Crime Scene Australia - The Graphic Novel%231 ‘Terror Australis’ 

FairSuckoftheSav Publishing welcomes you to the History Wars!

CSA is a mixed genre graphic novel that combines real Australian history and forensic sciences with contemporary social critique and satire; in a pop-culture narrative of supernatural-horror.

'He who tastes knows. He who does not taste, does not know' - the Suffi wisdom of D. Boone, Tasmania, circa 1992

                                                                           ‘Know thyself’ - Bazza Socrates, circa 1983

Help us punch - ‘the sniveling, suck-arse history of Australia - as remembered by Lyin’ Johnny Howard, Andrew ‘minority of one’ Bolt and their micro-chorus of whitebread fucktards’ - right in the cultural sweet spot!

'Crime Scene Australia – Terror Australis', is a 40 page, black and white comic book that tells the story of a Sydney based TV crew shooting an investigative, cold-case, crime series about historical Aboriginal/Colonist war and massacre sites; that descends into a murderous and terrifying ghost story.

Edition 1 of 6 Part Comic Series. 

This Pozible Crowd Fund will allow production of 'Crime Scene Australia - Terror Australis', edition one. CSA1 will introduce a fictional TV-crew as they begin shooting a TV series called ‘Crime Scene Australia’ on their first location at Pt Lincoln in South Australia, (the location for a Gallipoli war recreation scene). We meet the charismatic, Aboriginal host of CSA and the director, producer and TV crew. We set up the narrative construct, i.e. - a host-driven, cold case, TV show digging into historical crimes; and we introduce the characters, explore the first military actions taken against the tribes of NSW and begin the deathly spiral of supernatural events. 

                              "History is not a burden on the mind but an illumination of the soul" - P.Hanson, Ipswich - circa 2001

Why Make Crime Scene Australia?

We Australians live in an ‘A-historical culture’, a society that doesn’t know its own history. A society that spent its 150 year infancy hiding and denying the events of our colonial invasion. We know that Australia was invaded by white, British colonials and yet it’s still almost impossible to use the ‘i-word’ in polite, beer drinking company. Not only did the Limey bastards invade without treaty or concession, they then dispossessed and murdered hundreds of Aboriginal nations across the island. These events were so bloody, so thoroughly un-Christian and so illegal, that in order to keep the illusion of moral authority, they had to be buried deep and denied. Not only did subsequent generations of white Australians embrace this childish convenience, but they embellished the bullshit to the point where ‘invaders and dispossessors’ became no more than ‘settlers and nation builders’, and some bright spark even penned this God-awful malarkey:

                                                                  Her shield unsullied by a single crime,

                                                                  With wealth of gold, and still more golden fleece,

                                                                  Forth stands Australia in her birth sublime —

                                                                  The only nation from the womb of Peace!

                                                                                                                     - 'The Birth Of Australia', Percy Russell 1889.

                                                                                                                     - from 'the Book of Vainglorious Vanilla Nonsense'

The ‘White-Australia’ era and laws are gone now, but the effect on the national psyche of sixty plus years of the White Australia policy and the white supremist law and hate rhetoric that came with it, remains deeply and subtly enbedded in the background noise of Australian politics, social debate and cultural life.

                             ''I’ve always loved history and believe in the power of knowledge that comes 

                             from knowing the present and past 'lie of the land'. I had studied Oz history in 

                             high school and at Adelaide University, but you could’ve driven a Mack truck 

                             through the gaping holes in my ‘early-eighties Oz history knowledge’. I went

                             back to the beginning with the genius of W.H. Stanner and moved my way 

                             forward through the incredible work that has been done in the last 30 years by 

                             historians all over the country. So much stellar, energetic, detailed history that 

                             completely reclaims the reality of our shared story.'' 

                                                                                                                       - Charlie Hill-Smith (director)

So the academic history is now there for all to see and its not -

                              the chest thumping settler-twaddle 

                             of John Howard’s ‘wet-white-dream’

- it’s blood thirsty, awe inspiring, gob smacking and very challenging. If we were to take this murderous story and make another documentary for SBS or ABCTV about 'the gaps in our history knowledge', we’d again be preaching to the choir and not speaking to middle Australia, the bedrock and backbone of our society; and where there is a growing desire to engage and learn.

The choice of comic book is based on the crew’s knowledge and love of the art form. Traditionally ignored by the powers that be, the humble comic book has remained the free-est and least censored world art form. While the god-botherers and prudes have banned movies, books and even people, the comic book/graphic novel has flown under the radar, and like the Poms before it; gets away with murder.

In short we are aiming to produce a kick-arse publication that sparks interest, conversation and knowledge in the true history of colonial Australia.

We want all Australians to better understand and respect the powerful cultures of Aboriginal Australia. We want to bring Aboriginal culture into the heart of Australia's national identity, as the bedrock for the pillars of multicultural Australia. And as Kamal rightly said, 'Respect the people, the respect the country and just get along'. (possibly not Kamal, but from memory it was someone with a very deep voice, possibly Jesse the Body Ventura.)

CSA – Oz History has a Multimedia Future.

We have monster plans for this little comic book. With coin from this Pozible Crowd Fund we will generate CSA1, the origin art and narrative that will go on to form a series of comic books and hopefully a touring VR gallery-installation that graphically and poetically shocks and delights local and international audiences. But it all starts here with this little/big comic book! Please jump on board and help spread the word.

With the art and stories developed from this Pozible Crowd Fund we hope to build the CSA VR Gallery Installation. Here's a development teaser of what artists, Juan Serrano, Michael Kumnick & Charlie Hill-Smith; think it might look like.

The Crew - we have an awesome team of artists, cultural experts and academics.

Charlie Hill-Smith - writer/director/producer/ferret handler (Motorkite Dreaming, Taring Padi - Fangs of the Rice)

Carroll Karpany - musician/protocols director/change agent/producer (Us Mob, Motorkite Dreaming, Enquiring Minds)

Angus Kemp - director of photography/editor/producer (Strangebirds in Paradise, Spice Islands Adventure, Motorkite)

Bruce Pascoe – historian/writer/activist/cricketer/fisherman (Fog A Dox, Dark Emu & Convincing Ground)

Robbie Thorpe - indigenous activist/artist/musician/writer/producer/broadcaster (3CR –Communiy Radio)

Michael Kumnick - artist/designer/scultptor/actor/comedian/musican (Here’s Humphrey & Ghengis Cardigan)

Juan Serrano - artist/animator/graphic designer/man of mystery (Strangebirds in Paradise - A West Papuan Story)

The Budget Breakdown 

Total Budget $10,000

$4000 - Storyboard, pencil & ink & cover art - Michael Kumnick & Juan Serrano

$500 - Historical research and script editing - Bruce Pascoe, Robbie Thorpe & Charlie Hill-Smith 

$1500 - Indigenous protocols and liaison - Carroll Karpany & Robbie Thorpe 

$500 - Script writing & development - Charlie Hill-Smith, Robbie Thorpe & Gus Kemp 

$500 - Graphic Design & layout - Michael Kumnick 

$500 - Production expenses - office, logistics, beer etc

$2500 - Printing & Postage x 500 comics 

The Process

1. Research and Preproduction - We have already been researching, writing and drawing 'CSA-Terror Australis' for nearly two years, but with some 'cash' (Pozible-budget) we can bring in the heavy hitting professional artists and cultural dudes we need to nail this sucker. Working with indigenous and non-indigenous researchers, writers and academics; we will leave no stone unturned in digging up the dirt on the shit storm that was the colonial experience. We stand on the shoulders of giants by using the research materials from Oz history legends such as Stanner, Summer, Hughes, Reynolds, Manne, Pascoe etc. And the written and oral histories of legendary Aboriginal leaders, artists, elders and nations.

2. First Draft - Story & Pictures - Once we have a budget we will create the first draft of words and art. Michael Kumnick (pencil art) will work with Robbie Thorpe (Gunai/Mara activist/artist) and Charlie Hill-Smith (Melb. doco maker) to draw and write a story that leads us into the hidden history of the first fleet and their bruising relationship with the Iora tribe of Sydney harbour.

3. The Protocols Process - This will be a post-colonial Australian comic book. With our 1st draft in hand, our Protocols Director, Carroll Karpany; will travel and meet with the traditional owners and elders of the Aboriginal nations we hope to portray. We'll ask their permission to tell their history and include their story in the project.

4. Second Draft – Story & Pictures

With protocol relationships advanced we'll work with historian Bruce Pascoe as we redraft and redraw the 2nd draft of 'CSA-Terror Australis'. This 2nd draft will be turkey slapped around by our historical and indigenous experts to check and double check the validity of the historical content and the effectiveness of the dramatic story.

5. Final Artwork and Layout

With protocols and narrative agreed we will launch into designing the final comic book layout. Artwork will be finished and final cover art refined and completed for printing.

6. Printing and Distribution

The comics will be printed in Melbourne in black and white, with 1 colour, gloss covers and posted to our investors all over the world. We expect this whole process to take around 6 months to complete and we will update the progress to all stakeholders on a monthly basis. Terimakasih for your attention. Palya.

Our challenge is to bring together art and academia to kick White Australia in the teeth.