Owen likes to draw comics

The third issue of Fist Full Of Comics (volume two) is now available! Fist Full Of Comics is a bi-monthly comics anthology zine focussing primarily (but not exclusively) on South Australian creators (this issue features Fist Full Of Comics' first international contributor!). Here's the cover:



Cover art by Loren Morris
Fist Full Of Comics logo designed by Clare Oakes

This 32-page issue features comics by:

• Sarah Milne
• Owen Heitmann
• Dan McGuiness (whose full colour children's graphic novel Pilot and Huxley will be published by Omnibus later this year)
• Mark Hobby (writer) and Steve Colloff (artist)
• Ian C. Thomas
• Allan Sheldon (writer) and Nick Skeer (artist)
• Anthony Sherratt (writer) and Stewart Cook (artist)
• Benzin Bullock (writer) and Owen Heitmann (artist)
• Darren Koziol
• Jake Bresanello
• Rene Maisonneuve (Canada)

The second issue of Fist Full Of Comics (volume two) is now available in Pulp Fiction Comics, 34A King William St, Adelaide, South Australia, or from <fistfullofcomics(at)gmail(dot)com>. Here's the cover:



Cover art by Nickas
Fist Full Of Comics logo designed by Clare Oakes

This issue is 28 pages long and features comics by:

• Andy McBride (patchworkrobot )
• Benzin Bullock
• Brendan Boyd
• Catherine Brittle (writer) (islingtonroad ) and Loren Morris (artist) (onegreyelephant )
• Ian C. Thomas (ian__t )
• Joel Sabadin (writer) and Sarah Milne (artist) (jingdono )
• Mark Selan (writer) and Owen Heitmann (artist) (owen_draws )
• Nu
• Steve Martinez (practice_cactus )

• Owen Heitmann
• Simon Gray (yummy_lychees )

The first issue of Fist Full Of Comics volume two (the Adelaide-based anthology zine that I've resurrected this year) was released on Thursday 26 February and is now available in Pulp Fiction Comics, 34A King William St, Adelaide, South Australia, or from <fistfullofcomics(at)gmail(dot)com>. Here's the cover:



Cover art by Owen Heitmann
Cover colour by Loren Morris
Fist Full Of Comics logo designed by Clare Oakes

This issue is 24 pages long and features comics by:

• Dan McGuiness
• Delta (rhoux )
• Ian C. Thomas
• Loren Morris(onegreyelephant )
• Nick Skeer
• Owen Heitmann (owen_draws )
• Sarah Milne
• Tim Pearson (demongoldfish )

• Mark Selan
• Simon Gray (yummy_lychees
  

I’m seeking contributions for a small-press comic anthology primarily (but not exclusively) from South Australian creators. If that interests you, read on!

What is Fist Full Of Comics?
Fist Full Of Comics is a small press comic anthology, primarily (but not exclusively) featuring creators from South Australia. It’s A5, with colour front and back covers and black & white interior pages. It’s bi-monthly, and the number of pages for each issue will be determined by the number of submissions.

Fist Full Of Comics originally began a few years ago (initially as the brainchild of David Milne and subsequently helmed by Sarah Milne with Dan McGuiness), but has been on hiatus for some time. With the blessing of the original team, it has now passed from their capable but otherwise occupied hands into my own. Fist Full Of Comics volume two will be relaunched as six bi-monthly issues throughout 2009, with Issue 1 appearing in late February.

What’s wanted
Fist Full Of Comics welcomes contributions from anyone, from professional full-time comic artists to first time cartoonists (although most of the existing contributors fall somewhere in the middle).

I’m primarily looking to publish sequential art – comic book stories between one and six pages in length. However, other types of submissions will be accepted, including:

• Comic strips
• Single panel cartoons
• Front covers (colour) – preferably gag covers or a dynamic standalone image rather than a cover illustrating an interior story
• Pinups (colour) – will appear on the back cover only (i.e. only one per issue).

• Local news updates
• Articles on Australian comics history
• Small press reviews.

• The title of your submission
• Your name (or the pen name you’d like your submission to be credited to)
• An email address for people to contact you (especially if different to the address the submission is sent from)
• A postal address (this will NOT be published unless specifically requested; it is where your contributor’s copy will be sent).

The Bogan Boys in: There's a party across the street. Are we invited? No.

This picture reworks a watercolour by entukato. When I first saw her original picture some weeks ago, I not only misread its title, I also "misread" the picture itself, as in I initially saw something other than what was intended. Today I decided to create my own version that takes both of my misapprehensions to their logical (?) conclusion. Tonight I am going to a party, but it's not across the street and I have been invited. The end.

This is a 24 page 24 Hour Comic I drew the weekend just gone.

This was my contribution to last year’s Instantaneous II art exhibition, showcasing comic-inspired art by South Australian artists. The size of the original art is A3.



Instantaneous II, an exhibition of South Australian comic art, opened at the Grace Emily Hotel (232 Waymouth St, Adelaide, South Australia) on December 4, 2007 and ran until Dec 21. It featured 45 pieces by 38 artists. All pieces were professionally auctioned on opening night and all proceeds went to local charities.

This is a two-page comic I drew last night. This is its first public appearance.

This is the second of two one-page comics I drew for issue 7 of Tango, a square-bound romance comics anthology published approximately annually by Cardigan Comics. The theme for the issue was “Love and Sedition”. Like the first one, I’ve removed the dialogue, so to read the comic, you’ll have to buy a copy from the Cardigan Comics website. Or add your own words. The 152 page book features 35 stories by 40 creators, so it’s well worth the money.

This is one of two one-page comics I drew for issue 7 of Tango, a square-bound romance comics anthology published approximately annually by Cardigan Comics. The theme for the issue was “Love and Sedition”. I’ve removed the dialogue, so to read the comic (which is NSFW, by the way), you’ll have to buy a copy from the Cardigan Comics website. The 152 page book features 35 stories by 40 creators, so it’s well worth it.



( Useless Trivia! )

I just opened the desk drawer where I keep my drawing equipment to discover that when rummaging through it yesterday, I’d managed to tip over my ink bottle, and apparently the cap no longer seals properly. Result: a whole lot of ink all over everything else in the drawer, and none left in the bottle. Consarnit!

This is a one-page comic I drew a couple of weeks ago. This is its first public appearance. 

 

This is the first of my two submissions to the upcoming Instantaneous art exhibition. The size of the original art is A4. 

 

Instantaneous, an art exhibition celebrating original comic book panels out of their context, will open at 7pm on May the 1st at the Grace Emily Hotel (232 Waymouth St, Adelaide, South Australia). Coinciding with World Free Comic Book Day on May the 5th, Instantaneous showcases the talents of South Australian comic book creators. Each piece in the exhibition highlights a single panel from the comic book medium taken out of its original story context.

"The idea is to get people thinking about what has occurred before and what will occur after the instant depicted in each piece - the power of a single panel," says Peter Moore, co-curator of Instantaneous. All pieces will be on sale from opening night from between $50-$200, with all proceeds going to a local charity.

All inquiries: please contact Peter on 8231 3433 or visit http://www.pulpfictioncomics.com.au/aussie.htm 

At the Supanova Pop Cultural Expo in Brisbane on the weekend, I was interviewed by a freelance journalist who wrote for AAP. I didn't know if anything would come of it, but my name (and Basic Wage Kids) made it into the final article! You can read it online on the NineMSN website here.

Of course, I said a great deal more than made it into the report, but I'm happy to appear at all, and satisfied with the way I was represented. This is the second time I've been interviewed in the last month (admittedly, the first time was for a high school project), and I feel I've done well both times: I haven't been nervous, I haven't stumbled over my words, and I've been able to make the points I want to make (rather than thinking later of all the things I wished I'd said). It's a big contrast to my first experiences with the media!

Not only am I launching Basic Wage Kids #3 at Supanova (see previous post), but I am very pleased to say that I will be selling Basic Wage Kids #4 as well!

This issue collects the entire ‘battle of the bands mystery saboteur’ storyline from my Monday-to-Friday webcomic – a storyline that ran for three months and fills the complete issue (more than sixty comic strips!).

The number of supporting characters in the storyline meant I had to look to a band with more members when choosing the actual album cover to base the comic cover on...

This is the cover to Basic Wage Kids #3, which I just picked up from the printer and will be selling at Supanova in Brisbane (see previous post).

This issue collects the third three months' worth of my Monday-to-Friday webcomic, including the entire ‘Eviction’ storyline – that's over 60 strips on 32 pages at A5 for 4 bucks!

As usual, the cover is inspired by an actual album cover...

Although I’ve mentioned it on the Pulp Faction forums and on my site, I don’t think I’ve announced here that I will be attending the Supanova Pop Cultural Expo in Brisbane this weekend (April 14-15). I will be sharing a table in Artists' Alley alongside fellow Adelaide comic people Mark Selan (publisher of Sureshot Presents), EvilDan (Angry Comic Shop Guy), Sarah Milne (Pretty Zombies) and Erin McGregor (various stuff). If you're attending Supanova, make sure to come by!

I will be selling the following:
Basic Wage Kids #1 – 4 ($4 each)
How To Save The World: A Beginner’s Guide ($5)
5031 #1-3 ($3 each)
Basic Wage Kids badges (7 designs - $2 each)
Basic Wage Kids A3 posters (4 designs - $5 each)

I am a merchandising machine!

I may also consider selling non-vital organs if it will help me break even on the cost of the trip.

Zathurustra, my collaboration as artist with writer Benzin Bullock (see previous entry here), has been printed as a double page spread in the latest Excitement Machine magazine (issue 4, April 2007).

Excitement Machine is a glossy, squarebound free monthly Adelaide street press magazine focusing on the independent alternative arts scene. It publishes original work by artists and photographers, supplemented by articles, reviews and fiction. You can find it online at www.excitementmachine.com.au, or better yet www.myspace.com/excitementmachine.

The launch party for Excitement Machine #4 will be held at Urtext Studios (Level 2, 14 Grenfell St, Adelaide) on the night of Friday 20th April (probably from around 9 or 10). Entry will most likely be by gold coin donation, but there will be cheap drinks.

If you’re in South Australia, under 25 and interested in comics, you’ll be interested in WRITE oN!, a week of FREE writing seminars and workshops for young people, including a workshop on writing graphic novels with Dave de Vries (hosted by the City of Unley as part of National Youth Week celebrations).

The graphic novel seminar is on Friday 20th April (Day 5 of WRITE oN!) from 10:00am to 11:00am at Unley Town Hall (Oxford Terrace, Unley). Places in this fantastic event are limited, therefore your booking is essential. Make your booking by phoning Brodie Evitts or Sandra Robinson from the City of Unley on 8372 5111.

For more information, visit http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1206&c=6338, or the program for the entire week (including more details about the graphic novel workshop) can be viewed here: http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/WriteOnBrochure_spot.pdf

Spread the word! I wish I was under 25.

Hey, I've had the idea that it would be cool to have another week of guest writers/artists doing Basic Wage Kids comic strips once the current storyline finishes.

I’ve already got some people interested in contributing, but if anyone else (for example, you) would like to draw a single standalone BWK strip (suitable for a general all-ages audience), that would be even more awesome.

At this stage I’ve tentatively pencilled in the week beginning April 16 as guest week, because it slots neatly in-between the material that will be printed in Basic Wage Kids issue 4 and (eventually) issue 5, but that’s not very far away, so I guess the actual date will depend on when people send me stuff by.

So if you’ve ever thought about doing a Basic Wage Kids guest strip (heck, even if you haven’t), now’s the time!

Thanks!