ALIA Graphic Podcast

In this creator chat, Iurgi sits down for a chat with Lee Lai who has just won the Stella Prize for Cannon. It was long overdue with Cannon being one of the most outstanding graphic novels of 2025. The chat was recorded before the Stella Prize winner was announced.00:20 Introduction05:39 Lee talks about the recent book tour in Australia07:43 Lee looks back at the publication of Stone Fruit10:53 Conversation turns to Cannon and where the ideas for it originated17:55 Discussion moves to Cannon and Trish and their struggles and dilemmas28:57 Lee reflects on taking inspiration from real life events and people and harnessing them for fiction stories33:49 Conversation turns to the horror genre and horror comics with Lee declaring herself a new horror fan40:49 What’s next for Lee Lai (that she can talk about)44:01 Lee discusses what she’s reading and what she recommends, including a shout out to Fionn McCabe and Eloise GrillsThis the second chat with Lee Lai on the ALIA Graphic Podcast, if you missed out the first time or you want to rediscover the chat when we talked about Stone Fruit, it’s Episode 29 on our feed or you can find it here: https://shows.acast.com/alia-graphic-podcast/episodes/29-creator-chat-with-lee-laiFor more info on Lee Lai check out their website here: https://www.instagram.com/_leelai/To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

In this creator chat, ALIA Graphic convenor Sabina Wills sits down for a chat with Andrea Innocent to discuss her recently published debut graphic novel Lamington Left Behind, published by Figment Books.00:20 Acknowledgement of country and introduction to Andrea Innocent03:43 Andre talks about her relation to libraries04:56 Andrea discusses the comics she read as a kid06:40 The chat moves to the inspiration behind Lamington Left Behind and the development of the project16:38 The discussion turns to the themes and ideas behind Lamington Left Behind30:09 Andrea Innocent talks about her visit to the Takayna rainforest in Tasmania and what’s next for her33:36 Andrea’s advice to an aspiring comic book creator34:50 Andrea recommends Georgina Chadderton’s Oh Brother and Tove Jansson’s comicsFor more from Andrea Innocent check out her website here: https://www.andreainnocent.comTo stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

In this month's roundup, Iurgi and Mia discuss all the latest.02:09 Recent reads: Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat by Li ChenOnce and Future Riot by Jean SaccoCampfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill by Akagishi KCannon by Lee Lai11:35 News:DC’s Absolute Batman is super popularAnti AI and Matt Kindt’s hand drawn comics STEAM powered comics for middle gradersPodcast shout outs: The Readings Podcast with Mandy Ord, The Thick Lines podcast discussing Rachel Ang’s I Ate the Whole World to Find You and Tiffany Babb on the Off Panel Podcast discussing her brand new comics journalism zine: The Comics StapleThe Cartoonist Studio Prize and the The Los Angeles Book were announced recently, we mention the winners and celebrate that Lee Lai’s Cannon appears on bothCartoonists United has a YouTube channel and is also behind the Nib & Ink Festival that you must definitely check out22:46 New titles:Mia’s picks:Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga by Dav Pilkey, Motojiro (Scholastic)Leo da Vinci Renaissance Kid by Richard Ashley Hamilton (Papercutz)Iurgi’s picks:The Curator by Wendy Tyrer (Perentie Press) Corto Maltese: Fable of Venice and Other Stories by Hugo Pratt (Fantagraphics) Human Nature Book 1 (of 3) A Satirical Science Fiction Graphic Novel by Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Jeff Welch, Martin Morazzo (ABRAMS)To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

In another packed episode, and we're only scratching the surface of what's in this month's blog post, Iurgi and Gabby discuss some of the latest news and new titles, which include more graphic novels by Australian creators.01:40 Gabby and Iurgi discuss their recent reads and then go on a tangent about One Piece.We could be magic by Marissa Meyer and Joelle MurrayFrieren Beyond Journey’s End by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa AbeThe Pass by Katriona ChapmanCriminal 3 The Dead and the Dying and 4 Bad Night by Ed Brubaker, Sean PhilipsOne Piece tangent11:17 News:Perentie Press is a new Australian publisher of graphic novelsPublishers are expanding their publications of manga for adultsNew Hello Kitty comics on the horizon published by IDW in partnership with SanrioThe Rise of Image Comics, a book written by South AusThe CBCA Notables list has included three graphic novels in the listThe British Book Awards have a new category for comics30:12 Gabby and Iurgi’s favourite picks from the new titles out this month:PAWS The Trouble With Leo By: Nathan Fairbairn, Michele AssarasakornRun Home by Alyssa Bermudez (St Martin’s Press)The Greenies by Emma Mills, Sarah Nicole KennedyDark Knights of Steel: Allwinter by Jay Kristoff, Tirso Cons, Tom Taylor, Riccardo Federici (DC Comics)Skating Wilder by: Brandon Dumais, AJ DungoLocas: The Maggie and Hopey Stories by Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

In this episode Mia sits down for a chat with Georgina Chadderton. Georgina is a freelance cartoonist, lover of dogs, and plant enthusiast living on Kaurna Country (Adelaide), South Australia. Georgina has recently published Oh Brother, a memoir about growing up with their younger brother Robert, who is autistic and has an intellectual disability. The book is being published by Penguin Random House in Australia, the UK, Canada and the US. Oh Brother has been selected as part of the Junior Library Guild Gold Selection and as the American Booksellers Association’s Indie Introduces pick.02:14 Georgina talks about the publication of Oh Brother03:54 Georgina talks about how she discovered comics at the school library and how she got into making comics06:30 Georgina talks about libraries and their librarian story10:46 Vegemite, crumpets and pretzels12:13 The chat turns to Oh Brother, disability, autism and representation24:20 Ten years in the making, the story evolved and changed in the process33:12 Georgina talks about the process of making the graphic novel39:35 Discussion turns to the Papercuts comics festival in Adelaide45:35 A sneak peak on what Georgina is working on next51:09 Georgina recommends a bunch of graphic novelsFor more info from Georgina check out their website here: https://www.georgerexcomics.com/To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

In another packed episode, Iurgi and Mia discuss some of the latest news and new titles, which include two new graphic novels by Australian creators. Campbell Whyte returning with the highly anticipated Luna Express and Georgina Chadderton making her debut with Oh Brother. Also, the first twelve issues of Melbournian C.S. Pacat’s Fence have been collected into a new paperback.02:00 Recent ReadsMia: Oh brother by Georgina ChaddertonFrieren: Beyond journey’s end, vol 1 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa AbeIurgi:Frieren vols 1 to 3 Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy by David Mazzuchelli, Lorenzo Mattotti, Paul Kurasik. Luna Express by Campbell Whyte10:42 NewsEdutopia highlights 12 middle-grade graphic novels that use visual storytelling to destigmatize mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Comics Bulletin ranks the top 10 standalone Batman graphic novelsThe 2025 Aurealis Awards finalists and the winner for Best Graphic Novel/Illustrated Work. The Comic Arts Awards of Australia were announced at the end of January. These awards were celebrating the best Australian comics published in 2024. Bronze, Silver and Gold, they're all winners and Iurgi couldn't be happier with Chris Gooch's In Utero receiving gold.The American Library Association (ALA) has officially launched its Outstanding Comics Awards, marking a significant milestone in library-backed literary recognition. French publisher Morgen, backed by industry veterans, enters the global market with high-profile deals including writer Ram V.29:31 Our favourite picks of the new titles:Oh Brother by Georgina Chadderton (Penguin Australia) [Australian creator]Luna Express by Campbell Whyte (Top Shelf Productions) [Australian Creator]Damsel in D.I.S.T.R.E.S.S. by Andrew Clemson, Mau Mora, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Maverick)Batman and Robin Year One by Chris Samnee, Mark Waid (DC Comics)Lovely Recipe by Myra Rose Nino (Random House)Frieren Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 14 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe (VIZ media)37:51 ClosingWe have a creator chat with Georgina Chadderton coming up. Mia give us a preview. Thank you to everyone who reached out volunteering to join the judging panel of the ALIA Graphic Notable Australian Graphic Novels of 2025. We’ve received lots of expressions of interest and we couldn’t get everyone in but we’ve got three great panels, for Junior, YA and Adult and they’ll start reading the comics, so we’re hoping to announce the notables in May or June. There’s lots of reading to do.To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

The Australian comics folio website has just been launched and it’s a treasure trove of stories, information, interviews, essays, and so much more on Australian comics, Australian comics creators and the Australian comics community at large.In this episode we have a chat with two of the key researchers involved in the project. The Lead Investigator for the project was Elizabeth MacFarlane, who is a writer and Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne where she teaches Graphic Narratives and Critical-Creative Writing Practices. Gabriel Clark is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney and a creative producer. He was one of the chief investigators in the project.This conversation is not directly about libraries and comics librarianship, but I think it’s a very valuable conversation about the Australian comics community. We’ve got enormous talent in Australia and I feel like comics by Australian creators often go under the radar. I encourage everyone to visit the Folio website and explore its vast contents.02:48 The Folio comics project is launched!08:00 Elizabeth and Gabe’s relationship with comics18:01 What Elizabeth and Gabe learned about the Australian comics community27:11 How the Folio: Stories of Australian Comics project came about33:40 Gabe and Elizabeth discuss the Folio project, how it developed and what it looks like40:51 The future of the Folio project44:17 Elizabeth and Gabe talk about their highlights in the making of the Folio50:49 The relationship of universities and academia with comics57:09 Elizabeth and Gabe recommend some Australian comicsFolio: Stories of Australian Comics project website here: https://foliocomics.com/The Librarians Roundtable Interview is here: https://foliocomics.com/interviews/librarians-roundtable-interviewTo stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

We start the year with Jurgi and James trying to catch up with everything that's happened during the summer holidays.01:42 Jurgi and James breeze through some of the latest news from the world of comics06:29 James and Jurgi discuss the news that have piqued their interest:the recently announced animated series of Lore Olympusgraphic novel sales were up in 2025 (in the U.S. book market)the UK's National Literacy Trust's excellent article about comics and literacythe 10 most valuable comics ever soldlots of best of 2025 comics lists17:12 The Comics Arts Awards of Australia shorlist and some of our personal favourites24:43 James and Jurgi discuss their picks from the new titles out in December and January:Labyrinth: Beyond the Goblin City by Delilah S. Dawson, Sas Milledge, Gustavo, Duarte (Boom! Studios)Free Planet by Aubrey Sitterson, Jed Dougherty (Image Comics)Queen Kodiak by Christopher Greenslate, Riccardo Faccini (Maverick)Total THB Vol 1 (of 3) by Paul Pope (Roaring Books Press)A Quick and Easy Guide to Healthy Relationships by Mariah-Rose Marie (Oni Press)I Am Their Silence by Jordi Lafebre, Montana Kane (Random House) 39:36 James and Jurgi go through some of their recent reads42:50 Freedom to read, the ALIA Graphic Committee and an expression of interest is out to join the judging panel for the Notable Australian Graphic Novels of 2025 - join us!47:57 ...and ALIA Graphic was formed six years agoTo stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/ The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/ 

For the final episode of 2025 the ALIA Graphic committee gathers to discuss our favourite comics of the year. Luke talks about Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson, Gachiakuta by Kei Urana and The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn by Tri Vuong.Sabina talks about Hairy Holes Book 2 by Brenton E McKenna, BS #1 Short Stuff 2020-2025 by Bruce Mutard and Kusama Polka Dot Queen, by Simon ElliotJames talks about I Ate the Whole World to Find You by Rachel Ang, “Dr. Werthless” by Harold Schechter and Eric Powell and The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfrid Lupano and Leonard ChemineauIurgi talks about Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide to Graphic Narratives by Eleri Harris and Shay Mirk, The Once and Future Riot by Joe Sacco with special mentions for Chickenpox by Remy Lai and Cannon by Lee Lai (regrettably he forgot to mention Creature Clinic by Gavin Aung Than but he insists he should have mentioned it and was definitely a highlight of his reading for the year)Mia talks about My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame and Kickflip by L.D. LapinskiGabby talks about Inked by Karen Wasson, Jake A. MintonThere will not be a roundup episode for December. This is it, we're done for the year, but we will be back at the end of January. In the meantime, read comics!If you like what we’re doing, or if there’s something we could do better, or something we missed, please let us know. We always love feedback. Also, please subscribe and give us a review or five star rating so other people can find us.To stay up to date and for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/