagerly-anticipated moment of the night was for Cartoonist of the Year. It was a close race in the vote count, but in the end there could only be one - and the honour for 2010 went to Canberra-based cartoonist David Pope. Pope said it was an honour to be selected by his peers as the cream of the Australian cartooning crop this year. “The Gold Stanley is a funny category - it’s very encouraging to be chosen by your peers, who know what the job is like. It’s very gratifying,” Pope said.
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“Seeing the brevity and sharpness in his work - it just makes you weep inside.” ~ David Pope on Ron Tandberg
_____________________ “I have to say I’m also amazed at the response in my home town, and in the media after receiving the award. “Even now, weeks after the Stanleys, I’ve had people coming up to me and congratulating me. It’s very encouraging.” Pope enjoyed the whole weekend and said it was a good chance to see some of the Melbourne-based cartoonists. “I had a great time and wish I could have been there earlier to spend more time catching up with people,” he said. “As for a memorable moment, I think seeing Steve [Panozzo’s] face when he was named as the Jim Russell Award-winner was priceless. “As always, I thought the [Jason Seiller] masterclass was great, and being able to see Ron Tandberg, someone who doesn’t speak in public very often, was very special.
“Seeing the brevity and sharpness in his work - it just makes you weep inside.” Following the awards, cartoonists and friends rocked the night away to the unmistakable tunes of the Stanley Steamers, who played blues and rock & roll to the delight of a slightly tipsy dance floor. Caricaturist Judy Nadin thought being able to get together with all of the cartoonists was an incredible experience. “Getting together with all cartoonists who are so giving and have such high energy - it great to be around everybody,” Nadin said. “But not everything that was funny can be published! “From a professional level it was great to meet Jason Seiler- a master of his art, and I also enjoyed seeing Leigh Hobbs. “And I thought the awards night itself was great. Everything about the weekend just flowed.” Newly-elected Deputy President of the Australian Cartoonists’ Association, and former President, Peter Broelman, was as a reliable presence as ever at the Stanley Awards. He said the weekend was “one of the better Stanleys” he’d been to in recent years. “Certainly the attendance at the conference was one of the largest I can think of, and the guest speakers impressed me. “But the funniest thing I’d have to say was seeing Jason [Seiler] and Stan [Goldberg] struggling with the Australian accents.” On reflection, it can be said that from its early conception of a few quick sketches and rough ideas pencilled in, the 2010 Organising Committee, under the direction of Stanleys Chairman Jason Chatfield accomplished a successful and memorable Stanleys Weekend. 7
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“You have to have lived in Canberra to know the sheer enormity of taking over from the wonderful Geoff Pryor...”
_____________________ By Judy Horacek
The Inkspot powers-that-be asked me to write a profile piece on David Pope because they thought, to quote ‘despite winning the crown, he’s a bit of a mystery.’
movement, political causes, running his Scratch! media website and, for a while publishing Scratch! Magazine*, his own magazine about radical cartooning.
That was how we met, when he
asked to interview me about a community environment cartooning project I’d been working on. His cartooning comes from
THE crown is of course the Gold Stanley for
a deeply held set of beliefs about what
2010, which joins his many silver Stanleys
matters in the world, and the importance
and Rotary Awards. But being David, he will
of fighting for what is right. It just isn’t
endeavour to keep his Stanleys shelf non-
a political rally if David Pope isn’t there
hierarchical I am sure.
(luckily he isn’t hard to spot).
David also wears the crown of editorial
As Heinrich Hinze, David had worked
cartoonist on the Canberra Times, taking over
as a freelancer at the Canberra Times
when Geoff Pryor retired in 2008. Given the
for years, but it was when he got the
way newspapers are going, he may also one
permanent job on the Canberra Times
day have the dubious honour of being the last
that he decided to sign his own name. He
editorial cartoonist ever to be appointed to a
went from being ‘the cartoonist David
full time in-house job - or is that me being too
Pope who signs himself H.Hinze’ to ‘the
pessimistic about our profession?
cartoonist formerly known as Heinrich
Hinze’ to ‘David Pope is on fire!’. (That last
But the mystery? Perhaps it’s that for
most of David’s cartooning life he’s signed
courtesy of the Talking Pictures segment
himself as Heinrich Hinze. The name came
on Insiders. They don’t say things like that
from his days in a punk band many years
about Pope on Insiders every single week,
ago where everyone had made-up names.
but pretty close.)
He cartooned as ‘Heinrich Hinze’ for a long
time, working freelance for drawing pictures
to know the sheer enormity of taking over
for the labour movement, the environment
from the wonderful Geoff Pryor, who had
You have to have lived in Canberra
been on the paper for 30 years. It was the ACT equivalent of taking over from Oprah.
At a giant goodbye celebratory dinner
for Geoff, a constant stream of people came up to David saying ‘You’re the new cartoonist eh? You’re never going to be able to live up to Geoff’.’
I wanted to bust in and say ‘He will
too, you just shut your face’ David of course, being more mature and generous of spirit than me, simply smiled at everyone and answered them modestly and with charm.
But David didn’t in fact live up to being
the ‘new Geoff’, because he stayed absolutely himself, bringing his own style and wisdom and wit to the job. And the stream of Letters to the Editor changed their tune almost instantly from ‘the-world-will-end-withoutPryor’ to ‘That new cartoonist is doing pretty damn well’. And the black bunting was taken down from the streets, and people began to walk their dogs again and go to the shops (but they didn’t go back to washing their cars with a hose, they had to face the fact that the water restrictions had nothing to do with Geoff Pryor’s decision to retire.)
David’s cartoons are small theatres,
drawing their stories from wide and varied sources. The players are of course a gallery of public figures, who he caricatures with a rapier wit, but also a collection of Everypersons – wide-eyed ordinary people who are battling and baffled. His cartoons fight for the small and weak against the powerful and corrupt, or the plain misguided, and his work always has a strong sense of integrity. I don’t think you can do cartoons better than that. Judy Horacek is a freelance cartoonist and illustrator now based in Melbourne.
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*Not to be confused with the hip hop magazine called Scratch, or Scratch the UK magazine about all things fingernail. David’s Scratch has the exclamation mark.
which may not have been going as fast as some people might have liked. However after travelling three floors Steve left Rupert Murdoch in the lift to make his own way to the next floor.
Steve and Rupert survived the
meeting and both continued on doing their best for News Limited. Steve also did his best for the ACA and served as President in 1992-93.
However, all good things eventually
come to an end and after ten years with News Limited, Steve decided to concentrate on his freelance career.
Once Noz became established as a
freelancer he specialised in caricature and cartooning and like all freelancers he is also skilled in waiting for the phone to ring. He also found time in 1998-99 to have a second stint as ACA president.
By Lindsay Foyle
At the 2010 Stanleys Awards held in Melbourne, Steve Panozzo - the ACA resident shrinking violet – was presented with the Jim Russell Award for contributions to Australian cartooning. IT was an award a long time coming. For much of the past two decades Steve has been active on the ACA committee in one office or another, so bestowing an award on him always seemed a little difficult. Especially as he had always been on the committee that chooses who gets the Jim
confiscated, but recovered from the loss and complete his Higher School Certificate in 1982.
His continued interest in
cartooning led to a job on The Manly Daily in 1985. The following year he was offered a job at Weekly Neighbourhood
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“bestowing an award on him always seemed a little difficult. Especially as he had always been on the committee that chooses who gets the Jim Russell Award.” Newspapers followed by Community
Newspapers in Perth; he also joined the
holders this year Steve stepped down
ACA that year.
from all involvement, except doing bits
on Inkspot, ringing ACA office-holders
unfortunately the job disappeared
with special advice, complaining nobody
when the newspaper disappeared. He
has organized a coffee morning for ACA
returned to Sydney and soon after
members, picking up visiting firemen
joined News Limited.
from Sydney Airport and a few other tasks
that he has not thought of yet.
when the 1987 stock market crash
happened. So he was more than happy
Steve was born 1964 and grew up in
One of Steve’s favourite quotes
comes from Winston Churchill, which is “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
Given that truth and speed are not
traveling companions probably explains why Steve is well known for being late. Noz once told a client - who he had keep waiting for 40 minutes - “this is the earliest I’ve been late.” So he might forgive the ACA in being a little late in giving him the Jim Russell Award. Lindsay Foyle is a freelance editorial cartoonist and writer, and the ACA’s new NSW/ACT Vice-President.
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Russell Award. But with the election of office-
It was a big 18 months, but
He had only been there a month
Sydney’s northern beaches area where
to give advice to a fellow News Limited
he attended the St Augustine College. In
worker on the state of the economy and
his second year there he had a caricature
the speed of the News Limited elevators,
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Uncle Silas: Genetis By David Follett
Dark Horse Books ISBN 9781595825667 US$9.99 through: www.darkhorse.com.au Technicolour mushrooms, carnivorous plants, holographic apparitions and a giant rotting fish carcass. No, it’s not the contents of the Inkspot bar fridge, but a new graphic novel by David Follett.
‘Moving Forward’
The Mark Knight Annual 2010 The Slattery Media Group ISBN 978-1-921778-03-2 $30.00 from all major book stores As the author writes in the first few pages of his latest collection, ‘2010 may have been one of the most dysfunctional years in Australian political history, but it has been anything but for cartoonists. Every day, another moment of cartooning inspiration dropped into our in-basket ...In an environment like this, I will always wonder when people ask me, “Where do you get your ideas from?” This prefaces yet another consistently impressive collections of 2006’s Cartoonist of the Year, and thrice Editorial Cartoonist of the Year, Mark Knight. Anyone who follows Knight’s work in the Herald Sun will be familiar with his ability to perfectly capture the day’s event in the most thoroughly entertaining way possible. His wit has sharpened to a point where he knows precisely how to execute his ideas with just the right amount of detail to punctuate his gag. In the fine tradition and influence of such doyens of political cartooning as Paul Rigby and Pat Oliphant, Knight has developed a style all of his own which suits his readers so perfectly, he has also become an institution. For anyone who bought his last book, and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at his sketching and idea development, they will be happy to know that this book has much of the same. His development of portrayals of Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and of course the girl from his adopted home state, Julia Gillard are a fascinating insight into the way Knight’s devious and creative brain works. The study of Collingwood supporters is particularly amusing.
Uncle Silas: Genetis hits the ground running as two kids (Selena and Tommy) visit their uncle (scientist and “ecological supergenius”, Silas Mortimer Mulch) only to discover him missing, with some bizarre plant activity occurring in his laboratory. They prove themselves to be pretty smart, tough kids. Instead of soiling their pants (as I would have done) when an overgrown cauliflower explains the situation, they take up the adventure with gusto - and set out to save Silas! Tommy and Selena’s search for their uncle introduces them to an ever-changing, endless greenhouse of super-organisms; shrubs that spring up in seconds, fungal hard drives, frog cameras, smart pod suits with organic weaponry and a network of plants that make the your new Mac seem pretty dull. It’s environment meets technology, and watch out! The action comes thick and fast - almost giddying at times - in this book for kids of all ages. Follett’s mastery of linework and form bring the artwork to life with a ton of energy and movement. The forest and its inhabitants are dense and intricately rendered, in stark comparison to the main characters, which are simpler and stylised. This contrast allows the reader to not only focus on the characters quickly, but to relate more easily to them. As the characters bounce around the page, one can sense deep roots of comic tradition in Follett’s flowering style - from the Manga-inspired action to European Bandes Dessinés, and a healthy dose of classic American adventure strips. Unfortunately, Dark Horse has printed the book fairly small (A5 sized), making the detail harder to appreciate in this edition. Dave has been working on Uncle Silas: Genetis for around eight years. In its original incarnation, Silas was a weekly interactive half-page Sunday strip for News Ltd, but the project kicked into gear after winning US comic publisher Dark Horse’s New Recruits competition in 2008. Since then Mr. Follett has written, pencilled, inked and coloured the book in-between his busy freelance career, with publication by Dark Horse in October of this year.
Easily one of the best political cartoonist’s collections I’ve seen this year, Mark Knight’s Moving Forward epitomises the bizarre year that was 2010 in the most thoroughly enjoyable way possible.
And if his wife, Christie, thought she was getting Dave back on nights and weekends, she might be mistaken! There are five more sequels planned, all to be set in and around South Australia, and according to Follett, leading to “a massive earth-shattering climax!” I need a Bex and a lie-down already!
Jason Chatfield
Anton Emdin
15
Phillip Judd (QLD)
Matt Bissett-Johnson (VIC)
Emo (NSW)
Peter Broelman (SA)
Rolf Heimann (VIC)
Lindsay Foyle (NSW)
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