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#acic: Australian cartooning industry controversy

Posted on November 10, 2024February 2, 2025 by David

A new comic today! A true story about why I, and maybe a lot of others I know, draw comics, and about the generational (?) divide. Thanks to my pals in Squishface Studio’s Chapter Club for editing assists on this one.

It’s a good time to put this out because it’s been about a year since the Exciting Media Controversy, but also because the Australian Cartoonists Association conference is upon us! If you’re in the vicinity of Canberra, please come along. It’s a nice time.

And on the Saturday, you’ll enjoy (among other things) me moderating a panel about Genocides That Mustn’t Be Named, and the many, many theoretically “humane” arts organisations that have censored, spiked and attacked artists who dare to talk about Gaza.

Because we want an easy life, and to keep our jobs. Don’t we?

Page 1 of Australian Cartooning Industry Controversy, a comic drawn in black and white with blue highlights. On this page we see that in 2023 Jon Kudelka decided not to enter the Walkley Awards because they were underwritten by Ampol
Page 2 of Australian Cartooning Industry Controversy, a comic drawn in black and white with blue highlights. On this page I describe the gutting of the news business since the 1980s and resulting difference in culture between cartoonists who had a shot at a job and artists who don't.
Page 3 of Australian Cartooning Industry Controversy, a comic drawn in black and white with blue highlights. On this page we see how angry conservative media gets when you stand on a principle they disagree with.
Page 4 of Australian Cartooning Industry Controversy, a comic drawn in black and white with blue highlights. We conclude by consulting my parents, who, because they aren't part of an organisation paid for by Rupert Murdoch, are free to express opinions that are different to his.
Tags: #acicComicsKudelkaPolitics
Category: ACAComics

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David Blumenstein

I’m a service designer, cartoonist and co-founder of Squishface Studio. I’ve done comics for The Guardian, Crikey and Australian MAD. Currently also deputy president of the Australian Cartoonists Association.

I usually write about things that shit me off, from bad bosses (The Bret Braddock Adventures) to pick-up artists (#takedown) to white supremacist trolls (The Internet’s Most Trolled Cartoonist) to predatory cults (Why Los Angeles is Scientology’s perfect city) and nasty tech bros (Octane Render: Cartoonists talk about A.I. art).

I’m working on graphic novels called Sciensatics (about cultists) and Free Money, Please (about wealth and passive income).

Sarah Howell

I regularly collaborate with my wife, Sarah Howell.

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