Inkspot #69

THE OFFICIAL ACA MEMBERS MAGAZINE |

ink spot

also inside: 2013 REuBENS SHINDIG FREE COMIC BOOK DAy THE KILLING-OFF OF STARIA pHILIppE AyMOND INTERvIEw

www.cartoonists.org.au

ISSuE # 69

new

improved, revampe d full colour issue!

going mad ANTON EMDIN DOES IT AGAIN!

ink spot

OctOber 25th and 26th cOffs HarbOur NsW The 2013 Stanleys weekend will be a dual celebration on October 25th and 26th this year in Coffs Harbour.

Festivities will begin with the 25th Annual Rotary Awards to be held at the Bunker Cartoon Gallery on the evening of Friday night followed by a casual catch-up afterward. Saturday morning will see the AGM and a full Conference day before enjoying the awesome spectacle of the 29th Annual Stanley Awards! Follow that with a bit of a sleep in on Sunday before partaking of a recovery for all survivors to be hosted by Rotary at the very first Bunker Open Day! You won’t want to miss this exciting

i’m baaack!

president’sparlay

Caricature by Nigel Bell

Hopefully this on 12 September and entry forms can newest Inkspot be downloaded at: finds you well www.rotarycartoonawards.com.au Issue #69 On the subject of the Rotarys, the and a little www.cartoonists.org.au surprised that Coffs Harbour City Council recently 1300 658 581 it’s followed so put a call out for a public entity to take --- ACA Board --quickly on the over the management of the Bunker Patron back of the last Cartoon Gallery. At the time of going Vane Lindesay one!

At Inkspot to press, Expressions of Interest President HQ, we’re trying very have been received and Tenders are Jules Faber hard to get our beloved being sought by a selected shortlist jules@cartoonists.org.au magazine into a quarterly routine and of applicants. Let’s keep our fingers Deputy President Jason Chatfield hopefully we can maintain the pace crossed that the Council support deputy@cartoonists.org.au with our new Inkspot team. Before a new management team who will Secretary introducing them however, it would treat the Bunker as the true historical Peter Broelman be remiss of me to not thank the one archive for Australian cartooning that secretary@cartoonists.org.au and only Steve Panozzo for his years it is and an invaluable resource for the Treasurer of dedication and enthusiasm as future.

Kerry-Anne Brown Editor.

Without Steve, Our own outgoing ACA President the outgoing treasurer@cartoonists.org.au we just wouldn’t have the awesome Jason Chatfield and Anton Emdin Membership Secretary magazine we know and love today just returned unshaven and pursued Grant Brown and the new team are inspired to keep

by Interpol after their fleeting visit membership@cartoonists.org.au Inkspot just as great as Steve leaves it. to Pittsburgh for the 67th Annual --- Committee --Reuben Awards. It’ll come as no Steve, thanks for everything.

Nigel Bell (QLD) surprise that Anton picked up the So, our new Inkspot team comprises nigel@cartoonists.org.au Editor and of Nigel Bell as the new gong for Magazine Illustration whilst Tim McEwen (NSW) Layout/Design.

Chris Barr doing Chatfield just danced The Rotary Cartoon Awards are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour City Inc.,around (“thesinging tim@cartoonists.org.au Both of them are overly enthusiastic and doing jokes. Both have recovered Rolf Heimann (Victoria) Rotary Club”) to raise funds for variousand Rotary charities tomore promote cartooning very happy doing itand for no from the trip and through you can read about rolf@cartoonists.org.au than bread and water and a casual all their exciting adventures in this Ian M cCall (Victoria) Australia’s only cartoon gallery, the Bunker Cartoon Gallery. whipping. Meanwhile the various issue. ian@cartoonists.org.au regular contributors continue to Speaking of Anton, I’d better Mike Nicholas (WA) The competition is designed to recognise the best of Australian and International cartoons with mike@cartoonists.org.au regularly contribute. And you can mention a little of what we have cash prizes totalling over $15,500 withtoo! he First and Merit prizetowinnersplanned for the Stanleys in October.

If you’ve never submitted ABN 19 140 290 841 Inkspot now is the perfect time!

I can reveal that we’ll be welcoming is producedalso four times a yearabymedallion. in Inkspot all categories receive We love receiving news about our an old friend again this year in the Australian Cartoonists Association Membership and what they’ve been National Cartoonists Society inkspot@cartoonists.org.au up to in everything cartooning-related president Tom Richmond. Tom had PO Box 318 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 (and sometimes not!)

Don’t forget the Membership in awe during his Australia Post Registration PP 533798/0015 to include nice clear photos with a caricaturing demonstration in 2009 good description of when and where and this year he’ll be onstage with ACA AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS something happened and how many Anton discussing just how they National Cartoonists Society were injured. make those awesome MAD film President: Tom Richmond The organisation of the Stanleys parodies that we’ve all loved since www.reuben.org continues to progress here in Coffs childhood. More will be revealed Cartoonists’ Club of Great Britain as do the Rotary Awards. Have you in weeks to come, including our President: Terry Christian entered yet? This is a major milestone other special guest so stay tuned for www.ccgb.org.uk for the Rotarys as they achieve their updates!

25th Anniversary so celebrate in style That’s about all from me for now.

FECO by helping them grow an incredibly Hopefully you’re already reading President General: Peter Nieuwendijk www.fecoweb.org important archive of Australian this with your feet up on the cartooning for future generations. drawing table and a drink of some Inkspot Team sort, so now just let yourself enjoy Prize money has increased to $1000 Editor - Nigel Bell the new look Inkspot. We’ll see you for the win and $500 for second in Sub-editors/writers - Jules Faber, every category and the Cartoon of the here again right before the Stanleys!

Jason Chatfield, Dee Texidor, Tim McEwen Year wins a whopping $5000! Need and Lindsay Foyle Cartooning forever! any other reason to enter? Well, entry Layout ARTIST - Chris Barr is still free!

Unbelievable!

Entries close Cover illustration by Anton Emdin

25th Annual

ROTARy CARTOON AwARDS

Friday October 25th 2013

S E I R T EN

weekend. One of our amazing special guests will be caricaturist to the stars and President of the National Cartoonists Society, all-round nice guy Mr Tom Richmond. (Our other guest and Conference layout will be announced in

Illustrations by Dee Texidor

r u o y ow! k r ma ies n r dia

3 1 0 2 , 2 1 .

T

P E S E CLOS

For more information and entry forms go to:

coming weeks).

www.rotarycartoonawards.com.au

All your ACA mates will be there so get planning your weekend escape today!

Illustration by Tom Richmond (nice guns!)

www.cartoonists.org.au

3

CARTOON COFFS HARBOUR NSW AUSTRALIA

parz!

takenote...

BUNKER CARTOON

COFFS HARBOUR NSW AUSTRALIA

entries for the 25th annual Rotary International Cartoon Awards are now being accepted. This year the Rotarys will kick-off the Stanleys weekend to be held in Coffs Harbour on October 25th and 26th.

The deadline for Australian entries is 12th September 2013. There’s a brand new website which has all the current information as well as entry forms. Go to: www.rotarycartoonawards.com.au

ifyouknewjudy

they’reale&arty

The ever-prolific Judy Horacek (horacek.com. au)has had a busy few months. August saw her the focus of two talks and a small exhibition of screen prints in Brisbane, followed by a sold-out panel discussion at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival alongside Oslo Davis and The New Yorker’s Roz Chast at the National Gallery of Victoria.

One of her Brisbane talks was part of her 2012 May Gibbs Creative Fellowship, which took the form of an afternoon tea and slide show under the auspices of the May Gibbs Foundation.

During the chat, Horacek previewed her upcoming book with Mem Fox, Good Night Sleep Tight, which will be published by Scholastic Australia and was released to Australian bookshops in October. It sells for $19.99 (ISBN 9781742832579)

Meanwhile, hot on the heels of the 2012 President’s Night, New South Wales ACA members met for dinner at Tommy’s Beer Café in Glebe in August. They had a great time... as always.

rarebook opportunity Speaking of May Gibbs, 2012 marks a century since the publication of Gibbs’ first children’s book, About Us, which provides a fascinating glimpse of 1912 London through the author’s eyes. The book was never made available in Australia and as a result only a few rare copies are to be found in Australian State Libraries.

The State Library of New South Wales in Sydney holds a remarkable collection of May Gibbs’ original illustrations, cartoons and manuscripts. Curator Jennifer O’Callaghan will be hosting a behind-thescenes look at Gibbs’ world on 1st November at 6:00pm.

To book, contact the SLNSW on (02) 9273 1770.

4

www.cartoonists.org.au

drawingablank Everyone’s favourite drawing GP, Craig Hilton, is now appearing fortnightly in the Medical Journal of Australia with a series of intriguing, blank cartoons just begging for a caption.

Initiated last year by an demonstrably-imaginative editor, the caption competition is designed to encourage doctors who receive the magazine to actually open it. The prize is the original cartoon with their caption affixed. Happily, she decided that this rather eminent publication needed original cartoons to do the job and the new feature, titled Jenner’s Moment, is reportedly having the desired effect. Nice one, Craig!

theefeisback In August, Levent Efe took ACA Victorian members and guests through the incredible world of medical illustration, with one attendee describing his work as “mind-boggling”.

His considered and educational talk concluded with an informative examination of international copyright and issues relating to selling work overseas.

BUNKER CARTOON

COFFS HARBOUR NSW AUSTRALIA

insanitystreak For all the Insanity Streak fans out there (at last count we tallied up nine of them), you’ll be happy to learn that Tony Lopes has now produced a new range of Insanity Streak greeting cards. Distributed by Sydney-based card company For Arts Sake (forartsake.com.au), the card range will be sold throughout Australasia, South Africa, Canada and United States. Here in Australia, look for the range at Myer, Australia Post shops and major newsagents.

The greeting cards market is particularly competitive, saturated as it is with licenced overseas cartoon characters, but it’s heartening that there is a rare local contender going into bat for Australian cartooning.

“Stoney” deserves our support.

Hopefully other Aussie creators will consider following suit.

anicelionin picturebooks Crystal Kite winner, and honorary Viking, James Foley (jamesfoley.com.au) is back with a new book, one that he has this time both written and illustrated. It’s called In The Lion which he says is “a black comedy for kids”.

A young boy visits the zoo with his family, only to find an enormous lion is swallowing everything and everyone it can.

Published by Walker Books, it was released in August and sells for $27.95 (ISBN 9781921720321)

ruralopportunity Both established and emerging comic strip artists are being invited to contact Tony Lopes about having their work run for 10 weeks in the Rural Press “guest cartoonist” spot.

Mr Lopes is keeping this arrangement alive in what is intended as being a helping hand to Australian comic strip artists. Three regional mastheads run this guest feature, paying $530 for the 10-week stint.

If you’d like to learn more about this arrangement, send an email to Tony at info@stoneytoons.com

getinquick UP for sale are several hundred original artworks of Bill (Will) Mahony’s political cartoons that are believed to have appeared in the Daily Telegraph or The Labor Daily in the 30’s and 40’s. They are unframed and unmounted, signed by the artist, but not dated. Many feature Sir Robert Menzies, NSW Premier BSB Stevens, Lyons and some are WWII themed. Contact David Perryman: 0414 268 581

goodluckalex Alex Hallatt is celebrating five years in syndication with her comic strip, Arctic Circle. The strip was actually created in 1992, but didn’t appear in newspapers until 2007 after it was published by Rural Press as a “guest” strip. King Features Syndicate picked it up in 2007. An eBook is also in the works.

Sadly for us, Hallatt has packed her bags and headed back to the UK. She has proven to be an active and supportive part of the Australian Cartoonists’ Association’s activities and has always been involved in the Stanley Awards, the local meetups and has been generally available for a coffee catch-ups in Melbourne.

If ever you’re over in Old Blighty, be sure to get in touch!

Good luck Alex - hopefully we’ll see you again one day soon!

lynchlikesshort shorts harpercollins.com.au

Mark Lynch’s new book - a follow-up to last year’s Rugby Shorts - will be published by HarperCollins in late November.

Called Footy Shorts, it’s a “hilarious collection of quotes and cartoons on the footy” and features quotes from classic AFL greats such as Jack Dyer (“If Checker Hughes were alive today, he’d be rolling in his grave”) and Dennis Cometti (“He went into the pack optimistically and came out misty optically”), to those unforgettable players like Warwick Capper (“I think I’m Australia’s answer to Paris Hilton”).

This book has something for every AFL aficionado and would make an excellent Christmas stocking-filler for the footy fan in your house! ($14.99, 128 pages, ISBN 9780732295998). www.cartoonists.org.au

5

cover story

Yet another Reubens gong for the one of the nicest, most talented cartoonist in the business. (bastard!)

Anton Emdin relives his experience...

6

www.cartoonists.org.au

the comic monster within

I arrived a few days early at the Omni William Penn hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, where the Reubens were held. It’s a really fantastic old hotel with all the bells and whistles and an air of luxury. I arrived in the evening and grabbed a quick shower before heading downstairs. There I spied the lovely Tom and Marie Stemmle and Jeff Keane (Family Circus) enjoying a drink at the lobby bar. I was served the biggest scotch on the rocks I’ve ever seen and settled into the night.

On Thursday a few more cartoonists started rolling in, which was a little weird as I generally prefer walking. I met up with my fellow Aussie Jason Chatfield, who was to be the MC on the Reubens Awards night.

Jason’s old mate Ben Russell travelled up from Chicago to hang out, too, and I had the pleasure of going on a ‘man date’ with him while Jas went to a meeting.

Friday brought seminars on e-publishing, Rob Rogers on editorial cartooning, and Terri Libenson on her The Pajama Diaries comic strip. Friday night was the official start to the Reubens Weekend, and there were drinks, food, an excellent exhibition in the local ‘Toonseum’ of art from every Reubens winner, including Bill Waterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Walt Kelly (Pogo), Al Capp, Jack Davis, Al Jaffee, Bil Keane, Mort Walker, Tom Richmond, Arnold Roth, Sergio Aragones, Rube Goldberg… seriously, the list goes on and on. I was gobsmacked at the gorgeous inking of many early strips. It made me a little sad to think

that most of us new generation artists won’t have the original art like this to show in years to come. So many of us (myself an offender) will ink fairly loosely as we know it will be fixed up ‘in post’ later. Or even work purely digitally (again, my bad).

The night continued on into a local seedy bar with karaoke and girls walking around selling watered down test tube shooters. The classy atmosphere drove many back to the hotel bar, so the hardcore of us stuck it out, enjoying some great singing performances, including Lio’s Mark Tatulli treating us to a rendition of Kermit’s Rainbow Connection...

AS KERMIT. He brought along his own puppet (as you do) and acted it perfectly.

Amazing.

Saturday started with more seminars, including the awesome Mo Willems, who gave a very entertaining talk while sharing some excellent tips on story book layout and writing. Next was someone I was VERY excited to meet: Drew Friedman.

Drew’s paintings are astounding, and his talk was hilarious. Drew is obsessed with old Jewish comedians… so much so that he has published three books on them. He had some great stories to tell, including his visit to Groucho Marx and the rumours surrounding Milton Berle‘s enormous schlong.

Very informative. Ahem. And then we heard from Brad Anderson on his famous dog Marmaduke, but I was more interested in his early gag cartoons which exhibited his great, fluid brush style.

After a quick cuppa joe, we all scrambled back to our rooms to pretty ourselves up for the big night. (It takes some of us longer than others – after half an hour of prettying, I looked pretty much the same as before.) Drinks were served in the cocktail reception, and everyone looked marvellous (even ol’ un-pretty me). I got to meet my fellow nominee Daryll Collins, who was a great guy. Unfortunately, Barry Blitt (my other fellow nom-nom) wasn’t able to make it. Barry does fantastic work, including infamous cover art for The New Yorker.

The night started with a bang as Mr Chatfield came out swinging singing.

Between videos produced by Tom Gammill (Doozies cartoonist and writer for The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live), Jason did a brilliant job throwing out gags and keeping the night rolling along.

I was sitting at a table with John Kovaleski, and new friends Maria Scriven, Carol Isaacs (The Surreal McCoy), and Drew Friedman. Admittedly, I was nervous once the awards part started, although to be honest I really didn’t think I would get the gong. The competition was tough, and I lost a few bets back home when they called my name. Yep – I was awarded the Magazine Illustration Reuben Division Award! And it was extra cool to be handed it by Bizarro’s Dan Piraro.

The big winners of the night were Rick Kirkman and Brian Crane for their work

on Baby Blues and Pickles, respectively).

Some other notable awards went to Jen Sorenson (Editorial), Vince Dorse (Online Comics – Long Form) and Ed Steckley (Advertising Illustration).

A night of drinking followed with an after party, and then the after-after party. I stumbled in at around 4-ish before heading down for lunch with MAD art director Sam Viviano, Chatfield and Sophie Miller.

Stuffed, we waddled over to the Pittsburgh Cartoon Arts Festival a few blocks away.

A whole swag of cartoonists were doing signings and drawings, and I drew in a couple of sketchbooks, too. I got whisked away to a huge comic store a few blocks away, and then had a bite to eat with Maria Scriven and Ray Alma. Ray’s a MAD guy from way back, and Maria has just had her first piece accepted into the mag, so it was a very potrzebie affair. Unfortunately, I was a bit green around the gills, so made for a lousy lunch companion. We headed back to the hotel to find ourselves in the street being entertained by ex-MAD editor Nick Meglin. Talking to Nick is like being in a stand-up comedy club and we were all in stitches – mainly because he’d beat us if we didn’t laugh.

Then it was time to dress up all over again for the farewell dinner and drinks at the Speakeasy.

Everyone really did outdo themselves – there were a lot of white

suits and feathers, headbands and long cigarette holders.

Monday rolled around far too soon and everyone left. The journey home seemed to take an eternity. Leaving early, I left the Pitts to spend eleven hours in JFK airport waiting for my flight. Fog in Sydney had caused massive delays, and to top it off we all had to get off the plane in LA for three hours before commencing the 14-hour leg to Sydney. Luckily I got a bit of sleep, and was sitting at a local Italian restaurant with my family 48 hours after leaving my hotel.

Bliss!

PICTURES (from far top left): ‘Power’ a personal for drawing book exhibition; ‘El Zombo Pinup’ full page art for Dave Wilkin’s upcoming El Zombo book; ‘The Toilet Saga’ parody The Twilight Saga for US Mad Magazine; ‘Two and a Half Men Rejects’ another one for Mad Magazine; ‘Avengers’ (ditto); ‘Black Caviar’ for Spectator.

www.cartoonists.org.au

7

reubens shindig

Brian Crand (L) and Rick Kirkman (R) - joint Reuben Award winners for 2013. (photo by Keith Robinson)

Being asked to host an international awards ceremony is quite a process, as ACA Deputy President Jason Chatfield reveals.

In full flight Reubens MC Jason Chatfield. (photo

by Keith Robinson)

8

www.cartoonists.org.au

m Richmond.

ver by To ds program co Reuben Awar

NOTHING is more valuable as a comedian than having people around you that aren’t afraid to tell you when you’re shit. (Except, of course, not being shit to begin with.)

The amount of collaborative editing and brutal draft-killing that goes into putting on a decent show is enough to put any rational person on suicide watch. Luckily comedians aren’t rational people.

In October 2012, I was in the throes of organising my third Stanley Awards. It was my last year as ACA President and I was snowed under with a ton of last minute spotfires, due solely to my inability to delegate.

At about 3am on a Saturday morning, I was putting the finishing touches on the Stanleys AV (party animal, I know) when I received an email from National Cartoonists Society President Tom Richmond: “The Reubens are in Pittsburgh next year and I need a host.

You came to mind. With your background in stand-up and performing you’d be a natural!

How about it?”

Looking back, I understand now why my wife found it odd seeing my limp body on the studio floor the next morning, dribbling into the carpet. (I thought it was a totally normal reaction to such a request.)

I treated the email like a worrisome new skin polyp for a few weeks until after the Stanleys, when I’d had some real time to consider the heft of the offer.

I’d been to the Reubens nearly every year since Hollywood (2009) and had a lot of great friends and heroes in the NCS who I’d

be petrified of getting up in front of, let alone trying to be funny for!

The host for the past three years had been the very talented Tom Gammill, so I’d be filling some very big shoes.

Gammill is a professional comedy writer, performer and cartoonist who’s been a long-time writer for some show called The Simpsons. His work on Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live and Letterman was the stuff of legend (some of the most iconic Seinfeld storylines were Gammill’s brainchild). He also has a syndicated comic strip with UClick Universal called The Doozies, which he plugs mercilessly in a slew of comedic mediums.

Needless to say, I was hopelessly out-qualified by my would-be predecessor. Wouldn’t be the first time!

Taking on the gig would mean having to take the show in a completely different direction, and I use the word ‘show’ literally.

The Reubens are, in true US-style, a huge, glamorous gala affair with strict black-tie attire enforced, and an Academy Awards®style running order. The Stanleys are a comparatively laid-back affair, but that’s my favourite thing about the Stans; I wouldn’t want it any other way!

I marinated on the offer as long as I could without Richmond worrying I’d died of shock, but ultimately took the now-famous Tina Fey attitude: Say Yes now, worry about the how later. (Sounds like an Australian election campaign.)

I started work straight away. I knew if I had

Front page of the PIttsburgh Post Gazette.

any chance of putting on a good show, I’d be busier than a one-armed drummer with crabs for the next six months.

I mentioned earlier that having honest critics around you is the best thing for creating great comedy. This truth is something I’ve come to discover over the last seven years of doing stand-up and collaborating with people way beyond my skill-level. You learn very fast.

I immediately called my comedy Director/ Yoda Clayton Steele and fellow Melbourne comic Simon Taylor who’d just scored a plum gig writing for Jay Leno to help out with telling me I’m shit.

(Also writing comedy). If I was going to perform for an American audience, I’d need someone who knew something about writing for an American audience.

By January, I had a brand new show concept, 200 jokes and a whole new set of bags under the existing bags under my eyes. My wife did a lot of squinting that month to make me seem better-looking. (It was no different than most months.)

The concept I developed was something that was spurned from one of my first comedy reviews. It was along the lines of “As a comedian, he makes a great cartoonist” or “It’s a huge jump from the page to the stage” or “Get a job!”

So I took the page to the stage!

The working concept was combining stand-up comedy, story-telling and live drawing and adding a new kind of live

Anton Emdin looking quite happy with himself with his latest Reuben for Magazine Illustration. (photo by Keith Robinson)

animation, projected onto an easel on stage. I would introduce the characters I drew on large A0 drawing pads, which would then come alive and interact with me, usually playing the antagonistic clown to my straight-man. The concept used a roof-mounted projector to project a dark black pre-animated mouth and eyeballs onto the page, actioned with a keynote remote pointed at a laptop off-stage for each cue. At one stage I stepped in front of the easel and tore the page off to get rid of one particularly troublesome character only to have him appear projected on my back, heckling me from my mid-thoracic.

As a comedian you have to learn two things; how to write material and what it is about you that’s unique. It doesn’t take long once you start gigging to discover there are a lot of comics doing exactly the same kind of material as you, in a very similar voice. Probably funnier. The one thing you have to set you apart is your unique perspective on the world. I happen to see the world through the eyes of a cartoonist; everything is ridiculous. (And has a big nose).

I decided to develop the animated projection concept further and start building a prototype show that I could add to and tweak with a live audience.

Over February and March I tested the concept in a small YouTube series called Stand-Up Comic Strip, then wrote an hour-long show by the same name for the

Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

I performed the show every night for two weeks. You think 14 hours on a plane is tough? Try 14 hours alone on a stage with a brand new show, and an untested concept.

It’s brutal.

Thanks to a botch-up with the MICF ticketing office, the world’s most notorious comedy critic was given a ticket to my preview show. It was the very first time I’d ever run it on stage with an audience.

The performance wasn’t ready and was a ridiculous, bumbling mess. Thank God it was just a preview show, huh?...

Despite the accidental nature of his presence, the reviewer still wrote and published the review. Despite the disgust of the Comedy Festival and the publicity company asking him, he refused to take down the deeply unflattering review. Poor form.

Over the two-week run of the show I sweated out how to make the thing work with an audience (some nights three people) but miraculously, I worked it out and the concept took off!

Half-way through the run a reviewer for the Herald Sun went crazy on the ‘star’ key on his keyboard and gave me HHHH1/2 of the things, so I sold out the rest of the season. But I still needed someone to tell me what was shit. (and not publish it.)

In post-mortem, I would use what I’d learned from the show and expand it to a larger incarnation for the opening of the continued next page www.cartoonists.org.au

9

One of three galleries in The Toonseum in Pittsburgh.

Rube Goldbergs namesake statue -the Reuben.

Brian Crane and Rick Kirkman accepting their awards.

MAD MAGAZINE’s Sam Viviano with Maria Notarile Scriven. (photo by Mike Lynch)

ARCTIC CIRCLE’s Alex Hallatt and Jen Sorenson. (photo by Mike Lynch)

The Pittsburgh Cartoon Festival on Sunday.

continued from page 7 Reuben Awards, but more importantly, I’d need to discard what didn’t work. There was quite a bit. It was like picking through stool samples to find rare flecks of gold. (boasting).

By this stage, the concept had become quite unique. I quickly patented the execution of the concept and got to work writing the fifth draft of the show opening.

It was May. I had 25 days.

The 200 jokes from January had been whittled down to about 20, then 12, then 5. I added more topical ones in as the date crept up and collaborated with my Lenowriter friend Simon to make sure the jokes would go over with a US audience.

The Reubens audience aren’t just a sophisticated lot, they’re also famous craftsfolk of the funny by trade! They’re there because they’re nominated as the best in the business. It’s like trying to play Chopin to a room of vurtuosos. On a drum. For 4 hours.

May flew past. I worked tirelessly on the animation design and opening song.

Yes, you read that right. I was committing to writing and performing a song, too.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Incoming governments commit to less.

The week before I was due to fly out, I contracted a severe virus, reducing me to a shivering, fever-ridden mess wrapped in a sweat cocoon. I had lost the week I had allocated to rehearse. I then swiftly defied doctor’s orders, packed my projector and 10 www.cartoonists.org.au

flew in to Pittsburgh on the Tuesday.

Tom Gammill and Reuben Awardsdirector Jeff Keane had also flown in early for us to put the finishing touches on what was traditionally a big part of the night; the opening video.

This year, Gammill and his writing partner Max had very generously trotted around the country and shot a sketch we’d workshopped back in January. The gist of the video was that Gammill was going around to all the famous cartoonists’ houses to inform them of the ‘devastating’ news that he wouldn’t be hosting this year, with each cartoonist gleefully sharing how excited they were that ‘Jason Chatfield would be hosting!’ leaving a forlorn Gammill staring at camera.

We shot a scene for the start and end of the video in the hotel with a small interactive piece that I’d call back to on stage. Jeff cut it together in his hotel room at the last minute to place it in the AV presentation for Saturday night. Seamless.

Later that night, like a jaundiced old gypsy mysteriously appearing in a caravan made of broken dreams, my long-time writing partner and best friend Ben Russell arrived on the last bus from his home in Chicago to help me prepare for the gig.

For the past three years, Ben had been living in Chicago to train and perform at Second City, the world’s most prestigious and rigourous school of Improv Comedy.

(Training ground of Steve Carrell, Will

Ferrell, Tina Fey, Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi, Chris Farley and other nobodies frequently name-dropped in the same breath as Second City.) I tell you that to illustrate this point: Ben is highly unemployable. But considering 80% of the hosting gig is improvised, he’s deeply qualified to help me be a better host, which he generously did between bottomless shots of Rye Whiskey. He is also very good at telling me when I’m shit.

The ensuing week blurred together into a single day as the big night arrived.

Anton’s account of the weekend’s events would be far more cognisant, so I won’t attempt to cover it here.

I’d whittled my opening monologue down to 3 minutes 20 seconds and was still cutting gags right up to the last second.

I needed a punchline to ‘If you’d like to tweet tonight’s proceedings, be sure to use the hashtag...’

My brain fogged. I had five punchlines and they all stank. I emailed Simon and Ben for a last minute punch-up. A reply came straight back with ten punchlines, one of which was a killer.

During preparations on the day, Richmond and Keane were very generous with their editing of my final script, suggesting only very minor amendments.

The song was written and memorised, but not rehearsed on stage. We did a brief sound-check in the afternoon and set up the easels (plural) before adjusting the final

running order. One of the major guests had neglected to bring a tux, so we were hunting for an eleventh-hour replacement.

I went back to my hotel room to attempt a nap, which, with my nerves, was like tapdancing in mud. It just wasn’t happening.

I donned my tux and popped my eyeballs back in after my wife reminded me how way-out-of-my-league she is.

The cocktail welcome party was a bit of a blur. The Urban Room of the intimidating century-old William Penn Hotel saw lots of nervous handshakes and wishes of legs being broken. I’d like to thank whoever invented sauvignon blanc for helping me form words in response.

Before I knew it, dinner was served, the President’s welcome was done and the lights went down. Show time!...

The video projected onto two huge screens overhanging the ornate balconies of the Grand Ballroom. The first big laughs came- I would owe Gammill a BIG drink. The video concluded and Keane introduced me as the jazzy piano backing music started... I opened my mouth and nothing came out! I grunted and quickly punched out the first notes, then the next, then the next. Before I knew it I was on stage, dancing around with all the grace of a sloth trying to punch its way out of a sleeping bag. The song was about working as a modern cartoonist; trying to spin all the plates of social media, ebooks and online promotion while still finding time

to just sit down and draw.

The piano solo kicked in - I cued up the second part with the remote and kneeled down, pretending to frantically ‘draw’ fast caricatures of the three Reuben Award nominees as the pre-animated lines flew across the boards. First Rick Kirkman, then Stephan Pastis - then ridiculously at the same time with my right hand, Brian Crane.

I didn’t expect an applause, so I trod on it to plough through the bridge; Something about not wearing pants.

The final chorus rolled around, and just as it seemed like the song was finishing, I clicked my remote to cue the final animation - the three heads on the easels then came to life and started scatting, then singing backup to the chorus for the rest of the song. (The reaction after the show to that part really was crazy. I was just glad it worked!)

After the song, I paced my way through the 3 minute 20 second monologue in 6 minutes 35. (Who knew people would actually laugh?) ‘If you do want to tweet tonight’s proceedings, be sure to use the hashtag #Benghazi so we get coverage on Fox.’ Halfway through the monologue I had pre-animated three cues where the heads on the easels would interject. At one point Pastis chimes in with “You’re losin’ em, Chatfield!” followed by Kirkman spitting back “Shut up, Stephan!” Crane later

reassuringly adds “Well I think you’re doing just fine, Chatfield.”

There was a huge amount to get through over the four hour ceremony, and I was proud as punch that the ACA’s own Anton Emdin took out the Reuben Award for Advertising Illustration - his second Reuben win in three years. After he exited the stage I observed “Check out the Australians takin’ all your jobs!” there was a brief pause, then a big laugh. That pause felt like a whole weekend.

The reception to the gig was overwhelmingly positive. It was uncommon to be surrounded by so many people telling me I wasn’t shit, but it did feel like all that editing, collaboration and preparation paid off. I don’t take full credit for any of it - Ben, Simon and Clayton all had a big hand in making sure I was match-fit. I couldn’t stress again how important it is for a comedian to have those kinds of people around.

The terrifying thing? Everyone who came up to congratulate me insisted I should do it for years to come!

We’re going to need more sauvignon blanc.

You can view the video of the performance online at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=v0uTb3HlfFM

www.cartoonists.org.au

11

feature story

review

by Tim McEwen

Tim McEwen, sketching for fans, flanked

by Anne-Maree McEwen on his left.

Some of the great comics being given away on Free Comic Book Day.

Free Comic Book Day is big and getting bigger every year.

Tim McEwen explains why...

Evil Mastermind Wei Chew ‘Chewie’ Chan, Books Kinokuniya’s Comics Consultant.

12 www.cartoonists.org.au

Artists’ Alley at Books Kinokuniya.

Eleven years ago, someone in the United States had the bright idea that to get more people reading comic books, perhaps we needed to get them hooked on the medium by giving away some free ones. From that thought, Free Comic Book Day was born, and all these years later it is an international phenomenon held every first Saturday in May. Comic shops all around the world hold special events on the day, and not only give away free comics but also host comic artists and writers doing free signings and sketches, have discount sales, hold costume competitions, and more. Stores all around Australia take part and it seems to be growing in popularity every single year.

Every year, Books Kinokuniya in Sydney hold a great FCBD event which always includes a big sale with great savings, a wonderful cosplay (costume) competition, and, most importantly, a fantastic Artists’ Alley. This year I was invited to take part in the Artists’ Alley and enjoyed a great day selling copies of the Leidekijn artbook I contributed to, prints and doing free sketches and caricatures for anyone who wanted one.

To name a few of the extremely talented people I was fortunate enough to share the Alley with, the fans were able to meet and get free sketches from: Marvel Comics’ cover artist, Sydney’s own David Yardin, who was also selling prints of his great artwork; Art Comics creator and publisher Leigh Rigozzi selling his incredible brand new 100+ page anthology comic Blood+Thunder #2; Sorab Del Rio and Don Ticchio with their zombie

apocalypse juggernaut Zombie Cities; Pat Grant and his astounding, award winning, original graphic novel, Blue; Madeleine Rosca and her incredible Hollow Fields original manga graphic novel, and; Greg Holfeld who had his new, beautiful, An Anzac Tale.

It was a great and wide range of material on offer, showing off not only the wealth of amazing talent here in Australia, but also the broad range of different work being created.

Wei Chew (Chewie) Chan is Books Kinokuniya’s Comics Consultant and the mastermind behind their FCBD shenanigans. He told me they gave away no less that 5,000 specially printed FCBD comics, 1,000 other comics and 250 graphic novels on the day to the many thousands of people who attended, as well as having a special grand prize of more graphic novels and art books worth $1,800. It was a record breaking day for Kinokuniya, both in sales as well as attendance.

Chewie said, “Even more pleasing, feedback was enthusiastic. People commented that the Artists’ Alley was the best ever. Personally, I thought so too. Both in attendance as well as the caliber of artists.

I think the artists ‘performed’ the best I’ve seen: being enthusiastic and inspiring. I think the spirit was just absolutely better than I’ve ever seen, by far.”

So, as they like to say, ‘save the date!’ for next year: the first Saturday in May, and see what your local comics retailer may have up their sleeve, or on their shelves, for you to enjoy. [Details at www.kingscomics.com]

Digested

By Bobby Nenadovic (Bobby.N) Published by Gestalt Publishing.

November 2009. 24pp. $5. http://www.bobbyn.com/books.html http://www.gestaltcomics.com/product/ comic-books/digested-01/ I’ve tried to keep an eye on Bobby Nenadovic’s work for a number of years now, but from what I can remember his published pieces before this had been pretty sporadic. That’s why I was so pleased to hear that he was finally going to begin some serialised publishing — a commitment to getting stuff out there on some sort of a regular basis. Not that commitment is an issue when it comes to Nenadovic, as I believe he is a diligent creator and that he works hard on his comics. I think that’s really paying off here.

This first issue of Digested is made up of three parts: the lead piece which will be a serialised, long-form story; two short, self-contained stories; and a text piece which is a conversation between Nenadovic and Tom Bonnin, another Australian comics creator.

Nenadovic’s art style is cartoony, and quite idiosyncratic. Although his cartooning may seem broad, it’s also quite calculated and finely presented.

He obviously loves the black & white medium and really knows how to use his fine pen line, spotting of blacks and cross-hatching/grey-toning. The cartoon style, black & white art, conforming to a grid, and deft use of silent and/or repeated panels are all ingredients that Nenadovic knows how to employ for well paced, well told, quirky stories. Add to this the ability for his characters to do

some wonderful acting, either in broad, cartoony sweeps or with more subtle and fine mannerisms, and the storytelling is enjoyable and accomplished.

The presentation of Digested is handsome. It’s a square format floppy of 24 pages, with a colour cover, all professionally printed on quality, lowgloss paper. Nenadovic’s ability as a graphic designer is evident in the design of the whole thing — it’s nicely understated and straightforward, much like his cartooning and storytelling. It makes for a very smart package.

It’s hard to comment on the story content of the opening pages, which are the beginnings of the ongoing serialisation of Oxygen, as there’s almost nothing of it. Looks good, but the story could go absolutely anywhere from this point.

The second section has two shorts, which are good, well told stories in themselves, but I’m not overly keen on the whole genre of short autobio pieces that often leave a story feeling half finished. The first one here, an overheard conversation called Train Ride, does finish with what I would call an ending, while the second short, First Date ends just at the point where the hinted mystery hits an interesting high.

Sure it’s a “Wha–?!?” kind of moment, but I really really want to see how that then plays out – how did the characters involved handle the revelation in the last panel and what are the consequences?

If I were being told this story at the pub or over lunch I’d certainly be asking “So what did you do then?!? What happened next?!?” I simply feel like it’s a story begun but not finished.

The final section of the issue is an

Flyin’ high Roulette. spin in a RAAF n going for a graph) ow le Br Te n re ily ar W , source: The Da er nt Hu m Ti : (photo

interesting exchange via email between Nenadovic and comics creator Tom Bonin about their influences, practices and other thoughts about comics. Worth reading, to be sure, and a great addition to the book as a whole, but I’d rather be reading comics. (My last comment there is tongue-in-cheek obviously, but really, I’m here for the comics Bobby!)

The only really disappointing thing about Digested #1 is that it’s very short at 24 pages, and somewhat dissatisfying in that. It’s a good thing that I’m dissatisfied with that, because it means I was enjoying the work so much that I wanted more than the 15 pages of comics therein, but dissatisfied none-the-less.

That’s not to say that I feel ripped off, at only $5 it’s certainly not too expensive for the quality that is on each and every page of art and production.

Five issues of Digested have materialised since this first, all of them are well worth buying, and that is most easily done through the Gestalt Publishing website. Although the page count varies up and down, the quality is always rising. Well worth picking up the whole series to date.

In preparations for the Blue Mountains Bicentenary Flyover, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first crossing by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, Warren Brown was invited to fly with the RAAF’s precision aerobatic flying team the Roulettes in a dress rehearsal.

After a safety briefing covering everything from how to operate an ejector seat to the etiquette of throwing up in a paper bag, Warren was strapped in and the four Pilatus PC9 aircraft took off from RAAF Base Richmond for the coast to do what they do best - aerobatics.

The gravitational forces Warren had been warned about were far greater than he’d expected - “A tight turn over Fort Denison it felt as if someone had placed a board across my thighs and a full-grown adult was standing on top.

Luckily I emerged without having reached for the paper bag.” www.cartoonists.org.au

13

feature story

She’s one sassy, sexy star-trekker, but it looks as though Staria is not immune to the dreaded ‘pink slip’.

Can she be spared from this impending doom?

Story by Lindsay Foyle

14 www.cartoonists.org.au

For 33 years, readers of Sydney’s largest selling daily newspaper have been able to travel to regions far beyond everyday Earth.

They have been doing it in a tiny capsule, occupying about 13 centimetres by 5, on one of the best-read pages in the newspaper.

The heroine of this escape capsule has been the beautiful, curvaceous and sexy Staria, captain of the Venus 111, a Federation of Intergalactic Peace Keeping Organisations’ space patrol ship. She has been tirelessly battling evil aliens and intergalactic outlaws of all descriptions. But as good as she has been in getting out of sticky situations she has now fallen victim of the most evil being in all the galaxies.

It was not a ray gun, a missile or even

a nuclear warhead that has brought Staria undone. It was a dreaded pink slip; sometimes known as the “do not come Monday letter”.

In this case it was a “do not come after 20 July” email. A dreaded newspaper accountant wielded it. This heartless beast sprang into action in an attempt to deny Staria a continued existence and to the readers of The Daily Telegraph their daily injection of Sci-Fi adventure. Now, the soon to be impoverished little earthlings will be condemned to survive on daily rations of politics and tripe (sorry that is probably a tautology). And Staria with a capacity to travel back into time - will become history before she is born.

Not that she is complaining. She has survived the arrival and departure of over a

dozen editors at the paper, had a longer career than many journalists who have worked there and had more fun than a galaxy full of comedians.

Guiding her though every adventure over the past 33 years has been Roger Fletcher - best known as a mild mannered artistic warrier who arrived on this planet in 1949. His original place of residence was Murwillumbah, on the New South Wales north-coast. At an early age Fletcher was captured by comic strips and comic books.

Schooling did not bring freedom. He first attempted escape with a full-time job in the shipping industry. Given that liberty was eluding him, he decided to attend the Julian Ashton Art School expanding his drawing - and rubbing out - skills. To avoid just being drawn into trouble he added to his combat capabilities with a course in scriptwriting at the Australian Film and Television School. It is almost obligatory for all those who want to write their way out of trouble. The course, unfortunately, did not include a class on cheque writing.

In 1974, fully armed and comic combat ready, Fletcher turned his attentions to empowering the sword swinging Orn to wage war on his comic strip captors. Orn was called an Eagle Warrior for the simple reason that he rode a giant eagle. Despite Orn living in a strange world with a dying sun and two moons and riding an eagle,

not everyone shared Fletcher’s enthusiasm for him. Fletcher soon realised if he was ever to gain the upper hand on comic strips, the bearded Orn was not going to be flying with him.

Fletcher sort help from another warrior, the broadsword wielding almost naked Torkan. Who - despite a weakness for comely wenches and a fiery temper had rarely been bested in combat. He lived in a long past world inhabited by dragons, witches and other beasties that defy description. It was a good move.

Torkan has been appearing in The Sunday Telegraph ever since June 1976.

With the upper hand on a Sunday comic strip, Fletcher then started looking around for a daily fix. He turned his sights as far into the future as he had into the past with Torkan. Staria took form in the cosmic dust. Originally, Fletcher tried to breathe life into her in 1977.

Torkan might be a lone warrior, but Staria never was. She had a crew of three travelling with her on the Venus III as they roamed the galaxies. First officer was KRU, a formidable Dromad warrior with wings and the head of an ancient bird of prey. Some might think he was an echo from Orn the Eagle Warrior, but they would be wrong. The navigator and medical officer was Doctor Umbo, a hard drinking sophisticate. Some might think

he was an echo of a cartoonist they know, but they would be wrong. Umbo’s career was on a downward spiral until he had the incredible good fortune to be taken under the wing of a young curvaceous captain.

And then there is Horry, one of very few surviving members of a race of telepaths.

Many still believe that such creatures do not exist. However they have proved very helpful for those dealing with newspaper editors.

While Staria may be disappearing from the pages of The Daily Telegraph she will not be disappearing forever. For a short time she will survive in a cryogenic state before being rejuvenated. After resuscitation she will once again be able to use her incredible combat skills and a talent for getting out of sticky situations while battling evil aliens, in an expanded universe, known to humanoids as a graphic novel.

This will have a secondary benefit.

Staria will be placed beyond the reach of misguided theoretics, those who harbour the belief that comics are for children.

When all those who live in the real world know comics are for fully-grown life forms who buys newspapers, when they have comics in them.

PICTURES: all images courtesy of Roger Fletcher, creator and illustrator of Staria.

www.cartoonists.org.au

15

question time

It is my great pleasure today to talk to Philippe Aymond.

I discovered Philippe’s amazing drawings through reading Lady S., now available in English through CineBook.

Interview by Christophe Granet

16 www.cartoonists.org.au

Q: What is your nationality and where do you live?

A: I am French and I live in the countryside in the “Normandie” region.

Q: What did you study at school?

A: I studied art at the Paris I Sorbonne University to become a high-school drawing teacher. I have in fact, never taught professionally.

Q: Were your parents artistic in any way?

A: Not professionally, but my father was passionate about classical music while my mother has always been drawing and painting a bit. My mother also does etchings.

Q: Were they supportive of you becoming a BD [Bande Dessanée] artist?

A: They were in fact the ones who pushed me to become a teacher. Making a living out of your art, any form of art, is rather difficult, and they were more aware of it than I was.

They never tried to actively stop me from becoming a BD artist though.

Q: We’ll concentrate on Lady S. later, but can you please tell us on what other series you have worked?

A: I started out drawing for a BD series written by Pierre Christin called CANAL CHOC. I was working under the artistic direction of “Mézières” with two other artists, in the spirit of an American studio. I inked the first two albums, and then moved to drawing and inking the next two. I kept on working with Pierre Christin, now without the support of other artists, on an adventure series called Les 4X4. Then with

L.F. Bollée on a science fiction series called ApocalypseMania.

Q: How old were you when you became a professional BD artist? Was it your first real job?

A: I started up when I was 21 years old.

Up to that point, I had only done some storyboards for short films.

Q: The scenario of Lady S. is from Jean Van Hamme, a legend in the BD world. Did Jean Van Hamme choose you to illustrate Lady S. or did the editor pair you up?

A: Dupuis, the editor, asked us to collaborate. In fact, I drew two pages based on pagination instructions Jean had sent to Dupuis before I eventually met him. Two years earlier, he had declared he would not take on any new series. I do believe that if our relationship had not been strong, he would have stopped the series early.

Q: The details in your drawings are truly amazing and depict real places, like Brussels, Paris, Cannes, Nice, Stockholm, Langley, etc... Do you actually go to the locations to study the buildings, streets, gardens?

A: I go on location as often as I can, but it all depends on the story. The storyline based in Washington did not require much documentation as I managed to get by with books, with one especially rich in photos from the interior of the White House. If I can, I go to the actual location as I am suspicious of the internet. I only use it to gather information on specific details, objects or vehicles.

Q: What is the size of an original page, i.e., how big do you draw?

A: It varies, but for Lady S., where there is a lot of precision required in the drawings, my artwork is rather large.

My preferred page format is 360mm by 510mm.

Q: What type of paper do you use?

A: Unfortunately, finding good quality paper is now hard. This forces me to change brand regularly. I try to break the routine of my work by changing the tools I use. For example, I might use an ultra-smooth paper for an album, coarser for another one, thinner, thicker, even sometime ultra-thick. I prefer this to being accustomed to using a particular brand which the manufacturer can stop producing at any time. This is in fact what happened to the Schoeller paper that all BD artists were using in the 1980s.

Q: Do you do your own inking and colouring?

A: I always do my own inking as I believe it is part of the drawing process.

The colouring, on the other hand, depends on the individual project. I did the colouring on the first five Lady S., but due to a lack of time (I was still finishing ApocalypseMania), I sought the help of another artist, Sébastien Gérard, who is more experienced in colouring BDs. Thanks to him, I can spend more time on my drawings and add more layers of small detail: Sébastien loves dealing with colouring these subtle minutiae.

Q: Do you use a Graphic Tablet?

A: I use a Wacom Cintiq table when I set up the pagination. I scan my roughs, work out the layout and work out where the speech balloons will go. I then print this in very light blue and then work directly on this to do my drawings. A few days ago, I even started doing my colouring using the computer, not for Lady S., but for a new series that I have

created by myself: Highlands. Computers and graphic tablets are amazing tools!

Q: On average, how long does it take you to draw a standard page?

A: Between drawings and inking, it takes between two to three days, but more than often three days.

Q: How do you interact with Jean Van Hamme? Do you have any input on the script and does he have any input on the drawings?

A: I sometime dream of how the stories should develop, or have ideas of places I would like to draw and I mention it to Jean. He sometimes takes this on board.

In fact, the next album takes place in Italy.

It was my wish and it inspired him for the story. He likes to start with just a small idea, an impulse to start a story, a basis for his work. He rarely makes suggestions about my drawings, as long as the story he imagined is drawn the way he envisaged it. Sometimes, he suggests how a character should look like, or propose a small change to the drawing, but it is seldom.

Q: How often would you need to meet with Jean Van Hamme in person for each story?

A: In fact, we almost never really meet, which might explain why we still get on so well. We communicate by phone or by email. When I receive the story, I call him to say: “It’s great!” I send him some roughs and he calls me back to say: “It’s great!”

Then we start talking about other things...

Q: What is your working regimen?

A: I work 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Never on the weekend: This is my rule and I do not break it!

Q: Do you work from home or do you rent a studio outside?

A: I have a dedicated room at home.

Q: Only three albums of Lady S. are currently available in English. How many albums have you drawn to date?

A: I have just finished the 8th album which will be published in August in France and Belgium.

Q: If you know, can you let us know how many albums of Lady S. have been sold, in French and in English?

A: In English, I am not sure, but it should be a small number, overall, maybe 3,000 or so I think. In French, we sell about 80,000 copies of each new album.

Q: Has Lady S. been translated into other languages?

A: So far, it has been translated into Dutch, Italian, Spanish and German.

Q: Seeing your amazing drawings, do people ask for complicated dedicaces?

A: Yes, but it is impossible because I get so many people queuing for a dedicace [dedication]. I want everybody to go home with a drawing so I often draw one of the characters in the series; based on the character the reader likes the most.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?

A: I am currently also working on Highlands, as mentioned earlier. It is a story in two albums taking place in the 18th century Scotland. I have finished drawing the first album and I am in the process of colouring the pages as well as writing the story for the second album.

Philippe, thank you for answering my questions and if you ever decide to come and visit Australia, please get in touch with the Australian Cartoonists’ Association. We would love to meet you!

PS: Philippe has just confirmed on his Blog that Steven Spielberg has bought the rights to Highlands to turn the story into a movie!

Philippe’s Blog: http://philippeaymond. blogspot.com.au

www.cartoonists.org.au

17

Illustrations by Dee Texidor

r u o y ow! reviews k r ma ies n r dia

by Tim McEwen

Rocksalt Vol. 1: the complete first season

By Mark Withington OzTAKU and Lazy Tiger San Productions. 2005-2010. 160pp. $9.00 http://www.lazytigersite.com/p/ rocksalt.html

and is introduced very efficiently, but more importantly, they are introduced enjoyably. This is partly due to the ease of the pace they’re introduced but also because of the smart and witty repartee amongst them. They’re a very charming bunch.

The artwork is probably not quite as slick as it should be, but it’s still a very This is a load of fun, both for the reader self-assured cartoon style. If I were to try and I dare say for the creator too. to describe it I’d have to say it seems like For what I believe to be Mark’s debut a cartoony cross between a graffiti style comics work, it’s quite a nicely, tightly and manga. Certainly not enough manga written little piece. It’s funny that I say The only other thing I would request in in there to put off someone who doesn’t ‘little’ because this volume clocks in at the future is a colour printing. All the really like manga, but enough to see the around 160 pages, which is no minor work is in grey scale toning which works influence evidenced. amount. quite fine, but I can’t help thinking that The other interesting thing about the Withington does a great job building the shiny slick nature of it was perhaps art though is the lack of backgrounds. what ends up being quite a sizeable originally done in colour and that it ensemble cast. By about halfway through There’s almost never any! And yet it’s would really pop if that’s how it was very rare that I thought about that, or the book there’s seven main characters presented. had to wonder about location or spatial and a number of minor ones too.

It’s a really fun lo-fi sci-fi adventure relationships.

I guess it’s mostly due to The story itself steps along at a very with great characters and nice style well done, tight cropping, well scripted enjoyable pace, going a little somewhere all ‘round. exposition, the odd establishing every giving a satisfying dose will be Thechapter, 2013 Stanleys weekend a dualand celebration on October 25th andThe most resounding compliment I can give it was that the 160 shot.

I’m sure this helps quicken the of plot along with the really fun and pages were not enough and I’m keenly 26th this year in Coffs Harbour. process of creation, but it’s one thing that likeable characters. The inter-character waiting for more Rocksalt. Well worth might take the storytelling that one or relationships within the main group picking up. twoAnnual steps up ifRotary it were toAwards be introduced. ofFestivities five protagonists really sweet willisbegin with the 25th to be held at the

OctOber 25th and 26th cOffs HarbOur NsW

i’m baaack!

25th Annual

ROTARy CARTOON AwARDS

Friday October 25th 2013

Bunker Cartoon Gallery on the evening of Friday night

The Rotary Cartoon Awards are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour City Inc., (“the

followed by a casual catch-up afterward. morning About two Saturday thirds through though this

Rotary Club”) to raise funds for various Rotary charities and to promote cartooning through

method of mapping time and space when definitely takes an almost mystical bend working with the expanse of a webcomic will see the AGM and a full Conference daythe before and sweeps reader into a dreamlike ‘page’, but repurposing the method with From thatAnnual point on there is no consideration not only for the shape enjoying the awesome spectacle place. of the 29th ground for the reader to walk on until it and size of the printed page, but also the flutters a lovely end.

Stanley Awards! Follow that with all a bit of atosleep reality of a book’s page turn culminates The opening, more pedestrian scenes here in pacing, atmosphere, mood, in on Sunday before partaking ofofathe recovery for of their use of book, regardless tension and surprise that’s only available standard panels, are lovely to look at. in book form. all survivors to be hosted by Rotary at the There’s splashes to establish scene, there’s Fulton’s dip pen line is delicately space between panels used to describe employed throughout. The stylised very first Bunker Open Day! pace by the squeezing or opening of characters are easily recognisable as their proximity, there’s an iconographic Fulton’s design, as are the patterned, You won’t want to miss this exciting language quickly established regarding geometric backgrounds. Beautifully done. what straight-bordered panels mean weekend. One of our amazing special guests Production values are important and versus round panels. The eschewing Mad Bonaz 4 Lyfe the off-white paper has a nice feel about will be caricaturist to the stars and President of these standard comics rules at the By Andrew Fulton it, as does the slightly heavier cover stock. weird turn allows this story to become Self-published.

2012.

28pp. $5 physical.

This was printed on a snazzy machine of the National Cartoonists Society, all-round metaphoric and more intense with its called a risograph and all assembled by 50¢ digital.

The dismissal of panel borders nice guy Mr Tom Richmond. (Our emotions. other guest hand. The use of the risograph enables http://smallercomics.limitedrun.com/ is subtlety integrated into the emotional journey, transitioning from their standard the illustrations to be printed in a blue and Conference layout will be announced in line, rather than a harsh black line.

This is one of Fulton’s most surreal use to setting us adrift in the stream of There’s washes of blue, with a judiciously comics, andweeks). that’s saying something! coming the story’s flow once they’re gone, then applied red too. The size and shape are Ironically, it’s possibly also the most having them reintroduced as a concrete important too, as well as not settling for grounded in that it is telling a much storytelling All your ACA mates will be there so get tool at story’s end. an A5 format this is square, about 13cm more rounded story than usual for him.

Fulton’s layout and page design has on each side.

As with a lot ofyour Fulton’s tales, this escape one planning weekend today! nicely come to terms with the differences For such a short read, the number of concerns sex and relationships, with a between his webcomics and his printed comic book storytelling devices expertly strong emotional core. ones, as well as the opportunities employed is amazing. This is one of This particular story is perhaps slightly presented by the endless canvas of Fulton’s best minis are lovely and packing more mundane in structure than usual webcomics versus the constraints of the a delightful emotional punch.

Illustration by Tom Richmond (nice guns!) for Fulton, at least to begin with anyway. physical page. He has an idiosyncratic 18 www.cartoonists.org.au

Australia’s only cartoon gallery, the Bunker Cartoon Gallery.

The competition is designed to recognise the best of Australian and International cartoons with cash prizes totalling over $15,500 with he First and Merit prize winners in all categories also receive a medallion.

S E I R T EN

3 1 0 2 , 2 1 .

T

P E S E CLOS

For more information and entry forms go to:

www.rotarycartoonawards.com.au

I always try to walk new paths.

For me, being creative means freedom.

Michaela Maginot | Graphic Designer

Cintiq 24HD touch

Cintiq 24HD

Cintiq 22HD touch

Cintiq 22HD

Cintiq 13HD

on-screen drawing | stand rotation | pen & multi-touch Pioneers are people who do things first and take them to the limit. Graphic Designer Michaela Maginot tries out the innovative Wacom Cintiq features for her wide range of creative activities, enabling her to combine analogue and digital elements with up to 400 layers in just one piece of work. www.wacom.com.au Š 2013 Wacom Company, Limited. All rights reserved. Wacom, the logo and Cintiq are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Wacom Company, Ltd. All other company names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Modifications and errors excepted.