I am pleased to report that yesterday morning I signed an Australian-wide Distribution deal for Comicoz' book Ned Kelly, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd with Dennis Jones and Associates P/L of Victoria!
Ned Kelly Pozible Pledgers will recall that as part of the Rewards offered, same size copies of some Monty Wedd's original artwork were to be made available in limited print runs of only 100 copies. As you can see in the above photograph, I have spent a good part of the past three days signing and authenticating these in preparation for the posting of the Ned Kelly books.... Sturdy cardboard containers have also arrived, so Ned Kelly is going to be packaged with the utmost care. These books are going to be so secure, there is be no way they can reach their final destination in any other condition except in pristine quality! Now, where ARE those books? Sadly, I am still waiting on them arriving! If you have not ordered your copy of Monty Wedd's Ned Kelly yet, why not do it today?! Also arriving in the office yesterday, are Rob Feldman's files to his book Cartoons, Comics and Cows In Cars. I have not had the time to give them the justice they deserve. (That's Comicoz-speak to say: "I have not had time to even read Rob's emails!") But that I what I plan to do this morning! And all the while this has been going on, there have been, er, stories appearing in social media about another project Comicoz is taking on... Maybe I should talk about that next posting, just to tease it out....!  I live in the local Queensland State seat of Redcliffe and we are due to go to the Polls today. The last local elected representative disgraced himself by (allegedly, at this stage) 'misplacing' public funds into his (and his wife's) pockets. Without turning this Blog comment into a political advertisement, I thought I would share the reverse of one Candidate's How To Vote Card. How wonderful to see cartoons (as it is not quite a comic strip) used to get a message across in a way that everyone can understand. This is another example of how mighty is the pen of the cartoonist!
 Art by Monty Wedd; Copyright Family of Monty Wedd One thing that must be a potential pain to Pledgers to Pozible Campaigns, is the number of projects that do not deliver on their promises. Sad to relate, Comicoz was one of those. With all the best of intentions, the Ned Kelly book was proposed for a pre-Christmas delivery...and here we are past the middle of February...
Anyway, as promised last posting, Dear Reader, is the news you have been waiting for....Ned Kelly, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd is due to arrive in Brisbane on March 2nd. The distribution to all Pledgers will take first priority, and all books ordered will be in the mail by March 17th. It really will be a book worth waiting for! Other great news: Dennis Jones and Associates have expressed an interest in distributing the book throughout Australian and New Zealand bookshops. The contract is to be signed this week! So, please, if you have not ordered your book through this site or if you are not able to get to one of the Supanova Conventions throughout 2014, race down to your local bookstore and ask them to order the book for you! Details of Book Launches (always fun affairs!) will be posted on this site as soon as details are known! Look out for some stories in the media too! The first to run an review of the book is slated to be in The Review section of the Weekend Australian in April. I notice that presently there are many ongoing comic-related projects on the Pozible website (click here for the link). Just as Comicoz was able to raise the funds for our Ned Kelly project, many artists and cartoonists are seeking to get the kick-start they need for their projects. So, Comicoz has decided to give back and support some of the ones considered worthy. One that raised my attention was "You Are Welcome in Australia", seeing a massive $10,000 total and presently not even half way there with 56 days to go. I have not yet been able to work out what it is with particular projects that encourages people to pledge, and for them to ignore others. Obviously the Rewards play a big part. But communicating the message must go part of the way too. I must say I would like to wish this particular project success, although I fear that the funds they seek seem a little extravagant for what they eventually plan to deliver. Without seeking to take a published political partisan viewpoint in this Blog comment, I believe this is an excellent example of how comics can reflect aspects of society's thinking, and can be used to effect changes in our society. So, here is a short synopsis of their comic-related project: "We would like to publish a comic in direct opposition to what the government has published. We have no plans to directly encourage people to seek asylum within Australia; instead we are aiming to create a comic explaining that seeking asylum in any country that has signed the UN Refugee Convention (as Australia has) is not illegal, that there are many Australians who disagree with the government's treatment of asylum seekers and who are fighting for their fair treatment .... We really believe that a message of love will always go further, and engage more people, than a message of hatred. Although we can't do anything to help the people who are kept in offshore detention centers; we can try to spread a message of acceptance and community that will hopefully reach, and inspire, just as many people as the government has reached with their message of intolerance. We want to send a message to Australian citizens and asylum seekers alike that racism is not a national value, and that there are many people in our country who want to accept and welcome people seeking asylum in Australia." Maybe have a look at the comic-related projects on the go, and see if there is something you think is worth supporting....and support Australian comic creators!
In my next posting, I should be able to give you an actual date of when Ned Kelly, Narrated and Illustrated by Monty Wedd will be shipping! I know you have been waiting a long time to hear this...! You cannot imagine how excited I am to share with you the first look at the proposed first book of Verity Aloeha by Michal Dutkiewicz. Michal has shared with me some of the revamped pages, and I can tell you (but won't share with you -- yet!) how beautiful they look... Start drooling now, by looking at this lovely artwork...  Verity Aloeha Copyright Michal Dutkiewicz  Just before John Dixon's 85th birthday, Comicoz received an email from David Masel, the Curator of the Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach, Queensland. David was writing to let me know that a plaque has been added to the original Air Hawk artwork by John Dixon found in the permanent Royal Flying Doctor Service's exhibit at the attraction. So when you get around to visiting Longreach (and do you have an excuse now not to?!), please make sure you say "Hullo" to David and tell him Air Hawk sent you! Meantime, everyone interested in sending birthday messages or cards to John Dixon on his 85th birthday (on February 20th), please send them on to Comicoz, addressed to: John Dixon's Birthday Wishes, PO Box 187, MARGATE BEACH, 4019, Queensland and I will post all of them on to him on your behalf.
On behalf of Comicoz and all comic book Fans, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Rob Feldman and his family during their recent loss. Rob is well aware that many comic book Fans are looking forward to reading his book Cartoons, Comics and Cows In Cars. He plans to complete his publishing commitments, just as soon as he has attended to these more immediate family matters. I have allowed Rob as much healing time as he feels is necessary before he even considers returning to his book, and I trust that all Ned Kelly Pledgers and all Rob Feldman Fans will be understanding of Rob during this time of his and his family's personal sadness.
Nat Karmichael, COMICOZ Publisher. |
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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