The West Australian launches ‘The Best of Alston’

For almost 40 years The West Australian’s famous cartoonist Dean Alston has been a staple of the daily paper where his works of art are often the one page that readers know they mustn’t miss.

Alston is the perfect example of how the pen is mightier than the sword. But not a pen for writing. A pen to prod, poke, puncture, patronize, and sometimes even pulverize his subjects, usually politicians, with deft drawings that say so much more than words.

Since October 1985 the Walkey Award-winning scribbler has skewered anyone asking for it. Whether that be a PM, a premier, a president, or just your average prima donna. Daily doses of letters, emails, phone calls and Facebook messages to The West highlight just how popular Alston is.

Now, following the success of 190 years of The West, a four-part magazine and digital vertical series released in June this year, The West Australian is proud to share an insight into the man himself with the release of a highly anticipated glossy magazine series showcasing the best Alston’s work.

The Best of Alston, presented by Roy Hill, was released in two parts with part one published in The West Australian on Saturday August 26, and part two on Saturday September 2.

Now, as their 190th anniversary celebrations continue, The West are also showcasing Alston’s work via a specially created immersive online platform that highlights the most exceptional pieces from his four-decade journey.

The digital feature showcases the high-quality work produced by Seven West Media’s in-house commercial content studio, MINT.

“We’re thrilled to have seen ‘The Best of Alston’ magazines printed and distributed over the past two weekends. Today, we’re proud to announce the digital feature is live, with a planned six-week promotional campaign ahead” said Nahum Hendricks, Creative Director and Production Manager of MINT.

The Best of Alston initiative is the result of a collaborative effort between the editorial, marketing and advertising teams at Seven West Media.

Hendricks said: “The cross-functional team has done an exceptional job bringing this project to life. An editorial idea, commercialised by sales and supported by marketing.”

“Our Commercial design (MINT), editorial design and marketing design teams collaborating to create a look that works for print, digital and promotional executions. Congratulations to everyone involved! Your dedication has made this project a success.”

To view the online digital feature, click here.