Montague Thomas Archibald (“Monty”) Wedd (1921-2012) was an Australian comic book artist and writer (and animator) who was passionate about Australians maintaining their cultural identity, particular through the comics medium where he loved to share aspects of our country’s history, both fictional (The Scorpion, Captain Justice) and non-fiction (Captain Cook, Ned Kelly, Bold Ben Hall, The Making of a Nation).
Comicoz is a comic-centric boutique publisher, specialising in publishing both new and reprinted Australian artists’ comic works. Although most titles have been published since 2010, the publishing house – run by comic aficionado Nat Karmichael – has been releasing comics since 1988 (John Dixon’s Air Hawk Magazine, Oi Oi Oi!). Comicoz’ books are now nationally distributed to Australian booksellers and Libraries by Novella Distribution.
The Wedd family welcome having Monty’s name associated with this publishing project, open to all Australian graphic storytellers. All details of this project will be released on 5th January (which was Monty’s birthday) 2022 by Nat Karmichael.
The idea behind the project is to select an unpublished Australian graphic novel by a local graphic storyteller. This is an ideal opportunity for an Australian graphic storyteller to realise their dream, by getting the necessary professional assistance in seeing their story published. The plan is to offer mentorship of the work by other Australian comic professionals, from the development stage right through to the final publishing and distribution of the completed book. The selection of the work chosen will be by current working Australian professionals in the comic book medium (an announcement of those selecting the work will be announced shortly) and will include an interview process.
What is being sought:
Australian graphic creatives willing to submit either a full script or a precis of a full script outlining a story idea that can translate into a commercially viable stand-alone 100-page graphic novel, that tells an unique tale about an aspect of Australian life.
Accompanying the above, six pages of art that will demonstrate that the graphic storyteller/s has/have an ability to artistically tell a sequential story related to the story idea proposed. (The project welcomes submissions from both artists and writers working in combination, or singular creatives who feel more comfortable writing and illustrating alone.)
Creative/s who has/have the temperament to see that the comic medium can be a marathon, and not a race quickly won.
What is being offered:
A date will be set to allow the creative/s time to work on a script and six pages of art based on the script.
Following which, a date will be set to select one project to be chosen by a panel of Australian comic professionals for future publication. Part of the selection process will include an interview, that may be conducted electronically or in a manner suitable for all parties.
A contract being signed by both parties to clearly enunciate the expectations and responsibilities of both parties. This may include a designated period of time to allow both parties time to complete their obligations to the other.
The ownership of copyright and all matter of intellectual property associated with the project will be owned by the creative/s. If more than one creative is involved in the project, there will be an expectation that the copyright is shared between all who work on the project (and that this is clearly documented prior to the contract being signed).
There will be up to twelve (12) hours free mentorship to the creative/s to assist in the developmental stage of the project to be taken within the first year. The payment to the professionals assisting in this mentorship for that year will be paid in full by Comicoz.
The one-time reprint rights to the completed project will be first assigned to Comicoz for a negotiated period, and aspects of the publishing will be overseen by the professional assisting the creative/s if requested.
Comicoz will publish the completed project and distributed nationally around Australia, with an initial minimum print-run of 1,000 copies.
The creative/s will not be expected to financially contribute to the project, and there will be no charge to the creative/s for professional advice offered to them by the comic professionals during the first year of the creative process to a maximum of twelve (12) hours.
Requirements:
Three copies of the same completed full script or three copies of a precis of a full script outlining a story idea that can translate into a commercially viable stand-alone 100-page graphic novel that tells an unique tale about an aspect of Australian life.
Three copies of six pages of art from the submitted script. Do not send original artwork.
Full name, postal address, phone, and email* contact details of all contributors related to the submitted project, with clear specifications of the division of labour within the project (that is, specifying who undertook the writing, the pencils, the inking, lettering, et cetera).
*An email address is not essential, but alternative means of being able to contact each individual creative will be required.
All material submitted must be each individual contributor’s original and not previously published work.
All contributors must own or hold the license to all necessary rights (including copyright, trademarks, intellectual property) of all materials within, and do not impinge on the copyright, trademarks, right of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person or entity.
Send all material clearly addressed to:
Comicoz-Wedd Storytelling Project
Post Office Box 187
MARGATE BEACH 4019
Queensland
Material must arrive before last mail on Thursday, 30 June 2022.
Arrival of all material received by the deadline will be acknowledged by mail.
Material that arrives after that date will not be considered for this year’s Storytelling Project. However, given that the Comicoz-Wedd Mentored Australian Graphic Storytelling Project is (at time of writing) planned to extend annually beyond 2022, any material arriving after that date will be considered in the following year.
Selection:
This year’s judging panel will include Dean (Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land) Rankine and Dr Bruce (The Sacrifice, The Silence) Mutard.
The short-list of story ideas being considered is planned to be announced on the weekend of the 2021 Comic Arts Awards of Australia (presently slated to be held in Perth, Western Australia from Saturday, 6 August 2022).
The final selection will be made following online interviews with all short-listed creatives at mutually suitable times.
The creative project selected will be announced at a time to be decided (at time of writing), although it is anticipated that the decision will be made before Thursday, 5 January 2023.
The creator/s of the selected project will be offered a contract, signed by both Nat Karmichael of Comicoz and the creative/s, with the aim of clearly enunciate the expectations and responsibilities of both parties to each other as detailed earlier in this document.
The contract will be written external of Comicoz, to ensure that there is an independent and transparent process in working relationship between both parties. At time of writing, Julie Ditrich, principal of Comics Mastermind (a professional development service for Australian comic creators), has offered to write the contract.
Enquires:
If you have any further enquiries about the Comicoz-Wedd Mentored Australian Graphic Storytelling Project, please contact me by email or via the contact button on this website.
Comicoz is a comic-centric boutique publisher, specialising in publishing both new and reprinted Australian artists’ comic works. Although most titles have been published since 2010, the publishing house – run by comic aficionado Nat Karmichael – has been releasing comics since 1988 (John Dixon’s Air Hawk Magazine, Oi Oi Oi!). Comicoz’ books are now nationally distributed to Australian booksellers and Libraries by Novella Distribution.
The Wedd family welcome having Monty’s name associated with this publishing project, open to all Australian graphic storytellers. All details of this project will be released on 5th January (which was Monty’s birthday) 2022 by Nat Karmichael.
The idea behind the project is to select an unpublished Australian graphic novel by a local graphic storyteller. This is an ideal opportunity for an Australian graphic storyteller to realise their dream, by getting the necessary professional assistance in seeing their story published. The plan is to offer mentorship of the work by other Australian comic professionals, from the development stage right through to the final publishing and distribution of the completed book. The selection of the work chosen will be by current working Australian professionals in the comic book medium (an announcement of those selecting the work will be announced shortly) and will include an interview process.
What is being sought:
Australian graphic creatives willing to submit either a full script or a precis of a full script outlining a story idea that can translate into a commercially viable stand-alone 100-page graphic novel, that tells an unique tale about an aspect of Australian life.
Accompanying the above, six pages of art that will demonstrate that the graphic storyteller/s has/have an ability to artistically tell a sequential story related to the story idea proposed. (The project welcomes submissions from both artists and writers working in combination, or singular creatives who feel more comfortable writing and illustrating alone.)
Creative/s who has/have the temperament to see that the comic medium can be a marathon, and not a race quickly won.
What is being offered:
A date will be set to allow the creative/s time to work on a script and six pages of art based on the script.
Following which, a date will be set to select one project to be chosen by a panel of Australian comic professionals for future publication. Part of the selection process will include an interview, that may be conducted electronically or in a manner suitable for all parties.
A contract being signed by both parties to clearly enunciate the expectations and responsibilities of both parties. This may include a designated period of time to allow both parties time to complete their obligations to the other.
The ownership of copyright and all matter of intellectual property associated with the project will be owned by the creative/s. If more than one creative is involved in the project, there will be an expectation that the copyright is shared between all who work on the project (and that this is clearly documented prior to the contract being signed).
There will be up to twelve (12) hours free mentorship to the creative/s to assist in the developmental stage of the project to be taken within the first year. The payment to the professionals assisting in this mentorship for that year will be paid in full by Comicoz.
The one-time reprint rights to the completed project will be first assigned to Comicoz for a negotiated period, and aspects of the publishing will be overseen by the professional assisting the creative/s if requested.
Comicoz will publish the completed project and distributed nationally around Australia, with an initial minimum print-run of 1,000 copies.
The creative/s will not be expected to financially contribute to the project, and there will be no charge to the creative/s for professional advice offered to them by the comic professionals during the first year of the creative process to a maximum of twelve (12) hours.
Requirements:
Three copies of the same completed full script or three copies of a precis of a full script outlining a story idea that can translate into a commercially viable stand-alone 100-page graphic novel that tells an unique tale about an aspect of Australian life.
Three copies of six pages of art from the submitted script. Do not send original artwork.
Full name, postal address, phone, and email* contact details of all contributors related to the submitted project, with clear specifications of the division of labour within the project (that is, specifying who undertook the writing, the pencils, the inking, lettering, et cetera).
*An email address is not essential, but alternative means of being able to contact each individual creative will be required.
All material submitted must be each individual contributor’s original and not previously published work.
All contributors must own or hold the license to all necessary rights (including copyright, trademarks, intellectual property) of all materials within, and do not impinge on the copyright, trademarks, right of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person or entity.
Send all material clearly addressed to:
Comicoz-Wedd Storytelling Project
Post Office Box 187
MARGATE BEACH 4019
Queensland
Material must arrive before last mail on Thursday, 30 June 2022.
Arrival of all material received by the deadline will be acknowledged by mail.
Material that arrives after that date will not be considered for this year’s Storytelling Project. However, given that the Comicoz-Wedd Mentored Australian Graphic Storytelling Project is (at time of writing) planned to extend annually beyond 2022, any material arriving after that date will be considered in the following year.
Selection:
This year’s judging panel will include Dean (Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land) Rankine and Dr Bruce (The Sacrifice, The Silence) Mutard.
The short-list of story ideas being considered is planned to be announced on the weekend of the 2021 Comic Arts Awards of Australia (presently slated to be held in Perth, Western Australia from Saturday, 6 August 2022).
The final selection will be made following online interviews with all short-listed creatives at mutually suitable times.
The creative project selected will be announced at a time to be decided (at time of writing), although it is anticipated that the decision will be made before Thursday, 5 January 2023.
The creator/s of the selected project will be offered a contract, signed by both Nat Karmichael of Comicoz and the creative/s, with the aim of clearly enunciate the expectations and responsibilities of both parties to each other as detailed earlier in this document.
The contract will be written external of Comicoz, to ensure that there is an independent and transparent process in working relationship between both parties. At time of writing, Julie Ditrich, principal of Comics Mastermind (a professional development service for Australian comic creators), has offered to write the contract.
Enquires:
If you have any further enquiries about the Comicoz-Wedd Mentored Australian Graphic Storytelling Project, please contact me by email or via the contact button on this website.
RSS Feed
