From “Sunbeams” to Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Australian Comic Book (1924 to 1965) is a comprehensive exploration of Australia’s comic book industry, authored by Brisbane-based researcher Graeme Cliffe and published by Comicoz in 2019. The book traces the evolution of Australian comics from their inception in the ‘Sunbeams’ newspaper supplement, which introduced the iconic character Ginger Meggs, through to the industry’s decline in 1965. It offers detailed biographies of numerous Australian comic book artists and insights into various publishing houses.

The culmination of over two decades of meticulous research by Cliffe, this 254-page hardcover book is richly illustrated and features extensive excerpts from original comics. Its design complements John Ryan’s 1979 work “Panel by Panel,” serving as a valuable companion piece.

The book was officially launched in 2019, with pre-orders beginning earlier. Initial announcements and preparations for the book date back to 2017, as documented by Comicoz. Online advertisements describe the book as:

This beautifully produced book comprehensively details the history of Australian comics. From the incredible end papers featuring reproductions of vintage comics (with many more inside) through to detailed biographies of every Australian comic book artist and publishing house, this is the ultimate reference to the golden age of the Australian comic book industry (1924 to 1965). The culmination of 20 years of research by Brisbane author Graeme Cliffe, this definitive guide shines a light on an important part of Australia’s artistic, literary and social history. This is a great gift for dads, comic book or literary enthusiasts, or an attractive and interesting coffee table book for everyone. A must-have for every library collection.

A sample of internal pages can be seen below.

Besides the regular editions of From “Sunbeams” to Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Australian Comic Book (1924 to 1965), limited special edition books were released with bonus material:

• A special limited number of signed copies were released, limited to 100 copies, signed by various contributors to the book including Graeme Cliffe, Neville Bain, Ryan McDonald-Smith and Nat Karmichael.
• A Deluxe Edition was released, limited and numbered to 40 copies, signed by three Australian comic identities including Peter Chapman, Norman Clifford and John Jensen.

---