Comics Masterclass Launches 2015 Short Course Program

Comics Masterclass™ is delighted to launch its 2015 short courses program, starting with a workshop on "Breaking into European Comics: How to Find Professional Work on the Continent", which will be presented by award-winning Italian graphic novelist Thomas Campi who recently immigrated to Australia on a Distinguished Talent Visa supported by the Australian Society of Authors.

Thomas is the recipient of the Cognito Prize as Best Documentary Graphic Novel at the Belgium Book Fair, and also received the International Spectrum Fantastic Art 21 Gold Comic Award in 2014. 

His two-hour workshop will be held in Sydney in February and in February and in Canberra in March 2015. It will cover subject matter such as markets in Frances, Belgium and Spain; “Bande Dessinée” (Franco Belgium drawn strips); storytelling techniques and more.

Comics Masterclass is planning an exciting lineup of other workshops during the year with coverage in other States and Territories, as well several online workshops to encourage Australia-wide participation and introduce innovative ideas and creative techniques to a growing community of comikers.

For more information on the "European Comics" workshop in Sydney go to: 

http://comicsmasterclass.com/services/short-courses/breaking-into-european-comics-sydney/

For more information on the European Comics workshop in Canberra go to:
http://comicsmasterclass.com/services/short-courses/breaking-into-european-comics-canberra/

Big Kids Creating Kids Books at Camp Creative

 Multi-award winning illustrator and cartoonist and our old mate Jules Faber is running a children's writing and illustrating course in Bellingen, NSW, Australia in January 2015.

What do you need to know about the course?

Well, in working as a cartoonist and illustrator for over 20 years, Jules has figured out the right way to approach a children’s book from an illustrator / author’s perspective. Many people believe it is easy to write a children’s book but the complexity of children's publishing is deceptive. Some authors claim it’s actually more difficult than creating adult fiction

Jules will give you lots of tips and examine:

• What the different aspects of writing and creating a story are about
• How to make the story age-appropriate, and 
• How to lay it out into illustrated form. 

Utilising his personally formulated nine rules and guidelines, he will demonstrate how you can apply these to creating the right artwork to accompany your story from rough ideas through to finished art.

Participants will complete enjoyable small projects, and work towards creating an illustrated children’s story by the end of the week, thereby gaining an insight into the world of children’s writing and illustrating.

What do you need to know about Jules?

Jules has been working in book illustration for over 20 years, having completed work on many grown-up books and 10 children’s books for well-known authors like comedian Anh Do and cricketer David Warner. Jules is a multi-award-winning children’s book illustrator and cartoonist. He won the 2014 Book of the Year for Older Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards with Weirdo alongside author Anh Do, as well as the 2014 Best Designed Fiction Book for Children and the Best Cover at the Australian Book Design Awards with designer Nic Stofberg. His versatility as an artist means he has worked in a variety of different fields including live caricature, editorial cartooning, editing an award-winning comic book series and animating on a Disney program. From 2002-2004 he taught Comic Book Illustration and Scriptwriting and Storyboarding for TAFE Qld, and in 2005 he began a full-colour series of comics entitled Golgotha, which he re-imagined in 2014 in classic black and white. He has served three terms as the President of The Australian Cartoonists Association, the world’s oldest cartoonists organisation, and has won three Rotary Cartoon Awards, Australia’s biggest International cartooning competition.

HURRY! Bookings close on 20 November 2014!

When: January 2015 (dates and times TBA)

Course Length: One week

Where: Bellingen HIgh School

Level: Everyone

Age: 16+

Cost: Adults $370; Under 18 $210

Bookings: Camp Creative website

Presenting Comics Masterclass at the Australian Cartoonists' Association Stanley Awards and Conference

Black Mermaid Productions’ (BMP) partner and comic book writer Julie Ditrich will be presenting an information session on the new Comics Masterclass arm of BMP at the upcoming Australian Cartoonists’ Association (ACA) Stanley Awards and Conference in mid November. Julie will talk about this new professional development service that provides comics script and sequential art assessments, short courses and training for the next generation of Australian comics creators. Comics Masterclass team members Julie Regan will discuss the benefits of Creativity Coaching, and Lyndall Briggs will addresses creatives who are struggling with inner life issues such as anxiety and depression that may be hampering their success.

The event features an extraordinary line up of cartooning and comics talent including Nicola Scott, Pat Grant, Madeleine Rosca, Bernard Caleo, Steve Panozzo, Peter Lewis, Mark Knight, Nigel Buchanan, Jon Sommariva, David Rower, Sarah Catherine First, Warren Brown, Mike Bowers, David Pope and many others.

The Conference will be followed by the Stanley Awards on the Saturday night.

Here are the details:

Dates: Friday 14 and Saturday 15 November 2014
Venue: Menzies Hotel, 14 Carrington St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Cost: $75 per day (members); $90 per day (non-members)
For more information and registration: https://cartoonists.org.au/stanleys-registration/

You can download the brochure here.

PS Julie is super excited and honoured to have had her first ever caricature, which was created by the amazing Christopher Downes. See if you can spot it in the poster at the top.

Comic ConVersation at Ashfield Library

Ashfield Library will be holding its inaugural "Comic ConVersation" event in September. Melbourne-based Ledger Award winning graphic novelist Bruce Mutard (The Sacrifice, The Silence) will be the special guest, and there will be a multitude of panel discussions and workshops on offer. Among the exhibitors and comics storytellers are Black Mermaid Productions' director Julie Ditrich, as well as Marcelo Baez, Paul Caggegi, Thomas Campi, Chewie Chan, Regina Clarke, Sorab Del Rio,  Samantha Emery, Peter Fairfax,  Judex, Tim McEwen, Jan Scherpenhuizen, Nathan Seabolt and Christopher Sequeira. Kings Comics will be partnering at the event.

Here is what you need to know:

Date: Saturday 20 September 2014
Time: 4.00 to 8.00pm
Venue: Ashfield LibraryLevel 3, Civic Centre260 Liverpool Road, Ashfield NSW 2131 Australia
Contact: Karen on +61 2 9716 1828 or email karend@ashfield.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.ashfield.nsw.gov.au/page/whats on.html


CLICK HERE to access the flyer. 

Comics Characterisation Workshop at Comic Gong

Black Mermaid Productions (BMP) partner and comics writer Julie Ditrich will be presenting a one-hour beginner’s workshop on characterisation at Comic Gong in May 2014. The workshop is entitled: “Becoming Dr Frankenstein: How to Create Fabulous Comic Book Characters”. The workshop content includes the following:

All great comic book and graphic novel stories start with great characters whether they are heroes, villains or other archetypes. This beginner’s workshop shows you how to create a character profile from scratch by identifying and patching together the physiological, psychological and energetic components that make up your lead and supporting players.

Date: Saturday 17 May 2014
Time: 12pm to 1pm
Venue: Wollongong Town Hall, car. Kembla and Crown Streets, Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia
Cost: FREE
Website: http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/activities/Pages/Comic-Gong.aspx
Workshop Program: http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/activities/Pages/Workshops.asp

Comics Masterclass Writing Workshop: Animal Magic

Animal Magic: How to Use Animal Archetypes to Create Unique Human Comic Book Characters

Animals often appear in comic book stories in the form of friends, sidekicks or threats. However, writers can also incorporate animal spirit into creating multi-dimensional characters that resonate with readers. This workshop shows participants how to capture animal traits and energies in character profiles and model sheets, and also provides an understanding of how to use animals symbolically to comment on story themes. Presented in association with the Sydney Comics Guild. 

Presenter: Julie Ditrich
Date: Saturday 10 May 2014
Time: 11am to 2.00pm
Venue: The Dash Bar, Harold Park Hotel, 70A Ross Street, Forest Lodge NSW 2037 Australia
(02) 9660 4745
http://haroldparkhotel.com.au
Who Should Attend? Comics writers and artists who want to create fabulous characters in their stories.
Audience Age: 18+
Level: Intermediate
Duration: 90 minutes of workshop presentation (plus a one hour information session on Comics Masterclass™—meet some of the team, understand the philosophy, find out about services, ask questions)
Materials: Pen, pencil, sketchbook, notebook, and / or computer
Cost: FREE
Bookings: Sydney Comics Guild Facebook Events

ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Julie Ditrich is a published comics writer and editor with over 270,000 sales of her works around the world. She has been published through Image Comics and Warp Graphics in the USA, and her latest fantasy mermaid comic book series Elf~Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed was self-published through Black Mermaid Productions in Australia. She was the co-founder and the co-portfolio holder of the Australian Society of Authors Comics / Graphic Novels Portfolio for five years, and has also lectured extensively on comics at various writers’ festivals, tertiary institutions, pop culture conventions and arts organisations around Australia. Julie recently co-created Comics Masterclass™, which provides professional development for the next generation of Australian comics creators.
www.blackmermaid.com

ABOUT COMICS MASTERCLASS™Comics Masterclass™ is an Australian-based service that provides professional development to comics creators in the form of comics script assessments, editorial services, mentoring and coaching, and short courses and weekend intensives.
www.comicsmasterclass.com

ABOUT THE SYDNEY COMICS GUILD
The Sydney Comics Guild is a group for professional and amateur comics artists, and comics enthusiasts and fans. It is a forum where comics creators can network with each other. The Guild encourages all styles and genres, within appropriate age brackets, in comics and all comic media from web to print and everything in between.
www.sydneycomicsguild.org

ASA Comics Business Workshop with Julie Ditrich

BMP Director Julie Ditrich will be presenting a one day workshop in Sydney in May 2014 entitled "The Comics Business: from idea to print", which is part of the Australian Society of Authors' (ASA) professional development seminar program. 

The course will guide participants through the process of creating a comic book or graphic novel from story development and scripting to assembling a creative team, art production, pitching to publishers, self publishing, distribution and marketing.

Participants will gain an understanding of the end-to-end comics creation and production process, as well as the workings of the Australian pop culture scene. They will also learn how to manage relationships with artists, designers, printers, editors and other key parties involved in the successful publication of a comic book or graphic novel.

Date: Saturday 31 May 2014
Time: 10am to 4pm (six hours)
Venue: ASA Offices, Suite C1.06, 22-36 Mountain St, Ultimo in Sydney, NSW, Australia
Cost: ASA member $155; Member of a Partner Organisation $185; Non-member $230
Bookings: CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE or phone the ASA on (02) 9211 1004

Please note that Jason Franks will be presenting the same seminar in Melbourne in October. CLICK HERE for information on the Melbourne event. 

MEDIA RELEASE: Black Mermaid Productions™ Launches Comics Masterclass™

MEDIA RELEASE
8 September 2013

Australian comics team and publisher Black Mermaid Productions™ has just launched its new professional development arm—Comics Masterclass™. Originally conceived in 2011 as a one-off weekend event that was run in conjunction with the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and which attracted participants from around the country, Comics Masterclass™ has now evolved into a brand in its own right and a niche service that offers creative, business and self mastery opportunities to Australian (and overseas!) comics creators.

Comics Masterclass™ has three big picture goals:

1. To help emerging and developing comics practitioners realise their creative potential
2. To contribute towards creating an Australian comics economy where comics creators’ published works, expertise and experience are valued both critically and commercially, and
3. To facilitate the shift from an Australian comics community to a thriving internationally recognised and commercially viable industry.

The first offering is the Comics Masterclass™ script assessment service for emerging and developing comikers who are working on comic books, graphic novels, webcomics and comic / cartoon strips. This is the first dedicated comics script assessment service in Australia.

Says co-Black Mermaid Productions™ Director Julie Ditrich, “We have been talking to Australian comics creators about their professional needs for many years now. We become increasingly aware that there was a demand for critical feedback on comics projects in development but that no professional services were available to take on that task, which is why we came up with the idea of a comic script assessment service that critiques both writing and sequential art. It took us over a year to organise and assemble a high calibre team of qualified comics professionals with vast publishing credits, as well as editing and teaching experience, who would work as assessors and provide value and direction in this creative medium.”

Comics Masterclass™ is also pioneering in the Australian comics landscape by providing a variety of other services including creativity coaching, premium coaching, professional consultations, proofreading, editing and a counseling referral service. Furthermore, from 2014 it will also offer short courses and weekend intensives.

“We predict that Australia is about five years away from exploding onto the international stage and producing world class comics talent and publications in a big way,” says Black Mermaid Productions™ co-Director Jozef Szekeres, “We believe that Comics Masterclass will be at the forefront of facilitating this growth in the Australian cultural landscape.”

Ultimately, Comics Masterclass™ is about encouraging and nurturing new comics talent, and offering a safe place for creators to develop their creative and entrepreneurial skills.

For further information contact Julie Ditrich or Jozef Szekeres on
Phone: +61 2 9606 4728
Email: media@comicsmasterclass.com
Website: www.comicsmasterclass.com 

ASA / Supanova Professional Development Seminar 2012 [UPDATED 27/05/12]

Professional Friends with Benefits

Want to know what other professional associations and friends of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) can offer in the way of resources, legal advice, professional development and awards for comics creators?

One of the ASA Comics / Graphic Novels Portfolio objectives is to liaise and cross-pollinate ideas with like-minded Australian and overseas organisations whose focus is on the promotion of the comics art form. Consequently, we’ve formed professional friendships with two associations that can help comics creators achieve their goals.

The first is the Arts Law Centre of Australia, which is the national community legal centre for the arts. Established in 1983, it provides specialised legal and business advice, professional development resources, and advocacy for artists and arts organisations on a wide range of matters including contracts, copyright, defamation, business, and employment. Solicitor Jo Teng will speak about the how Arts Law can and has helped comics and graphic artists, the resources it provides, as well as a run-down of the most frequently asked questions, issues, and problems encountered by artists both in their practice and in fandom.

The second is the Australian Cartoonists’ Association (ACA), formerly known as the Australian Black and White Artists’ Club (ABWAC). It was formed in 1924 and is the world’s oldest professional cartoonist organisation. The ACA focuses on syndicated cartoons, copyright issues, public education and promotion to newspaper and magazine editors and publishers. Long time member and previous office holder Lindsay Foyle will talk about the comics format of comic / cartoon strips, and how the ACA offers professional development opportunities at its annual conference and the Stanley Awards—in particular the Award for Best Comic Book Artist. The ASA and the ACA will also highlight the new reciprocal membership benefits scheme that has been organised for members of each organisation.

About the Australian Society of Authors (ASA)

The ASA, which includes the Society of Book Illustrators (SOBI), is the peak professional association for Australian literary creators and has over 3000 members. The Comics/Graphic Novels Portfolio was formed in mid 2007, to provide industry support to Australian artists and writers currently working in the comics medium and, in particular, the graphic novel format. The portfolio now has over 100 members.

About the Speakers

Jo Teng (Arts Law Centre)

Jo Teng is an intellectual property lawyer with the Arts Law Centre of Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Law and Arts from the University of Western Australia, and a Masters of Law at the University of New South Wales specialising in media, communications and technology law. She provides specialist legal advice on a range of issues from copyright to YouTube and has a particular interest for the Internet and its impact on the arts.

Lindsay Foyle (ACA)

Lindsay Foyle started as a copyboy on the Daily Telegraph in 1959 and has worked in journalism ever since. He has also worked at The Bulletin (as art director and deputy editor), The Australian, and many other magazines and newspapers. He joined the ACA (ABWAC) in 1970, is a past president, and has written on cartooning for over 25 years. He helped establish the ACA Stanley Awards in 1985 and, since 2008, has been working as a freelance cartoonist and author on the history of Australian cartooning.

SYDNEY ONLY

Date: Saturday 16 June 2012

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Venue*: Madman Anime Area, The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney.

Entry fee: There is no charge to attend the seminar. However, attendees must be exhibitors or hold a One Day Pass ($27.50 through FOXTIX or $30.00 at the door) or a Supafan Three Day Weekend Pass ($47. 50 through FOXTIX or $55.00 at the door).
Bookings: FOXTIX BOOKINGS – 1300 111 369 or ticketsupport@foxtix.com.au or https://www.foxtix.com.au

The first 30 people through the door at the session will receive a FREE gift—donated to the ASA Comics / Graphic Novels Portfolio by our other professional friend Semi-Permanent. The gift is a beautiful and inspirational book that showcases creative design talent from around the world. Thanks to Semi-Permanent for its kindness.

* Please check the venue details in the printed Supanova event program (inserted in your show bag) in case of last minute venue changes.

Sponsored by Supanova and the Australian Society of Authors

Eckersley's Art Workshop for Artists [UPDATED 29/02/12]

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is holding an Eckersley's Art Workshop for illustrators (including comics creators) to demonstrate new materials and the latest techniques. There will also be an attractive discount on products purchased at the workshop.


When: Friday 30 March 2012
Where: Pinerolo Cottage, 116-120 Shipley Road, Blackheath NSW, Australia
Time: 10am to 12pm
Cost: $10
Bookings: Registration is essential. You can book online here or call the ASA on 1800 257 121 or (02) 9211 1004.
Maximum 20 participants.


Note from BMP: Blackheath is a gorgeous place in the Blue Mountains. Drive or train up for the day and check out some of the regional food and great restaurants, go on some lovely bushwalks (especially through the Grand Canyon area), and check out some of the arts and craft stores. As an aside, Julie used to go to Karate Camp in Blackheath when she was in her early 20s. She does not recommend getting up at 4am to do two hours of training in the park, although the sunrises and the gardens are spectacular!

Colleen Doran and the Black Mermaids at Comics Masterclass

Received the full Comics Masterclass pic disk from the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) a couple of days ago and we've been troweling through all the photos to find new ones to put online on the Comics Masterclass FaceBook page and onto the Comics Masterclass Spotlight ezine (you can SUBSCRIBE HERE if you want to start receiving it). We did a Comics Masterclass wrap up post last month but LOVED this pic of Colleen Doran and us (Jozef Szekeres and Julie Ditrich) at a morning tea break on the first day on the balcony which served as the green room. Outside of our official Black Mermaid™ logo character, we are also known as the Black Mermaids in the trade, hence the title of this post. BTW, the morning tea was scrumptious! [Photo credit: Ali Hand]

Comics & Graphic Novels Masterclass with Colleen Doran in Sydney!

ARE YOU ...

An aspiring comics creator who doesn't know where to start?

A professional comics creator who wants to increase your chances of getting published locally and overseas?

A novelist or book illustrator who wants to transition to graphic novels?

A screenwriter who wants to turn your story into a graphic novel as a prelude to getting it to film?

A storyboard artist who wants to become a power-player in the comics world but doesn’t know how to write a story?

An academic specialising in pop culture, literature or cultural studies who wants further insight into graphic narrative?

A school teacher or librarian who is exploring graphic novels in the classroom?

A publisher who wants to build a graphic novels list or finesse their visual narrative editing skills? OR

A person who just LOVES comics and graphic novels?

Then you need to book straight away into a weekend Masterclass that teaches you "How to Crack the Comic Book and Graphic Novel Creation Code So You Can Write, Illustrate and Edit Like a Pro." Featuring internationally renowned US comics creator Colleen Doran, you will learn about the craft and business of comics and how to get published.

Here's what the weekend covers:

• Storytelling Techniques
• Visual Storytelling Styles
• Professional Polish
  
• Deconstructing the Process
• The Professional Life
• Creator Rights
• Hollywood Secrets
• Chalk and Talk Q & A.
  

To see the full program, go to the Comics Masterclass website.

So what do you need to know about Colleen?

Colleen is an illustrator with hundreds of credits to her name. She has illustrated the work of Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, J Michael Straczynski, Tori Amos, Clive Barker, Warren Ellis, and more. She has illustrated superheroes and characters such as Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Sandman, and more. She has worked with companies such as Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, DC Comics, Reader's Digest, Scholastic and more. She has created officially licensed illustrations for Indiana Jones, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Her graphic novel series A Distant Soil was listed among the "101 Best Graphic Novels of All Time" and has sold over 300,000 print copies and has tens of thousands of readers in its web comic format. Need we say anything else ...

Here are the event details:

Dates: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November 2011
Time: 9am to 5pm
Venue: Aerial UTS Function Centre, Broadway, Sydney
Admission: $135 (ASA members); $165 (ACA, AWG and State and regional Writers' Centre members); $195 (Non-members)
Payment plans are available so you can pay off your ticket price in three installments.

Go to the official Comics Masterclass website for all the information you need on this event.

One lucky participant will win a private one-hour project or portfolio review session with Colleen!

For bookings, CLICK HERE.

To download the official Comics Masterclass flyer, CLICK ON THE ASA COMICS / GRAPHIC NOVELS PORTFOLIO page then CLICK on the download button in the box.

To subscribe to the Comics Masterclass Spotlight ezine, CLICK HERE.

Proudly presented by the Australian Society of Authors and Black Mermaid Productions.

The Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) Cultural Fund is a proud support of the Comics Masterclass.

Graphic Novel Session at Gloucester Writers' Festival

I (Julie) will be speaking about graphic novels at a session at the inaugural Gloucester Writers' Festival in Gloucester NSW, Australia, which is being held from Saturday 30 April to Sunday 1 May 2011. The weekend features panel sessions, workshops and conversations with writers across various literary genres and, of course, the comics medium. I will talk on the "Graphic Novel Process" on the Sunday at 2.00pm, and discuss how writers / artists create and develop a work from idea to script to art to post production. Word on the street is that I may also be doing a workshop for high school students on the Saturday afternoon but will seek confirmation and update this post later on in the week if it comes to fruition. Copies of Elf~Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed will be on sale at the event. CLICK HERE for the full festival program.

ASA / Supanova Professional Development Seminar 2011

Copyright, Resale Royalties and Cultural Funding: What every comics creators needs to know!

Want to know how to create additional income streams so you can spend more time working on your comics and graphic novels?

Want to find out about professional development funding opportunities that can get you overseas for FREE?

In 2010, Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) was appointed the collecting society to manage the artists’ resale royalty scheme. This was an important development in Australia’s Intellectual Property landscape, and meant that artists can now share in the financial benefits when their works accrue in value and are traded on the secondary market. This professional development seminar will explain how the scheme works and how artists (including comics artists) can be paid 5% of the resale value on the second and subsequent sale of artistic works. This seminar will also reveal how CAL’s Cultural Fund allocates around $2 million per year to support professional development of individuals’ projects through the Creative Industries’ Career Fund, as well as projects with a broader industry focus through the Cultural Fund.

About the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)

CAL was established in 1974 to represent the collective copyright interests of Australia’s authors, artists and publishers. CAL’s initial operations were aimed at providing equitable remuneration for the photocopying of creative works, especially in the educational sector where photocopying was taking away from traditional sales of textbooks. In 2000, the Copyright Act was amended and CAL has since collected remuneration for digital use of its members’ works. In 2010, CAL was appointed the collecting society to manage the artists’ resale royalty scheme. CAL manages its 17,000+ members’ collective copyright interests and artists’ resale royalty—collecting and distributing over $100 million per year to Australia’s authors, artists and publishers. To date, CAL has distributed a total of $780 million to the publishing and visual arts industries.

About the Australian Society of Authors (ASA)

The ASA (which incorporates the Society of Book Illustrators [SOBI]) is the peak professional association for Australian literary creators and has over 3000 members. The Comics/Graphic Novels Portfolio was formed in mid 2007, to provide industry support to Australian artists and writers currently working in the comics medium and, in particular, the graphic novel format.

About the Speaker – Zoë Rodriguez

Zoë Rodriguez is a lawyer who has worked at CAL for nearly eight years. She works in policy—lobbying government to promote laws that will benefit Australia’s visual arts and publishing industries. Zoë also manages CAL’s Cultural Fund and the Creative Industries Career Fund, which provide grants to organisations and individuals in the publishing and visual arts sectors. Cultural Funding is used to support people’s professional development, and in establishing an environment that enables creators to derive an income from their work.

BRISBANE SEMINAR

Date: Saturday 2 April 2011

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Venue*: Supanova Seminar Room (downstairs), Exhibition Building, RNA Showgrounds, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane.

MELBOURNE SEMINAR

Date: Saturday 9 April 2011

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Venue*: Supanova Seminar Room, opposite Exhibition Hall (via Main Entrance off Epsom Rd), Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne.

SYDNEY SEMINAR

Date: Saturday 18 June 2011

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Venue*: Supanova Seminar Room, The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney.

PERTH SEMINAR

Date: Saturday 25 June 2011

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

Venue*: Supanova Seminar Room, Robinson Pavillion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth.

Entry fee: There is no charge to attend the seminar. However, attendees must be exhibitors or hold a Supanova One Day Pass ($23.80 through Ticketek or $25.00 at the door) or a Supafan Three Day Weekend Pass ($49. 50 through Ticketek or $60.00 at the door). For bookings go to Ticketek or call 132 849 or

Further Information: Check out the Supanova event guide.

* Please check the venue details in the printed Supanova event program (inserted in your show bag) in case of last minute venue changes.

Sponsored by Supanova and the Australian Society of Authors

Announcing New Aussie Event – Australian Comic Art Festival

There's a new event on the horizon in 2011 – the Australia Comic Arts Festival to be held in Brisbane on Saturday 4 June 2011. This inaugural event will focus on webcomics, print comic strips, political cartoons, manga, comic books, graphic novels, and motion comics.

According to the ACAF website, this will be an:

"... ongoing event that is there to support and teach those interested in comics ... and will allow current creators to network and exhibit, as well as to inspire people who have an interest in creating to get involved and learn some skills... The primary driver of the event is to promote the diversity of comics as a legitimate artistic and literary medium."

Planned activities include a a large exhibition area featuring publishers, comic authors and artists, gallery show, tutorials / workshops, presentations and guest speakers. EXHIBITION TABLES ARE FREE! If you would like to be an exhibitor or want to present a session, then register NOW! Registration deadline is 30 November 2010. CLICK here for details.