We are proud to present a special recording of an event from Melbourne Rare Book Week.

The comic book form is used as a narrative medium by creators to tackle social, historical and personal histories: protesting about the Vietnam War in Mirranda Burton’s Underground; Napoleon Bonaparte’s Tasmanian imprisonment in Jamie Clennett’s The Diemenois; and growing up with an autistic sibling in Gina Chadderton’s Oh Brother. These creators present illustrated readings from their work, then engage in a discussion about comics and the real world, and how their books have enabled the two to converge and converse.

Chaired by Bernard Caleo, this is a recording of a Melbourne Rare Book Week presented in partnership with the Melbourne Athenaeum Library and ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics on Thursday July 30, 2026.

00:20 Welcome and acknowledgement of country

01:20 Bernard Caleo introduces the night and discusses comics and the real world

13:11 Mirranda Burton reads from Underground

18:49 Mirranda in conversation with Bernard

22:59 Jamie Clennett reads from The Diemenois

30:17 Jamie Clennett in conversation with Bernard

33:51 Georgina introduces Oh Brother

38:50 Georgina reads from Oh Brother

43:34 Georgina in conversation with Bernard

47:44 Mirranda, Jamie and Georgina in conversation with Bernard

To stay up to date with Melbourne Rare Book Week: https://rarebooksmelbourne.com/

To stay up to date with the Melbourne Athenaeum Library: https://melbourneathenaeum.org.au/library/

To stay up to date, for the full roundup of news, resources and new titles and our social media links visit our website: https://graphic.alia.org.au/

The ALIA Graphic Groove Theme 2025 courtesy of Clint Owen Ellis https://www.clintowenellis.com/

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