My name is Bernard Caleo. I make comics.
That is to say, I write and draw and collaborate on and edit and publish comic books. I also teach, preach and perform comics, lead comics classes and workshops, and talk about comics on tv and radio.
In December 2009, Allen and Unwin released The Tango Collection (an omnibus of stories selected from the first 8 issues of 'Tango'), and Cardigan Comics released Tango9: Love and War.
In April 2010, thanks to funding from the CAL Cultural Fund, we brought the wonderful Dylan Horrocks over to Melbourne to lead a week-long graphic novel masterclass with 10 Australian comic book makers at the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas.
In August 2010, at the inaugural GRAPHIC festival at the Sydney Opera House, I chaired the 'Evolution of an Idea' panel, with festival guests Shaun Tan, Neil Gaiman and Eddie Campbell - it was a delight.
Also in 2010, I discovered kamishibai, the Japanese art of 'paper theatre', a mix of performance and comic books, also a delight. Jo Waite and I made an exhibition for the Melbourne Fringe Festival called 'Paper Theatre', in October 2010.
In 2011 I conducted a series of evenings at the lovely Readings bookshop in Carlton - the series is called 'What It Is?' and the shows consist of a collaborator and I examining the poetics of comics and performing some kamishibai.
In 2012 I am making a monthly comic book called MONGREL, and I am collaborating with filmmaker Daniel Hayward on a feature documentary with the working title 'Graphic! Novels! Melbourne!' which will focus on the long-form comics work of Nicki Greenberg, Mandy Ord, Pat Grant and Bruce Mutard. This project has received funding from the City of Melbourne and is supported by Readings bookshops and will premiere in October 2012.
