THE National Cartoon Gallery’s new exhibition “Myths, Monsters and Martians” opened this week in time for the school holidays.
Featuring over 150 works from some of Australia’s best cartoonists and illustrators, it’s a humorous look at scary (and not-so-scary) imaginary creatures from folklore and fiction.
Gallery manager Bruce Nelson said the exhibition has been especially designed for families and a younger audience to enjoy; however, the humour will appeal to all ages.
“We all love fictional characters and have grown up with them through fairytales and comic books, which have included those that are often outrageous, grotesque, and terrifying through to plain silly and funny,” he said.
“This exhibition brings together the best of the genre curated from our extensive collection of over 26,000 cartoons, so we really are showing the best of the best.
“Whether humorous cartoons about Martians invading Earth or well-known characters like Dracula, the Grim Reaper, and even Humpty Dumpty and the Cow that Jumped Over the Moon, we’re showcasing them all.”
“Myths, Monsters and Martians” features award-winning cartoonists including Mark Lynch, Tony Lopes, Phil Judd, and Coffs Harbour’s own Hec Goodall, with cartoons from the 1980s through to 2025.”
The exhibition runs until the end of February 2026.
The Bunker Gallery features both the National Cartoon Gallery and the National Holden Motor Museum and is open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm.
By Andrea FERRARI
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
