You Can’t ‘Waste’ Your Vote — REDUX

Preferential voting in Australia, explained — chickennation.com/voting

In time for the Australian federal election in May 2019, I’ve produced a revised, updated, and totally redrawn version of my perpetually viral comic about preferential voting from 2013, featuring Dennis the Election Koala and Ken the Voting Dingo.

Dennis the Election Koala slaps Ken the Voting Dingo, a classic moment for a new generation
Dennis and Ken, at it again

This time around I’d like to add a much-requested sequel dealing with voting for the federal Senate, if I can manage it. (You can help that to happen by supporting me via Ko-fi.) Anyway, the whole project now has a permanent home under this link, so please check it out and share the page with everyone you’ve ever seen.

The comic has been popular among non-Australians too, who are interested in alternative electoral systems — especially people from countries that use first-past-the-post systems. What we call ‘preferential voting‘ in Australia is usually called ‘instant-runoff voting‘ in formal contexts, ‘ranked choice voting‘ in North America, and ‘the alternative vote‘ in the UK. Now you know!

Incidentally, to elect the Australian federal Senate, we use single transferable vote (STV) proportional representation (PR).

Tobias and Jube and the Something Hat Mystery — comics and music!

Hello everyone, did I mention my new Tobias and Jube comic? I can’t recall. Anyway, it’s called Tobias and Jube and the Something Hat Mystery and the first chapter is up on the Stela app right now! It’ll run for five weeks; one chapter per week. It’s basically 50-something print pages, in total — a little book, like an Asterix book! It is also, would you believe, suitable for all ages. And ‘all ages’ doesn’t mean ‘children’, it means ALL AGES — I’m looking at you, Granddad! You think I can’t see you curled up on the floor behind the recliner? Granddad? Oh, the old silent treatment, eh? The old silent and motionless except for sporadic twitching treatment, is that it, old man? Pathetic.

I’m exceptionally proud of Tobias and Jube and the Something Hat Mystery and excited for you all to enjoy it. It’s not free — you do have to buy it (god, I know) — but at least you can buy it without leaving your house! FRESH LAUGHTER AND NATURAL HUMAN DELIGHTS, EVERY WEEK. And phwoar, look at those gorgeous colours by Lin Visel. Pages of that good stuff. Get into it.

BUT WAIT. Did you think that was all? “Oh, he’s made the funniest comic in the history of the medium, surely that’s enough for one man” — was that you just now?

[shakes head sadly while throwing head backwards in flamboyant laughter]

  • “I don’t think I’ve smiled this much listening to an album… ever? Ever.”
  • “I would say this feels like the soundtrack to a mysterious, quirk-laden Japanese PS2 game, but it’s the soundtrack to a wonderful comic!”
  • “I almost choked on my own snot listening to this. Patrick you are wonderful. My new anthem here.”
  • “This unironically owns.”
  • “That record is like some evil corrupt maniac formed the second coming of the Bonzos just to corrupt the minds of children.”
  • “That was brilliant! … What an inventive track, nice to hear something different.”
  • “Holy shit! This is hilarious and great!”
  • “The most fun you can have without burning down a church.”

— Comments already received from authentic fellow humans

Yes, Tobias and Jube and the Something Hat Mystery is also a 30-minute album of amazing songs, subtitled The Euphonious Companion, which makes quite a long and grandiose title altogether, but I promise it’s not prog, IT’S NOT PROG. It is a POP album but WEIRD POP and oh my goodness, remember how the comic is the #1 and sole greatest thing I’ve ever done? Well the album is also the #1 and sole greatest thing I’ve ever done! How is this possible? It’s not. It’s a miracle.

Bandcamp! iTunes and Apple Music! Spotify! Google Play! Soundcloud! And Amazon and Deezer and even Saavn, and other places too — just search for the album. And you can even Shazam all of these songs, which is really cool. If you play my songs at a party, people can go, “Siri, what is this stream of pure, rainbow-flavoured delight? I must know!”

It is a DELIGHTFUL album; that is the word I keep using. You will be delighted. It’s only a short album — go to Bandcamp and have a listen. You will feel delight, I promise. This isn’t cartoonist music, this is cartoonist AND musician music. You’ve been waiting for it, bored with everything else, and now, here it is.

“Patrick I bought the album and subscribed to the comic, I am into this Tobias and Jube thing, help me!”

Tobias and Jube prints and goods at redbubble! Tobias and Jube stamps for Line messenger! Old-school Tobias and Jube comics that I’d hoped to have rescanned and recoloured by now, oh well! You want more?? Tell me about it! No, actually tell me about it. Thanks.

Thanks for enjoying my work, and thanks in advance for telling your friends and social networks about it! It makes a big difference; you have no idea.

tl;dr: Lots of new Tobias and Jube stuff! Here and here. Hooray!