Scott VanderPloeg recently reviewed The Complete Air Hawk Dailies in a positive way on his website (click here), and so I thought I may as well share his video of the book for prospective readers here! Thanks, Scott!

• Comicstreet returns in 2026 for it’s 10th anniversary in a brand new location after a decade of successful shows on the Queen Street Mall
• The festival is bigger than ever, running over two days and featuring 60 local and interstate comic creators
• Organised by original co-founder and comics artist, Samantha Calcraft, and a newly assembled committee dedicated to bringing to life a variety of new local art events

Comicstreet, Brisbane city’s longest-running independent comics market turned festival, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year by taking over The Edge at State Library Queensland for two days over August 22 – 23rd. After a decade of successful shows on the Queen Street Mall, the event is making a bold move to host its biggest and best event yet.
“Comicstreet has been a passion project for me since 2016. It’s really exciting to be able to have a team that’s just as dedicated as I am for this huge milestone for what started as a small event,” states Comicstreet co-founder, Sam “Mamath” Calcraft. “We’ve had applications from devoted local artists who have been featuring at Comicstreet since the beginning, as well as from new and up-and-coming talent. It’s great to see the local comics and art community grow with us.”
Returning artist, Carlo Angelo is excited for the 10th anniversary of an event that spurred on their artist career, “As someone who has done artist alleys at conventions and local art markets, Comicstreet started it all for me. I enjoy the eager creativity this community encourages.”
In addition to the long-running comics market, the festival will now also include workshops and other activities to encourage creativity amongst practicing artists, hobbyists and newcomers alike. Artists enjoy coming together and celebrating each other, with the creator of Black Crown, James Patterson, stating, “Being amongst these wonderful people is beyond joyful. It is such a privilege to continue to bear witness to the growth of this amazing artform in Brisbane.”
Nick Rees of Club agrees, adding, “Over the past decade it has continuously prioritised new artists and has been such an important part of the art and comics community here. Comicstreet is easily my favourite art event in Brisbane.”
For the festival’s 10th Anniversary, the decision was made to incorporate Comicstreet into a not-for-profit organization, allowing the event to feature more local artists and exhibitions, and better spotlight Brisbane’s local independent comic creators. With personnel ranging from comics artists to experienced convention staff, Comicstreet Committee Inc is ready to take the Brisbane comics and art scene to another level.
The event has played a pivotal role in many artists’ careers, including Tea “Cutiesaurus” Coe’s who has participated at every Comicstreet market and grown as an artist alongside the event, “Watching Comicstreet evolve every year is heartwarming. It’s one of the best events to get a variety of different approaches to local art and comics, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
Nat Karmichael—principal of Comicoz, a publisher of Australian comics, and recipient of the 2024 Jim Russell (Silver Stanley) Award for his contribution to Australian cartooning—praises the longevity and dedication of Comicstreet, “I congratulate the organisers on the occasion of Comicstreet’s tenth anniversary. For me, Comicstreet remains the standout of all Australian comic festivals.”

​ENDS

The Kickstarter campaign for Dillon Naylor's new 44-page comic Preston Peace/Battlers Inc was successful, recently reaching its goal just before the cut-off deadline, and causing a few anxious moments along the way. Although the goal was what I thought was a modest one (designed merely to cover printing costs), it was a difficult campaign. Many people now using crowd-funded platforms, and many people finding times tough financially. The main two reasons it's getting harder to raise those funds -- as I have frequently mentioned here over the past few years. Thank you, if you supported it (and no shame if you didn't: not everyone likes everything I publish).

In other news, the proof copy of The Collected Cloak by Mike Higgs (with an introduction by Alan Moore) arrived yesterday. I am really happy with it. This is my first foray into international comic publishing*, as Diamond UK are going to be soliciting this book next month. I'm going to be working on a Media Release soon, and the Store page on this website is now open to take pre-orders from Australian readers. (Click here for details.) *Of course, Graeme Cliffe's book on Australian comics From 'Sunbeams' to Sunset...(available by clicking here)... was my first book that sold overseas, but Mike's will be the first one designed for the overseas market.

Other books still in the pipeline: a four-volume set on Australian artist/creative Moira Bertram, another Air Hawk volume (Don Ticchio has begun scanning the artwork for this one), and there's a book featuring Australian comic strip cartoonists (called Comic Strip Gallery) that is starting to take shape. There are a couple of others in the pipeline too, but let's talk about those another day...!

In the meantime, I'm not sure what's happening with the Comic Arts Awards of Australia. I've sent a quick message to the organiser, and hope I can provide a date and location for you in my next post...

I'm just a little pushed for time today, but have spent the morning in a productive manner (well, by my estimation!) by updating my webstore. I've added a comic (Preston Peace/Battlers Inc) that Dillon Naylor and I (as well as designer Jeremy Macpherson) are presently running on Kickstarter. (Here's the link.) I've also added the Air Hawk volume that is receiving nice plaudits from those who pledged for it recently on Kickstarter, and I've also added this Collected Cloak book (see left) and made it available for pre-orders. I've not had much time to write here, but the Cloak book is the first of my books to be marketed for an overseas (United Kingdom) audience. Since last I wrote, Diamond UK have agreed to solicit the book in August ready for an October release, which is all pretty exciting. Yes, I can now say that I am an international publisher!
In the meantime, domestically, I am heading off to Bendigo to celebrate Miss Lollie's 18th birthday, before I prepare to head off to Japan on a ten-day holiday with one of my daughters. (Mrs K decided not to travel, so it's just the two of us.) I'm going to have to leave the Comic Store unattended during those times (from August 17 to September 1, and again from 17th to the 26th September). At least I think that's when we're travelling: I thought I had placed the itinerary on the fridge, but it seems to have 'gone missing'. I'll have to go and find it...giving me something to do to fill my afternoon...! 

No sooner had I completed the Kickstarter for John Dixon's Complete Air Hawk Dailies, Volume 6, than I agreed to Dillon Naylor's request that we put out a comic collecting the complete Preston Peace and Battlers Inc comics in one volume. Whom am I to say "no" when I was one of the first people to actually publish the original series?! Preston Peace first appeared in Oi Oi Oi! (in Issue #7 for those who may have forgotten), with Battlers Inc having their first outing in the hardcover anthology volume Australia!

While I'm working on getting the Air Hawk volume in the mail - and the job is nearly complete - I've been working on Preston's Kickstarter. For the next few days, there's an "Early Bird" special price being run in the campaign. You can check it out by clicking here! 

In the meantime, there's a few other things going on. I'm extremely honoured to be selected to be judging the Rotary Cartoon Awards again this year (for the third year in a row, and for the fourth time in total). I'm also going to make an appearance at the Institute of Modern Art's Zine Fair on the 13th June (between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) being held at the Judith Wright Centre. Entry is FREE for everyone who comes along! Details by clicking here. A week later (on 20th June), there's Brisbane Comic Creator's Market being held from 10 a.m. (to 3 p.m.) at Comics Plus (478A Ipswich Road, Annerley). Please come along and say "Hullo!", so I can show off some of my comics/books and talk about...well, anything you like!!

Nothing else I need to say, right?! I AM excited though...

I've been so busy with this, and other activities, that I have not had time to attend to what was once my regular daily posts on Facebook! Still, you are reading things here first! Another book project that I have just recently begun working on is going to be called Comic Strip Gallery: Comic Strips from Members of the Australian Cartoonists Association. That's all I am going to be saying at this point in time. Perhaps more news next month!

Sadly, this year I won't be able to be there. My granddaughter Lollie is turning 18 on the 24th, so we will be celebrating that milestone in Bendigo, Victoria. Long-term readers of this blog may remember the appearances of Lollie, and will be as amazed as I am how quickly the time has passed. Eighteen! Wowsers! How long have I been writing this blog?!!

I have spent the past two days trying to find a UK printer for my most recent publication, The Collected Cloak by Mike Higgs. The files are ready to print, even though we have had other difficulties in the process over the past few months. It's been a dog's breakfast trying to get someone from Rebellion -- who say they own the copyright to the property -- to contact me about the works. So much so, I am giving up on them! (Until they get back in touch with me at least..!) Mike has drawn a brand-new pin-up page for the volume, and we are overjoyed with Alan Moore's Introduction. Initially we said we would be happy with a 25-word introduction: but we were give many wonderful pages! (And that is all I am going to say for now!) We're presently looking to lock in a printer (which we hope to do in the next few days) and -- all being well -- we are also hoping to have Diamond UK distribute the book. There's a few ducks to line up first, but (as always) I am ever hopeful that it won't be long before all is ready...! Ryan McDonald-Smith has done an absolutely outstanding job with the design of the book and it would be remiss of me not to mention his contribution here because he just as much a part of this team!

Finally, expected from the printer at the beginning of May will be the final printed copies of our Air Hawk volume by John Dixon (with some work by Keith Chatto within the pages). I am looking forward to this more that anything. We used a new printer for the book, so my anxiety about this is (perhaps naturally) a little higher than usual. The book has taken a lot longer than any of us involved in the production expected, but it will really be worth the wait.

That's about all I have time for today. I'm being summoned to dinner. Tomorrow is another "comic-free day" that Mrs K sometimes demands of me, and something that I feel I owe her, given the sacrifices she makes in allowing me to follow my passion in publishing the best Australian comics for all you good people in comic-land!

Meanwhile, late last month, I was fortunate enough to attend a Queensland Writer's Centre's event: GenreCon, with the specialty this year being ... just up my alley ... Graphic Novels!! Attending were some welcome comic guests known to me: (Doctor) Queenie Chan, Nick Rees, and Scott Wilson. I also caught up with creative Ken Best, who was there to pitch a graphic novel. In a special section of the weekend, writers were given the opportunity to share the precis of a novel to a commercial publisher (Hardie Grant) to see if any budding authors were likely to be picked up by a publisher. And, you know what? I had the same idea! So, just after Ken, I pitched a book about Australian comic book artist Moira Bertram to Marisa Pintado from Hardie Grant.

I had spent two whole days (Thursday and Friday) writing out and rehearsing my planned speech! And then, when the Saturday appointment came, I was told I didn't need a speech: just an ability to share the book proposal! Was I nervous!! The project is one that Neville Bain, Graeme Cliffe, and Jeremy Macpherson and I have been working on this year, so I had enough material to share with Marisa. Fortunately for me, she overlooked my nerves and appeared really interested in the idea. I was so nervous, I honestly forgot all the tips and suggestions she made!! In any case, since then, we have been further invited to submit a proposal and share more samples of the proposed book to Marisa (for the Hatchette publishing company) ... which we plan to carry out next week ...! More to come!  (That is... To Be Continued...)

In the meantime, I'm assuming my role as Lead Judge in the Ledger of Honour for the Comic Arts Awards of Australia later in the year. It's been a much more difficult task than in previous years, and the search for this year's recipients (Living Ledger of Honour, "Dead-Set" Ledger of Honour) is continuing... even to the point of keeping myself off Facebook for a period of time!