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Well, I have not been able to swap Wednesday/Today's shift with anyone at work, so I cannot attend tonight's Dr Ink and Draw function. Comic Fans in Brisbane interested in going can obtain details to the link by clicking here. There are some fabulous artists selling their wares, and this should be encouraged! So, if you can, get along! I am just disappointed I cannot add John Dixon, Air Hawk and the Flying Doctor to those showing their art...
Other disappointments (from my point of view) in relation to the book are related to a general lack of interest shown by many in the media. Without a Distributor, I have had to spend a lot of time trying to get interest generated in the book, and to this aim I released a Media Release of some seven pages long and distributed it far and wide. To date, our local community newspaper The Redcliffe and Bayside Herald carried a story on page 50 of its July 13th 2011 issue (Thanks, Katie Jones!) and People magazine ran a short paragraph right at the back on the competition page, behind all the bosoms on issue dated July 25th 2011 (Thanks, Dan Lennard!). And apart from a couple of promises, nothing much else in the past month... At some stage I may reproduce the articles here on this page.... Trying to be positive, I contacted many Independent Booksellers, and some have agreed to carry the book, as are a couple of Australian Comic Book Stores. Thanks to all who have 'taken a punt' on retailing the book. I have listed them all on the front of this website. The '25 minutes of Fame' on Radio 612 ABC Brisbane was fun, and I managed to sneak a mention of Jim Hawk/Dr Hal Matthews within the context of the conversation. (Thank you, Phil, for giving me the opportunity: and I hope you enjoy reading John Dixon, Air Hawk and the Flying Doctor so much that you give it a future 'plug' - as best as you can on the ABC!) As for the future, a Brisbane Book Club has allowed me to speak to their Members on September 1st. I have also been given the opportunity to speak about 'Air Hawk' and John Dixon at the Annual Conference of the Australian Cartoonists Association and I am going to relish that opportunity! Although I am uncertain what format that will take at the present point in time... The bottom line, is that I have yet to sell the 1,000 copies of John Dixon, Air Hawk and the Flying Doctor printed, so this makes it difficult to justify to Mrs Karmichael the need to begin working on the following volume.... Just to keep everyone posted about the comic-related adventures going on at the moment...
From a national level, there is a great show in Sydney called Graphic! Being held on August 20th and 21st, this is one exciting event that I would dearly love to attend. Still for me, family comes first, and Lovely Little Lollie my grand-daughter (and Mum Lora and new partner Adam) are arriving to visit us on August 20th. So, I expect a bit of bragging from everyone who can attend to tell me how I missed out on such a great event! Locally, Dr Ink & Draw is being held at Kerbside on Ekka Wednesday and I am still trying to swap with a work-mate so that I can attend! I looks pretty promising, and I am looking forward to attending (if I can swap my shift).... Personally, I have been invited to speak on radio tomorrow (Saturday August 13th) from 8.30 a.m. on Phil Smith's Radio Show on 612 ABC Brisbane. Here's the topic, as explained by Phil... Why hasn’t Australia ever developed a hero such as Captain America... and if we did, what would that heroic character embody? "Captain America was created to be the perfect foil for the ultimate villain, Adolf Hitler. At the same time he wasn’t just meant to be a propaganda device—he was designed to be one of us, and to represent all of us as the best America has to offer. Just as Jack Kirby did when he was alive, I consider this to be the greatest country in the world, and Captain America is a reflection of that feeling." – Joe Simon (Creator of Capt America in 1941) I was taken by this idea after watching the movie, although I was a comic book fan as a youngster. So the discussion might begin with what purpose does a comic book hero serve – is that peculiar to the US (and perhaps even a point in its modern history and place in the world)? What heritage does Australia have in that comic book genre. (The Flying Doctor, Air Hawk, Vixen)? What characteristics have we embodied in that way – do we have a set of virtues we hold to as ‘Australian’.? I hope you can tune in and maybe ring up and voice your support for Phil Smith, as someone promoting comics so positively on the airwaves.... Or let me know your thoughts on my first foray into panel discussion on radio.... |
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. For numerous years he was the Lead Judge in the Ledger of Honour Awards for the Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly the Ledgers). These days Nat dreams of retiring from his 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. And perhaps publish some more comic-related books. 
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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