Nat Karmichael

Hullo!

My name is Nat Karmichael, and I am PASSIONATE about Australian comics! I have long lamented that we have NO nationally-released comic magazine, available to people EVERYWHERE around the country, and that Australian ARTISTS and CARTOONISTS can contribute to and be PAID to see their work published.

Sure, we have "The Phantom" and there is a version of "MAD Magazine". But - as far as I am concerned - these DO NOT count! The Phantom is the character owned by an American company. MAD Magazine has recently stopped accepting submissions from Australian artists. I believe this is NOT GOOD ENOUGH! There are SO MANY talented Australian ARTISTS and CARTOONISTS in this country who can tell wonderful tales that EVERY Australian can enjoy. They need a vehicle to display their wonderful talents.

SO, rather than COMPLAIN and MOAN about it, just under two years ago I decided to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I began to publish an Australian comic magazine that was available in newsagents around the country. Maybe you have heard about it. It's quite likely you haven't. The comic magazine is called OI OI OI! (Here, by the way and just below to the left, is a copy of the First Issue's cover by Anton Emdin...an Australian and a well-known MAD Magazine artist....)

Ah, yes, I know, that OI OI OI! sounds really jingo-istic, doesn't it? But I wanted to use a name that ALL AUSSIES identify as being Australian, a vehicle for Australian creators to share their Australian stories. So, to date, I have published six issues that have appeared on a quarterly basis since the winter of 2014. I have featured the work of almost 40 different Australian Artists and Cartoonists over those past six issues. And just allow me to brag a little: there has been some recognition along the way...

The First Issue won a Golden Stapler Award for "Best Collaborative Zine" in 2014, and Issue Four was Nominated for the same Award in 2015. The Second Issue (the cover, just below to the right, by Lesley Vamos) was short-listed for a Ledger Award "for excellence in Australian comics" in early 2015. But, you know what? NONE of that MATTERS! What really matters is that OI OI OI! is allowed to CONTINUE to appear in the Australian newsstands and that people LIKE YOU learn that it is there and become excited enough about it to SUPPORT IT.

You see, to publish a magazine like this on a regular basis WITHOUT fanfare costs a bit of money. So far, I have placed a LOT of MY money into the project because I BELIEVE in it! So the reason for this Pozible Campaign is to firstly RAISE awareness of this wonderful Australian comic. Secondly, and most importantly, by supporting this Pozible Campaign you will get an opportunity to allow this unique Australian comic magazine to continue to appear in the newsagents' stands, and keep many Australian Artists and Cartoonists OFF THE STREETS and BACK IN THEIR STUDIOS telling great Australian stories to us all. (Here's the Third Issue's fantastic cover, to the left and below, which kept Adelaide Artist David Follett fed for a month...)

So, you've read this far, and what you will want to know: WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME? Well, I am glad you asked! By supporting this Campaign, you will get an opportunity to pick up copies of ALL SIX PAST ISSUES before they all become valuable hard-to-find COLLECTOR'S ITEMS. (Some of them are already. I thought I had NO COPIES of Issue #1 left, until I discovered a box of 100 in my garage.) By supporting this campaign you will also get an opportunity to subscribe to FUTURE issues, including the next issue which will introduce a brand-new Superhero story arc.

Now, let's be serious here: Superhero stories SELL. They are in the movies, they are in Comic Collector's DREAMS. In all six issues so far, I have not published one superhero story. I know, and I am sharing this with you here and now, this edition of the upcoming issue of OI OI OI! (Number #7) will be a VALUABLE COLLECTOR's ITEM. There will be NO HINT of the Superhero story within the comic on the cover. So, only people IN THE KNOW will pick up extra copies as a FUTURE investment. By supporting this Pozible Campaign, you will have an opportunity to have your VERY OWN copy delivered to your door before the newsagents.
The story will be FIRST CLASS by Australian-born novelist Andrez Bergen. Look him up on Wikipedia, if you like. I won't tell you who is illustrating the story yet. That is to be a surprise. Here are a couple of ROUGH character sketches of one of the superhero stories that MAY appear. And here (below) are what COULD BE the ROUGHS of the first couple of pages in the first instalment of this superhero adventure...


















One thing I have NOT done in this Pozible campaign, is to bombard you with a VIDEO of me. I would, I think, come across as someone manic and passionate about this Campaign. If you get the chance to meet me in person, you will KNOW I am manic and passionate about Australian comics! But for now, I shall SAVE YOU from seeing any images of me. Please express your gratitude by Contributing to the Campaign and telling OTHERS....!!
















Here are the remaining covers of the Oi Oi Oi! issues published to date. Clockwise from Upper Left: Issue Four's cover was by Tasmanian artist Tony Thorne, Sydney-based Chiara Arena's work graced Issue Five. Issue Six is on the Australian newsstands RIGHT NOW, and this is the cover by Melbourne artist Eevien Tan.

The TOTAL AMOUNT of $2500 sought in this Pozible campaign will go towards the printing of 1000 copies of a Special Limited Nostalgia Edition of OI OI OI!  The Royalties to the comics inside have been paid for already. YES, that's right: I ALWAYS PAY my comic artists and cartoonists. They always retain their ownership to Copyright, because I believe Artists and Cartoonists are the owner of their works, and I am merely hiring the images for the one time printing rights (unless special arrangements are made between the artists and myself). A snippet of the cover (by Glenn lumsden) is being used, with Glenn's permission, as the image of this campaign.

IF the amount raised goes higher than $2500, and let's face it, I certainly HOPE IT DOES, I will use the extra funds to go towards even MORE newsstand-released issues of OI OI OI!. That means, I will pay MORE artists and cartoonists to write and draw MORE great stories for me to share with YOU and other comic readers all around Australia... WIN - WIN: everyone is a WINNER! Let's face it, my ultimate goal is to have an Australian comic magazine appearing monthly in all Australian newsagents. That is, Oi Oi Oi! is identified as THE Australian National Comic Magazine.  

I can see no real obstacles to getting this project underway. As I said, the artwork is ready. I have still to write an Editorial, and there is an article within the magazine (of four pages long) that I still have to write.  And then it is a matter of getting the layouts complete. IF the funds are not forthcoming for this project, I shall inject some of my own funds to ensure it reaches its target! The printing of 1000 copies of this Special Limited Nostalgia Edition of OI OI OI! WILL happen, even if the target is not made... I plan to have the project completed by the end of February 2016 (at the very latest), and I will regularly update my Pozible Pledgers as to the progress of the project.

(Those who contributed to my NED KELLY Pozible Campaign will know that I communicated in detail and with regularity about the progress of the project...and I will do no different with this Oi Oi Oi! Pozible Campaign.)