Author(s): Head of Postgraduate and Professional Programmes in the Business School and Professor of Marketing Steve Carter

Graphic Novels

Phantastique debuted over thirty years ago, in 1985, and is the first "horror comic" aimed at Mature Readers created and published solely by Australians. The original intention behind Phantastique was to present to Australian mainstream readers a specific style of SF, Horror and Fantasy that had at that time not ever been seen on the national newsstands, magazine racks, etc.

Initially, the intention was not to shock and offend, but, for the first time in Australian publishing history, to make the more graphic style of horror more widely available to those readers who preferred their horror fiction and comics to have that kind of impact. This was stated on several different occasions at the time. And it must be said: for every detractor, there were at least ten who loved it.

After much controversy and media attention, the final issue appeared on the newsstand late in 1986. Issues #3 and #4 were banned in QLD, SA and WA.

This celebratory graphic novel resurrects Phantastique and continues the tradition. It features some of Australia's best comicbook artists including: Steve Carter, Antoinette Rydyr, Rod Williams, Pete Correy, Dez Waterman, Dillon Naylor, Ross Tesoriero, Ryan Vella, Glenn Smith, Glenn Lumsden, Jason Paulos and Fred Enroht.