One last project to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the first published Canadian comic book is being released. Canadian wartime comic enthusiast Ivan Kockmarek has edited an anthology of tributes to Canada’s original comic creators by some of the best current creators. This sis a 56 page comic with 26 pieces of tribute art with supporting information. It is limited to just 300 copies in this first and probably only printing. Purchases can be done directly from Ivan by contacting him by email (ikocmarek |at| cogeco.ca) or through a DM on Facebook. The retail price on the cover is $20 and that is what it will be sold at, if and when we can get it into some local comic shops. Buying directly from him, will cost $15 including shipping.

This comic also serves as a catalogue for the gallery show of the original art at the RAID Studio Gallery at 1720 Queen Street West in Toronto just east of Roncesvalles. The show will be installed on December 15, 2021, and run till February 2, 2022. The RAID Studio Gallery is open from 10 am – 5 pm Monday to Saturday.

Here is a final chart of the artists given tribute and the contemporary contributors:

Classic CreatorModern Creator who contributed to anthology
Aram AlexanianJoe Ollman
Leo BachleVince Marchesano, Robert Pincombe
Dan BaldasseRob Thibodeau
June BanfieldRebecca Ann Rosen
Harry BruntDavid Collier
Bert BushellMartin Szmanskyi, James Waley
Al CooperArt Cooper
Howard Cowan a.k.a. Clayton DexterRichard Pace
Adrian DingleHo Che Anderson
Manny EassonJohn MacLeod
Shirley FortuneEmmanuelle Princesse Chateauneuf
Ed FurnessTim Hammell
Edmond GoodSam Agro
John HilkertRonn Sutton
Murray KarnSteve Leblanc
Fred KellyMichael T. Gilbert
Gerald LazareDave Sim
Ross Mendes and Gerry LazareRon Kasman
Vernon MillerSandy Carruthers
Ab NormalJohn Farr
George Menendez RaeEric Kim, James Waley
Ross SaakelDave Ross
Doris Slater-TitusPatricia Titus
John StablesKen Steacy
Tedd SteeleRamòn Pèrez
Jack TremblayRick Trembles