Australian Graphic Novels
Gestalt Publishing
Flinch (Gestalt Publishing, 2009)
A collection of stories by established and emerging creators, all playing on their interpretation of ‘flinch’. From facing the ‘other’ within ourselves, to the tale of a prison inmate discovering what keeps him going, to a handful of stories exploring traditional (and non-traditional) hauntings alike.
The Example written by Tom Taylor & illustrated by Colin Wilson (Gestalt Publishing, 2009)
Waldo’s Hawaiian Holiday written by Alex Cox, illustrated by Chris Bones & Justin Randall (Gestalt Publishing, 2008)
Continues the story of the movie Repo Man.
Vowels by Skye Ogden (Gestalt Publishing, 2007)
“Ogden is an enormously stylish artist, and he’s made an ambitious debut” – Publisher’s Weekly
Character Sketches: Trauma & Joy (Gestalt Publishing, 2007)
Anthology of comics by Shaun Tan, Justin Randall, Chris Burns, Christian Read, Anton McKay, Mark Welsh and others.
Eddie Campbell
The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard by Eddie Campbell and Dan Best (First Second, 2008)
Set in the 19th century about the bizarre life of a man who stumbles into becoming a trapeze artist for a travelling circus.
“One of the strangest, most artistically brave books I’ve read in recent memory, and I do it a disservice by suggesting that it makes some sort of sense. Eddie Campbell’s latest makes very little sense at all, and while 99% of the time that’s reason to pan a book, in this case it happens to be the primary reason to recommend it” – Marc Mason at Comics Waiting Room
The Black Diamond Detective Agency adapted by Eddie Campbell from a screenplay by C. Gaby Mitchell (First Second, 2007)
After a train bombing strikes terror in the Heartland, John Hardin is a desperate man. He is the sole suspect of the renowned Black Diamond Detective Agency, a private operation determined to solve the mystery and bring its perpetrators to justice — at any cost. Once a quiet Missouri corn farmer, Hardin now finds himself on the run in turn-of-the-century Chicago.
The Fate of the Artist: An Autobiographical Novel, with Typographical Anomalies, in which the Author does not Appear as Himself by Eddie Campbell (First Second, 2006)
A creative mining of the rich resources of the comic strip language. Campbell provides a complex meditation on the lonely demands of art amid the realities of everyday life.
From Hell: Being a Melodrama in Sixteen Parts written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Eddie Campbell (Mad Love Publishing, 1995)
Bacchus, Alec, Hellblazer
Matt Coyle
Worry Doll by Matt Coyle (Mam Tor, 2007)
Registry of Death by Peter Lamb & Matt Coyle (Kitchen Sink Press, 1996) with an Introduction by Poppy Z. Brite
Nicki Greenberg
The Great Gatsby a graphic adaptation by Nicki Greenberg of the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Allen & Unwin, 2007)
Greenberg is an astonishing artist. Her characters bring the story to life as I never could have imagined.
Listed as a notable book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia awards list 2008 (even though it’s not a children’s book!?)
Bruce Mutard
The Silence by Bruce Mutard (Allen & Unwin, 2009)
“There is ample silence for the reader to bring their own experience to the reading. Recommended for lovers of art and artists” – Claire Saxby at Aussiereviews.com
The Sacrifice by Bruce Mutard (Allen & Unwin, 2008)
“Set against the backdrop of pre-World War II Melbourne The Sacrifice follows the life of Robert Wells, a principled man, who is trying very hard to maintain the lifestyle he is used to…Mutard’s art is clean and consistent, his assured storytelling nicely sets the tone and brings to life pre-war Melbourne without the need for laboured or flowery prose that would have detracted from the realism he is striving for” – W. Chew Chan in Australian Bookseller & Publisher
The Bunker by Bruce Mutard (Image, 2003)
Getting through high school is hard enough without being in love with the girl next door, especially when she likes you only as a friend. Jason has this problem with Annie, but when she sneaks into his room late one night asking to sleep over in his bunk bed every night because she’s afraid of a ghost in her room, he thought his luck was about to change. Alas, some mysterious shadow has fallen over Annie and their friendship starts to feel the strain. As he struggles to maintain a balance between his respect for their friendship and his yearnings for her, he realizes there may be more to her silly ghost story than he knew and a dark secret from the past is revealed.
Love To Know You: The Complete Collection by Bruce Mutard (Fine Art Comics, 2001)
Talnon
The Deerflame Legacy by Talnon (Deerflame Graphics, 1999)
Shaun Tan
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (Lothian Books, 2006)
A wordless graphic novel, which tells the story of a migrant leaving some unfortunate circumstances in his home country, crossing an ocean to a strange new city, and learning how to live there.
Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction Golden Aurealis Short Story 2006
NSW Premier’s Literary Award Book of the Year 2007
WA Premier’s Literary Award Premier’s Prize 2007
Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year 2007
Children’s Graphic novels
The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard by Gregory Rogers (Allen & Unwin, 2004)
Short-listed for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for younger readers 2005
Midsummer Knight by Gregory Rogers (Allen & Unwin, 2006)
Listed as a notable book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia awards list 2007
Captain Congo and the Crocodile King written by Ruth Starke and illustrated by Greg Holfeld (Working Title Press, 2008)
Captain Congo and Pug are sent by the Agency to Abyssinia to locate a missing anthropologist who has been searching for the Treasure House of the Queen of Sheba. With spies, scorpions, crocodiles, human sacrifice, heroism, this story has it all.
Short-listed for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year 2009
The Mostly True Story of Matthew & Trim written by Cassandra Golds & illustrated by Stephen Axelsen (Puffin, 2005)
The storyline follows Matthew Flinders and his cat Trim, and is a graphic novel of adventure and intrigue.
Listed as a notable book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia awards list 2006
The Secret Army: Operation Loki written by Sophie Masson & illustrated by Anthony Davis (ABC Books, 2006)
Snowboarding Whistler by David McDermott & Gavin Moroney (FreestyleMax, 2006)
Round the Twist 2: Quivering Heap and Yuckles by Paul Jennings & illustrated by Glenn Lumsden & Dave de Vries (Penguin, 1993)
Two stories from the television series Round the Twist, in comicbook form.
Australian OEL Manga
The Dreaming vol.1-3 by Queenie Chan (Tokyopop, 2005-2007)
In Odd We Trust by Dean Koontz and Queenie Chan (Del Rey, 2008)
Queenie Chan was born in Hong Kong and moved to Australia when she was six. She grew up reading manga and watching anime and started drawing manga while at university.
Hollow Fields vol.1-3 by Madeleine Rosca (Seven Seas, 2007-2009)
Madeleine Rosca grew up in country Victoria and now lives in Burnie, Tasmania. She spoke at the Emerging Writers Festival in Melbourne, 22-31 May 2009.
Comics
Julie Ditrich, Jozef Szekeres and Bruce Love have wrote and illustrated ElfQuest: WaveDancers (Black Mermaid Productions)
Peta Hewitt writes and illustrates web comic Terinu
Shane McCarthy and Chris Bolton wrote and illustrated Batman.
Ben Templesmith illustrated 30 Days of Night which was made into a movie.
OzComics includes comics news and information for comics writers and illustrators.
Australian Comics from Tabula Rasa. Includes lists of comics, interviews, articles and links to sites.
Cross between a picture book and a comic
Tagged by Gary Crew and Steven Woolman (Era Publications, 1997)
Books with comicbook sections
Plotless Pointless Pathetic, Hapless Hopeless Horrible & Goom by Joshua Wright (Allen & Unwin, 2002-4)
Funny, irreverent & gross.
