Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Condoman




It's not often that a someone you've just met offers you something out of the blue. But at an event at the Art Gallery of South Australia it happened to me. Mina had heard I was writing a book about Redback Graphix and told me that she had held onto one of their posters from a previous workplace, a community health centre. I couldn't have been more excited when it arrived in the mail shortly afterwards. Framed, it now sits on my mantle piece. Condoman , comissioned by the Queensland government was designed and printed by Michael Callaghan, Marie McMahon and Paul Cockram in 1988. Redback Graphix came up with the design in consultation with the Torres Straight community to promote good sexual health practices. Up north DC comics and superheroes were hugely popular at the time. I love the indig superhero among the coconut fronds. Several versions of it exist, some urging you to "Use Frenchies" with and without the"C" on Condoman's chest. The posters were widely distributed in the Navy. I don't know how successful they were but we heed the message at home.

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