Brisbane Comics Report - The First Bit of 2013
May 2013
Here i go again, banging on about the local indie comics scene.If you type 'Brisbane Comics' into google you will probably get a comic store (and they are certainly nice comic stores), but not much information about what is out there in the locally published sense. So posts like this are designed to highlight what is available and not as a qualitative assessment. As a Brisbane based comic creator i reserve the right to shamelessly promote my own work amongst the rest.
Supanova Gold Coast provided impetus for a host of local comics creators to release new work. Here is what came out;
Phatsville #18
Covers by Cam-El (above) and Brett Weekes (below)
64 Pages, Black and White A5 size
Into their eleventh year and still going strong, the Phatsville boys have once again gathered a varied group of underground and alternative cartoonists amongst their pages. The old Keeyock tales featuring the sometimes true adventures of John and Giles gets a new take with some great work from ex-Brisbanite Jase Harper and also Dean Rankine. Despicable Man, Heroic Heroes and Rodney Rant all make return appearances, amongst other short stories and illustrations plus the usual fine work from founding Phats-Fathers Giles, J-Stew and Ben Sea.
Giants #2 by John Stewart
28 pages Black & White (roughly American size)J-Stew's latest Giants comic arrives hot on the heels of issue 1 and continues the story set in a post apocalyptic world where giants are on top of the food chain and humanity scrambles for power. Part two of a five part series, fleshes out the world of Giants in John's usual brutal and jagged style.
Sounds Great! The Despicable Man collection volume 3 by Cam-El
A5 B&W 56 pagesThe further collections of Cam's web comic series. The gag strips in Sounds Great! plumb the usual depths in truly Des-picable style. In this issue we meet new housemate Tess, plus a biting Barnyard Frolics backup feature, Des cosplay gallery and more one panel gags than you can shake a fist in disgust at.
The Adventures of Gravity Boy by Brett Weekes
A5 24 pages colour
The first issue of this series is a quiet little gem about a man who may or may not have control over the forces of gravity, the hand puppet who haunts him and the giant killer robot at the end of the street.
Heroic Heroes #12 by Will Kelly
36 Page, B&W (American Comic Size) 
The Heroic Heroes return with a flourish of tentacle-like arms, existential angst and relationship melodrama. Part one of a five part series introduces new characters and a new storyline. Alt comics Superheroes in the vein of Flaming Carrot and Madman.
Zenyaku by Shaun Craike and Susan Torre
24 Pages A5 B&WBusy draping, isometric backgrounds and eastern influenced faces coagulate into a consistent singular vision in Craike and Torre's martial arts/ family drama tale.
Turbo Supermax #2 by Ryan Vella
Lot 18 Homebush Rd, Walkerston, QLD, 4751A5 B&W 29 Pages
Dig the Thing inspired cover by Vella here, anyone who celebrates marginal 80's Marvel titles is okay in my book, but that's just me. Supermax #2 delivers on the hyper violence of #1 with polished ease. One of Queensland comics' best figure drawers tearing figures apart limb from bloody limb.
Backyard Tanks by Patrick Kelly
A6 B&W 28 pagesDebut mini comic from young Pat Kelly is a tin can tale of war and woe. Technical data, statistical analysis and engineering cutaways compliment the madcap vibe of this mini comic nicely. Ground floor stuff from an obvious talent.
Space Pyrates by Caitlin Major and Matthew K Hoddy
This whirling dervish of a sci-fi pastiche has been collected under one cover for the first time thanks to a massive crowd funding campaign. A consistent and polished work by two prolific young cartoonists.
So that's the first few months of 2013 in Brisbane comics and i'm sure there will be plenty more stuff coming leading up to Supanova Brisbane in November. Also coming up are two events, Southside Tea Room is having it's very first Zine Fair on June 2nd, from 3pm and ZICS (zine and indie comic symposium) is on from 30th August to 1st September. So there are plenty of reasons to get more publications out there.
Once again, apologies to anyone i've missed. If you have released a comic in Brisbane in the last few months i'd love to know, e-mail me at Toiletcitycomics@gmail.com. I try to check out the following places to source Brisbane comics.
Rocking Horse Records
Ace Comics
Comics Etc
One of the great supporters of Brisbane comics is Milkshadow Books and they have LOTS of other great stuff too.
PulpFiction Comics in Adelaide stock a small selection of the above titles.
And there will soon be Heroic Heroes Comics Available to buy at the following stores in Melbourne,
Sticky Institute
Minotaur Books
All Star Comics
This blog is intended for promoting local work, for reviews and further insight i suggest,
Australian Comics Journal
Non Canonical Podcast
Comic Spot Podcast
Will Kelly
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