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UA-139927741-1
I'm typing this blog on July 30th, which has seen a couple of days bringing sad news to the Australian comics community. Firstly, yesterday we learnt of the passing of 105-year cartoonist Vane Lindesay; and in the early hours of this morning, Michael Mercier, son of the famed cartoonist/comic creator Emile, died after an illness. In between all this sadness, Michael's partner Donna, with Dahna Knight and I have been offered the great honour of judging the winners of the 2026 Rotary Cartoon Awards, to be announced at the National Cartoon Gallery ('The Bunker') in Coffs Harbour on the 12th August. Unfortunately, I will be in Bendigo, Victoria, on the night of the formal announcement, so I won't be able to share this blog until after that date... Here are the winners and runners up (for posterity)...and the Rotary Cartoon of the Year... Caricature category:
Politics category:
Comic Strip category:  First Prize: Ian Jones  Runner-Up: Phil Day Sport Category:
Special Category - In the Future:  First Prize: Tony Lopes  Runner-Up: Peter Player OVERALL Cartoon of the Year... The Cartoon of the Year is usually chosen from one of the winners from each category. Perhaps what will surprise many, is that we overturned the rules this time around. Here's what I wrote about the cartoon selection (before we all decided): "The cartoon looks simple. The colouring exceptional. The message profound. And funny too." Which one was it....??! The 2026 Rotary Cartoon of the Year is....  "That comic strips have disappeared from newspapers will be viewed in the future with -- I hope -- disbelief. How could we let such an artform disappear? It's one reason why the National Cartoon Gallery is needed, not only as a reminder of the power of cartoons, but to preserve the medium for the Australian people of the future."
Our congratulations to Peter Player! |
Comicoz is Nat Karmichael's publishing imprint. Nat is committed to preserving a permanent collection of Australian comic and comic strips. He feels that there is a need to recognise comics' contribution to and depiction of Australian culture.
Nat Karmichael.
In 2024, the Australian Cartoonists Association bestowed Nat the honour of The Jim Russell Award for his "outstanding contribution to Australian cartooning". He is available for public speaking. Since 2011, Nat has self-published over twelve comic-related books and many more comics. He is presently the Membership Secretary of the Australian Cartoonists Association. He is the Lead Judge in the Ledger of Honour Awards for the Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly the Ledgers). Nat has now retired and spends most of his time with his long-suffering wife, occasionally seeing their six children and fourteen grandchildren. He still plans to publish more comics and comic-related books, the details of which you should see here on this website in the coming months... 
Nat by Charlotte
Comicoz acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay respects to elders, past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to all First Nations peoples.
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Australian Publications since 1976:
1 x Poster 19 x comics (one a co-production with Cyclone Comics in 1988/9, one a co-production with Cowtown Comics in 2022) 2 x Paperback books 10 x Hardcover books All Australian!
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