A Busy Month just passed by...

I'm desperately typing this before my 6*th birthday (okay, okay, it's my 68th birthday) tomorrow! And I'm left wondering why I find it so hard to keep this blog up to date. No, not really wondering: there's so much happening in Comicoz HQ, that it's just plain difficult to keep up to speed. I do try to keep all the up-to-date news here first. And so, let's do that...!
Over the past twelve months I have been trying to secure the rights to a comic strip that first appeared in the 1940s. And, earlier this month, I was informed that the Durack family are not interested in reprinting Nungaree & Jungarree. The 53 Instalments appeared in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph from March 1942 and ran until February 1943. Given the family's background, I feel that a reprinting of the feature could have helped raise the profile of comics as a serious artform in this country (as happens in Japan, Europe), rather than the sad perception in Australia that it's a juvenile and disposable commodity. Still, I shall respect the family's wishes. (Anyone interested in learning more about Elizabeth and Mary Durack, here's a recent radio broadcast talking about them. Please click here.) 

​Of course, it's not the first time I have had my hopes dashed! There are so many comics that are deserving of publishing...and only limited time to do it! Others that I have attempted to publish in the past included biographies on the Ginger Meggs' cartoonists by former Bulletin editor Lindsay Foyle, Stanley and Reg Pitt's Silver Starr and other works, Coogan by Peter Player, and the two that I most regret: Syd Miller's Us Girls and Verity Aloha by Michal Dutkiewicz. Of course, there were various and individual reasons why these didn't go ahead (which I need not get into here). Sometimes there hasn't been an official "no" and more "not at this time" which has me ever hopeful...that...one day....! (Jackaroo and Flash Damingo by Gary Chaloner comes to mind!)

Still, ever forward is the way to go! There are still books to publish and discoveries to find! I'm ever grateful for the opportunity to have published some works that I didn't expect to publish. Pop Culture & 2 Minute Noodles is one: Dillon Naylor's co-creation (with James Paisley) of five characters within a share house in the inner Melbourne 'suburb' of FitzKilda! The book has only just been released and collects - for the very first time - all the stories from the 1990s Drivel comic before it branched into its own comic of the same name (Pop Culture & 2 Minute Noodles). What I like about the book is that not only does it collect all the obscure comics the characters appeared in during its run, but that there are new stories that may have been written in the era (but never published) and illustrated by a wide array of cartoonists. The book is a reflection of those times. I'll be placing it on my Store site as soon as I have enough copies to sell. (And, for a limited time, I'll be offering - free! - a 32-page "Supplemental Issue" to go with it!  (*See below.) In the meantime, I'm desperately trying to get copies out to meet the needs of all the people that supported the project in my recent Kickstarter.

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Above: The almost-300 page hard cover book. Right: the 32-page comic...

Speaking of Kickstarters, Iron Outlaw is now in the hands of everyone who supported its Kickstarter run. I was a little concerned that the feature (that only ran for a year in 1970-1) would be too obscure and that I would not reach the target. How foolish am I! There were two videos made during the campaign: one by Rob Feldman and one by Ryan McDonald-Smith. Well, between them both, the goal was reached, the books have been sent out to all the supporters, and I couldn't be happier! I'm extremely proud of this book...

And, speaking of Rob, he came with his family up to Brisbane a little while ago, and I returned the favour by coming down to Sydney (for the comic festival SCAMP) and caught up with quite a few people. (And not everyone could be caught up with: Tony Lopes, Andrew Dixon...)

Of course, not everything is fun and games. Rob Feldman kindly accommodated and chauffeured me around Sydney. We caught up with Air Hawk designer Don Ticchio soon after he had his heart surgery. And since my Sydney visit, I ended up with some heart issues of my own (none that required surgery, thankfully). As a result of Don's surgery, the Air Hawk book has been delayed (although now back on track): Health before Comics. Always. I really am fortunate to have lived a relatively healthy life...

On return from Sydney, things have not really slowed down any (hence, my delay in posting on this blog)! Graeme Cliffe and I were invited by Drew Roller to speak on comics/Ned Kelly/Monty Wedd/Iron Outlaw on a documentary he's producing (and planning to have completed in 2025). And did you think Graeme and I would not take up the opportunity?! We were invited to speak at Lawrence Daniels' Comic Book Cafe for the recording session that took place earlier this month (on 5th December). The theme of the documentary is - as I understand it - to talk of Ned Kelly's impact on Australia's culture, in film, comics, music, books...

Graeme remembering another important fact...

Drew Roller preparing his equipment...

A scene from the documentary. All copyright given to Drew...!

And the day after...it was time to welcome Dillon Naylor to Brisbane for his Pop Culture 2 Minute Noodles book launch. A (very) small crowd. Well, I was disappointed (and perhaps a little embarrassed): plugging it frequently - almost daily in fact - on Facebook and getting only ten people show up. At least his Melbourne show, a week later, was well-attended and Dillon sold out of all the books he brought along!

So, where does that leave us? Time for some scoops? (This will see who reads all the posts!) I've been invited to judge the Comic Arts Awards of Australia for the 2024 year. Much more daunting that I thought! I spent a good amount of time considering my verdicts (which I shall refrain from disclosing here). I'm not sure who the other good judges were/are, and nothing has been discussed collectively just yet. The event is going ahead (despite my earlier concern that it was going by the wayside), and I am fully supportive of it. So, keep January 31st free! Tickets are available ($25 each, to attend in person, or $25 to join the live stream (which is what I opted for). There's also an option to donate something extra (which is what I also opted for).

Want to join the event? Click here. It's being held at the New South Wales State Library from 6.30pm. There are a lot of things I don't know about it (so don't ask me!): Will there be a Platinum Award? Will there be a comic or magazine to record the event for posterity? Will it prove a success? I hope the answer to all these questions is a resounding YES!!!

Speaking of Awards: the Comicoz Award for Best Original Australian Comic for 2025 will, as before, be announced on this Blog on January 5th 2026. Between now and then, I have a birthday, and then Mrs K and I are again house-sitting for (just under) a week and, yes, it's going to be over Christmas. Time for me to gather my thoughts and consider which comic I decided this year to be the most worthy... Also between now and then, I am also preparing to get more work completed on another Air Hawk volume. And because you have read this far, it's only fitting that you are given another scoop! Here's the cover to the next Air Hawk volume Don and I will start working on in the New Year...

Brilliant artwork by Glenn Lumsden...