Grafton Street wanderings....

Many of the Readers of this Blog (and of Comicoz' Facebook page) have been aware that my Cairns-based daughter has not been well. While she is not yet out of the woods (by any means), she was well enough to suggest that she have a Dad-Free Day later in my stay. I wandered the muggy Cairns city streets last Wednesday and came across this ally-way in Grafton Street that was filled with some marvellous graffiti artwork. I know some people find graffiti vandalism, and I admit to finding most tagging mindless, but I do enjoy the visual side of the craft when it produces works as good as these. So good, that I just had to share just some of the artwork in the ally with you...  Of course, I have no idea of who the artists were, so I shall simply have to reproduce these public displays of art without any of the owner's permission....!

The picture at the right (above) is a detail of the larger work (see right)...

Soon after spending time in the ally, and continuing to wander along Grafton Street, I discovered KerSplatt Comics and Collectables  (see link here). They had, I was informed, just recently moved to this new location. The shop is spacious, with a wide variety of (mostly American) comics on display. The owner was knowledgeable enough to make some recommendations for the casual buyer (and did well to fend off a couple entering the store seeking out copies of The Phantom). Towards the back of the store are boxes of $2 comics (of mostly superhero fare) that might appeal to the casual buyer and those seeking to fill in or complete a collection.

There were a couple of more recent copies of From Above by Melbourne Artist Craig Bruyn (link here), but not much else in store that was Australian. I was informed that no local comic was being produced (that the owner knew of). But stores like this are good in a smaller community, as they do tend to foster talented (and not so talented) artists and writers who yearn to draw their own stories. I did (politely) point out to the owner the absence of Oi Oi Oi! He, in turn, was polite enough to mention that he had never heard of the title, but was also kind enough to allow me to send him a sample on my return to Queensland's south-east (home).