With encroaching dotage and my grandchildren growing fast into young adults it is now time for me to pull the digit out and make a new comic. This post marks the commencement or more accurately the recommencement of my third Pictorial Chronicle Catch him by his name. No turning back now.

The previous Red Heart Productions had different creative drivers. The first, Red Heart No 1, is a personal view of the Northern Territory in the 1970’s, written more in frustration and anger rather than anything else. Red Heart No 2 was commissioned to illustrate how mining companies get to mine on Aboriginal Land in Australia. That one got me and the publisher into trouble.

Red Heart No 3 is finding its purpose after several years of procrastination and false starts. The earlier attempts gather dust on the shelf. The working title, Catch him by his name is from my autobiographical animation script started in 1988 but never finished. Instead my short film, “Mum’s friend” was completed, also an autobiographical work. Why not a fresh look, after 40 years, to revisit “Catch him by his Name”.

A rough draft structure is currently undergoing the “sleep on it for a day or two” test.

Paste-up of drawings that have specific meaning of time and place.

Updates will be posted unless currawongs and finches demand my immediate attendance.

Current status:

  1. Timelines created;
  2. Main characters listed with timeline;
  3. Rough draft structure completed;
  4. Diaries airing in the sun;
  5. Sorting existing pictorial resources;
  6. Commenced sketch writing of each chapter;
  7. Started identifying what’s missing;
  8. Mulling over character, voice and tone;
  9. Toes crossed, drawing hand exercising.

Catch him by his name (working title)

Note: The banner image Aunt Eveyln and Jay was drawn by my father in a 1949 letter to his mother describing our visit to a relative in London.

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