My comic book story The Phantom: It Tolls For Thee from The Phantom 2019 Annual was awarded a Bronze award at the 2020 Ledger Awards held this evening at Kings Comics, Sydney. The event, held online this year due to COVID-19, “acknowledging excellence in Australian Comics and graphic novels” announced Bronze, Silver and Gold awards in comics made by Australian creators, and I was fortunate enough to receive a prize.
I didn’t expect the recent short listing, much less an award; I’m very honoured. It was a passion project that I wasn’t sure resonated, but I want to take the opportunity to thank the judges of the Ledger Awards for their hard work and efforts, sponsors of the event, and congratulations to all of the winners and those shortlisted. This year showcased a huge and fantastic array of Australian-made comic book and graphic novel material; whether self-published or otherwise. Well done all of you.
I would also like to thank Glenn Ford at Frew Publications for giving me a shot and writing and drawing outside of Kid Phantom; Glenn is an unsung hero of Australian comics. Also to Dudley Hogarth of Frew, and to KingFeatures for their editorial overview & approval of the work and kind words.
I’d also like to send special thanks to Amanda Bacchi for reading over the lettering to make sure it made sense, and for tolerating me while I was buried in the work, teaching at the uni and drawing Kid Phantom and Eldritch Kid at the same time, and including when I was drawing pages of this in the back of the car to make printing deadline while we road-tripped across New Zealand with family. Cheers too to one of my best mates, writer and Kid Phantom collaborator Andrew Constant for support, good friend and writer Christopher Sequeira for helping me to get a start at Frew, and friend and writer Brad Mengel for lending me Phantom comics to catch up when I first started freelancing with Kid Phantom.
Tonight I was also pleased to see that adventure strip cartoonists Peter Foster and Keith Chatto (Chatto who was the first Australian to draw a Phantom story, published by Frew), were honoured as part of the awards as well.
Well done to the efforts of cartoonist and inspiration of mine, Gary Chaloner, and cartoonist and Australian comic advocate Tim McEwen, who founded the awards and who announced their retirement from the awards, handing over the reins after a decade. Cheers gents And all the best with your future creative endeavours.
I hope one day the completed follow ups to this story see print, but for now, “what’s next?” I guess. Thank you for the kindness and support 🙏