Issue Details: First known date: 2023... 2023 “For Gorsake, Stop Laughing : This Is Serious!”—Australia’s Fragile Cartooning Archive
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Stan Cross’s “For gorsake, stop laughing: this is serious!” (Smith’s Weekly, 1933) is the symbol and bellwether of the Australian cartooning tradition. It is often lionised as a national treasure, but its archival history has been perilous in a way that shows a lack of care amounting almost to national negligence. The original of this most famous cartoon of the Depression era was lost for 80 years before being rediscovered in 2014, and this article notes for the first time that Trove Newspapers lacks a record of its initial publication. We use this troubled material history of one significant cartoon to raise a range of issues about the quality and purpose of collecting and presenting Australian cartoons as a resource for Australian studies in fields ranging from media and humour studies to cultural and political history.' (Publication abstract)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Journal of Australian Studies vol. 47 no. 1 2023 25966087 2023 periodical issue

    'Welcome to the first issue of the Journal of Australian Studies for 2023. As you will see, this is a robust first quarter featuring five general articles and a special section relating to the history of illustrated magazines in Australia, edited by Anna Johnston and Paolo Magagnoli from The University of Queensland. This collection of fascinating articles collectively demonstrates the strength of contemporary scholarship that addresses the intersections between media and culture, and the themed section makes clear that illustrated magazines—as complex, multifaceted objects—provide a unique window on Australia’s recent history. We are delighted to showcase these significant interventions in a growing field, which is finally beginning to attract the sustained attention it deserves.' (Emily Potter and Brigid Magner : Editorial introduction)

    2023
    pg. 200-220
Last amended 28 Mar 2023 08:29:37
200-220 “For Gorsake, Stop Laughing : This Is Serious!”—Australia’s Fragile Cartooning Archivesmall AustLit logo Journal of Australian Studies
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