NOV/DEC '21 NEWSLETTER masoncomics.com.au |
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#09. Brief Debrief & a Merry Xmas to you
It's coming to the end of 2021, not much to say, but a few little bits and pieces I thought you might dig, and some leaked battle plans for 2022. |
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The Phantom #1905: A big thank you for those that picked up my last completed Phantom in 'Nam story in issue 1905 that dropped at the beginning of November. Completed in 2019, I was happy to see it arrive in print. Little tid-bit, the cover on the front was originally my thoughts for a back cover, so you could see the ancient Citadel in Hue City bombed out, as it was towards the end of the conflict in Feb 1968. In hindsight, from seeing the patriotic cover for the following issue #1906, I speculated the reasoning behind why the original cover idea didn't make it. You can see the final coloured version in my Latest News blog below... Big fingers crossed that King Features approves the synopses for more Nam stories. But if not, it was a fun ride. | | |
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As Promised last month, here's a black and white, and colour page preview to a 2022 upcoming Phantom story for Frew. It's a sequel to the classic Lee Falk/Wilson McCoy 1948 daily story "The Masked Marvel". It was an honour to have been asked to do this for Frew, I gather Glenn knew my love for classic Boxing and my fight experience when he gave me the assignment.( I could write and draw boxing stories like this every day if I could).
I had originally submitted the completed black and white story at the beginning of 2020, but was recently asked to colour it for an upcoming release. Thanks to Amanda for her assistant Editing skills as I tweaked a few lines also. No official word on this though, and awaiting any pushback from Frew/KFS on the final version, so this is just between you and me, and your inbox.
Cool? Cheers. Merry Xmas! |
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Graphic Nature Interview now live: As mentioned a few months back, I was lucky enough to have had a catch up conversation with my friend Zoran Ilievski at Graphic Nature podcast. CLICK HERE FOR BLURB We spoke for quite a while about a range of stuff on how and why I got into comics, teaching, Australian comics and thoughts, process stuff a little, our "thoughts" on "fine art", and some Kid Phantom insight. I think at times I forgot we were recording.
Always a gent, it was great to catch up with him. A long interview, I recommend the "pause" button. I don't envy his task of editing it, I hope if you do give it a listen (via regular podcast apps or via link below),
You can find past interviews with Australian comic makers and cartoonists at the website too.
Cheers!
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FLOCK: February Kickstarter Still in the works, Comic is on the front-burner while I continue teaching this month, and the current TX! Magazine story.
I'm hoping to wrap my head around a Kickstarter launch page to go live sometime in January, while I finish final colours and lettering, and number crunching what I need to bring the book to life. So keep watching this space!
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ASA Style Files In November I had the honour of being accepted into the Australian Society of Authors Style Files for illustrators. A curated portfolio, the ASA style files are "A one-stop shop for publishers, advertising creatives, journalists, editors, writers, agents, in fact anyone searching for the very best Australian illustrators."
Figuring you gotta self-promote to get out there, I was fortunate to have been selected among the folks on the site, and fingers crossed in bears fruit. In the meantime, though my original folio contained Phantom work, the final submission rules re: copyright ownership caused me to pivot towards primarily my own work. Therefore, some spoilers for FLOCK #1 can be found there. Feel free to suss out: | | |
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TALGARD tome 2 graphic Novel now available to order: Gestalt Comics's short story series TALGARD has a second volume, and is now available!
The "smart barbarian" series of short stories, created and written by Gary Proudley, coloured by Justin Randall, and lettered & edited by Wolfgang Bylsma, features a roster of emerging and established comic book artists across Australia. I was fortunate enough to work with my friends at Gestalt again on a quick 4 page story 'TALGARD AND THE HORDE' in 2019, and look forward to seeing it appear in print along with friends, peers and artistic inspirations of mine, such as Gary Chalonler (Will Eisner's JOHN LAW, The Jackaroo).
Check out the fantastic cover by Sacha Bryning, and details via the link: | | |
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Bird of the Month: The Cheesel Wha can be said about this little star? Coming to us as a discarded pet and injured young rescue bird from the bird vet a number of years ago, she was dubbed "Cheesel" for her colour and shape (I thought her original given name was stupid). A constant office and lounge room companion, this little character is powered on scratches and pellets (though has no qualms about dive bombing your breakfast bowl.) She's "famous" too. A comic character in soon-to-be 2 series (after being a "series regular" in Kid Phantom), a voice over actor to her own cartoon self (watch the Kid Phantom animated short), has interrupted podcasts, and is also far more popular in my classrooms than me in my own online lectures. She's even in artwork to be exhibited overseas early next year.
This little "warrior" too, somehow survived 5-6 days in the wild after escaping out the door, into crazy winter temperatures in 2020, managing to fight off miner birds and crows, to end up in some blokes bar room 5 kms away, and virtually fine. I thought if that ever was to happen, she wouldn't last the distance down the driveway. Must have been all those trips fighting pirates and gangs with Kit and Guran... Cheesel is the little, screaming puff ball that lights up our day. Look out for her in the upcoming pages of FLOCK... |
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Final words for 2021: What a year, right? You survived too? Great! I'm proud of you too! A tough year and the perfect opportunity to look around and be thankful you're safe and well, and hopefully your loved ones are too. Maybe in 2022, I might get a chance to see some of you. Though I have no plans to support Supanova shows, I will certainly endeavour to attend Oz Comic-Cons and the like, if safe and if they want :) A shame Brisbane didn't go through, but better safe than sorry TBH. In the meantime I remain head down in the Brisbane bubble, teaching my comics intensive elective at the Uni this month, and TX! #39, thanks to HepatitisNSW and consultant & friend Wolfgang Bylsma. I also want to give a big hug and shout out to my partner Amanda who is currently unwell, but if fighting on amazingly! Much love always xxx and I look forward to having her back editing my words here, and helping me with my work on FLOCK soon. Her work on the Phantom story releases this year was grand and unsung, and I hope that we one day do get to do that story we co-wrote and pitched, as I'm really excited to have permission to draw that one. And if not, energy into FLOCK for sure.
I would like to thank you if you're reading this, as your support in wanting to see what I'm up to in comics etc. is invaluable. I hope you continue to stick around, as there's already things in 2022 that I'm looking forward to sharing, including some exhibitions, The Phantom, FLOCK #1 (at least), and The Deep season 4.
As always, best wishes to you and yours, keep safe, be well, and hope we all get through these crazy times OK. Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a safe and kinder new year to you all.
Warm regards,
Paul.
pmason83@gmail.com
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