Brenton E. McKenna Brenton E. McKenna i(A139132 works by)
Born: Established: 1982 Broome, Kimberley area, North Western Australia, Western Australia, ;
Gender: Male
Heritage: Aboriginal ; Aboriginal Yawuru
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BiographyHistory

Brenton E. McKenna, a young Indigenous graphic artist and novelist, was born in Broome in 1982 and lived there until he was fifteen. In his teenage years he taught himself to draw by copying images from comics and a cartooning book given to him by a high school art teacher. He draws his inspiration for his form of the graphic novel, from sources that include Aboriginal mythology, folklore from various cultures, urban history and legend, war correspondence and military stories, science fiction and the natural world. However, his main sources are from his memories of growing up in Broome. (Source: Dictionary of Australian Artists Online http://www.daao.org.au)

Most Referenced Works

Personal Awards

2023 winner Magabala Fellowships and Scholarships — Magabala Fellowship to develop sequels in the 'Hairy Holes' series.
2016 recipient Australian Indigenous Creator Scholarship

to provide specialist mentoring and training within the graphic novel genre, and enable him to attend the annual Australian Comics Festival to further pursue professional opportunities

in his field.
2010 recipient May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Fellowship
VIEW ALL AWARDS

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Hairy Holes Broome : Magabala Books , 2023 25424128 2023 single work graphic novel children's ‘Our history is full of stories about hairy people, furry people, yowies, bunyips and monster apes. But this is the story about the hairy holes. The bush judges who kept everything in balance. Until the new people came. ’Ever wonder about the shadows lurking in the bush at night? Yawuru creator Brenton E. McKenna brings you a superb storytelling experience of the outback supernatural, in his new black-and-white graphic novel, Hairy Holes. Begley and Redley Hole are two hairy hole people living ordinary lives in the bush — that is until their world is lifted up and tossed on its rear when a lost tourist named Joplin stumbles upon them with promises of friendship and help to search for their parents. Featuring some of Australia’s toughest animals, suspiciously hairy holes in the desert and a crash course on the wonderful world of the internet, this hilarious graphic novel will crack you up and take you on a ‘kray-zay’ ride one the whole family will enjoy, hairy or otherwise.' 

(Publication summary)
2024 shortlisted Comic Arts Awards of Australia
y separately published work icon Ubby's Underdogs : Return of the Dragons Broome : Magabala Books , 2019 15403204 2019 single work graphic novel young adult

'It is the late 1940s and Broome, a small pearling town in the heart of an ancient land, is still recovering from WWII. Ubby and her gang of Underdogs cross into the Forbidden Zone on the Broome coastline in a desperate bid to locate their missing friend Sai Fong who has disappeared without a trace. What they encounter is worse than anything they could ever have imagined. To survive, the Underdogs must call upon the local gangs to unite, solve the mystery of the Dragon Summoner, and make contact with the mysterious Phoenix Dragon to fight the battle of all battles against an evil and unearthly enemy. What is at stake is the future of humanity itself.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.
2020 shortlisted Comic Arts Awards of Australia
y separately published work icon Ubby's Underdogs : Return of the Dragons Broome : Magabala Books , 2019 15403204 2019 single work graphic novel young adult

'It is the late 1940s and Broome, a small pearling town in the heart of an ancient land, is still recovering from WWII. Ubby and her gang of Underdogs cross into the Forbidden Zone on the Broome coastline in a desperate bid to locate their missing friend Sai Fong who has disappeared without a trace. What they encounter is worse than anything they could ever have imagined. To survive, the Underdogs must call upon the local gangs to unite, solve the mystery of the Dragon Summoner, and make contact with the mysterious Phoenix Dragon to fight the battle of all battles against an evil and unearthly enemy. What is at stake is the future of humanity itself.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.
2020 shortlisted Comic Arts Awards of Australia
VIEW ALL AWARDS
Last amended 26 Jul 2019 12:23:29
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