Melbourne Alternative Comics Festival (MAKE) celebrates all things comics, graphic novels and graphic storytelling.
Our inaugural festival in 2026 showcases the finest graphic storytellers from across Australia and features a rich programming of artist talks, publisher insights, live performances and an all-ages market day with zines, comics and graphic novels from over 100 creators.
The makers behind MAKE
Bruce Mutard
Director, Community Day Programmer
Bruce Mutard is a comics maker, publisher and researcher. His graphic novels include The Sacrifice, The Silence, The Bunker and Souffre Douleur. He completed a comics research Masters from Monash University entitled Words Into Pictures, and a PhD at Edith Cowan University with his thesis The Erotics of Comics. He was director of the Comic Arts Awards of Australia and editor/publisher of the Australian Comic Annual (2016-22). He was a founding organising committee member of PCAF (Perth Comic Arts Festival; 2018-23) and now for MAKE. His forthcoming graphic novel Tigerland will be published in 2027. His chapter From Giotto to Drnaso was awarded the Martin Schüwer publication prize in 2024 from the German Society for Comics Studies (ComFor).
Reimena Yee
Admin Coordinator, Community Day Programmer, Designer
Reimena Yee (She/They) is a graphic novelist, illustrator, designer and arts manager. Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, she currently lives in Melbourne, Australia. Reimena is an award-winning creator of multiple comics for adults and children (Séance Tea Party, My Aunt is a Monster, The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya) and a known advocate for the engagement of comics in public life. She is the curator behind the Comics Devices Library and the co-founder and co-organiser of Southeast Asian collective UNNAMED and the international peak arts body, Cartoonists United.
Aaron Billings
Organiser, Speaking to Pictures Programmer
Aaron Billings (He/Him) is a cartoonist working in Coburg, at Pink Ember studio. He draws regular comics for The Paris End and weekly cartoons for Crikey. Sometimes he makes comics for the NTEU and other unions. He also self publishes zines and is currently serialising a gay fantasy comic series with Glom Press.
Tom Naylor
Market Day Coordinator
Tom Naylor (He/Him) is one half of Gateway Comics and Manga, and part of our Market Day team. He has an endless appetite for comics in all their forms, and started Gateway to help spread that passion as far as possible. Tom can’t wait to help foster an event that casts a spotlight on the incredible local talents that Victoria and Australia have to offer.
Bea Brandt
Market Day Coordinator
Bea Brandt (They/Them) is one half of Gateway Comics and Manga and part of our Market Day team. A long term manga reader, Bea started expanding their tastes into more traditional comics before submersing themselves into the land of local and indie comics through Gateway. They’re excited to bring in new readers and those who have yet to give comics a shot, and introduce them to the huge amount incredible books that local creators have to offer.
Iurgi Urrutia
Community Day Programmer
Iurgi Urrutia AALIA DCP is a librarian in a metro library in Melbourne (Naarm). He is a member of the Australian Library and Information Association’s Graphic Novels and Comics special interest group. He has a background in education and media studies.
James Baker
Exhibition Curator
James is a librarian who has been championing engagement with comics throughout his career. He is a co-founder and secretary of ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics, a special interest group with the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) that promotes comics to libraries and libraries to the comics industry. Currently he is also involved with planning for the bicentenary celebrations for Mechanics’ Institutes in Australia in early 2027. James is the winner of the 2026 Victorian Library and Information Award.
Emilie Walsh
Exhibition Curator, Workshop Organiser
Emilie Walsh (She/her) is an artist and educator based in Naarm. Emilie runs a small printmaking studio called Couleur, makes zines and comics and loves to share her passion through workshops and engagement programs.
Benedicte O’leary-Rutherford
Exhibition Curator
Benedicte O’Leary Rutherford (She/They) is a comics maker and artist who likes to make inky autobio work. They are curating the exhibition at MAKE, and helping out elsewhere wherever they can. Benedicte used to organise the DIY music and art festival ‘No Front Fences’ with the Mulgara collective in Canberra, and now lives in Naarm with their cat as they work on their PhD in comics making at RMIT.
Isabella Casey
Communications Support
Isabella is part of the MAKE operations team, managing on the ground communications and logistics having previously done the same at other Victorian writers festivals. She is passionate about bringing writers, readers, and stories together through community literary events and showcasing new talent.
Miles McGregor
Social Media Coordinator
Miles McGregor has a history in bookselling and is completing a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Literary Studies at Monash University. He is our social media coordinator at MAKE. Currently based on the Mornington Peninsula, Miles is passionate about books and storytelling that bring people together.
David Mahler
Committee member
David Mahler (He/Him) is a cartoonist and animator based in NaarmMelbourne. He recently took part in the Parallel Panels cross-cultural workshop run by the UNESCO Melbourne City of Literature organisation, and is currently animating a series of short films about former Australian PM Robert Menzies for the University of Melbourne’s RMI Gallery.
Special thanks
Sarah Howell, Squishface Studios, Ronnie Scott, Melody Ellis, Perth Comic Arts Festival, Pink Ember Studio and All Star Comics for their advice and support during our early days.
