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Interview

Bobby N. p2

Bobby N. talks about comics meet-ups he attends in a hotel in Carlton, Melbourne.

READERSVOICE.COM: I met Colin Wilson at the Brisbane Supanova [See March edition for lots of great book tips from this comiccon-style event] and bought one of his books, which had excellent drawing and inking of western scenes. Who are some of the other artists you know from the comics meet-ups you attend in the Prince Alfred Hotel in Carlton, and what sort of backgrounds do they come from?

BOBBY N.: The two best in the local scene (for me) are Colin Wilson (whom you mentioned), and Bruce Mutard. Other noted locals whose work I like are Jason Franks, Trevor Wood, Tristan Jones, Paul Bedford, Tom Taylor… and I see the potential rising in a lot of new people who have crawled out into the comics scene. Let’s hope they stick with it.

RV: When did you start going to these comics meet-ups and what do you learn from them?

BN: Started attending about 5 years ago when there were only about 5 people. Now we average about 20-30, and sometimes we even get over 40!

RV: How and when did Greg Gates start these, and will they keep going well into the future would you say?

BN: Greg began them a few years before I started attending. I hope they continue and grow, but these things (like everything in life) needs to be fed, otherwise it dies. Right now, we’re in unprecedented high times for Melbourne (and I’d say ‘Australian’) comics. It’s a great time to be doing it.

RV: What are some of the other comics about that were launched at the Big Arse comics launch #2?

BN: 15 comics were launched on the day: Ballantyne Where Hidden Rivers Flow (Pikitia Press); Blood Across Broadway (FrankenComics); Criminal Element (Black House Comics); Digested #5 (Gestalt Comics); It Shines and Shakes and Laughs (Milk Shadow Books); Killeroo: Gangwar (Ozone Studios); Kranburn #2 (FEC Comics); No Map, But Not Lost (Milk Shadow Books); Pay Through the Soul #2 (Black House Comics); The Return of the Night Eagle (Pikitia Press); Sawbones: The Time Being; Stripshow (Milk Shadow Books); Terra Magazine #1 (Black House Comics); You Stink and I Don’t #10 (Milk Shadow Books); Zombolette (Milk Shadow Books).

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-copyright Simon Sandall.