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EVENT: Splitting Image Cartoon Exhibition

September 15, 2015, 1:22 am
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Above: An editorial cartoon by Chris Slane.

New Zealand has a rich tradition of political cartoons and artistic social commentary, and this Friday you can see the original artwork from seven of our current leading political/editorial cartoonists at the Splitting Image cartoon exhibition.

The featured cartoonists include: Sharon Murdoch (The Sunday Star Times, The Christchurch Press), Chris Slane (The NZ Listener), Sarah Laing (RNZ/Metro), Rod Emmerson (The NZ Herald), Anna Crichton (The NZ Herald/Metro), Peter Bromhead (The NZ Herald), and Daron Paton (Metro).


Above: The Personal is Political by Sarah Laing, originally published in Metro magazine. You can read more of Sarah's comics and cartoons at her website HERE.

The exhibition will be taking place at LOT23, 23 Minnie St, Eden Terrace, from September 19th - October 13th, with a Party Preview this Friday 18th of September, from 6pm. For more information you can visit the exhibition's Facebook event page HERE.

- AK!




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Red Peak VS The Key by Jonathan King

September 21, 2015, 2:36 am
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Above: Red Peak as superhero - confronted by the cowardly villain, The Key! by Jonathan King.

As the debate over the NZ Flag Referendum continues, cartoonist/filmmaker Jonathan King took to Twitter with these cartoons illustrating Prime Minister John Key's dismissive attitude towards the increasingly popular 'Red Peak' flag design by Aaron Dustin - interpreted as a pitch perfect parody of a 1950s DC comics cover.

After 10,000 alternative NZ flag designs were submitted earlier this year, the Flag Consideration Panel narrowed down the list to a final four, which were revealed at the start of this month. Since the reveal there has been much debate over the final four designs and the lack of originality and diversity in the choices, with Aaron Dustin's 'Red Peak' design becoming a popular alternative, with growing public support on social media to add the flag as a fifth option to next month's referendum. With the deadline looming, its unclear if there is still time for new legislation to have the Red Peak flag added to the ballot as a fifth option, and defy the 'Key Master'...only time will tell. But I would definitely buy this comic!

You can follow Jonathan King on Twitter: @MrJonathanKing, and support the 'Red Peak' flag on Facebook HERE.

Above: You don't tug on Red Peak's cape (or ponytail!).
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Earth's End and Terry Teo at Auckland Armageddon 2015!

November 12, 2015, 4:20 pm
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Above: The Earth's End Publishing team and cartoonist Mat Tait: (from left) Adrian Kinnaird, Damon Keen, Mat Tait and Kelly Sheehan. Photo by Ant Sang.

Things have been pretty hectic here at Earth's End Central in the last few weeks: we've moved premises, published our second book, Terry Teo and the Gunrunners (in bookstores now!), and launched it at Auckland Armageddon Expo over Labour Weekend. So hopefully I can now return this blog to its regularly scheduled programming!


Above: Terry Teo and the Gunrunners by Stephen Ballantyne & Bob Kerr.

So first up, Terry Teo and the Gunrunners: this new special edition of the kiwi kids classic by Stephen Ballantyne & Bob Kerr has been completely remastered from the original artwork, to present the story in vibrant watercolour for a whole new generation of reader to enjoy! It also includes a bonus essay written by me covering the history of this iconic character: featuring interviews with the creators of the graphic novel series, the makers of the 1986 TV adaptation, and a look behind the scenes of the new Terry Teo reboot to screen on TVNZ this summer - along with rare artwork and photographs. It's available at bookstores now for $24.99nz, for more information and updates you can visit our website HERE.


Above: The Earth's End Publishing booth at Auckland Armageddon Expo, just prior to opening.

We launched Terry Teo at the Auckland Armageddon Expo over Labour Weekend to a great public response. In addition to the book, we also screened the first trailer of the new Terry Teo TV series, written and directed by Gerard Johnstone (Housebound), from the footage it looks to capture the humour and adventure of the original, while giving the material a contemporary update.


Above: Myself, with Kelly Sheehan and Terry Teo co-creator Stephen Ballantyne.


Above: Mat Tait (The Heading Dog Who Split in Half) and Ant Sang (The Dharma Punks).

We had our authors Stephen Ballantyne and Ant Sang signing during the weekend, as well as our good friend Mat Tait - whose new graphic novel The Heading Dog Who Split in Half, written by Michael Brown, is in bookstores now.


Above: Mat Tait signing & sketching copies of The Heading Dog Who Split in Half for punters. Photo by Ant Sang.

Above: Terry Teo co-creator Stephen Ballantyne.

It was a great weekend, and really pleasing to hear from so many readers that Terry Teo was 'a part of their childhood' - one they can now revisit, and share with their own children. You can check out this recent review of the book at the Booksellers NZ blog HERE.

- AK!
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Upcoming Release: Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa/NZ Women's Comics

November 19, 2015, 1:26 pm
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Above: The cover of Three Words: An anthology of Aotearoa/New Zealand Woman's comics.

Three Words: An anthology of Aotearoa/New Zealand Woman's comics, edited by Sarah Laing, Indira Neville & Rae Joyce, will be published by the good folks at Beatnik Publishing this coming March. But right now you can pre-order it through their website for the special price of $45nz!

Here's the press release details:

Women in Aoteroa New Zealand make comics. They make slick professional comics and homemade crafty ones. some are conventionally attractive and some are beautifully ugly. Some have logical linear narratives and some are cerebral visual leaping swirls. There are big proud comics and small humble ones, widely distributed comics and one-offs, comics that are deep and meaningful and some that are light and silly. There are physical, emotional and intellectual comics, intentional and accidental comics, happy, sad, funny, angry, scary, confusing and wondrous comics.

For some it may be a surprise to find so many comics by women, since conventional wisdom would have us believe that the comics scene is a boys’ club. But it’s not a surprise to us. Although women’s comics haven’t been represented much in New Zealand history books, they have been found in zines and magazines, tumbles, twitter feeds, shoe boxes, art galleries, painted on old tea trays and brochures, magneted to fridges, tattooed on forearms. And now they’re also here. In this book. A whole bunch of them, up front, visible, available and making history.

With comics by: Adele Jackson, Alex McCrone, Alex Wild, Alice Tumblescribbleson, Alie Mcpherson, Anna Critchton, Andra Jenkin, Bek Coogan, Beth Duckingmonster, Beth Sometimes, Caroline Anderson, Celia Allison, Claire Harris, Dawn Tuffery, Demarnia Lloyd, Diane Rimmer, Elsie Jolliffe, Emma Blackett, Erin Fae, Debra Boyask, Giselle Clarkson, Indira Neville, The Rabbid, Jem Yoshioka, Jessica Dew, Jessica Hansell, Joanna Anderson, Judy Darragh, Kayla Oliver, Kerry Ann Lee, Margaret Silverwood, Olga Krause, Linda Lew, Lisa Noble, Liz Mathews, Loux McLellen, Lucy Meyle, Maiangi Waitai, Marina Williams, Mary Tamblyn, Mengzhu Fu, Mirranda Burton, Miriam Harris, Pritika Lal, Rachel Benefield, Rachel Shearer, Rae Joyce, Raewyn Alexander, Ralphi, Rebecca Hawkes, Renee Jones, Rosemary McLeod, Warsaw, Sally Bollinger, Sarah Laing, Sarah Lund, Sharon Murdoch, Sophie McMillan, Sophie Oiseau, Stella Corkery, Susan Rugg, Susan Te Kahurangi King, Suzanne Claessen and Zoe Colling.

Also featuring essays by: Robyn Kenealy, Rae Joyce, Ruth Boyask, Jem Yoshioka and Miriam Sapphira.

TITLE:  Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa / NZ Women's Comics
EDITED BY: Rae Joyce, Sarah Laing, Indira Neville
SOFTCOVER: 264 pages
SIZE: 160mm x 210mm
PUBLISHER: Beatnik Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9941205-0-2

So pre-order a copy today, from the Beatnik website HERE.

- AK!
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REVIEW: The Heading Dog Who Split in Half by Michael Brown & Mat Tait

December 3, 2015, 4:30 pm
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Above: The cover for The Heading Dog Who Split in Half by Mat Tait.

It has been around 5 years in the making, having appeared in installments online and in various anthologies, but finally writer Michael Brown and artist Mat Tait's The Heading Dog Who Split in Half: Legends and Tall Tales from New Zealand is here!

As the title suggests, this is a collection of local folklore legends: accounts of extraordinary events that are believed to have happened, and tall tales: far-fetched and exaggerated yarns that are so well told and memorable that they have taken hold in the community imagination and been passed on in story or song.

Authors Mat Tait and Michael Brown first met at the Ilam School of Fine Arts at Christchurch University in the late 1980s. They stayed in touch, and after several years of researching and writing about New Zealand folklore, Brown approached Tait with the idea of adapting these tales into graphic form. Over the years Tait had quietly carved out a career as one of our most gifted comics illustrators. His artwork is an immaculate mix of razor-sharp line work and fluid inking. There’s an attention to detail that gives his work a haunting realism, combined with a cartoonist’s eye for composition and humour, that is perfect suited for this subject matter.

When it comes to tall tales you want to be drawn in and convinced that there’s a germ of truth in the telling, and that’s exactly what Brown and Tait have achieved here: these stories will entertain you, unnerve you, and haunt you – in the best possible way.


Above: A page from The Heading Dog Who Split in Half, artwork by Mat Tait.


There’s the title yarn, The Heading Dog Who Split in Half, a legend from the MacKenzie high country of Canterbury, about a heading dog that was so fast at mustering that one day it hit a half buried fencing standard at such speed that it was split in two. It’s owner puts the two halves back together and it speeds off and completes the job. Only once it returns does the owner see that it is grotesquely joined with one half the wrong way up! Captured in freakish detail by Tait's artwork, on paper it's a tale so vivid it leads you to wonder - what grain of truth could have given rise to this outlandish fantasy? 

And that's where the Additional Notes section at the back of the book comes in, providing the sources for the stories and comparisons to other well known legends from around the world. In this case, the Heading Dog comes from a rich vein of mythological carved dogs, that have appeared in Native American tales and similar animals like the reversible hare that appears in The Adventures of Baron Munchhassen. This added context greatly enhances the reading experience, inviting you to go deeper into each story if you wish to learn more about the origins if these fascinating yarns.

Above: A page from The Phantom Canoe, artwork by Mat Tait.

A book on local legends wouldn't be complete without a great ghost story, and this one contains a doozy in the form of The Phantom Canoe. It was sighted on Lake Tarawera in 1886, just a few weeks prior to the eruption of Mt Tarawera. A boat of tourists and local maori led by Te Paea Hinerangi (a well known local guide) who described the war canoe as been manned by warriors with the heads of dogs, and the illustration of them here is just chilling – a close encounter with spirits on the eve of apocalyptic destruction.


This story is significant as it is an example of a shared supernatural occurance witnessed by both Maori and Pakeha, suggesting that the spirit world of myth was not as far removed from their reality as the calonial settlers may have believed, and both cultures may still have something to fear from the mysterious and strange land of New Zealand.

Above: A page from A Tale of Old Waihi, artwork by Mat Tait.

Other yarns are more humourous, like A Tale of Old Waihi, a bragging story told to out-of-towners featuring their gargantuan Crayfish – and its many uses. For example, you can use it’s eyes for bowling balls, claws for pick axes, add wheels to it’s tale for a baby pram and the shell can be used for an outside dunny(!). There's also an illustrated sea shanty in the form of Ranzo, Boys, Ranzo!, and the darkly gothic tragedy of Dunedin's Legend of Tunnel Beach.

Published by Potton & Burton in an oversized format on thick unprocessed paper, it's a real treat to turn the page an enjoy the large lavish artwork in inky black & white as always intended. Combining their considerable storytelling skills, Brown and Tait have produced a truly essential New Zealand graphic novel - that deserves a spot on every local bookshelf, where it will haunt and entertain readers of all ages for years to come.

You can also listen to my audio review of The Heading Dog Who Split in Half on Radio NZ Nights HERE. For more information you can also visit their website, Old Weird New Zealand HERE.

The Heading Dog Who Split in Half: Legends and Tall Tales from New Zealand
Michael Brown & Mat Tait
ISBN: 9781927213575
$39.99 NZ

- AK!

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Classic Reissue: The Adventures of Hutu & Kawa

December 17, 2015, 2:02 pm
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Above: The Adventures of Hutu & Kawa by Avis Acres.

Just in time for Christmas, Penguin Books NZ have reissued The Adventures of Hutu & Kawa, a classic picture book by one of our pioneering female cartoonists Avis Acres. Originally published by A.H. & A.W. Reed in 1955, this was the first in a series of picture books featuring the characters that had appeared in her 1950s comic strip, The Tale of Hutu & Kawa, published weekly in the New Zealand Herald. This was followed by two sequels, Hutu and Kawa meet Tuatara (1956) and Hutu and Kawa find an Island (1957).

In this adventure, Hutu and Kawa - also known as The Pohutukawa Babies - with some help from Grandpa Kiwi, build a canoe and set off up the river to explore the forest. On their way they make many new friends – and encounter the fearsome Bush Hawk.

This 60th-anniversary hardback edition captures all the charm of the original tale and brings these delightful characters to a new generation of children. Available now, this classic kiwiana read will make a great gift for the young or nostalgic at heart.

The Adventures of Hutu & Kawa by Avis Acres
RRP: $25.00NZ
ISBN: 9780143507055

- AK!
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Weekend Reading: My Father's Face and The Pencilsword

December 18, 2015, 1:17 pm
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Above: My Father's Face by Jem Yoshioka.

If you happen to be kicking back and relaxing this weekend with a good book or tablet device, he's some new home-grown comics to enjoy! 

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of hosting a NZ comics panel at Chromacon in Auckland and got to interview the very talented Wellington cartoonist Jem Yoshioka. Her latest auto-biographic comic, My Father's Face, was inspired by her recent visit to Japan for the first time, as she continues to explore her Japanese heritage and themes relating to identity. Following on from her previous comic Folding Kimono, this is a thought provoking read and certainly has the potential to grow into a larger graphic novel project (which Jem has hinted at in her blog), so watch this space!

You can read the full comic of My Father's Face HERE and Jem's other comics at her website HERE.

Above: Panel from The Pencilsword #19: Twelve Days by Toby Morris.

Toby Morris wraps up another year of The Pencilsword with a sweet ode to the kiwi batch summer Christmas! You can read the full strip HERE.

- AK!
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Weekend Reading: The Doctor Foxglove Show and The Pencilsword #20

January 21, 2016, 8:18 pm
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Above: Artwork from The Doctor Foxglove Show by Rachel Smythe.

Rachel Smythe, the creator of The Maidan, which placed 3rd in last year's Chromacon Chroma Art Awards, has a new webcomic available for you to read, The Doctor Foxglove Show. Described as, 'surreal thriller that follows a young woman and her struggles adjusting to her place in between life and death'. The artwork has deliciously gothic texture to it, establishing a great sense of atmosphere in it's opening chapter. You can read the intro and first chapter HERE.


Above: Artwork from The Pencilsword #20: Holes by Toby Morris.

In this month's Pencilsword, Toby Morris considers the unseen: the gaps in our perception of the world, the uncomfortable truths that we'd rather not notice or pay attention to in our daily lives or society at large. Perhaps it's time we were more honest with ourselves, and took a closer look at the 'holes'. You can read the full animated strip HERE.

- AK!
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Artwork for Sale: Own a Piece of Hicksville!

February 11, 2016, 3:08 pm
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Above: Page 152 of Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen by Dylan Horrocks.

Dylan Horrocks, the acclaimed NZ cartoonist and author of Hicksville and Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen, currently has artwork from both of these books available for sale on his website. To quote one of his initial posts, Horrocks wrote, "I have been reluctant to sell original art from Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen, but more than a year after the book’s release, I think it’s time to tentatively let a few pages go".

You can check his new 'Buying Stuff' page HERE for original artwork from Hicksville, Magic Pen and other works, or his website front page for updates. They are selling fast, so if you want to own a piece of NZ comics history - get in quick!

- AK!


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EVENT: Three Words Book Launch!

March 2, 2016, 2:18 pm
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Above: Three Words Auckland book launch poster by Alie Mcpherson.

The long awaited, all-female NZ comics anthology Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa/NZ Women's Comics will launch this Saturday night, 5th of March at The Audio Foundation, 4 Poynton Tce, Auckland, from 7pm. Edited by Rae Joyce, Sarah Laing and Indira Neville and published by Beatnik, this anthology highlights the work of over 60 female cartoonists across a range of styles and content, from professional illustration to homemade zines, and everything in between. 

The launch will feature entertainment from some of the book's talented contributors: The Doll!, Rachel Shearer, Ducklingmonster, Ralph and poets Andra, Rachel Fenton, and Raewyn Alexander.


Above: Wellington Three Words book launch poster by Becca Hawkes.

If you can't make it to Auckland, there will also be a Three Words Wellington Launch! In association with the New Zealand Festival Writers Week, the Three Words Wellington launch will be taking place on Saturday 12th of March at Meow, 9 Edward Street, Wellington, from 3pm. So drop by to show your support for this history making publication!


Here's the official press release:

Women in Aotearoa New Zealand make comics. They make slick professional comics and homemade crafty ones. some are conventionally attractive and some are beautifully ugly. Some have logical linear narratives and some are cerebral visual leaping swirls. There are big proud comics and small humble ones, widely distributed comics and one-offs, comics that are deep and meaningful and some that are light and silly. There are physical, emotional and intellectual comics, intentional and accidental comics, happy, sad, funny, angry, scary, confusing and wondrous comics.

For some it may be a surprise to find so many comics by women cartoonists, since conventional wisdom would have us believe that the comics scene is a boys’ club. But it’s not a surprise to us. Although women’s comics haven’t been represented much in New Zealand history books, they have been found in zines and magazines, tumblrs, twitter feeds, shoe boxes, art galleries, painted on old tea trays and brochures, magneted to fridges, tattooed on forearms. And now they’re also here. In this book. A whole bunch of them, up front, visible, available and MAKING HISTORY.

With comics by: Adele Jackson, Alex McCrone, Alex Wild, Alice Tumblescribbleson, Alie Mcpherson, Anna Critchton, Andra Jenkin, Bek Coogan, Beth Duckingmonster, Beth Sometimes, Caroline Anderson, Celia Allison, Claire Harris, Dawn Tuffery, Demarnia Lloyd, Diane Rimmer, Elsie Jolliffe, Emma Blackett, Erin Fae, Debra Boyask, Giselle Clarkson, Indira Neville, The Rabbid, Jem Yoshioka, Jessica Dew, Jessica Hansell, Joanna Anderson, Judy Darragh, Kayla Oliver, Kerry Ann Lee, Margaret Silverwood, Olga Krause, Linda Lew, Lisa Noble, Liz Mathews, Loux McLellen, Lucy Meyle, Maiangi Waitai, Marina Williams, Mary Tamblyn, Mengzhu Fu, Mirranda Burton, Miriam Harris, Pritika Lal, Rachel Benefield, Rachel Shearer, Rae Joyce, Raewyn Alexander, Ralphi, Rebecca Hawkes, Renee Jones, Rosemary McLeod, Warsaw, Sally Bollinger, Sarah Laing, Sarah Lund, Sharon Murdoch, Sophie McMillan, Sophie Oiseau, Stella Corkery, Susan Rugg, Susan Te Kahurangi King, Suzanne Claessen and Zoe Colling.

And essays by Robyn Kenealy, Rae Joyce, Ruth Boyask, Jem Yoshioka and Miriam Sapphira.

TITLE:  Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa/NZ Women's Comics
EDITED BY: Rae Joyce, Sarah Laing, Indira Neville
SOFTCOVER: 264 pages
SIZE: 160mm x 210mm
PUBLISHER: Beatnik Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9941205-0-2
PRICE: $50.00NZ

And if you can't make it to either event, you can also order it online now through the Beatnik website HERE. For more information and updates, visit the Three Words blog HERE.

- AK!
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Event: Mariko Tamaki: Drawing on Life

March 9, 2016, 7:14 pm
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Above: Canadian graphic novelist Mariko Tamaki. Image by Sorrell Scrutton.

The New Zealand Festival Writers Week 2016 is currently on in Wellington, with a variety of local and international writers descending on the capital for a full week of book launches, discussion, and literary goodness! One of the visiting authors happens to be award-winning Canadian graphic novelist Mariko Tamaki.

Above: This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki.

Tamaki's first graphic novel, Skim (2008), was a collaboration with her cousin, artist Jillian Tamaki. The story is about a teenage girl and her romantic feelings towards her female teacher, which went on to win an Ignatz Award, a Joe Shuster Award and a Doug Wright Award. In 2014 they reunited to collaborate on This One Summer, about two young girls on summer holiday who begin to navigate the complexities of teen love, and the unspoken secrets of the teens and adults in their lives.

In 2015, the American Library Association awarded This One Summer one of its highest recognitions for both illustration and young adult literature – a Caldecott Honor and Printz Honor. This marks the first time a Caldecott Honor has been awarded to a graphic novel.


Above: A page from This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki.

Mariko Tamaki will be discussing her books with children’s writer and critic Kate De Goldi at a one hour panel, Drawing on Life, this Sunday 13th of March at the Embassy Theatre at 12.30pm. Tickets are available from Ticketek HERE.

In addition to her writing, Tamaki is also a performance artist. As a multi-talented storyteller, she will be joining local multi-genre artists: Kerry Ann Lee, Sarah Laing and Courtney Sina Meredithon in Taking Form, a conversation about letting a story find its form. Should your story become a book, a song or a play? Is it a solo project or a collaboration? Listen in on this talk to find the answers that work for you. Taking Form takes place at the BATS Theatre, on Saturday 12th of March, at 12.30pm. Tickets are available from Ticketek HERE.

Above: Artwork from The Pencilsword #23 by Toby Morris.

And as an added bonus: in this month's edition of The Pencilsword, Toby Morris conducts a 'graphic' interview with Mariko, which you can read in full HERE.

- AK!
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Review: The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi by Paul Martin

March 10, 2016, 2:37 pm
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Above: The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi by Paul Martin.

It seems like an obvious go-to for local comics, but there have been few examples of comic books or graphic novels starring our furry national icon - the Kiwi - as the main protagonist. One of the most recent and notable is The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi (2013), the first graphic novel by Paul Martin. A former Rugby player for Waikato and the Chiefs, Martin has always been an avid cartoonist, and developed the idea for his graphic novel while on a Rugby sabbatical in France. 

Above: A page from The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi by Paul Martin.

The story opens in Whale Bay, where Kory the Kiwi and his friend Bert the Gecko enjoy spending their afternoons surfing and basking in the sunshine. Meanwhile, a world away in the Swiss Alps, a game hunting wolf named Gregor is seeking new and exotic prey to hunt, and set his sites on the brown kiwis of New Zealand. Armed with a ship manned by a motley crew of dogs and stouts, Gregor sets sail for New Zealand, and in short order kidnaps Kory's family and returns to Europe where they await a gruesome fate unless Kory and Bert can use their 'kiwi ingenuity' to save them.

Above: A page from The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi by Paul Martin.

Taking inspiration from other 'album style' graphic novels like Tintin or more locally, Kerr and Ballantyne's Terry Teo and the Gunrunners, this is a fairly straightforward adventure yarn, with plenty of colourful characters and a snowboarding finale in the Swiss Alps which will surely entertain the younger target audience. With the added experience of having lived in France, Martin is able to add enough authentic details in the story to make the shift in locations from New Zealand to Europe feel natural, and enrich proceedings. Older readers may find the flow of the dialogue a little stilted in places, but younger readers tackling this on their own shouldn't have any problems following this upbeat adventure.

Handsomely presented in full-colour hardback, this is a fun read for younger readers who are just discovering graphic novels and looking for something set closer to home.

The Adventures of Kory: Flight of the Kiwi HC
Paul Martin
$29.99NZ
ISBN: 9780473265113

For more information and to order a copy, you can visit the book's official website HERE.

- AK!
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EVENT: A Change Comic Launch

March 17, 2016, 6:21 pm
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Above: The cover for A Change, artwork by Ant Sang.

Launching this Tuesday at Graphic Comics, A Change is a comics collaboration between a group of young people from BGI (Wellington Boys' and Girls' Institute), the Victoria University's Youth Wellbeing Study and cartoonist Ant Sang (The Dharma Punks).

A Change tells the story of Ash, a young person who struggles with self-injury. Ash navigates through the experience of being misunderstood, judged and stereotyped, and the barriers created around seeking help - all common themes for those who self-injure. This graphic novel has been written by youth for youth, and illustrated by Ant Sang to promote awareness and conversation around this topic. The comic will be free for everyone.

The launch is taking place on Tuesday 22nd of March, at Graphic Comics, 106 Cuba Mall, Wellington, at 3.30pm. Come along to pick up a free copy and get it signed by the creators! For more information on the event, visit the Facebook event page HERE.

If you or anyone you know needs support or information relating to self-harm, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website HERE for information and links to support groups and help lines.

- AK!
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Kickstarting Echoes From the Drift

March 23, 2016, 4:54 pm
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Above: Echoes From the Drift by Craig Petersen.

Echoes From the Drift is a new comic book series that expat NZ comics creator Craig Petersen is hoping to launch via a currently underway Kickstarter campaign. Petersen was a prominent local comics creator in the 1990s, producing the fondly remembered superhero series, Southern Tribe (1995-98), and more recently the horror/comedy strip, Close To Midnight (2008-09), for Rip It Up magazine.

Above: Jenni and Zayf, from Echoes From the Drift by Craig Petersen.

His proposed new series, Echoes From the Drift, follows two young adventurers - Jenni and Zayf, as they explore parallel worlds. Jenni is an impulsive, adventure-seeker from the 1980s. She totally loves using '80s slang and uses way too much hairspray. But when the chips are down, Jenni has one of the best hearts around and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in a fight. Zayf is from a far-flung future. He's driven and determined but has a habit of flying by the seat of his pants. However, Zayf has a strong sense of what's right and what's not and will act upon those feelings. In Echoes #1 you’ll discover how they first met and follow them on their adventures through the dimensions. 

Inspired by his love of TV shows from the late 1970s and 80s, Petersen hopes to infuse this comic series with the same spirit of fun and adventure, with a health dash of drama and tragedy on the side!

With this Kickstarter, Petersen is planning to create the first 22-page issue of a five issue story arc. As an added bonus, he'll be including the 10-page In Ruins prequel to the first issue.

The main goal of this Kickstarter campaign is to create a digital copy of the first issue, with exclusive artwork and prints as Rewards. If the first Stretch Goal is hit, then additional behind-the-scenes content will be added to the digital comics. If the second Stretch Goal is hit, then print copies of the comic will be created for 'Visionary Backers' (€20) and above.

To get an idea of what to expect, you can check out the 10-page prequel comic, In Ruins HERE.

Above: He's a breakdown of how the Kickstarter funding will be used.

There are some great rewards for this Kickstarter - including original pages of artwork from the completed comic! You can visit and support this Kickstarter HERE. It's almost halfway to its goal after one week, so support this project and grab an awesome page of artwork while you can!

- AK!
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Weekend Listening: Batman v Superman

April 7, 2016, 3:51 pm
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Above: The cover of World's Finest Comics #3 (1941) by Fred Ray. Copyright DC Comics 2015.

This week on Radio NZ Nights I talked to Bryan Crump about Batman vs Superman, Captain America vs Iron Man: why do comics readers love to see their heroes clash? How can Batman even hold his own against Superman? We talk about the character's shared histories, from their goofy 1950s adventures to their gritty showdown in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. It's all discussed in a fun 18 minute discussion you can listen in on HERE.
Above: Splash page from World's Finest Comics #153 (1965), written by Edmond Hamilton, art by Curt Swan & George Klein. Copyright DC Comics 2015.

And for more on Batman and Superman's bizarre 1950s adventures (and other odd-ball comics), check out Jon Morris' great comics blog, Gone & Forgotten HERE.

- AK!
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New Release: Island to Island

April 7, 2016, 6:59 pm
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The new graphic novel, Island to Island, is the unique product of a joint initiative between the Publishers Association of New Zealand, the Taipei Book Fair Foundation and the New Zealand Book Council in the form of a Graphic Novelists Exchange: which gave three cartoonists from New Zealand and three cartoonists from Taiwan the opportunity to collaborate and produce a graphic novel together.

In October 2014, Taiwanese cartoonists Chuang Yung-shin (The Window), 61Chi (Room) and Ahn Zhe (The Dream Under the Bed) came to New Zealand to meet and collaborate with local cartoonists Tim Gibson (Moth City), Rachel Fenton (Three Words) and Ant Sang (The Dharma Punks). The following February saw the NZ cartoonists join their collaborators in  Taiwan to continue working on the project and attend the Taipei International Book Fair 2015, at which New Zealand was a Guest of Honour.


The finished result of this cultural exchange is Island to Island, a large format graphic novel in which the six cartoonists share stories with each other in a series of 18 interlocking tales, that can be read separately, but read as a whole form a unique visual conversation between six artist across two cultures.

Island to Island is available to order now from Upstart Press Distribution, by emailing: orders@upstartpress.co.nz.

Island to Island
200 pages, 297x210
RRP: 45.00NZ
ISBN: 9789866634567

- AK!
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Weekend Reading: Oneiric, Let Me Be Frank and The Pencilsword

April 14, 2016, 10:04 pm
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Above: A page from Oneiric by Sarah Lund. Copyright 2016 Sarah Lund.

Here's some local comics to catch-up on this weekend while kicking back with your digital reader or laptop: 
Oneiric is a new webcomic by Sarah Lund, it is about a girl named Daisy who is about to celebrate her 15th birthday by having a shared dream party with her friends. Lund's drawing style is uniquely her own, with a vivid, changing colour palette that adds a sense of warmth and intimacy - that perfectly suits it's subject of a close-knit group of friends. There's 16 pages of story so far, which you can read HERE.


Above: A page from Believing by Sarah Laing.

Sarah Laing's blog, Let Me Be Frank has been a hive of activity lately, with a several great and insightful new comic strips. There's Believing, a strip in which Laing contemplates the value of creating art in a world that seems to place little worth in it - a sentiment that any published writer or working artist can surely relate to. You can read the full strip HERE.

In Complicated, Laing considers the recent conversations surrounding begging bylaws in the inner city areas of Auckland and Wellington, and her own responses to being confronted with begging: is giving someone money the right thing to do? Like the title says, it's complicated. You can read the full strip HERE.

And most recently, One Morning in Karori, in which Sarah's daughter Violet awaits a visit from the Tooth Fairy. You can read the full strip HERE.

Above: A scene from The Pencilsword #25: Shifty Business. Copyright Toby Morris 2016.

In Pencilsword #25, Toby Morris looks at the shifty business of tax evasion by multi-nationals. You can read the full strip HERE.

- AK!
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Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen nominated for an Eisner Award!

April 20, 2016, 3:33 pm
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Above: The cover of Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen by Dylan Horrocks.

Congratulations are in order for Dylan Horrocks, as his most recent graphic novel, Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen has been nominated for 'Best New Graphic Album' at the 2016 Eisner Awards.

The Esiner Awards are America's most prestigious comics industry awards, and take their name from famed US cartoonist Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit comic strip and the landmark graphic novel, A Contract with God. Horrocks previous won his first Eisner Award in 2002 for 'Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition', which elevated his profile and work, particularly the graphic novel Hicksville, to an international audience.

The winners of the 28th Eisner Awards will be announced at a ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 22 at Comic-Con International. Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen is published locally by Victoria University Press, and in the US by Fantagraphics.

- AK!
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REVIEW: Hamiltron, City of the Future: an Anthology of Hamilton Comix

April 21, 2016, 5:28 pm
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Above: The wraparound cover of Hamiltron, City of the Future: an Anthology of Hamilton Comix, by Ben Clancy & Kieran Horner.

When it comes to art and culture, Hamilton has received (rather unfairly) a poor reputation. Or is it simply a case of low self-esteem? When a local radio station came up with the ironic label 'Hamiltron: City of the Future' in the late 90s, it caught on and Hamiltonians adopted this self-deprecating new label like a badge of honor - proving they at least had a health sense of humour.

It was this catchphrase that inspired Hamilton cartoonist Dean Ballinger to develop this new comics anthology. As Dean explains, "I thought the phrase would make a good basis for a local anthology in terms of allowing different creators to come up with their own interpretations of it in the form of short stories. I also wanted to do a comic with an explicitly parochial theme as a means of contributing to Hamilton culture. Hamilton always gets something of a bum rap culture-wise, although there are a lot of talented creative people living here. Making cultural artifacts that tell a stories about a place or reflect it on some level is important in terms of imaginative 'mythologising' that place within the wider culture of a country (eg. paintings/music/novels). As there hasn't been a lot of this done to Hamilton, producing this comic was a way of making a small contribution to this process."

With funding from Creative Waikato and sponsorship from Hamilton comic shop, Mark One Comics, Ballinger has more than delivered on this goal, with a lively and varied collections of comics from past and present residents of the 'Tron. 


Above: A page from Hampants by Indira Neville.

While its historical cultural contributions may be somewhat overlooked, Hamilton has a strong tradition of comics making, most notably from the Oats Collective in the 90s - well represented here with strips from Indira Neville and Clayton Noone & Stefan Neville. Other contributors include: Matt Emery of Pikitia Press, Raewyn Alexander, Alex John, Aaron Christiansen, Oliver Stewart, Wairehu Grant, Dawn Tuffery, Stephanie Christie & Paul Bradley, Priscilla McIntosh, and Ballinger.


Above: A page from Poor Justice by Aaron Christiansen.

There is a mixture of stories and styles here, ranging from narrative poems to farcical takes on the 'City of the Future'. Some of the highlights for me were Raewyn Alexander's reflective graphic poem My Revenge at Last - the memoir of a Hamiltonian exodus; Aaron Christiansen's hilarious satire of a Hollywood production's visit to the 'Tron; and a welcome change of pace auto-bio tale from Matt Emery. All the stories in this anthology are well worth your time, making this a fine addition to Hamilton's publishing landscape (speaking of which, mark you calenders for the upcoming Hamilton Zinefest next month - May 14th, more details HERE).


Above: A page from My Revenge at Last by Raewyn Alexander.

You can purchase a copy of Hamiltron, City of the Future: an Anthology of Hamilton Comix, in Hamilton from Mark One Comics (from their shop or online HERE), local bookshop Browsers, and selected cafes for $15. For more information about future issues you can visit the Hamiltron: City of the Future blog HERE, and join their Facebook group HERE.

-AK!
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Upcoming Releases: Princess Princess: Ever After, Mr Unpronounceable, Mansfield and Me

May 5, 2016, 8:26 pm
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Above: The cover of Princess Princess: Ever After by Katie O'Neill.

There's some great graphic novels coming out in the near future from some of our best NZ comic creators, making a name for themselves, both locally and on the international publishing stage.

Christchurch based cartoonist/illustrator Katie O'Neill has built an international audience for her work online via social media and blogging at her website, Strangely Katie. Her comics have featured in the Faction and High Water comics anthologies, and she’s also illustrated the series Crystal Cadets for American publisher LionForge Comics.


Above: Two pages from Princess Princess: Ever After by Katie O'Neill.

He most popular self-published graphic novel, Princess Princess, first appeared online as a webcomic in 2014, and features two very different princesses - Amira and Sadie, who meet and decide to take their happily ever after into their own hands. A thoughtful story of love and friendship for all-ages, this graphic novel will now be published in September by American publisher Oni Press in a beautiful Hardcover edition as Princess Princess: Ever After!

Here's the official synopsis:

When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They'll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all.

Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what "happily ever after" really means--and how they can find it with each other.

Princess Princess: Ever After will be available September 7th, 2016 in all good comic shops and bookstores, and online through Amazon, Google Play, Comixology, Nook, and iTunes.

Princess Princess: Ever After HC by Katie O'Neill
56 Pages, colour
Publisher: Oni Press
ISBN: 9781620103401
RRP: $12.99 US


Above: The cover of Mr Unpronounceable and the Infinity of Nightmares by Tim Molloy.

Tim Molloy returns to the surreal world of Mr Unpronounceable with his third graphic novel in the series, Mr Unpronounceable and the Infinity of Nightmares.

Here's the official synopsis:

As reality itself dissolves in the tears of the Sect Of the Bleeding Eye, Mr Unpronounceable sets off on a multiverse-spanning quest to retrieve the Sacred Godstone from its shrine on a distant planetoid. Meanwhile, The Synthetic Sorcerer has designs of his own, shadowing our hapless hero’s delirious journey across an increasingly warped spacetime continuum. Join Mr Unpronounceable, wandering Necromancer, in this third volume of his insane adventures from cult author, Tim Molloy.

If you would like a taste of what to expect, you can read some short segments over at Tim Molloy's art Tumblr HERE.


Above: A page from Mr Unpronounceable and the Infinity of Nightmares by Tim Molloy.

Mr Unpronounceable and the Infinity of Nightmares will be released June 25th 2016 by Milk Shadow Books (distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment).

Mr Unpronounceable and the Infinity of Nightmares
190 pages
Black & White, paperback
RRP: 23.86 AUS (available for pre-order HERE).


Above: Mansfield and Me by Sarah Laing.

2016's a busy time for Sarah Laing: earlier this year she co-edited the well received NZ woman's comics anthology 3 Words, and in October Victoria University Press will publish her first complete graphic novel, Mansfield and Me. Coming in at 336 pages this will no doubt be the biggest local comics release of the year. I've had the privilege of seeing some of the original artwork for this in progress, and if you're a fan of Katherine Mansfield or Sarah's previous novels or comics - you're in for a treat!

Here's the official synopsis:

Katherine Mansfield is a literary giant in New Zealand - but she had to leave the country to become one. She wrote, 'Oh to be a writer, a real writer'. And a real writer she was, until she died at age 34 of tuberculosis. The only writer Virginia Woolf was jealous of, Mansfield hung out with the modernists, lost her brother in World War I, dabbled in Alistair Crowley's druggy occult gatherings and spent her last days in a Fontainebleu commune with Olgivanna, Frank Lloyd Wright's future wife. She was as famous for her letters and diaries as for her short stories. Sarah Laing wanted to be a real writer, too. A writer as famous as Katherine Mansfield, but not as tortured. 

Mansfield and Me charts her journey towards publication and parenthood against Mansfield's dramatic story, set in London, Paris, New York and New Zealand. Part memoir, part biography, part fantasy, it examines how our lives connect to those of our personal heroes.

Mansfield and Me will be released by Victoria University Press in October 2016, and available in all good bookstore. For more details visit the VUP website HERE.

Mansfield and Me by Sarah Laing
ISBN: 9781776560691
336 Pages
Paperback, colour
160x245mm
RRP: $25 NZ

So mark these dates on your calendar, and prepare to increase the shelf space for your New Zealand Comics collection!

- AK!
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