I just want to take a moment to say "Thank You" all the kind Family of Friends who have sent messages of support to both my daughter Rosanna and myself (and, by extension, to our family) over the past week. I am happy to report that Rosie is now back in her hometown and has caught up with her children (and other family members).
I won't go into the medical side of things, except to say that this is going to be a long struggle for Rosie (and her children), but I am now more confident that she will get there with the support of many wonderful people around her. I would like to acknowledge them all here, without having to name them. (You know who you are!) This also includes all the staff at the Townsville Hospital; as well as the Queensland Police Service and the Mental Health team who continue to work with her. Unfortunately, I am unable to stay in Cairns indefinitely and I cannot stay for much longer. The essential "work" needed of me here will be just about complete in a week's time. I DO have to allow Rosanna some independence in her new, changed life. Without meaning to sound mean, I know Carlene (and Max and Moo) will be happy to have me home, and I am looking forward to their company. I think my workmates might like to see me back at work too and Comicoz fans may also want me working on more comics. I may need some personal debriefing before I plunge headlong into either venture. Without going into specifics, this has been a most distressing time, not only for Rosie, but for her children, her family and friends, and even for the one who pretends he is so resilient, her Father. Again, I thank you for your support and good wishes. It has meant a lot. One of my daughters has been unexpectedly admitted to Townsville Hospital. I presently have no idea how long she is going to be there. But I am by her side, even though this has thrown other (especially comic - scheduling) matters into disarray. It now seems unlikely I will have Issue #4 of OI OI OI! ready for the planned April 25th (ANZAC Day) release. Other plans that were under way -- or that I had begun negotiating on -- are all going to have to be reorganised at an unknown date. I know this will annoy some and infuriate others. But while it may be even a little frustrating for me, given that I have managed to have my publishing arm in a reasonably good position for its growth in the local comics medium, there are priorities. I have chosen to make Comicoz a one man band, and so I am left with no option except to place Comicoz in temporary hiatus. My family will always come first. (I know Mrs K will be amazed to read that, because she knows the hours I put in each day to Comicoz -- often, I will have to honestly admit and as she will tell you, to the exclusion of time with her!)
Anyway, the bottom line is I don't know how long my daughter is going to be in hospital. Thus, I don't know how long it will be until I am able to get back to work, and when I can begin working on getting more comics out in the world. I trust I can count on you for patience and understanding during this terrible personal family tragedy. At the moment I am working so many long hours at work as the Acting Nurse Unit Manager that I have not even had time to check my roster to see if I am off duty on this date. I'm hoping I can come along. Maybe if you live in Brisbane (and the surrounding areas) I will see you there too.
|
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.
Since 2011, Nat has self-published over twelve comic-related books and was Publisher-Editor of Oi Oi Oi! -- the last series of nationally-distributed comic books of original stories to appear on Australian newsstands. He is a member of the Australian Cartoonists Association and edited the Association's journal Inkspot for 14 issues from late 2015. He remains the Lead Judge in the Ledger of Honour Awards for the Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly the Ledgers). Nat has now retired from his former occupation as a Clinical Nurse in the Psychiatric Emergency Centre in Queensland's largest public hospital, so that he can spend more time with his long-suffering wife and 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 in the coming months... 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.
Archives
September 2024
Quick LinksAustralian 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! |