Andy Mason

Andy Mason (1954 – ) (pseudonym N.D. Mazin used sometimes) is a cartoonist who was born in Pietermaritzberg and studied at the University of Natal (now KwaZulu Natal). After university he focused on creating anti-apartheid cartoons. Mason’s work appeared in publications by Ravan Press and Sached Trust, as well as magazines like Staffrider and Upbeat. He founded Durban Comix, as well as the satirical periodical PAX (Pre-AzanianComix), in which appeared his popular ‘The Big Chillum’ series. He created the popular ‘Sloppy’ strip (together with MogorosiMotshumi, published for ten years in Learn and Teach), a humorous opera about the history of South Africa and the comic New Ground.

He co-founded Artworks Communications in Durban in 1989, an educational agency focused on subjects such as AIDS, tourism, education and art. From 1994, Mason has produced illustrations and comics on topics such as democracy, civil rights and education. He joined the Ithunga Art Project in 1999, drawing for Mamba and AIDS Sex News.

In 2007, he retired from Artworks Communications and in 2009 his first book, Don’t Joke! The Year in Cartoons, co-edited with John Curtis, was published by Jacana Media, in collaboration with the Centre for Comic, Illustrative and Book Arts (CCIBA) and Africartoons.com. In 2010, the anthology Just for Kicks! was published. His next book, What’s So Funny? Under the Skin of South African Cartooning (Juta Double Storey) was released in 2011. From: http://www.cciba.sun.ac.za and http://lambiek.net

Bibliography

2001. ‘Africa Ink: Cartoonists Working Group, Towards an Association of African Cartoonists: Report of an International Workshop on Cartoon Journalism and Democratisation in Southern Africa,’ International Journal of Comic Art. Vol. 3, No. 1, Spring 2001

2003. Mamba Comix. Published by the Artworks Durban cartoon Project and edited by Andy Mason and Rico Schacherl. http://www.africaink.co.za/

2009. Don’t joke! The Year in Cartoons. Eds. Mason, A, Curtis, J. Johannesburg: Jacana Media.

2010. Just for kicks! Johannesburg: Jacana Media

2011. What’s so funny?: Under the skin of South African cartooning. Claremont: Juta Double Storey.

2013. The Legend of Blue Mamba. Prezanian Comix: Cape Town.

2013. ed.: Gravlit: Graveyard Literature in Black and White. CCIBA/YoungBlood Art Foundation: Cape Town.

2016. Poynton’s Quest. Prezanian Comix: Cape Town.

2018. Day Zero: Serialised Comic Strip about Cape Town’s Water Crisis. Daily Mavric: Cape Town/Johannesburg.

2020. Poynton Shoots Coronavirus Novel: Serialised Comic Strip about the Coronavirus Pandemic. Daily Mavric: Cape Town/Johannesburg.