Focus on Jules Faber

[hannijules]

All the works mentioned above can be found (I believe) at Phase Two Comics, an online department store of locally produced product. It exists mostly online, I'm led to believe, but it's possible there's an actual storefront in Tasmania.

As to materials/media, I prefer to pencil work on a lightbox before inking a seperate page over the top. Then I'll scan that and work on it in a graphics program (I find 'photo-editing' software works best for me - Photostudio, Photoshop etc.), adding text, cleaning up errors and even adding colour or greyscale - depending on the publication and story.

I love inking though, that's my favourite thing I think. I like the image manipulation on the computer too - it feels like the last stage and it isn't too challenging. Plus it makes your product look super. Digital cleanup removs the last lingering traces of human error generally, though overuse, in my opinion, makes something look too regimented. The removal of the human element isn't a good thing and whilst it can make something ordinary look quite extraordinary, it detracts from the imperfection of being created by an imperfect being. And I love and respect the human element a great deal - the raw talent, the frailty of the human condition and the honesty are all removable with computers.

Anyone can use a computer program to render something. I prefer that raw imperfection of the individual creating something for love (because it sure isn't for money) with their drawing/storytelling ability. That makes work so much more appealing to me.

[tansyrr]

Hi Jules - I haven't really been following Australian indy comics for twelve years or so, when I was a teenager (and loved Platinum Grit, and Bug & Stump).

What titles would you recommend for someone looking to get a taste of the current scene, or as a first taste for a complete newbie?

[hannijules]

Hi Tansyrr,
As mentioned in a previous post, there's a few well worth checking out. Platinum Grit survives to this day still drawn by the amazing Trudy Cooper and (partially) written by Doug Bayne (also known as 'Mephisto' from TV's hit series 'Double The Fist').
Check out Ben Cee's Plump Oyster, Ben Redlich's Circus Carnivore (anything by Ben Redlich actually), SureShot Presents is a new showcase of up-and-coming folks' work.
Then get a taste of Gary Lau's 'Knight Edge', Dave Blumenstein's 'Nakedfella', anything from Patrick Alexander (keep an open mind though!) and maybe some of Bernard Caleo's Cardigan Comics.

Anthologies are also a good source of testing the water. Look for the 'Something Wicked' anthology of horror works, Tango from Cardigan Comics (again) and if you really want excellence, you just can't go past Sporadic as an anthology. (Jase Harper's stuff is killer but he carries me mostly!... yes, I edit Sporadic if it wasn't already evident.) If you like your stuff a little lowbrow, you can't go past 'Phatsville' either for their sheer output of un-PC work (no offense guys, but it's true!). Ben Cee got his start there, as did luminaries Giles Kilham, Glennn Manders and Jon Stewart all now with books of their own.
(And we all went to animation college together, bleieve it or not!)

Otherwise, what you need to do is get yourself along to a convention like Supanova and check out the artist's sections. Most of them are just humble folk struggling to survive in a fairly desperate industry (here in Australia). Have a chat with any of them and you'll find they're just passionate, everyday people who are usually willing to offer advice, sympathise or just talk about the weather with. Plus their books are usually non-conventional (and therefore both interesting and weird) stories as well.

Hope that answers your questions, but that's just one guy's opinions. The best thing you can do is hunt down artists and their work at a convention and find the stuff you like best and hook into that.

[Alisa Krasnostein]

Thank you Jules for coming by and answering our questions. I feel like we only just got started and so I would love to have you back some time next year so that we can discuss this topic further.

Could you let us know the best way to get hold of your work, for those who would like to follow that up?

Many thanks again.

[hannijules]

That was absolutely my pleasure, Alisa. Thanks to everyone who had questions and to everyone who read through my rambling diatribes.

My website will be going online within the next fortnight. You can follow up any of my work there, be it comics, illustration, caricatures or plain old cartoons.

The address will be: www.julesfaber.com

Thanks again everyone. I had a good time thinking about the stuff I haven't (consciously) thought of in years!
If anyone has any further questions/comments, you can reach me at: julesfaber@yahoo.com.

Thanks again for having me. Just keep doing what you love doing.