And a very happy new year! Normal blogging will resume in early 2014, so hang in there!

Best of the season for you all. May 2014 be a damn sight better than 2013 was.

"Do  you know what mental toughness is? Well, mental toughness is the ability to accept the fact that you're human and that you're going to make mistakes - lots of 'em - all your life. And some of them are gonna hurt people that you love very badly. But you have the guts to accept the fact that you ain't perfect. And you don't let your mistakes crush you and keep you from doing the very best that you can."

Vale Colin Wilson. Now an immortal. He is my template for writing. More so than anyone else he influenced how I think, how I write and how I approach my work.  He taught me, via his books, that knowledge should be shared, no matter how trivial you might think it is. It might be nothing to you, but to someone else, it could be life changing, the missing link between what they thought they knew and what they need to know. Knowledge is power, but sharing knowledge is empowering.

Using a previously unpublished autobiography from Chatto himself as the starting point, along with never before published material detailing almost every aspect of not only his life, but that of his family, this e-book will showcase and celebrate the life and art of legendary Australian comic book artist Keith Chatto.  And, of course, art! Covers, rarely seen art, documents, photos and much more. Avaliable on Amazon in January, 2014.

During the second World War much of the content of Australia's newspapers was censored, for varying reasons. It didn't take much for something to be censored, usually a representative of the armed forces contacted the censors, made their case and the resulting story, or article, was either heavily rewritten or simply scrapped.  It could be argued that the censorship often went overboard, but every so often something surfaces that shows the other side of the story, such as this letter, from the State Publicity Censor in response to a formal request to ban this Bluey and Curley strip by Alex Gurney. And here's the reply to the request for the strips banning. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, the censor got things right, very, very right.  God love the guy who did this.

This came through to me via Alex Saviuk, who received this message from '80s and '90s inker Jim Sanders II.  Jim inked many artists during a lengthy career at both Marvel and DC Comics, as well some independent publishers.  Jim is probably best known as being one of the few inkers that worked over Todd McFarlane's pencils when the latter started at Marvel drawing the Incredible Hulk, as well as working with Ron Lim, Erik Larsen and a host of other.  But sadly, in an all too familiar story, Jim has fallen on very hard times, as you'll read and is in need of assistance.  As if things weren't bad enough, Jim has had to as had face a parents worst nightmare and bury his daughter, so anything you can give will be greatly appreciated.  If you can give, then please, do give.  Help a man out who has brought delight and joy to the comic book world.  And if you know Todd McFarlane, let him know that one of his inkers needs some help.  A McFarlane sketch or, heaven forbid, a

It started with a standard FBI memo, issued to all law enforcement agencies across America, and signed by J. Edgar Hoover.  Hoover loved his memos almost as much as he loved scaring the general population and collating data on people via index cards and secret files – the amount of files that have been released in recent years is a mere teardrop in the ocean.  For example, the FBI claim that they have no files at all relating to crime comics or the infamous Senate Hearings into Juvenile Delinquency, and, if you believe them, then you’re more gullible than most.  The bulk of Hoovers memos regarding comic books and their effect upon the youth of America went unchallenged, but one publisher stood up and took the FBI, and Hoover to task – John Goldwater, the publisher and co-founder of MJL, and best known for publishing Archie Comics.  In the early 1950s, Goldwater was instrumental in the formation of the Comics Magazine Association of America, the organisation who established the C

In the just over fifty years since the idea was hatched and began, Gully Foyle remains one of the finest examples of comic book art that has been produced in Australia, bar none, yet very few people have ever seen it in its entirety.  Adapted from a story by Alfred Bester by Reg and Stan Pitt, the artwork is nothing short of exquisite. Drawn in a highly detailed style that both references and improves on the likes of Alex Raymond, Gully Foyle remains the high point of Stanley Pitts long and illustrious career.  Those who have seen the art still rave over it, over fifty years later; however it has never been properly printed, nor is it likely that it ever will. So, what exactly happened back in the 1960s to prevent Gully Foyle from seeing print?  There have been a few explanations and theories, but the actual reason can be traced back to one person.  Until now, the entire saga hasn’t been revealed, nor has the extensive involvement of John Ryan and legendary American arti