Launch of Shaun Tan's "The Arrival"

[jack_ryder]

Last night murasaki_1966 and I attended the Sydney launch of Shaun Tan's new book The Arrival at Gleebooks. The ebullient Nick Stathopoulos did his usual fine job of MCing and conducted a Q & A with Shaun which covered the highlights of Shaun's career, the "controversy" around his collaboration with John Marsden The Rabbits and his influences and future projects (including one with Pixar that he couldn't go into, more's the pity).

The Arrival is a stunning book - a wordless 120 page graphic novel about the migrant experience. I've only read a little of it (it's hard to get out of murasaki_1966's hands) but he shows a mastery of the comic form that I don't think is too much of a stretch to compare to Will Eisner.

I've always thought that Shaun Tan is deserving of greater recognition (he truly is an amazing artist and story teller) and The Arrival is a masterpiece. Probably the first truly great Australian graphic novel.

In other news, Nick's partner Adrian has a poem in the latest Meanjin .

Yay Adrian!

Comments

[ashamel.livejournal.com]

Sounds fabbo. Missed it completely...

What controversy was this?

[jack-ryder.livejournal.com]

Right wing commentators took exception to the criticism of colonialism in The Rabbits - especially a page about taking the children away. Black-arm band view of history in a picture book for kids, etc. etc.

[ashamel.livejournal.com]

Good stuff.

[murasaki-1966.livejournal.com]

Brilliant book. Will be buying the Rabbits very shortly.