What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
Left Hand Path,the first issue of my new series with Paul Abstruse, was the clear highlight. It's really my first time putting out a book in full colour with obvious mainstream appeal and the results have been gratifying. Paul and I were both surprised that the book found a home with Winter City Productions and Pat Purcell has been tireless in getting the book into people's hands. Left Hand Path gives me a chance for me to demonstrate some longform genre chops that I've rarely had a chance to show in my comics work and I'm really proud of it. Paul, of course, deserves the lion's share of the credit. I think LHP is his best work in print he's been brilliant to work with. I can't wait for you fuckers to see the next issue. Paul has never looked better than he does with Eddy Swan colouring him and he too is a big part of the book.
Oz Comicon was a watershed convention for me, coupled as it was with the release of Left Hand Path #1. I got to be on some panels with creators I really admire and my work received some mainstream press coverage as a result.
I didn't put out a lot of new work in 2014 but I'm well pleased with how it's all going and I think I'm in a good position for 2015.
What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
Awkwood, by Jase Harper, was perhaps my favourite book this year. Spread, by Justin Jordan and Kyle Strahm, is disgusting and clever. East of West, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta, is all aces.
What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
Becoming a part of the (prose) speculative fiction scene here in Australia. At the start of the year I joined the Supernova Writer's Group and I've met some amazing local writers through that group and at conventions like Continuum. It has been a real pleasure getting to know these guys, and guess what? Most of them like comics, too!
What are you looking forward to in 2015?
The publication of Sixsmiths volume 2. Finally. It's going to happen, I swear!
