In case you missed it, Supernova in Australia has come and gone. Why do you care, I hear you ask, assuming you don’t live in the largest island country on Earth and may not have ever visited the land down under. I’ll tell you why in a second, but let’s just get the usual questions out of the way:
Now, with that all out of the way, I shall answer the question that has been burning inside you for the last three lines or 5 minutes if you chose to watch that YouTube video first before you kept reading. You should care about Supernova and other smaller conventions like it because this is where you can find some of your favourite creatives that you wouldn’t have otherwise.
This was the biggest surprise from the latest Supernova convention for me. I was wandering around, and a small booth managed to catch my eye. It was for a micro-press comics publisher out of Adelaide called Amplified Press. Talking with the founder, Owen Heitmann, was a great way to get an insight into things from the point of view of a small publisher. I purchased a couple of comics that day and finished them by the end of the next day. All the ones I had picked were nice and light and something I wouldn’t have found anywhere else.
Owen also provided the following quote about Amplified Press:
“I’ve been self-publishing my own comics for more than 20 years, and Amplified Press is a way for me to help use the lessons I’ve learned from that experience to benefit other creators. Setting up files for printers, proofreading/copy-editing and deciding on paper stock can be daunting for the uninitiated, and I’m happy to share what I’ve picked up along the way. I dabbled with publishing an anthology series in 2009 that featured multiple artists, but around 2017, I realised that I had a lot of friends who were making comics I really liked, and I felt that releasing them under a unified brand could help boost and cross-promote everyone involved. Amplified Press still focuses on creators in South Australia, but this year, a travel grant from Arts SA has helped me make a more concerted effort to table at conventions and other events all across Australia. My hope is that Amplified Press helps artists reach wider audiences that they might not have had the resources to connect with individually. Ideally, it acts as a stepping stone for creators to make the leap to major publishers.
As a one-man operation, the comics I publish reflect my own tastes, but my tastes are pretty broad, so Amplified Press has released work ranging from all-ages talking animals comics to adult-oriented science fiction via autobiography and teen supernatural drama. I’m a fan of everything I’ve released, but I would highlight Adam Gillespie’s cerebral, cinematic graphic novel Koi, which won an award from the Comic Arts Awards of Australia; Personal Growth by Sarah Milne, which combines mushrooms and body horror in an exceptional use of the comics medium; Polaroids, a high school tale of angst and monsters by the amazingly talented emerging creator Finn O’Sullivan; Doodads, a kid-friendly collection of short comics by Georgina Chadderton (aka George Rex), whose next book will be published internationally by Penguin Random House; and my own Sun, Sand & Self-Doubt, a heartfelt story about sibling rivalry-slash-love and our ability to overcome our fears.”
I love the idea behind this micro-press, and if you’re looking for some great indie comics to read when you’re sick of the bigger publishing houses, be sure to check out this excellent small-time publisher!
Another great thing about Supernova for me is getting to meet authors that I wouldn’t normally hear about during my travels along the information superhighway. Now, Supernova does have some big names to get you through the door – this year, it was Rebecca Yaros of Fourth Wing fame – but I’m more interested in the smaller authors.
This Supernova, I met T. R. Napper, a sci-fi author with books full of future dystopian vibes that I really dig and Wole Talabi with his African mythology adventure fantasy, which I’m excited about just because we get to see a mythology different from the usual Greek, Roman and other western mythologies that are a dime a dozen in the publishing industry. While these authors’ books are on my pile of shame in that I haven’t read them yet, they are right at the top when I get the chance to read them between my busy schedule of sitting around planning stories and procrastinating writing stories.
Finishing off this article, we’ve got a returning favourite of mine with the Back Pocket crew! After getting the chance to interview them back at PAX Aus 2023, I got hooked on the creative madness that is the epitome of this Twitch channel. If you’re a fan of a friendly, inclusive community full of the nicest crazy video game fans that you can ever find this side of the equator.
Throughout their (mostly) weekly streams, you’ll get a great mix of gameplay, in-depth commentary, madcap zaniness and a shitload of fun! Also, you’d be supporting a group of Australian creatives offering something fundamentally different from a lot of the other gaming shows on Twitch. Seeing as you’re reading this article, it’s fair to say that you love supporting independent creatives (flutters nonexistent eyelashes), so why not add another exciting and engaging indie darling to your list?
What are some amazing indie creators in your circle that you would love to let people know about? Have you checked out any on this list? Let us know in the comments below.
