2014 in Review: Tara Black

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
I've loved moving I Fight Crime to the real world and the strip above is one I'm really proud of. Richard is so funny, as usual, but I think that my illustrations are bringing a lot of the humour. I'm also really proud of the colouring I did for Issue 11 of Blastosaurus.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
I've loved Saga and Dan Slott's Silver Sufer. I've been reading them on comixology because I can't wait for them to come out. Dan Slott's unashamed homage to Doctor Who involves stunning art and engaging relationships.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?  
I enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - I love her use of language even if the plot doesn't quite hold together at the end. Korra is stunning. Honestly, that show gets better and better. I'm particularly impressed by the complex politics and the world building. Podcasts. I've gotten into Harmontown, The JV Club and This Feels Terrible as well as getting my weekly fix of Saturday Morning with Kim Hill.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
I'm really looking forward to Gorillas in Our Midst coming out, which will be our first picture book to get World-wide release. I'm looking forward to being involved with publishing more of Ralphi's work because it is fantastic and, of course, the Three Words project. I'm also excited about The Sculptor by Scott McCloud.

I Fight Crime

Square Planet Comics

2014 in Review: Tom Garden

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
Bringing out issue #5 of my comic series called System Earth: Deathbattle of Woodhill mall. Oh and attending the Armageddon convention. That was a whole bunch of fun.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
I dunno, I find that hard to answer. There's a lot of great stuff out there and I enjoy checking out different artist's style and the style of the comics in general. I also like sniffing new comics. The comics with the most 'new smell' smell are probably my favourites.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
Hmmmm. Um. Stuff? Heaps of stuff. Having a perfectly fried piece of Hoki fish at a chip shop would be up there. Heaps of stuff. Living in Melbourne throws a lot of stuff at ya and you can't help but appreciate the experience.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
I'm looking forward to seeing another year of the Melbourne comic scene grow. I loved experiencing the comraderie from all the local creators and the support that they share with anyone who wants in. And I'm also looking forward to writing more comics! Hopefully I can get the System Earth series finished. Nay, I WILL get the System Earth series finished. You can bet your bottom dollar on that one.

System Earth

2014 in Review: James Davidson

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
Getting issue 4 finished! If I am honest with myself, 2014 has been a bit of a slow year in terms of comic output. Now that my youngest daughter (Trixie I love you) is not waking me up several times a night I might be able to muster the energy to get some more work done.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
Dharma Punks by Ant Sang is something I’ve been wanting to get my hands on for years. I remember seeing an article on Ant in the listener and thinking at the time what a legend he was. Unfortunately, living in rural New Zealand getting my hands on the books was next to impossible. Due to a successful Kickstarter campaign it is now available and it has certainly been worth the wait. Some other kiwi books I’ve enjoyed this year have been Holocaust Rex by Karl Wills and Timothy Kidd, and Lucky Aki by Barry Linton.  I don’t mind saying this but the art in these two book makes me very jealous! Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang was the international book that had the most impact on me. Read it!

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?  
Metallica. Their first four albums have been on constant rotation in my car or in the gym. I think I might have to grow my hair out. Also, my two eldest children have started getting into the cartoon network. I now understand what I’ve been missing in my life.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
Making more comics. I want to get more Moa out there and I also have some other ideas waiting to have life breathed into them. Perhaps it’s time to clean out the garage and get my studio back in working order? Or, perhaps I’ll  watch Adventure Time instead.

Moa Comic Blog

2014 in Review: Karen Beilharz

Toward the Waves - Words by Karen Beilharz. Art by Daniel Gilmore.

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
That I actually produced things with my collaborators this year was something of a triumph--especially given that earlier in the year, I gave birth to my second child and have been grappling with sleep deprivation and limited free time ever since. Paul Wong-Pan and I finally put out Part 1 of our ongoing graphic novel, Eternal Life in time for Supanova Sydney in June: http://hivemindedness.com/eternallife. In addition, René Pfitzner and I collaborated on a six-page comic about cons and cosplayers called Coarse Play.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
Unfortunately I haven't been able to read that much this year, but I have enjoyed

    Three (Kieron Gillen, Ryan Kelly, Jordie Bellaire)
    The Wicked and the Divine (Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, Clayton Cowles)
    Young Avengers Vol 2 (Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, Clayton Cowles) (You can see a pattern here!)
    Demeter, Wolves and The Mire (Becky Cloonan)
    Ellerbisms and Chloe Noonan: Monster Hunter (Marc Ellerby)
    Hildafolk, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Hilda and the Bird Parade (Luke Pearson) (Still need to read the fourth Hilda book!)
    Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick (Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky)

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
Is it too much of a cliché to say I've really enjoyed my baby? People say that when you have your first child, you're so taken up with getting used to being a parent, learning how to do new things, and understanding babies and how they develop, that it can be hard to take a step back and appreciate babydom. But when you have your second child, you're more experienced and therefore (usually) less stressed about all that stuff because you've done it all before. People are totally right: I've found 0-12 months way more interesting and enjoyable than my first time around. It certainly helps that she's ridiculously cute and very laidback!

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
Getting back some of my writing time while my kids are in preschool/childcare and being able to work on new projects! I'm also looking forward to collaborating with new artists too.

Twitter

Website

Feeling - Words by Karen Beilharz. Art by Mike Barry.

2014 in Review: Lee Gracie

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2014?
Nothing really. I just being drawing my comics for my website. It help me with my mental illness, what I'm doing.

What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2014?
Saga and Sex Criminals and Judge Dredd.

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2014?
Some TV shows that I have watched and meeting new friends.

What are you looking forward to in 2015?
I don't look forward at anything that is coming up really. I just wait until things happens. It's not like I'm not doing anything about it. It sometime you have to wait to hear back from some people. I can't say any more than that.

Doctor Duck Comics