Dylan Horrocks's Blog, page 18

New page: The Magic Pen

Click for new page

New page: The Magic Pen

Click for new page

To The I-Land: the Comics of Barry Linton

Click to read the story

This is a story first published in Look This Way: New Zealand Writers on New Zealand Artists, edited by Sally Blundell (published by Auckland University Press). It's an appreciation, in comics form, of one of my all-time favourite cartoonists, the great Barry Linton.

Happy Holidays!

Waitakere Legends

I'm on holiday (i.e. away from the Magic Pen) until the New Year, but I'll try to post some pictures in the meantime.

These are some drawings I did for Waitakere Legends, a project organised by Waitakere City Council before it was merged into the new Auckland City. They commissioned a number of artists (including Misery and the great Barry Linton) to illustrate stories from the history of the region. These then turned up in various places: on a billboard at the Henderson Railway Station, in a printed booklet, and decorating selected public buildings.

I did three pictures for the project, and here they are. You can click on each image to see it larger.

In the 1920s, a large cave at Whatipu beach was used for evening dances. A wooden (kauri) dance floor was laid down by local millers and a launch would bring revellers from Onehunga to the Whatipu wharf. The cave was decorated with lanterns and ribbons and a band would play for the well-dressed dancers. Decades later, the cave was also used for psychedelic and trance dance parties, although the wooden dance floor is now buried under metres of sand.

Since 1985, a semi-annual horse race has been held at Karekare beach (a wild west-cost surf beach), to raise money for the local school, surf lifesaving club and volunteer fire brigade. People come from all over the region, and a festive atmosphere reigns, with barbecues and raffles, bright banners and family fun. The date of the event moves around, as it needs a low tide at midday on a Saturday, which happens about three times a year.

Waitakere has long been a place of orchards, vineyards and market gardens - many first planted by newcomers from the Dalmatian Coast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One such family is the Glucina brothers, Gregory and Mate, who arrived between 1898 and 1900, whose orchard on Shaw Road in Oratia gave birth to a brand new variety of apple, which came to be called the Oratia Beauty. The apple is famously tart and crisp, and rather sour but it spread throughout New Zealand and is now considered a heritage apple.

Now you can wear Hicksville Comics on your chest.

Yes, I finally got around to making a Hicksville Comics t-shirt, which you can buy from RedBubble. Drape your delicate frame with an assortment of characters from Hicksville, The Magic Pen and Atlas. Or perhaps the delectable frame of a loved one or family member. Or hang it in the closet and forget you ever bought it. Use it to dry dishes. Put it on the dog. Really, it's entirely up to you.

Also available on kids' clothing.

Sharing is caring

I've just had this pointed out to me: a torrent on Demonoid with all 10 issues of Pickle, the comic book I did in the 1990s (published by Black Eye).

I am, of course, delighted, and wish to thank whoever uploaded it (not to mention whoever went to all the trouble of scanning it in the first place!).

Just remember to seed, folks…

New page: The Magic Pen

Click for new page

New page: The Magic Pen

Click for new page

Beautiful Lies

Today's page of The Magic Pen is taking a little longer to finish than expected (that's what I get for including a huge crowd scene). So in the meantime here's an old comic strip that seems kinda relevant at the moment.

Back in 1995-7, I drew a weekly strip called Milo's Week for The New Zealand Listener. This one was published on June 29, 1996, during the buildup to a general election.

I hope you enjoy it - and I should have the new Magic Pen page up on Monday.

New page: The Magic Pen

Click for new page