rejection letter
rejected from the perth comic arts festival yet again:
"As PCAF is a dedicated comic arts festival, it is mandatory that all exhibitors have comics available on their table and that comics are the prioritised stock."
comic arts only huh? well, the last time i checked the dictionary:
comic (adj)
- intentionally funny, raising mirth (1791)
art (n)
- an occupation requiring knowledge or skill (1823)
i dont see anything that says comic arts can only be "stapled bits of paper with some rectangles filled with little pictures and words."
also under this label are:
- jokes
- joke books
- tall tales
- humourous anecdotes
- funny faces
- slapstick behaviour
- pranks
- fails
- celebrity impressions
- open mic comedy
- greeting cards
- song parodies
- mr bean
- ventriloquism
- roasts
- bloopers
- drag queens
- clowns
- political cartoons
- humourous socks
- jester hats
- rude gestures
- towel whipping
- wigs
according to pcaf, these things are neither comic nor art, the only thing comic is comics and only comics can be art. i wholly disagree.
have you ever gone to pcaf and bought a comic and thought, hey, this is humourous? it is a census-based fact that less than 5% of the comics self-published in this city have any relationship to humour. if pcaf was truly 'comic arts only' they would exclude 95% of their stallholders.
meanwhile here i am, a celebrated joke book writer and jim carey impersonator, and they say i know nothing about the comic arts? well i see that the term has become meaningless.
that is why i am starting my own festival, pfbf, the perth funny books festival, where only funny books will be allowed and only me and my funny book friends will be welcome. none of this comic book b.s.