Comics
Please note that this page is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest any information to be added to this page, please contact us on ahwa@australianhorror.com
And don't forget, Midnight Echo; the official magazine of the AHWA now accepts comic submissions. See the Midnight Echo page for more details.
Australian Publishers
Black House Comics - an Australian publisher specializing in comics and graphic novels.
Cardigan Comics - Melbourne-based publisher of Australian comic books
Gestalt Comics - publisher of fine graphic novels, based in Perth, Western Australia
Forums
Pulp Faction - the meet-and-greet place for artists and writers, and to find out what's happening in the scene.
References
Comics Down Under
- especially: Horror Comics of the 1970s: An Australian Perspective (http://comicsdownunder.blogspot.com/2007/11/horror-comics-of-1970s-australian.html)
Tabula Rasa - a top class resource covering Aussie horror comics going back to 1957!
The Hayase! Australian Comics Wiki
Conventions - a good starting place for writers looking to make contact with artists and publishers, and to get some tips on breaking into the industry
Recent Australian releases - Check out Tabula Rasa for a more concise listing of horror comic releases
EEEK! by Jason Poulos
FLINCH published by Gestalt
KAGEMONO by Jason Franks (Blackglass Press)
SHERLOCK HOLMES: DARK DETECTIVE by Chris Sequeira
STARK REALITY by BMB
THE LIST written by Paul Bedford, drawn by Henry Pop
THE TWILIGHT AGE by Jan Scherpenhuizen
International Resources
The following are by no means a be-all and end-all of the available resources out there; this is just a start...
downthetubes: A UK resource for all things comics
‘Writing Comics: A Guide' by John Freeman (http://www.downthetubes.net/writing_comics/index.html)
‘Writing for Comics' by Alan Moore (published in 2003 by Avatar Press) and an in-depth interview with the man himself on that subject at: http://www.enginecomics.co.uk/interviews/jan05/alanmoore.htm
http://forums.millarworld.tv/index.php?showforum=1 - international comic site focusing on all things comics
A Wikipedia list of comic book publishers (active as of 2008): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comic_book_publishing_companies
Creating a Graphic Novel; a primer for Australian Writers, by Jason Franks
The world of graphic novel and comics publishing is a strange one. On the one hand, publishing and distributing the works is through print channels: bookstores, news agents or the ‘direct market'. On the other hand, submission processes bear more than a passing resemblance to pitching for film or TV.
Click HERE to read the full article.
So you want to find an artist to draw your story...
[From Colin Wells Art]
If you're looking to try and connect with an artist to collaborate with, there are a few things you should do to help get you someone who is serious and has the talent to pull it off and stick with it to the end.
- No one makes any money out of the market here, it's just too small. We all do it for the love of the craft, be it storytelling, visual imagery, or both. You should appeal to that. If you present a good enough story, then you will get some interest.
- If you present an organised plan to actually see this project to print and distribution, you'll get more interest. See, seeing as we don't really expect mega bucks, we look for what exposure we can get to get noticed by larger publishers overseas. That always gets me interested when someone e-mails me with an interesting script.
- Offering $ will get you plenty of interest, but us artists aren't in this for the paycheck in the end, as I've said. We see that as, if it happens then great, but if not, at least I've made something worth the time and effort I've out into it. That's what will get you someone who won't flake out on you.
- Building a profile so people get to know you will also help. Contributing to the forum discussions and so on will get you known. Some groups meet at pubs and cafes etc to discuss what they are working on. Networking with these individuals would be a great way to connect with a collaborator who is serious about their craft.
So in summary, get yourself known, have a script ready with a plan for its release.