Kid Koala jokingly objects to the use of the term "multimedia attack" to describe what he does, on the grounds that it's too aggressive.

But short of the Martha Stewart-esque omnimedia, what alternative is there? The Vancouver-born Montrealer's talents are overwhelming, and his work is multi-pronged and prolific.

Privately known as Eric San, Kid Koala is one of the most innovative and entertaining scratch DJs in the world, as well as a classically trained pianist, a member of the band Bullfrog and a talented visual artist who mostly uses low-tech pencil and paper.

His first official album, 2000's Carpal Tunnel Syndrome -- the genius Scratchcratchratchatch tape was distinctly unofficial -- was accompanied by a videogame and a 32-page comic book, and ever since then he's been firing on multiple cylinders.

In 2003 he released his second album, Some Of My Best Friends Are DJs, accompanied by a comic book, as well as Nufonia Must Fall, his first full-length graphic novel -- which was accompanied by a soundtrack of piano music. Then the subsequent live Short Attention Span Audio Theatre Tour -- on which Koala and fellow DJs P-Love and Jester performed in a kind of cabaret show with comedy, animation and bingo -- became a live EP.

Now Kid Koala is ready to kick off the Toronto Comic Arts Festival with a show Friday at the Horseshoe. And while it's being billed as a DJ set, the performer naturally has some tricks up his sleeve.

"They're flying in a comic artist named Jim Mafood, who'll do some live painting," he says. "And I've invited Lederhosen Lucil, who was part of the Short Attention Span Theatre, to open. It'll be a bit of a variety show. I'll play some records and Lederhosen Lucil will charm and confuse people. And maybe we'll have some body painting too -- I'm not sure how wild the crowd will get."

San says drawing and music have always gone together in his mind.

"I could afford pencils before I could afford turntables," he allows. "But the two things have never really been separate. My first book experience and my first record experience were the same experience. When I was two or three, I had these little records with storybooks -- read-along stories with sound effects and music. So it definitely seemed natural to do them together. I see them as parallel outlets of expression.

"I always have a sketchpad on me. I used to carry a little tape recorder, but I lost it. I felt like a private investigator. I used it to document the ridiculousness of things that happen in my life, or to just sort of play."

San says his next project, Space Cadet And Astro Girl, is well underway, but likely won't be out till next year. Naturally, it will combine music with visuals.

"And if you can understand the humour in the drawings, you can also probably understand the humour in the music -- and the whole demented universe will make more sense to you."