It's another big week for NZ comics, with two separate events this week. The first is the NZ release party for Tim Danko's latest graphic novel Once. Originally created and published for a French publisher, Danko utilized Australian crowd sourcing website Pozible to fund the printing of an English language version. Drawn over a four year period while living on Great Barrier Island, Once is a 56-page tour de force of Danko's mastery of the comics form - exploring the line between comics and visual arts, a direction few cartoonists have travelled as confidently and imaginatively as Danko.
Above: A page from Once by Tim Danko. Copyright Tim Danko 2013.
The New Zealand launch for Once takes place this Tuesday night at The Wine Cellar (St Kevin's Arcade, 183 Karangahape Road, Auckland) from 6-8pm. Also copies of Danko's Dead Xerox Press comic series Sup – Ho will be available, as well as many other rare items and hand-printed bookmarks for sale. For more information, visit the Once Facebook page HERE, or if you can't make the event, you can order it online through the Dead Xerox Press website HERE.
Then on Thursday night, rising comics star Ralphi has an exhibition opening at the Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery called Girl Comics. Probably best known in the local comics scene for her standout contribution to last year's Faction #1 anthology (Ricky & Lyle), Ralphi is quickly becoming a talent to watch, with her sharp design sense and dab hand at creating engaging and memorable characters.
From the exhibition description: 'Ralphi's work uncovers a strong sense of narrative, drawn from events and observations in both her own life and the lives of her numerous, unwitting muses. Referenced in both appearance and antics, their vices are glorified, limbs lengthened, and additional bad language inserted. Themes of friendship, substance abuse, cosmic voyages, and everyday human and animal truths are perceptively captured, impatiently inked and laced with a dark wit.
The ever growing cast of characters are part of a disjointed, motley family. All connected somehow, however tenuous the threads, in the mess that is Ralphi's curly head.'
The ever growing cast of characters are part of a disjointed, motley family. All connected somehow, however tenuous the threads, in the mess that is Ralphi's curly head.'
Above: Ricky & Lyle by Ralphi, from Faction #1. Copyright Ralphi 2013.
The exhibition opening takes place at the Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery (123-125 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland), from 6-8pm. If you can't make the opening, the exhibition will run from the 29th of August to the 10th of October. For more information visit the Facebook page HERE.
It's shaping up to be a landmark year for New Zealand comics, so make sure you get along to these exciting events and support your local cartoonists!
-AK!
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