I honestly can't believe how quick the past two weeks have gone! From preparing to launch Rob Feldman's Fridge Boy in Space to yesterday, when we hit our total, the whole two weeks have been a crazy whirl of excitement, tension, and trying to coordinate life at Comicoz HQ. Adding to the drama - as usual! - are all the things life throws at you that don't make it into the Facebook posts, ...and the comic book pages! From birthdays, to football matches (and finals), to a car needing a new radiator ... it's all been non-stop action all the way!! 

Carlene and I have also had to suddenly house (and dog)-sit after a dear friend's mother passed away. It's meant moving in between our usual place of residence to another home. And all the things that go with that. So, preparing poor old Air Hawk #3 (not to mention Iron Outlaw and The Cloak) has had to be somewhat delayed - yet again. But, I'm hopeful things will work out really soon.

Today I am putting up a post on Facebook (and, should I have time, on other socials) to try to raise some more of the old dollars for Iron Outlaw. You see, I don't think this book will able to reach the Kickstarter goals we need to produce it, so I am going to have to raise some money the good old fashioned way: by selling some of the Comicoz volumes stacked in our double garage, as well as some of my personal comic collection. If you can, please support this worthy (?) cause, by checking out my Facebook page regularly for some bargains. The prices are so low you will feel you are stealing from me, but I'll be happy to raise the necessary cash to get this project further ahead!

Meantime, our Kickstarter campaign for Rob hasn't finished, so don't fear you will miss out! Here's where you can still make a pledge and score yourself a few nice rewards: kck.st/3MqQjZi
Here's where you can find the initial bargain I wrote about earlier. Click here: TWO TRUNDLE books by Neil Matterson for the price of one! 
Want to keep right up to date with what's going on in the madness that is the Comicoz publishing world? Click here: www.facebook.com/nat.karmichael/

Now you are really up to speed!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicoz/rob-feldmans-fridge-boy-in-space 

After sharing my attempt at a video (that was more fun than serious), Rob Feldman and I have, over the past few days, been preparing a Kickstarter campaign for his Fridge Boy in Space comic. Including this visual masterpiece (above) by Rob (that we shall use)! Seeing Diamond are not interested and Luna have not responded to my emails about Rob (and Dillon)'s comics and books, we needed some way of getting the word out there into the world! I know! I'm a bit of a hypocrite: I have been vocal about my 'criticism' about Kickstarter. Well, perhaps 'criticism' isn't the right word: I'm concerned about the limitations and the saturation of that particular crowd-funding site, and my concerns that it doesn't take the comic medium further. Still, it's going to be useful to us for the present point in time, so maybe I'll just suck up my reservations and get on with it!

We're tweaking the Rewards today (and hope that it will be finished later this morning) before we are able to submit the project. Launch (at this time) is scheduled for August 23rd, although there is every likelihood that we may go earlier. Stay tuned!

Everything seems to be happening at once around here (comic-wise). John Dixon's son (Andrew) and Don Ticchio are getting together this Wednesday to check on the availability of material for Air Hawk #3, which is destined to be the first overseas issue of the current series. Andrew and John will no doubt also be discussing the layout dilemma that I posted about earlier (in relation to the back cover to #2). With all this activity going on, it means I have not been keeping Ryan McDonald-Smith up to speed with the needs for Iron Outlaw. And what is The Cloak up to? When I was working, it's my belief that I was able to work on many comic projects simultaneously. These days, I feel I am so flat out with other things (house maintenance, Netflix with Carlene, visiting friends) that I'm nowhere near as organised, comic-wise, as I once was. (Said with a wry smile?)

The proof to Air Hawk #2 has arrived from the printer, and the readers of this website are seeing it here first! There is a dilemma, however: which back cover should be used? Which do you think is the better one...and why??! Let's hear your thoughts! 

There's no doubting that Rob Feldman and I became friends from our very first meeting at an Australian Cartoonists Association's conference (over ten years ago now). I've made a short video based on a recent get-together, which I plan to use as a promotional tool for Rob's comic. Sadly, as I have documented elsewhere, Diamond Distribution have declined to carry Rob's Fridge Boy From Space, so I soon plan to run a Kickstarter campaign to allow comic fans an opportunity to purchase a copy (and bonus material). (Yes, I know I have been critical of Kickstarter more recently, and still believe it has limitations, but I am at a loss at how to get the Fridge Boy message out there otherwise!) Here (above) is the early rough of that video...

​Let me know what you think!!

I don't often get to talk about my past (and when I do, I leave out some aspects of my life that few people know about). Here, recorded last Tuesday, is me opening up to Leigh Chalker about many, many things (and not only the world of comics)! Think you know me?! Here's where you will find out a lot more! And, in retrospect, where I realised there was also a lot events and happenings that I still left out! (For example: the ONLY Gold Ledger Award that I was involved in - The Men Behind Superman by Thomas Campi and Julian Voloj - and I didn't even mention the book! Shame on me!)

Happy 100th Birthday to the world's oldest cartooning organisation, the Australian Cartoonists Association!

As present-Secretary Steve Panozzo reports: "On 17th July, 1924, twenty-six Sydney cartoonists got together and formed the Society of Australian Black and White Artists. the first organising committee was made up of (pictured from left): Stan Cross, Lance Driffield, George Finey, Cec Hartt (President) and Syd Miller."

Tonight, the modern incarnation is gathering at the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney to celebrate that momentous occasion. I want to wish all present a wonderful evening. Unfortunately, I won't be attending: there's State of Origin 3 being held in Brisbane at the same time. (Poor excuse, right?!) Go Queensland!!

Well, Natalie and Lexie, and Carlene and I are back from our Outback holiday. From Yuendumu, to Alice Springs, to Uluru, and back home via Mt Isa, Winton, Emerald, Theodore, Gympie. Along the way, we caught up with my book designer, Ryan McDonald-Smith (and his family).​

​It's been a lot of fun, but now begins the serious work of selling some of our published comics again! First off: Comicstreet is on again ... this Saturday! As many of you know, it's my favourite comics festival, as it features nothing but comics, and nothing but local Australian comics!!

Rob Feldman will be appearing at the Comicoz stand, promoting his new comic, Fridge Boy from Space. I'll be there with my latest comic John Dixon's Air Hawk and the Flying Doctor (reprinting the first two daily newspaper adventures). I've invited Graeme Cliffe to come along, but I have not heard back from him just yet! I hope to see you there if you're in the Brisbane area!