Australian Cartoonist Oswald Pryor was born today at Moonta Mines, South Australia in 1881.
Australia Today
Australia Today was published annually by the United Commercial Travellers Association of Australia as a supplement to it's monthly newspaper The Australian Traveller and distributed throughout the Commonwealth. Australia Today was used as a promotional tool to encourage British immigration to Australia. The United Commercial Travellers Association of Australia was founded in its federated form in 1895 to look after commercial travelers in regards to travel and accommodation needs and advice to overseas manufacturers with commercial interests in Australia.
New Zealand Tourism posters
Below: A selection of New Zealand tourism posters including work by designers Leonard Cornwall Mitchell, Marcus King and Bill Haythornethwaite, all contributors to the early days of cartooning and comics in New Zealand.
Harry Julius Animation, Sketches, and Comics
Featured below are a collection of artifacts from the estate of Ruth Julius, daughter of Australia's first animator Harry Julius who was also an active cartoonist in the early twentieth century. Original trial/deployment drawings and watercolours by Harry Julius for We Little People, a proposed cartoon strip which became Smiler, c1920s. Also examples of Julius’ newspaper cartoons, Mr Gink and Happy Days.
Example of Harry Julius animation, Cartoons of the Moment by Harry Julius (1915)
Click image below to view Harry Julius animation, Cartoons of the Moment - The Crown Prince of Death (1915).
Some Melbourne Comic Events That You Could Possibly Go To
Alyx Dennison's Talking People @ Night, poster by young firebrand talent Marc Pearson. I believe this event involves some fine cartooning talent amongst the night's performers.
Squishface Studio's celebrate their third birthday on Monday Jan 26th. FB event page.
Tim Molloy exhibition in February at the Old Bar, Fitzroy, Melbourne. 24th Feb.
The All Star Women's Comic Book Club has already happened today but because I'm slow and feeble I'm only posting about it now. Still, it is on every month and you may wish to attend next month. More details on the All Star Women's Comic Book Club FB page.
The Melbourne comics collective where members are required to be able to bench a minimum are launching a quarterly anthology Melbourne Comics Quarterly. More details at melbournecomics.com and the FB event page.
Sissy Blvd running from Friday 16 January – Sunday 15 March. More info here, and FB event page.
Lee Lai, Katie Parrish, Merv Heers and Sam Wallman are queer cartoonists based in Melbourne. Using The Substation's front gallery space and Transit Gallery billboards, this exhibition will examine remnants of gay liberation, reflections on contemporary queer assimilation and resilience, mincing the fine line between subtlety and obviousness. Supported by The Substation and Hobsons Bay City Council.
The Melbourne comics meet up is on February 7th at the usual place and time, Prince Alfred Hotel in Carlton, 2pm - 6pm. FB event page.
