The above live-streamed video was recorded on Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024. It gives you an audio/visual history of my life (not necessarily just about comics either). It's more up-to-date information about me than what I wrote here (below) earlier, although I shall keep what I have written there there as it probably is just as relevant for those who are interested/curious to know more about me. (Something that, I must confess, baffles me!) There were omissions, I freely confess. (Somewhat embarrassingly, The Men Behind Superman by Thomas Campi and Julian Voloj was one that I recognised I had forgotten ... just after finishing the "chinwag".)
Photo taken by my wife Carlene on one of our comic-free days; visiting Wynnum, a bayside suburb of Brisbane on the occasion of my 58th birthday.
Please note: This article below was originally written in late 2016. [*Updates will be added periodically in brackets like this.]
Comicoz is my publishing imprint. Just in case there are any people out there who may be interested in knowing a little more about the person behind Comicoz and this web-page (that is, me!), this page is for you. There is nothing quite like a request for an interview to allow one to reflect on oneself and the journey taken to get to here. In December 2016, I was asked by Julie Ditrich, Founder and CEO of Comics Mastermind (click here for the link), to submit responses to questions she wanted to know the answers to. I have already posted these answers on my "Comic Related News" Blog that is updated when time allows, but because the original Blog entry is likely to be eventually submerged under all the comic events that take place in my life (and not all are recorded, given my busy schedule), and because it seemed such a reasonably good reflection of who I am and where I am going I decided to re-post it here. I must say that I am usually uncomfortable talking about me: the message to my mind is highlighting the amazing array of cartoonists and comic book artists that live or have lived in this country, and I would rather talk about and praise them and their works than talk about me. However, for what it is worth, these are my responses to Julie's questions and to let you know how I fit into the world of the Australian scene. To be honest, I feel my publishing output says more, so once you finish here why not head over to the Store and see if there are any new books or comics on Australian cartoonists and artists that you might like to support...
Comicoz is my publishing imprint. Just in case there are any people out there who may be interested in knowing a little more about the person behind Comicoz and this web-page (that is, me!), this page is for you. There is nothing quite like a request for an interview to allow one to reflect on oneself and the journey taken to get to here. In December 2016, I was asked by Julie Ditrich, Founder and CEO of Comics Mastermind (click here for the link), to submit responses to questions she wanted to know the answers to. I have already posted these answers on my "Comic Related News" Blog that is updated when time allows, but because the original Blog entry is likely to be eventually submerged under all the comic events that take place in my life (and not all are recorded, given my busy schedule), and because it seemed such a reasonably good reflection of who I am and where I am going I decided to re-post it here. I must say that I am usually uncomfortable talking about me: the message to my mind is highlighting the amazing array of cartoonists and comic book artists that live or have lived in this country, and I would rather talk about and praise them and their works than talk about me. However, for what it is worth, these are my responses to Julie's questions and to let you know how I fit into the world of the Australian scene. To be honest, I feel my publishing output says more, so once you finish here why not head over to the Store and see if there are any new books or comics on Australian cartoonists and artists that you might like to support...
Cover Artwork by John Dixon, Cover Designed and Coloured by Gary Chaloner; A Cyclone Comics/Comicoz co-production. This was my first comic to appear in the Australian newsagents - in the Summer of 1988. John Dixon was the first Australian artist whose work I admired and championed -- and still do, as he is my favourite.
How long have you been working in comics and in what capacity or role?
I'm a publisher. When I was in primary school (in the late 1960s), I wanted to be a cartoonist. However, in the early 1970s I read a newspaper article featuring the Australian comic historian John Ryan. This article first inspired me to consider becoming an Australian comic book publisher. I wrote to John detailing my 'plans', and he was kind enough to write back to me. He shared his own plans to write a book on the history of Australian comics and sent me many of his monographs. These detailed numerous past Australian comics and artists (including John Dixon). The die was set! In 1976, still a teenager with dreams, I self-published my very first comic book; and I have been publishing Australian comics on and off ever since. [*March 2024 update: Perhaps a lot more seriously since 2011.]
Do you consider yourself a hobbyist, pro-am or professional?
I try to ensure that all of my publications are professionally presented. However, only "Ned Kelly, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd" has been selected for distribution in Australian booksellers' shelves. Until all of the books that I publish become best sellers (or even break even!) I have to consider myself merely a hobbyist. My accountant agrees. [*Since writing this, the Distributor of Ned Kelly has gone into liquidation, so I currently have no books on the booksellers' shelves. Sadly.] [**Since writing that, I secured another distributor (Novella Distribution) who did distribute more of my books, only to have also gone under! As I write this update, in March 2024, I am again without a distributor!]
What category of comics do you predominantly work in? (i.e. comic books, graphic novels, comic strips, web comics, zines / mini comics, digital comics, other)
At time of writing [*updated in March 2024], I have self-published twenty-one comic books (with ten distributed on the Australian newsstands, and one internationally) and eleven comic-related books; and with more in various stages of completion. I also edited fourteen issues of the Australian Cartoonists' Association's journal Inkspot. While I appreciate a good zine, like reading web comics, and I am passionate about comic strips, these are not areas I have personally worked in.
I'm a publisher. When I was in primary school (in the late 1960s), I wanted to be a cartoonist. However, in the early 1970s I read a newspaper article featuring the Australian comic historian John Ryan. This article first inspired me to consider becoming an Australian comic book publisher. I wrote to John detailing my 'plans', and he was kind enough to write back to me. He shared his own plans to write a book on the history of Australian comics and sent me many of his monographs. These detailed numerous past Australian comics and artists (including John Dixon). The die was set! In 1976, still a teenager with dreams, I self-published my very first comic book; and I have been publishing Australian comics on and off ever since. [*March 2024 update: Perhaps a lot more seriously since 2011.]
Do you consider yourself a hobbyist, pro-am or professional?
I try to ensure that all of my publications are professionally presented. However, only "Ned Kelly, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd" has been selected for distribution in Australian booksellers' shelves. Until all of the books that I publish become best sellers (or even break even!) I have to consider myself merely a hobbyist. My accountant agrees. [*Since writing this, the Distributor of Ned Kelly has gone into liquidation, so I currently have no books on the booksellers' shelves. Sadly.] [**Since writing that, I secured another distributor (Novella Distribution) who did distribute more of my books, only to have also gone under! As I write this update, in March 2024, I am again without a distributor!]
What category of comics do you predominantly work in? (i.e. comic books, graphic novels, comic strips, web comics, zines / mini comics, digital comics, other)
At time of writing [*updated in March 2024], I have self-published twenty-one comic books (with ten distributed on the Australian newsstands, and one internationally) and eleven comic-related books; and with more in various stages of completion. I also edited fourteen issues of the Australian Cartoonists' Association's journal Inkspot. While I appreciate a good zine, like reading web comics, and I am passionate about comic strips, these are not areas I have personally worked in.
This is only a draft of the cover of a book by Graeme Cliffe that I am presently working on. The cover was designed by Neville Bain. I am really excited about this book, because it is one that will stand the test of time. (In my opinion, of course!) *As I update this page, the book is soon due back from the printer any day now. The cover is a little different, but the contents will be what will blow people away -- there is a lot of detail in there!
What three published or unpublished works are you most proud of in your comics career or journey and why?
I tend to look forwards rather than backwards. So, although I am very proud of my back-catalogue, I am most proud of the books that are going to be published. [*In March 2024, I stand by this statement. I'm not going to change much of what I wrote here, although I have published more books and comics since my original 2016 reply.] Three of the titles that I plan to release later in 2017 all under my Comicoz imprint:
1. From "Sunbeams" to Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Australian Comic Book (1924 to 1965). The material is completely written by Graeme Cliffe, after about nineteen years of extensive research. This book is the most comprehensive examination of Australia's Golden Age of comic books ever. Even -- dare I say it?! -- putting John Ryan's Panel by Panel in the shade. This will be the seminal book on the topic in years to come: it has to be published! [*March 2024 update: It was published and still available. See the Store page for details.]
2. A collected volume of Gary Chaloner's Cyclone Comics works from the 1980s. In 1988, Gary gave me the opportunity to see my Air Hawk comic book series in the Australian newsagents for the first time; so in some ways, this book is my opportunity to repay the favour to him. [*March 2024 update: Gary has deferred - permanently? - this project, although I nag him about it from time to time!]
3. A John Dixon retrospective that I plan to market to the Overseas market. (My two Air Hawk books have sold more copies to overseas readers than all other books that I have published combined.) I know I am biased, but I believe John is one of the greats of the Australian comic scene, and I don't want his legacy to ever be forgotten. [*March 2024 update: I've just recently published another Air Hawk comic, with plans to publish more in the immediate future. Including some for the overseas market. You heard it here first!]
What title / project are you currently working on?
Bold Ben Hall - An Authentic Biography, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd. Again, my Comicoz imprint is the publisher, with the late Monty Wedd the creator. I am most proud of this book project, as it is a massive undertaking, running at over 400 pages long. As far as I know, Bold Ben Hall was the longest continually-running single comic strip adventure to appear in Australian newspapers. [*March 2024 update. Bold Ben Hall was and shall most likely remain the biggest book I ever worked on. For more details on my current project/s, please read the updated, continuing blog about my comic life!]
From a comic perspective: I plan on releasing another issue of Oi Oi Oi! and a series of Magpie for the local and international market is in the early stages of production. [*April 2019 update. While this was - and is - true when I wrote this, I am at the whims of the creators. I am waiting for Magpie's creative team to send me more product. I still do plan on releasing another Oi Oi Oi! - and I feel it will be the final issue - although I cannot presently say when that will be. There are just too many books to publish!] [**March 2024: I remain somewhat annoyed with myself for not publishing another - and likely final - issue of Oi Oi Oi! as it would have been the tenth, and a nice way to finish it off. Andrez and Frantz never did competed the next installment in the Magpie saga, and I didn't publish the final episode of Seven. Artists who sent me works for another issue have even passed away since the last came to light! As a reader, I always hated Australian comics that promised that "next issue" would be even greater than the one just read, only to learn that it was never published. Yet, here I was/am, doing exactly that. I even had cover artworks paid for and completed in preparation for another three more issues...]
I tend to look forwards rather than backwards. So, although I am very proud of my back-catalogue, I am most proud of the books that are going to be published. [*In March 2024, I stand by this statement. I'm not going to change much of what I wrote here, although I have published more books and comics since my original 2016 reply.] Three of the titles that I plan to release later in 2017 all under my Comicoz imprint:
1. From "Sunbeams" to Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Australian Comic Book (1924 to 1965). The material is completely written by Graeme Cliffe, after about nineteen years of extensive research. This book is the most comprehensive examination of Australia's Golden Age of comic books ever. Even -- dare I say it?! -- putting John Ryan's Panel by Panel in the shade. This will be the seminal book on the topic in years to come: it has to be published! [*March 2024 update: It was published and still available. See the Store page for details.]
2. A collected volume of Gary Chaloner's Cyclone Comics works from the 1980s. In 1988, Gary gave me the opportunity to see my Air Hawk comic book series in the Australian newsagents for the first time; so in some ways, this book is my opportunity to repay the favour to him. [*March 2024 update: Gary has deferred - permanently? - this project, although I nag him about it from time to time!]
3. A John Dixon retrospective that I plan to market to the Overseas market. (My two Air Hawk books have sold more copies to overseas readers than all other books that I have published combined.) I know I am biased, but I believe John is one of the greats of the Australian comic scene, and I don't want his legacy to ever be forgotten. [*March 2024 update: I've just recently published another Air Hawk comic, with plans to publish more in the immediate future. Including some for the overseas market. You heard it here first!]
What title / project are you currently working on?
Bold Ben Hall - An Authentic Biography, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd. Again, my Comicoz imprint is the publisher, with the late Monty Wedd the creator. I am most proud of this book project, as it is a massive undertaking, running at over 400 pages long. As far as I know, Bold Ben Hall was the longest continually-running single comic strip adventure to appear in Australian newspapers. [*March 2024 update. Bold Ben Hall was and shall most likely remain the biggest book I ever worked on. For more details on my current project/s, please read the updated, continuing blog about my comic life!]
From a comic perspective: I plan on releasing another issue of Oi Oi Oi! and a series of Magpie for the local and international market is in the early stages of production. [*April 2019 update. While this was - and is - true when I wrote this, I am at the whims of the creators. I am waiting for Magpie's creative team to send me more product. I still do plan on releasing another Oi Oi Oi! - and I feel it will be the final issue - although I cannot presently say when that will be. There are just too many books to publish!] [**March 2024: I remain somewhat annoyed with myself for not publishing another - and likely final - issue of Oi Oi Oi! as it would have been the tenth, and a nice way to finish it off. Andrez and Frantz never did competed the next installment in the Magpie saga, and I didn't publish the final episode of Seven. Artists who sent me works for another issue have even passed away since the last came to light! As a reader, I always hated Australian comics that promised that "next issue" would be even greater than the one just read, only to learn that it was never published. Yet, here I was/am, doing exactly that. I even had cover artworks paid for and completed in preparation for another three more issues...]
I didn't include the book, "Joe Shuster" (to be published by Comicoz) in my reply, because I am unsure when it will be available for publication. I understand the artwork is almost complete. Illustrated by Sydney-based artist Thomas Campi, I really believe this work will be Thomas' break-through in the American market. The story tells the tale of Joe Shuster, the co-creator of the comic book character Superman. Since I wrote this, I have actually published this book - and see it go on and win the 2019 Gold Ledger Award for artist Thomas Campi: an honour indeed to have published it. The book's title changed for the Australian audience, too: "Truth, Justice and the American Dream: The Men Behind Superman". See the Store tab for more details!
Which three comics creators have been your biggest influence and why?
1. My Father introduced me to the wonderful world of comics at a very early age, when he must have brought home every age-appropriate comic on the market. I was 'reading' comics before I could read. Newspaper comic strips were a natural extension of this when I could read.
2. John Ryan. John gave me a sense of the history of the Australian comic medium that, up until then, I was totally unaware of. He also was the first to introduce me to the earlier works of John Dixon, which I had then been previously been ignorant of.
3. Writer Andrez (Andrew) Bergen. To be honest, I was really rocked by Andrew's illness late in 2016. Following the release of the character of Magpie in my comic anthology Oi Oi Oi!, we (Andrez, Magpie co-creator Frantz Kantor and I) had made plan to meet in Melbourne in late August (2016) to formulate plans for an international release of Magpie when Andrez fell ill. At the time, I thought he had stood us up at the planned meeting. It was only on my return to Queensland that I learnt the true extent of his illness, and I was horrified (and, I admit, a little embarrassed by my earlier thoughts). It has lead me to re-evaluate my Life. Although I am nearly 60 years of age, and conscious that I have only a few years available to me to get as much published material out there, I am also now aware that I need to be kinder on myself and not push myself as hard. Although I still have my comic book plans (some of which I have already described), they are not the be-all and end-all that they once used to be. Some of the other recent events in my personal life over the past few months have really underlined this. [*Update March 2024. This remains true. I have given away the pressure of a quarterly magazine, but still have that desire to publish, publish, publish! I wish I were younger to publish all the things I want to. I wish I had published more comics and wasted less time on things that no longer matter. But that's a man almost 70 years of age looking back, I suppose.]
What three personal attributes or core values have contributed to your success?
An 'ability' to work with little sleep! No, seriously, I have a saying that I subscribe to and that I think really sums up my personal attributes: "I strive to have the strength to change what I can, the inability to accept what I cannot, and the incapacity to tell the difference". (Bill Watterson said this first in a Calvin and Hobbes strip.) [*March 2024: Hallelujah! Place this on my funeral's order of service: it's what I believe today, and perhaps what I have believed and always shall believe all my life!]
1. My Father introduced me to the wonderful world of comics at a very early age, when he must have brought home every age-appropriate comic on the market. I was 'reading' comics before I could read. Newspaper comic strips were a natural extension of this when I could read.
2. John Ryan. John gave me a sense of the history of the Australian comic medium that, up until then, I was totally unaware of. He also was the first to introduce me to the earlier works of John Dixon, which I had then been previously been ignorant of.
3. Writer Andrez (Andrew) Bergen. To be honest, I was really rocked by Andrew's illness late in 2016. Following the release of the character of Magpie in my comic anthology Oi Oi Oi!, we (Andrez, Magpie co-creator Frantz Kantor and I) had made plan to meet in Melbourne in late August (2016) to formulate plans for an international release of Magpie when Andrez fell ill. At the time, I thought he had stood us up at the planned meeting. It was only on my return to Queensland that I learnt the true extent of his illness, and I was horrified (and, I admit, a little embarrassed by my earlier thoughts). It has lead me to re-evaluate my Life. Although I am nearly 60 years of age, and conscious that I have only a few years available to me to get as much published material out there, I am also now aware that I need to be kinder on myself and not push myself as hard. Although I still have my comic book plans (some of which I have already described), they are not the be-all and end-all that they once used to be. Some of the other recent events in my personal life over the past few months have really underlined this. [*Update March 2024. This remains true. I have given away the pressure of a quarterly magazine, but still have that desire to publish, publish, publish! I wish I were younger to publish all the things I want to. I wish I had published more comics and wasted less time on things that no longer matter. But that's a man almost 70 years of age looking back, I suppose.]
What three personal attributes or core values have contributed to your success?
An 'ability' to work with little sleep! No, seriously, I have a saying that I subscribe to and that I think really sums up my personal attributes: "I strive to have the strength to change what I can, the inability to accept what I cannot, and the incapacity to tell the difference". (Bill Watterson said this first in a Calvin and Hobbes strip.) [*March 2024: Hallelujah! Place this on my funeral's order of service: it's what I believe today, and perhaps what I have believed and always shall believe all my life!]
I am often asked which is my favourite Oi Oi Oi! cover. It is a bit like having to name your favourite child. This week, I like the Special Nostalgia Edition, with the cover illustration by Glenn Lumsden and designed by Ryan McDonald-Smith. But next week, it may be Issue #1 because it was the first.... Or Issue #2 because it was nominated for a Ledger Award. Or Issue #4....
What three personal challenges have hindered you in the past and that you are working to overcome?
First and foremost, a lack of time. I still work full-time, and have a wife and family. My wife, who is not really a comic fan, does (rightly) expect that I spend some time with her rather than in front of a computer attending to emails and working on the latest publishing projects, or attending comic-related events.
Linking the first point, my life has had - and also has, present tense - many unfortunate personal family dramas that make Home and Away look tame, and that in the past have kept me out of the comic game for many years. Some of them still impact on our day-to-day life. (Most people do not know them, and I tend not to speak of them. Here is not the place.)
I suppose from a creative point of view, most of my comic-related projects have been costly exercises, in that I have lost a lot of money on most of them (with the possible exception of Ned Kelly). And there are only limited funds for all these projects.
There are little ways to overcome the personal family challenges; I could choose to live alone and ignore the dramas. But, then, please refer to my earlier quote from Bill Watterson! From the financial position, I think crowd-funding is a recent innovation that pleases me no end. The fact that many people have supported my projects by buying my books and magazines is also a source of gratification that makes it all seem worthwhile. [*March 2024 update. There's little here to add, except that I'm not as big a fan of crowd-funding these days, and am working on alternative options. And I am no longer working full-time. Time still remains a mystery to me (as the late Jimmy Buffet once said). But otherwise, I'll let these statements stand.]
Do you belong to a comics group or network?
I am presently the Deputy President of the Australian Cartoonists' Association. With the assistance of Phil Judd and Chris Barr, I also edit their quarterly journal Inkspot. The Australian Cartoonists Association is the world's oldest cartooning organisation, and was first established in Sydney in 1924. www.cartoonists.org.au is the link. [As I update this page in late April 2019, I am now a mere Committee Member of the ACA. I still edit Inkspot, although my assistants have changed over the years. Currently it is Steve Panozzo. Phil still assists.] [**March 2024 update. I'm no longer on the ACA committee, a position I proudly held for seven years. I edited Inkspot for fourteen issues, and was proudest of the fact that I released an issue every quarter during my tenure. I had one attempt at becoming President of the ACA, losing to Cathy Wilcox. These days, I'm content enough to be a reader of, and occasional contributor to, Inkspot. I've been Lead Judge in the now-two Ledger of Honour committees for what's now known as the Comic Arts Awards of Australia for the past seven or so years. But otherwise, I'm pretty isolative in my comics activities, and happy with it the way it is.]
Where do you want to be in three to five years?
Older. Wiser. Not really happier, as I am pretty content as it is. I also hope to still be reasonably healthy; because without that at my age, you have nothing. [*March 2024 update. Still my goals. Still living a fortunate life.]
First and foremost, a lack of time. I still work full-time, and have a wife and family. My wife, who is not really a comic fan, does (rightly) expect that I spend some time with her rather than in front of a computer attending to emails and working on the latest publishing projects, or attending comic-related events.
Linking the first point, my life has had - and also has, present tense - many unfortunate personal family dramas that make Home and Away look tame, and that in the past have kept me out of the comic game for many years. Some of them still impact on our day-to-day life. (Most people do not know them, and I tend not to speak of them. Here is not the place.)
I suppose from a creative point of view, most of my comic-related projects have been costly exercises, in that I have lost a lot of money on most of them (with the possible exception of Ned Kelly). And there are only limited funds for all these projects.
There are little ways to overcome the personal family challenges; I could choose to live alone and ignore the dramas. But, then, please refer to my earlier quote from Bill Watterson! From the financial position, I think crowd-funding is a recent innovation that pleases me no end. The fact that many people have supported my projects by buying my books and magazines is also a source of gratification that makes it all seem worthwhile. [*March 2024 update. There's little here to add, except that I'm not as big a fan of crowd-funding these days, and am working on alternative options. And I am no longer working full-time. Time still remains a mystery to me (as the late Jimmy Buffet once said). But otherwise, I'll let these statements stand.]
Do you belong to a comics group or network?
I am presently the Deputy President of the Australian Cartoonists' Association. With the assistance of Phil Judd and Chris Barr, I also edit their quarterly journal Inkspot. The Australian Cartoonists Association is the world's oldest cartooning organisation, and was first established in Sydney in 1924. www.cartoonists.org.au is the link. [As I update this page in late April 2019, I am now a mere Committee Member of the ACA. I still edit Inkspot, although my assistants have changed over the years. Currently it is Steve Panozzo. Phil still assists.] [**March 2024 update. I'm no longer on the ACA committee, a position I proudly held for seven years. I edited Inkspot for fourteen issues, and was proudest of the fact that I released an issue every quarter during my tenure. I had one attempt at becoming President of the ACA, losing to Cathy Wilcox. These days, I'm content enough to be a reader of, and occasional contributor to, Inkspot. I've been Lead Judge in the now-two Ledger of Honour committees for what's now known as the Comic Arts Awards of Australia for the past seven or so years. But otherwise, I'm pretty isolative in my comics activities, and happy with it the way it is.]
Where do you want to be in three to five years?
Older. Wiser. Not really happier, as I am pretty content as it is. I also hope to still be reasonably healthy; because without that at my age, you have nothing. [*March 2024 update. Still my goals. Still living a fortunate life.]
The 150+ page "Trundle" hardcover book by Neil Matterson (with cover design by Ryan McDonald-Smith) is one of my favourite books that I have published, even though it has only sold less than twenty copies...
August 2021 Postscript. Well, I've been updating this webpage-blog monthly for over ten years now, and this particular page is looking a little dated ... even though I updated it in 2019! I'm five years older and, maybe, just a little wiser. (Maybe.) Graeme's book has been published, but Gary's and the Air Hawk volume have not been. I had initially thought Graeme's book would be the pinnacle of my publishing career, and for a while there I felt I wasn't going to publish any more comic-related books, but somehow that idea has gone by the wayside. Many are now in development. Sometimes life just gets in the way of the publishing, sometimes other opportunities present themselves. I'm still a Committee Member of the Australian Cartoonists Association, although I no longer edit their journal Inkspot and I am still Lead Judge for the Ledger of Honour Awards (although the overall Awards are no longer known as the Ledgers). I may end up my association with both over time (to allow myself more time in my pending work retirement to read more comics, and to spend more time with Carlene) but that time has not yet arrived. All things considered, nothing much has changed: I remain happy with my lot, despite my children reporting that I am becoming a little more deaf (confirmed recently with a hearing test) ... !