Been reading a book called ‘Cartoon Charlie’ about a Manitoban cartoon artist (Charlie Thorson) who worked for Disney and most of the other animation studios about in the thirties. Anyway it’s a good read if you come across it. Also loaned out Maus (Pronounced Maws so a friend recently tells me, not Mouse) and two ‘little lit’ books also by Speilgelman. I know Art cops his fair share of flack but I still think he did a damn good job of Maus. Although it is frustrating that it’s the only comic book that gets mentioned when people talk about adult comics. Which is probably due to comic book artists obsessions to sprinkle their stories with juvenile humor*. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that comics have to be refined and sophisticated, I’ve just noticed a tendency in small press comics to have the token, out of context, x-rated panel (Whoa slow down you’re breaking too many taboos!) The good thing about comics is that anything goes, and the artist has an opportunity to be a filmmake

Not much going on herejust reading lots of books and a little drawing. A friend of mine recently suggested on a joint project which sounds like fun, kind of like a journo comic. I have to try and do some more post seeing how I'm so idle here. Although were plnning a trip to montreal some time in the next few days. www.awcomix.blogspot.com

Marc Bell 'Ogopogo s.s.s' So I decided to go to Canada at the last minute on one of Heathers standby passes, which sounds crazy to most but what they don�t realise is that it�s upper cheap and the real risk is getting stuck halfway in Honolulu. Anyway so far the trip has been great. Canada is kind of like my second home and I feel at ease here. I�ve only had a few accent problems so far nothing major, apart from people not being able to hear that you�re speaking English, well a form of it anyway. Went to the local comic store in Winnipeg here (Gotta find a better one in this town) saw a couple of things that interested me but I�m on bit of a budget to go spending anyways. Anyway I have the opportunity to drop some names for an art magazine in terms of comic art which makes me nervous, I mean good comic art is few and far between. But at the same time I figure I can talk about Greorge Grosz and Oto Dix for starters (Leave out Lichtenstein) also woodcut novels and such, Gust

Getting on the plane in Sydney 

Tommorow I fly off to Canada, more updates to come.

I took advantage of the single clour photocopier at school and did a run of posters that I pasted up at school, twas lots of fun. I'll have to scan one and post it later. Been meaning to look up this artist that I came across in a book called, 'Angry posters: posters from the regan bush era' So i went back to the library and looked up the book. Turns out his name's Eric Drooker. Probably fairly well known, as his work gets widely used for political issues and also one a couple of CD covers (Faith no more, rage against the machine) Anyway I did a google image search (One of my favourite things to do, try it by clicking the image option on google, you can search the web for images only)and came up with lots of juicy images to tantalise my tastebuds. Erik Drooker

Cover pic S#2 released June 10th Hey new Blogger, well a change is good looks like things are streamlined a little more, I'll have to play around with it a litle. On another note, I just want to know why everyone's gone off e-mailing lately...I've been an e-mail madman the last two months with very few replys, what do i smell or somthing *sniff myself* I guess I am a bit musty. I have a phobia of washing ok, my mother put my in a tumble dryer as a kid to scare me from crawling in there. It's a deeply rooted psychological condition! Life saving contact is only a keyboard away: awcomix @yahoo.fuck off spammers.com

just found this

I think I'm out of the logjam with my non-comic drawing at the moment. I’ve developed a new technique that I'm exploring and seems to blend all the influences that I’ve been trying to bring together. so yeah it's just something a little different. Readable comix still seem to intrigue me a grab my interest. Theres something unsatisfactory to me about my images unless they have text or some sort of direct meaning or story. Maybe a little too obvious I know but at heart I think I'm an illustrator (Not that illustrator is a dirty word) In other news Scrambled comes out in months time! It’s going to have loads of comics and it’s also bigger than the last issue. I’m going to have to discontinue using the special paper for the cover to bring down my inflated production costs. I’ve also just discovered I can do single colour photocopies at school, which means I can add a little colour to my comics at a low low price, yey!

I have kind of run into a logjam with my work at art school. Which is funny because I’m writing more comics than ever, and lovin’ it. I did a hoe bunch of new work on the school holidays that was fun and I actually liked but maybe was way too loose for me. I sat in front of one of the works last week and I felt hopeless and full of despair, what do they mean. I’m at a loss. Viva la sketchbook to keep me sane… I saw this book in minotaur and really wanted it. I was convinced that it was a Max Anderson cover of 'death and candy' fame but turns out it's a one Stephane Blanquet. It's got that european naive art feel too it