Hullo -- An Open Letter to All Australian Cartoonists and Artists, and Fans of Australian Comics!
Here are the current and up to date details about my magazine (as of June 23rd 2016)... This is the first place you will be reading this, as I (at this point in time) have not made a formal announcement. Yet.
BACKGROUND: About two years ago now, I signed a commercial agreement with a national distributor to have my comic anthology Oi Oi Oi! appear in newsagents all around Australia on a quarterly basis. Nine issues have already been released, with Issue Eight being available from most Australian newsagents from late-June 2016 (or from this website). The artwork to the covers, past, present and future are enclosed to give you an idea of the sort of quality work I have published to date. Issue Nine of Oi Oi Oi! (which will actually be the Tenth Issue of the magazine) will seek to benefit CanTeen, a charity that supports young people who suffer from cancer.
I always believed (and deep down still believe) that there was a need among Australian artists and cartoonists for a vehicle to see their comic works published. I also believed that Australians are starting to recognise and rediscover comics as a legitimate entertainment medium that contributes to and reflects an ever-changing Australian culture. The goal was for Oi Oi Oi! to foster these developments. Oi Oi Oi! was planned to be a regularly published national comic anthology available around Australia, telling Australian stories to and for all Australians.
Sadly, however, sales figures from Issue #7 have just come in (on June 22nd) and they do not make for happy reading. The magazine has reached a point where I can no longer sustain it financially. Issue #8 has -- as I type this -- just gone on sale, but it will be the last of the newsstand issues. I shall still work on Issue #9 (making it the Tenth in the series), and I shall still pay and seek contributors to the issue.... Deadline is now MID-August, to accommodate some characters (and creatives) I want to see back.. Details are much the same as before (see below).... After Issue #9 (which will surprise a lot of people -- how, you will have to WAIT AND SEE), the magazine will come out on a sporadic basis. I was going to announce it's cancellation; until Jason Towers (kindly) suggested I place it on hiatus. (I have told Gary Chaloner that I will release a new issue every time he gives me a new Cyclone Force episode! And I may very well do this. It will allow me time to work on some of the older comic books/strips that I want to reprint and re-introduce the world to.
DETAILS: So, therefore, I am still seeking stories, preferably - although not essentially - with some sort of Australian theme. My preference is for stories to be a total of eight pages long (more nor less may be okay too). Stories and artwork will have to be exceptional: the idea is to highlight as many Australian artists' and cartoonists' work as possible. I do not have a preference for colour or black and white, but would prefer submissions to be black and white. There are still no continuing overarching themes and the topics can be as wide and varied as you like; cartoon, humour, adventure-based, anything that you think the modern reader will be interested in. Given that the title will now be sporadic, self-contained stories will only be accepted. The only exception to this is the reprinting and conclusion of Alisha Jade's first Seven book, and the serialisation of Gary Chaloner's Cyclone Force.
DIMENSIONS: Oi Oi Oi!'s page size will remain the same (200 mm width x 260 mm height). The reason why Diamond earlier (in 2015) refused to carry Oi Oi Oi! was due to this format size (can you believe that?)! The idea was always to generate stories that appeal to all readers, but with an Australian sensibility. As long as your art fits well within these perimeters all should be well. I always wanted to have the magazine seen by the world comics community, so I once again attempted to market the book via Diamond Distributors in early 2016. This time they told me that "Anthologies don't sell".... and perhaps they were right all along ....
DEADLINES: Material is now being accepted for the 9th issue and will be released in the late Australian Spring or Summer 2016. Deadline for this issue is now by Mid-August. Due to the number of high-quality submissions already received, I am now able to be really choosy about who makes the cut! If I do not like the work (for whatever reason) I reserve the right not to run it. (Sorry, but I am the Editor and the Publisher, after all!)
CONTENT: I prefer previously unpublished works, although I may sometimes reprint works I deem worthy. If you are interested in contributing, I would like to see a proposal to a project prior to your beginning any work... The reason for this: it is my option to reject any material that I feel does not meet my subjective standard. DO NOT feel slighted if I turn down your work: it is personal preference, and I use my fourteen year old self as a barometer of my taste. For example, art that (in my opinion) may not be up to scratch, stories that may be dodgy from a legal viewpoint, pornographic illustrations that might render the issue subject to censorship by authorities... will all be rejected. If you have seen earlier issues, you will get the idea I am sure, that I am reasonably open-minded.... Since Issue #5, I have tried to be more 'family-friendly' in accepting works for publication, although this has not affected the quality of the works chosen (again, in my opinion). And sometimes, I have totally disregarded this.
Cover artwork is always chosen by my personal solicitation and payment of artists. I prefer cover artists to NOT use or promote their covers until AFTER publication, as I feel I should have first use of the material (even though you may own the copyright), as I have paid for its creation. All artists' who have done covers already, will see their work published...
PAYMENT AND COPYRIGHT: Here's further of what I am willing to offer and my understanding of what I would like to offer for any material you submit that I would be willing to use. The figures supplied relate to an eight page story and relate to Issues Eight onwards....
Let me know if this is of interest to you; or if there are points you wish to question or elaborate on. I trust I have not forgotten to include anything!
I have always prided myself on my ability to work with writer/artists/creators, and seek to bring their works to the public in the best possible light. I am, I think, justifiably right to be proud of the magazine's newsagent run, and pleased it touched so many people. Issue One was the recipient of the 2014 Golden Stapler Award for "Best Collaborative Zine", Issue Two was short-listed for the 2015 Ledger Awards, and Issue Four was nominated in three categories in the 2015 Golden Stapler Awards. All Issues released in 2015 were entered into the 2016 Ledger Awards, although there were no recipients. (Oh, well....maybe one of this year's issues will be short-listed in 2017!) And news just in: the Special Nostalgia Edition has been nominated for "Best Collaborative Zine" in the 2016 Golden Stapler Award.
OTHER MUSINGS: Issue Seven was released nationally in mid-February.Thinking that a Superhero storyline might boost sales was another reason for that genre's inclusion. Getting media interest in the magazine has proven difficult. (Even alerting the media to the fact that this was the first Superhero character to appear on the Australian newsstands in over twenty years failed to excite them.) I remained committed to the ideals behind the magazine, although I found it difficult at times. (It took a lot of time to work on the magazine, and I have an employee that dictates that I work shift work. I also have a wife who I like to spend time with - I know she sometimes finds this hard to believe! - and I do love to see my grandchildren when I can! And this is aside from the financial cost of publishing the magazine...!) I have been concerned for some time that the newsagent distribution model may not be the most economical, and I have decided to continue to explore other alternative avenues... One idea may be to release an annual newsagent issue around the School holidays, and then work on selling some of the back issues to financially prop up the magazine.... (The Distributor has indicated an interest in this.)
Let me know your thoughts; I am always happy to engage in conversation with you. Write to me at: [email protected]
Kind Regards,
Nat Karmichael,
COMICOZ Publisher.
www.comicoz.com
PS If you know any OTHER artists/cartoonists that you think may be interested in contributing, can you please put them in touch with me? Or even if you forward this message on to them. Thank you!
Here are the current and up to date details about my magazine (as of June 23rd 2016)... This is the first place you will be reading this, as I (at this point in time) have not made a formal announcement. Yet.
BACKGROUND: About two years ago now, I signed a commercial agreement with a national distributor to have my comic anthology Oi Oi Oi! appear in newsagents all around Australia on a quarterly basis. Nine issues have already been released, with Issue Eight being available from most Australian newsagents from late-June 2016 (or from this website). The artwork to the covers, past, present and future are enclosed to give you an idea of the sort of quality work I have published to date. Issue Nine of Oi Oi Oi! (which will actually be the Tenth Issue of the magazine) will seek to benefit CanTeen, a charity that supports young people who suffer from cancer.
I always believed (and deep down still believe) that there was a need among Australian artists and cartoonists for a vehicle to see their comic works published. I also believed that Australians are starting to recognise and rediscover comics as a legitimate entertainment medium that contributes to and reflects an ever-changing Australian culture. The goal was for Oi Oi Oi! to foster these developments. Oi Oi Oi! was planned to be a regularly published national comic anthology available around Australia, telling Australian stories to and for all Australians.
Sadly, however, sales figures from Issue #7 have just come in (on June 22nd) and they do not make for happy reading. The magazine has reached a point where I can no longer sustain it financially. Issue #8 has -- as I type this -- just gone on sale, but it will be the last of the newsstand issues. I shall still work on Issue #9 (making it the Tenth in the series), and I shall still pay and seek contributors to the issue.... Deadline is now MID-August, to accommodate some characters (and creatives) I want to see back.. Details are much the same as before (see below).... After Issue #9 (which will surprise a lot of people -- how, you will have to WAIT AND SEE), the magazine will come out on a sporadic basis. I was going to announce it's cancellation; until Jason Towers (kindly) suggested I place it on hiatus. (I have told Gary Chaloner that I will release a new issue every time he gives me a new Cyclone Force episode! And I may very well do this. It will allow me time to work on some of the older comic books/strips that I want to reprint and re-introduce the world to.
DETAILS: So, therefore, I am still seeking stories, preferably - although not essentially - with some sort of Australian theme. My preference is for stories to be a total of eight pages long (more nor less may be okay too). Stories and artwork will have to be exceptional: the idea is to highlight as many Australian artists' and cartoonists' work as possible. I do not have a preference for colour or black and white, but would prefer submissions to be black and white. There are still no continuing overarching themes and the topics can be as wide and varied as you like; cartoon, humour, adventure-based, anything that you think the modern reader will be interested in. Given that the title will now be sporadic, self-contained stories will only be accepted. The only exception to this is the reprinting and conclusion of Alisha Jade's first Seven book, and the serialisation of Gary Chaloner's Cyclone Force.
DIMENSIONS: Oi Oi Oi!'s page size will remain the same (200 mm width x 260 mm height). The reason why Diamond earlier (in 2015) refused to carry Oi Oi Oi! was due to this format size (can you believe that?)! The idea was always to generate stories that appeal to all readers, but with an Australian sensibility. As long as your art fits well within these perimeters all should be well. I always wanted to have the magazine seen by the world comics community, so I once again attempted to market the book via Diamond Distributors in early 2016. This time they told me that "Anthologies don't sell".... and perhaps they were right all along ....
DEADLINES: Material is now being accepted for the 9th issue and will be released in the late Australian Spring or Summer 2016. Deadline for this issue is now by Mid-August. Due to the number of high-quality submissions already received, I am now able to be really choosy about who makes the cut! If I do not like the work (for whatever reason) I reserve the right not to run it. (Sorry, but I am the Editor and the Publisher, after all!)
CONTENT: I prefer previously unpublished works, although I may sometimes reprint works I deem worthy. If you are interested in contributing, I would like to see a proposal to a project prior to your beginning any work... The reason for this: it is my option to reject any material that I feel does not meet my subjective standard. DO NOT feel slighted if I turn down your work: it is personal preference, and I use my fourteen year old self as a barometer of my taste. For example, art that (in my opinion) may not be up to scratch, stories that may be dodgy from a legal viewpoint, pornographic illustrations that might render the issue subject to censorship by authorities... will all be rejected. If you have seen earlier issues, you will get the idea I am sure, that I am reasonably open-minded.... Since Issue #5, I have tried to be more 'family-friendly' in accepting works for publication, although this has not affected the quality of the works chosen (again, in my opinion). And sometimes, I have totally disregarded this.
Cover artwork is always chosen by my personal solicitation and payment of artists. I prefer cover artists to NOT use or promote their covers until AFTER publication, as I feel I should have first use of the material (even though you may own the copyright), as I have paid for its creation. All artists' who have done covers already, will see their work published...
PAYMENT AND COPYRIGHT: Here's further of what I am willing to offer and my understanding of what I would like to offer for any material you submit that I would be willing to use. The figures supplied relate to an eight page story and relate to Issues Eight onwards....
- The original artwork remains with you and I acknowledge is owned by you.
- I am willing to pay for the one-time physical reprint rights to the work.
- You allow me an option of a second reprinting of the material (with similar financial compensation to you as described above) if the first printing does well; possibly in the form of an anthology or a "Best of" volume down the track.
- From Issue #8 on, Comicoz may release a digital copy of the complete magazine.
- The ownership of the artwork for that purpose is owned by you and I acknowledge is owned by you.
- I am willing to pay separately for the digital reprint rights to that work.
Let me know if this is of interest to you; or if there are points you wish to question or elaborate on. I trust I have not forgotten to include anything!
I have always prided myself on my ability to work with writer/artists/creators, and seek to bring their works to the public in the best possible light. I am, I think, justifiably right to be proud of the magazine's newsagent run, and pleased it touched so many people. Issue One was the recipient of the 2014 Golden Stapler Award for "Best Collaborative Zine", Issue Two was short-listed for the 2015 Ledger Awards, and Issue Four was nominated in three categories in the 2015 Golden Stapler Awards. All Issues released in 2015 were entered into the 2016 Ledger Awards, although there were no recipients. (Oh, well....maybe one of this year's issues will be short-listed in 2017!) And news just in: the Special Nostalgia Edition has been nominated for "Best Collaborative Zine" in the 2016 Golden Stapler Award.
OTHER MUSINGS: Issue Seven was released nationally in mid-February.Thinking that a Superhero storyline might boost sales was another reason for that genre's inclusion. Getting media interest in the magazine has proven difficult. (Even alerting the media to the fact that this was the first Superhero character to appear on the Australian newsstands in over twenty years failed to excite them.) I remained committed to the ideals behind the magazine, although I found it difficult at times. (It took a lot of time to work on the magazine, and I have an employee that dictates that I work shift work. I also have a wife who I like to spend time with - I know she sometimes finds this hard to believe! - and I do love to see my grandchildren when I can! And this is aside from the financial cost of publishing the magazine...!) I have been concerned for some time that the newsagent distribution model may not be the most economical, and I have decided to continue to explore other alternative avenues... One idea may be to release an annual newsagent issue around the School holidays, and then work on selling some of the back issues to financially prop up the magazine.... (The Distributor has indicated an interest in this.)
Let me know your thoughts; I am always happy to engage in conversation with you. Write to me at: [email protected]
Kind Regards,
Nat Karmichael,
COMICOZ Publisher.
www.comicoz.com
PS If you know any OTHER artists/cartoonists that you think may be interested in contributing, can you please put them in touch with me? Or even if you forward this message on to them. Thank you!