Con Chrisoulis

Con Chrisoulis is a Greek Australian multidisciplinary artist, most famous for his long-running independent comic Tales of Unsurpassed Vanity (Greek: Ιστορίες Ατελείωτης Ματαιοδοξίας) and his graphic novels, Giant-Size Fascists, Tales of The Smiths, Dryland and Rebel Rebel. The themes in his work almost exclusively involve matters of social injustice and prejudice (from sexism to racism to classism) to the broader plagues of society like nationalism, war or state violence and political corruption.

Career

Chrisoulis was born in Victoria (Australia), to Greek migrants.^[1] Totally self-taught in comics,^[2] in 2010 he earned an ISCED Level 4 degree in Film Editing, in 2014 a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design at the University of Brighton and in 2015 he was awarded a Master of Research in Arts and Cultural Research, during which he experimented on the digital future of the comic book medium.^[1]

In 1996 he self-published his first comic book series, Clans, in Melbourne, Australia, which lasted three issues.^[2] The following year he collaborated with writer Nick Bugeja on the superhero comic book series Bloodsport (Impulse Comics).^[3] In the late-1990s he migrated to Athens, Greece, and began self-publishing his personal comic book anthology, Tales of Unsurpassed Vanity (Greek: Ιστορίες Ατελείωτης Ματαιοδοξίας), one of Greece's longest-running self-published independent comics.^[2][4] Tales of Unsurpassed Vanity lasted ten issues, ending in 2004.

In 2002 he formed the group that would eventually publish the Greek independent comics anthology, SubArt Comics. The group self-published 3 issues collectively^[5] and released another 3 issues via Giganto Books. As the group imploded in 2005, Chrisoulis and three other members initiated the first 24-hour comic event in Greece; his story was included in the subsequent 24 Hours SubArt Comics collection (2005)^[6]

From 2002 to 2006, Chrisoulis collaborated with 9 (Ennea) magazine, a Greek comics anthology that was included as a free supplement every Wednesday within Eleftherotypia newspaper. He serialized his science fiction series, Vacant Testament (Greek: Κενή Διαθήκη) within the pages of 9 (Ennea) magazine, making it the first long-running sci-fi comics series published in a Greek mainstream comic book.

During the '00s, he initiated campaigns within his self-published comics in order to advise and help creators setup their own self-published comics, and participated in various self-published comic books, also distributing many in independent stores in Athens and local zine and comics festivals.^[7] Some of the comics he participated in include Sapilla #1-3 (2004-2005),^[8] Red.Dot Comix #10 (2004) and #12 (2005),^[9] Giannis Milonogiannis' Roppongi #2 (2006)^[10] and many more.

In 2007 he released the first volume of his acclaimed political satire comic book series, Giant-Size Fascists. After the first volume was released, the series continued in monthly episodes in Galera (Γαλέρα) magazine from 2007-2008. The two volumes of Giant-Size Fascists earned him Greek comic book of the year awards by popular vote in 2008 and 2010.^[11]

His graphic novel Dryland, which narrates the violent deaths of most of his ancestors in Interwar Greece, was a finalist at the Myriad Editions' First Fictions competition ^[12][13] and was released in 2016 by Markosia Enterprises.

Singer-songwriter of two concept art bands, Autodivine and the UK-based band, Ghosts of Future Past, he has released two illustrated concept albums with linear narratives and post-punk aesthetics.

From 2012 until 2014 he wrote and drew a daily online comic strip entitled Tales of The Smiths about the early unknown days of Morrissey and seminal indie band, The Smiths, a 450-page collected edition of which will be released by Omnibus Press in 2016.

He has been researching, writing and drawing Rebel Rebel, the biweekly online graphic biography of David Bowie since June 2016 for the webcomic site, SoComic.gr^[14]

He is the creator and content editor of the Brighton-based arts and cultural website, The Streets Today,^[15] which showcases undiscovered artists and new events, as well as Museums News,^[16] a website that focuses on museum and exhibition culture.

Bibliography

Works in Australia

• Clans #1-3. MoJo Comics, 1996-1997.
• Bloodsport #1 (written by Nick Bugeja). Impulse Comics, 1997.

Works in Greece

• Tales of Unsurpassed Vanity (Greek: Ιστορίες Ατελείωτης Ματαιοδοξίας) #1-10. MoJo/Dark Wave Comics, 2001-2004.
• Jazz and Maria TPB – collects the vampire stories from Tales of Unsurpassed Vanity #1-5. MoJo/Dark Wave Comics, 2002.
• SubArt Comics #1-3. Tsiki-Tsiki Productions, 2002-2003.
• Hesiod's Theogony. Evandros Press, 2003.
• SubArt Comics #1-3. Giganto, 2003-2004.
• Babel #226. 2004.^[17]
• Sapilla #1-3. 2004-2005. (participation with short stories and front cover)
• Homer's Iliad (Ομήρου Ιλιάς). Evandros Press, 2004.
• Homer's Odyssey (Ομήρου Οδύσσεια). Evandros Press, 2004.
• 9 (Ennea) magazine (2004)^[18]
• Autobio Comics, weekly short stories published within Paraskevi+13 (Παρασκευή+13) newspaper (2005-2006)^[19]
• Red.Dot Comix #10, 2004, #12, 2005. (participation with short stories and pin-ups)
• 24 Hours SubArt Comics. Tsiki-Tsiki Productions, 2005.^[6]
• Roppongi #2. 2006. (participation with a pin-up)
• Herodotus' The Battle of Thermopylae (Ηροδότου Η Μάχη των Θερμοπυλών). Evandros Press, 2006.
• Giant-Size Fascists. Haramada, 2007. ISBN 978-960-89003-3-2
• Autobio Comics, gonzo journalist comics published within Big Fish magazine. 2007-2008.
• Galera (Γαλέρα) magazine (monthly episodes of Giant-Size Fascists and short comics stories). 2007-2008.
• Giant-Size Fascists ConMix Extravaganza. Jemma Press, 2009. ISBN 9789606732492
• Autodivine - EP. Jemma Press, 2009. ISBN 9789606732386
• At The Drive Ink (short story in anthology inspired by garage rock band The Last Drive). Tilt Comics, 2010.^[20][21]
• Giant-Size Fascists reprint. Jemma Press, 2010. ISBN 9789606732492

Works in UK

• Dryland Book One|||Chapter One. 2012.
• Dryland Book One. Markosia Enterprises, 2016.
• Tales of The Smiths. Omnibus Press, 2016. ISBN 9781783055876

Other work

As illustrator

• Freelance editorial illustrator for Big Fish magazine (2007-2009)
• Illustrator for lecture series at Amnesty International (2012)
• Illustrator/Graphic Designer for The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' communication needs with the refugee crisis (2016)

Discography

• Autodivine - EP. Jemma Press, 2009. ISBN 9789606732386 ^[22]
• Ghosts of Future Past - 4X84 EP. 2014.^[23][24]

Works cited