This new book is a wonderful showcase for Australian comickers across a broad range of styles.  It's called Australia! and proceeds will help benefit Beyond Blue.

The artists and writers were invited to contribute by Oi, Oi, Oi! editor and ComicOz Publisher, Nat Karmichael.  The majority of the stories appear in full colour and the production values are the highest I've seen for an Australian book (it's also hardbound and complete with a dust jacket).

My own piece in the book is a four page story introducing "Drover Girl," a long time character in my stable who I haven't completed pages for until this point.  If you like horses and Australian historical stories, you might find something to like in this.

There are a few page samples for the book, including the full first page of "Drover Girl" at: The Comic Oz Store.

You'll also find a one pager, "10 Great Things About Penguins," illustrated by the legendary Paul Harris!  We go back a long way, to the Reverie days of the early '80s, so it's nice to finally have collaborated on a piece.  His style is as hilarious and inimitable as always.

Those two pieces should give some idea of the range in this book.  Personally, I think it's one of those big, essential Australian comic anthologies that come along only once in a while - well worth the purchase price for individuals or libraries with an interest in our local comicking.

As for whether there will be more Drover Girl, at this stage I can't say.  If the right magazine was willing to commission me (as in pay), I'd certainly consider producing this as a regular feature.

Labels: Australian comics, Comic anthologies, Dillon Naylor, Drover Girl, Miscellaneous comic pieces, Reverie

As I don't seem to be getting much chance to draw comics lately, I was delighted when Dillon Naylor offered me a chance to work over one of his "Camilla and Mike!" episodes for Challenge: Australia's National Students' Magazine.

These roving kid journalist characters are regulars in this school magazine, exploring different subjects in an informative and entertaining way in comics form. The challenge was to draw Mike and Camilla in a manga/anime style suitable to his episode, without overly compromising their usual identity.

This two pager was a very enjoyable piece to draw and is now appearing in issue number 1 for 2010 of Challenge, available through most schools or iSUBSCiBE.

Labels: Australian comics, Camilla and Mike, Dillon Naylor, Miscellaneous comic pieces