Nominate, don't gestate

I started out in multimedia as a cameraman and then programmer. I then tried my hand at design but generally sucked, now a big part of my job is criquing web designs and whatnot. i think know good design; my shirts always match my ties and um sometimes I can look at stuff and say "hey i like that, that's good design" and people will nod and murmur agreement.

Design and Presentation of the year

The Watch: Casus Belli

Nice glossy pages, full colour, consistent 'themed' cover art. Nice professional editorial content. Can't go passed it. It may not be 'different' or special compared to Marvel's or DC's output, but when you consider how many full colour books there are outside of the Big 4, its quite the achievement.

Killeroo; Book 2

Its a close call between this and the Watch. Stylisticly, where the WatcH travels a regular road, Darren has made more choices to try and compete with the 'big guys' by being different from other B/W books. Yes, make your jokes about 'shite brown' but you know what else is 'shite brown' - heaps of cool stuff like dark beer, weathered leather and cool rocks. While the cover image is a bit 'meh'(but i think it'll always be hard to compete with Templesmith's first cover), the cover stock is nice and thick, the paper stock nice and hardy and there are some really good pinups pieces.

Keychain comics

Mini mini comics. a great idea, its cheap, effective and kind of cool. It would make a great gift. I hope these become a regular release.

Once Upon a time

Probably the best Do it yourself mini comic I've seen; card stock, glossy photo papee, glue, nice interior paper, it's all stuff you can steal or have people steal from work. And togerther its all effective and gives the reader something extra; like Donald Bookers Cesspool, The xray covers just set it out from the pack.

Domino Joe

Its not A5 but its still half A4, ohhhh, mysterious. I think there was only a handful printed and its a bugger to store but its cool just by the fact that its different. And the pencil toned colouring is pretty cool as well.


Knee Pockets was a close call, but the 12 pages of contributor notes was a bit wasteful, though the Contents page was very cool, the cover was ok but nothing special - though the cover stock was nice. The Batrisha diecut coffin shaped books are way cool but I think it was released in 2003 and not eligible. And from what I saw Generations was a nice looking presentation but I only flicked thru it and my memory is hazy.