Nominate, don't masticate

This year will mark the first presentation of the The Ledgers, an award for Australian Comics and their creators, recognising their creative skills and output. Something we can all get behind.

A lot of creators struggle to get one issue out a year but there were some really good short stories that appeared in the various anthologies.

SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY OF THE YEAR
Far away star - Knee Pockets #2 - David Tang
Everythime I talk about either Daivd Tang or Knee Pockets I always mention this story (I hope of got the title right, I'm awful with titles) but its one of the best single page comics ever.

Raymondo Perfect #14 - Patrick Reid
Just the funniest thing ever.

Dirty little creep - Mandy Ord
Mandy gets a haircut, and there's not enough comics about haircuts. Just buy it, its good.

When we were friends - Knee Pockets #2 - David Tang & Doug Holgate
There's something sad about the title (again I hope I've gotten it right), "were friends" sets up the innocence and fun of being kids against when it changes and we grow up and aren't friends anymore. The dialogue rings true and the art is a good fit.

Tales of Hobartian Life - Leigh Rigozzi
Not as good as Night Shift - this is a bit light but has a nice surreality to it, this weird resonance that makes it hard to get out of my mind (its the string to nowhere) and if a story is that hard to shake the creator must be doing something right.


almost but not quite

The Book of Joe: So you wanna be a rock 'n roll star 2 - Ink #2 - Dave Hodson
Its like a sitcom in 4 pages. The art carries the story along, its got some good laughs, and the characters make their mark.
Usually I don't nominate 24hr entries but, Bellyflop by Nate Soehardi was from 2003 but published in print in 2004, obviously I'm just making stuff up as I going along, but it was very good and worth consideration.
Bums and tards - You stink and I don't - Ben Hutchings
This stood out because in 8 issues this is the only time I can remember that Ben has done a proper autobiographical story and its a solid effort.
Mandy Ord also release Sensitive Little Creatureswhich was also very good.
I wish the writing for Domino Joe by Matt Huynh was a bit stronger because it would have been top 5 for sure.

And I have no idea if I should consider Bloom as Small Press or Independent Press, I wish there was some more guidlenes instead of letting "The Wash" sort it out.