NEW RELEASE: The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King

Above: The cover of The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King. Copyright Jonathan King 2020.

Out this month is The Inkberg Enigma a new mystery graphic novel from Wellington filmmaker/cartoonist Jonathan King. King's previous films include, Black Sheep and Under the Mountain, with his comics have appeared online and in the Faction anthology and my book, From Earth's End: The Best of New Zealand Comics.

The Inkberg Enigma is a graphic-novel mystery adventure for eight- to twelve-year-olds in which a girl and boy uncover the secret that has corrupted a town. Miro and Zia live in Aurora, a fishing town nestled in the shadow of a mysterious castle. Miro lives in the world of books; Zia is never without her camera. The day they meet, they stumble on a secret. With Zia determined to discover more, a reluctant Miro is pulled into a real-life adventure.

I've always enjoyed King's classic 'ligne claire' style of cartooning, which is sure to appeal to NZ readers young and old who have enjoyed Hergé's Tintin adventures - a firm favourite in local libraries for decades. It took 3 years to create and is sure to be a treat for that younger reader in your house who enjoys comics with a local flavour and a dash of suspenseful adventure! 

You can read an insightful Q&A interview with Jonathan on the creation of the book and his influences HERE.

And here's a preview of the book:

The Inkberg Enigma is available now from Gecko Press and all good bookstores for $29.99 NZ. 

Reader Age: 8-12 year
Book Size: 27 × 20.5 cm
ISBN: 9781776572663  

- AK!

International Comic Creators attend New Zealand Festival: Writers and Readers Events!

Above: Cartoonist Sonny Liew. Photo copyright Tom White 2018.

The New Zealand Festival kicks off the literary calendar for 2018 with Writers & Readers events, running from March 8th - 11th. As per usual, they have assembled a great international and local line-up of writers, including a wealth of acclaimed cartoonists. Visiting cartoonists include: Singaporean Sonny Liew, Sarah Glidden and Mimi Pond from the US, who will be appearing alongside local cartoonists/writers: Sharon Murdoch, Toby Morris, Sarah Laing, Brent Williams, Jonathan King and Dylan Horrocks.

Here's a rundown of the cartoonist and comics related events:

Above: The cover of The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Sonny Liew. Copyright Sonny Liew 2018.

SONNY LIEW: EPIC COMICS: Sat 10th of March

In 2015 Singaporean cartoonist Sonny Liew released The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, an ambitious graphic novel that charts the life and career of a fictional comic book artist, Charlie Chan Hock Chye. By weaving together fact, fiction, and different genres, it tells the story of the formative years of Singapore's modern history and also the multi-faceted history of the comics medium itself. It was the bestselling local fiction title of that year, and went on to win the Singapore Literature Prize, and Book of the Year at the Singapore Book Awards in 2016. The following year it was nominated for six US comics industry Eisner Awards, winning three -  Best Writer/Artist, Best US Edition of International Material - Asia, and Best Publication Design.

He talks to local comics creator Dylan Horrocks (Hicksville, Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen) about the challenges of speaking truth via art.

Above: Mimi Pond. Photo Copyright Wayne White 2018.

MIMI POND: A GRAPHIC LIFE: Sun 11th March

The illustrative works of Mimi Pond, described by New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast as “hilarious, terrifying, moving and compulsively readable”, have been pouring from her pen since she started at the National Lampoon magazine in the late ’70s. Since then, she has contributed to many publications such as The Village Voice, The New York Times,  The Los Angeles Times and many more. She also notably wrote the first broadcast episode of The Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" in 1989, which was nominated for two Emmy awards.

In her two graphic semi-memoirs, Over Easy and The Customer Is Always Wrong, she looks back at her art student days working Oakland diners in the drugs ’n’ sex-fuelled ’70s – and talks hospitality, morality, mortality and more with broadcaster Eva Radich.

Above: An image from Out of the Woods, a graphic novel by Brent Williams, illustrated by  Korkut Öztekin. Copyright Korkut Öztekin 2018.

MIMI POND & BRENT WILLIAMS: SHADING LIGHT AND DARK: Fri 9th March

Mimi Pond will also be appearing in conversation with Wellington writer Brent Williams. Mimi Pond recalls heady ’70s days working at a California diner in her acclaimed semi-memoirs Over Easy and The Customer is Always Wrong. Brent Williams pursued social justice at Wellington community legal aid organisations in the ’80s, hit the wall with depression then addressed his troubled family past in the graphic novel Out of the Woods, illustrated by  Korkut Öztekin.

Above: The cover of  Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq by Sarah Glidden. Copyrght Sarah Glidden 2018.

SARAH GLIDDEN: COMICS CORRESPONDENT: Sat 10th March

Seattle-based writer and illustrator Sarah Glidden works primarily in reportage comics. Her first book, How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less (2010), detailed her encounters with Israel’s internal conflict, and has since been translated into five languages. She returned to the Middle East in Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq (2016) – described as “an ambitious, nuanced and sprawling work of graphic non-fiction” (Rolling Stone).

She talks with former war correspondent and RNZ Morning Report co-host Susie Ferguson.

Above: The cover of  The Customer Is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond. Copyright Mimi Pond 2018.

SARAH GLIDDEN & MIMI POND: GRAPHICALLY PERSONAL: Fri 9th March

These two gifted American comics artists mine personal stories in graphic form. Sarah Glidden and Mimi Pond join in conversation on this panel to display and discuss the personal and political nature of their work.

Above: The cover of Mansfield and Me by Sarah Laing. Copyright Sarah Laing 2018.

MANSFIELD AND US: Sat 10th of March

This year, Katherine Mansfield fans celebrate the 120th anniversary of the famous New Zealander’s birth. Historian Redmer Yska, comics creator and illustrator Sarah Laing, and poet, novelist and critic Vincent O’Sullivan have all published on Mansfield's life and work. They discuss all things KM - particularly her singular legacy and place in Wellington’s history - with poet Kate Camp, who was the most recent Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellow, in residency at the writer's former South of France home.

THREE SARAHS: Sun 11th March

How do you tap into your visual imagination? What makes a great illustration? And what’s it like living with one of the most popular first names of the 1980s and ’90s? All those questions and more will be addressed by comics creator, illustrator and graphic designer Sarah Laing (Mansfield and Me); award-winning designer and hand-letterer Sarah Maxey; and award-winning illustrator Sarah Wilkins, whose work appears in the bestselling anthology Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

Chaired by Sarah Lang.

Above: Gun Lore, a cartoon by Sharon Murdoch. Copyright  Sharon Murdoch 2018.

POLITICAL PRICKING: Fri 9th March

Caricaturing, satirising and making fun of the powerful has been a popular and dangerous position since the days of the hieroglyph.

Discussing the challenges of drawing the right lines around current events are three top political cartoonists: Eisner Award–winning comics artist Sonny Liew from Singapore, and locals Sharon Murdoch (twice cartoonist of the year at the Canon Media Awards) and Toby Morris (The Side Eye); with filmmaker/cartoonist Jonathan King (Black Sheep).

Above: An illustration of the iconic D&D monsters, The Gelatinous Cube (!) by Dylan Horrocks.

MY DWARVEN CLERIC SLAYS YOUR ELF: Sun 11th March

Would you rather face chaotic evil or lawful evil? How high is your charisma? And what’s with those weird-looking dice? If you have the answers, you’ve probably rolled up your own characters and stories in role-playing games.

Join games maker Morgan Davie and comics creator and Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast Dylan Horrocks as they discuss player-generated games and their potential for great storytelling with novelist Danyl Mclauchlan.

Above: Bad Ape, one of the digitally created characters from the film, War for the Planet of the Apes. Copyright Weta Digital.

RISE TO WAR: MAKING THE PLANET OF THE APES: Sun 11th March

While this isn't strictly comics related, I imagine this event will also be of interest to pop culture fans. In this behind-the-scenes session, Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Lemmon shows and tells how rapid advancements in visual effects by Weta Digital allowed the creation of a large cast of digital apes displaying unprecedented and convincingly dramatic emotion and intelligence.

Dan will return to Wellington from attending the Oscars in Los Angeles, where War for the Planet of the Apes is nominated for Visual Effects, to show and tell how Weta Digital's cutting-edge technology now gives filmmakers the ability to tell stories limited only by their imagination.

With all these events happening over three days it's going to be a very busy weekend for comics fans in Wellington! For more information and to secure your tickets, visit the New Zealand Festival: Writers & Readers website HERE.

- AK!

Red Peak VS The Key by Jonathan King

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!).

The Coming of Chromacon 2015!

After a year on hiatus, Chromacon is back for 2015! Held this weekend at the Auckland Aotea Centre, Chromacon is an indie arts festival that celebrates the coming together of local creativity, innovation, artistic excellence and community.

This FREE event connects New Zealanders with the best homegrown illustrators, comic artists, designers, animators, videogame developers and more. At Chromacon, you will find original artwork and creative projects from a range of media, styles, and genres.

You will also be able to purchase self-published work such as prints, art books, comics or even original artwork directly from the creatives themselves.This event was conceived by Auckland artist/illustrator Allan Xia, who felt there was a lack of accessible local events for artists/illustrators to showcase and sell their work at outside of exclusive design/advertising events like Semi-Permanent, which aren't always affordable for emerging new artists or the general public. 

The first event in 2013 was a great success, and Xia has taken the extra development time to really fine-tune and expand the event, starting with this Friday's Chroma Connect –  a creative summit focused on professional development, and the sharing of ideas to promote networking amongst local creatives.

Attendees will have the opportunity to attend master-classes, panel discussions, case studies and networking opportunities. Key areas to be examined include: established and emerging traditional/digital creative practices, transmedia strategies and business models. Chroma Connect enables participants to explore past insights, analyse present challenges, and identify future opportunities.

Chroma Connect will feature four internationally renowned creatives, exclusively attending this week's events:

J.A.W. Cooper (USA): Illustrator

J.A.W. Cooper was born in England and grew up in Africa, Sweden, Ireland and various other locations throughout Europe and California. J.A.W. Cooper currently lives and works as a freelance illustrator, gallery and sketch artist in Los Angeles, California.

Jacky Ke Jiang (USA): Animator

An experienced animator who has worked for Disney Studios and the Cartoon Network on award-winning movies and cartoons like Frozen, Wreck it Ralph, Paperman, and Adventure Time.

Benjamin (China): Illustrator and cartoonist

Benjamin is a prolific Chinese Manhua (Chinese Comics) Artist and illustrator whose work has been published in many different countries and languages.

Wenna (China): Illustrator

Wenna specializes in large-scale mural arts, illustration, ceramics and sculpture. Her diverse living mural projects can be found across major cities of China (Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanchang, Jingdezhen, Leshan etc.) as well as Taiwan, Europe and many other nations and cultures.

All four guests will be giving talks during the event, as well as talks from local art and animation guests: including Mukpuddy animation, and Weta concept artist Paul Tobin. There will also be panel discussions on New Zealand Indie Games and of coarse, New Zealand Comics.

The New Zealand Comics Panel will be an informal discussion with four great local cartoonists including: Jonathan King, Li Chen, Gregor Czaykowski (aka Loading Artist) and Jem Yoshioka. 

Above: An illustration by Jem Yoshioka. cc-by-sa Jem Yoshioka Creative Commons NZ 3.0 license, 2015.

Jem Yoshioka is an illustrator and cartoonist from Wellington. Her work is influenced by the city and her Japanese heritage, and she uses visual narrative to explore themes of human nature and culture. She works both digitally and traditionally. And at the last Chromacon's in 2013 she won the Comic Award for her story Sunshine. Other comics include Concrete.

Above: An illustration from Loading Artist by Gregor Czaykowski. Copyright Gregor Czaykowski 2015.

Gregor Czaykowski is the cartoonist behind the very successful webcomic Loading Artist, which thanks to his Patron supporters he is now able to work on it full-time.

Above: An illustration from Extra Ordinary by Li Chen. Copyright Li Chen 2015.

Li Chen is of the cartoonist behind the webcomic, Extra Ordinary, which has had a series of highly successful Kickstarter campaigns which have allowed her to publish 3 collected editions and work on the webcomic full-time.

Above: An illustration from Threat Level by Jonathan King. Copyright Jonathan King 2015.

Jonathan King has contributed to Faction Comics, including the upcoming Climate Change special High Water, and is also the film director of the films Black Sheep, Under The Mountain and Realiti.

They'll be talking about their work, art process and upcoming projects.

There will be over 40 local comic creators exhibiting at this weekend's main event, including: Ant Sang, Aimee Cairns, Amy Her-Lee, Anthony Pini, Ben Stenbeck, Benjamin Gary Richards, Braden Gordon, Brendan Boughen, Chris Slane, Cory Mathis, David Ogilvie, Dylan Horrocks, Li Chen, James Davidson, Jason Upchurch, Jem Yoshioka, Jeremy Hanna, Jonathan King, Joshua Drummond, Kayla Oliver, Kirsti Hogan, Ralphi, Linhan Ye, Loading Artist, Marc Streeter, Michel Mulipola, Nick Fedaeff, Orion Mabelle, Pablo Espinosa, Rachel Smythe, Sam Orchard, Simon Fletcher, Sloane Kim, Stacey Robson, Stuart Hallam, Stuart Thomas, Tim Gibson,Toby Morris, Zak Waipara, as well as small press publishers and collectives: Earth’s End Publishing, Pikitia Press, Funtime Comics, and Square Planet.

And that doesn't even include  the animators, illustrators, sculpture and craft creators, concept artists, videogame creators and so many more attending the event. So if you're looking for a short of creativity this weekend, or to stock up on some great local comics before winter sets in, Chromacon is the place to be this weekend - and it is FREE to attend!

I also had Allan Xia join me on the National Radio Nights show to talk about the upcoming event. If you missed it last week you can listen to the full interview HERE.

For more information, on Chromacon and Chroma Connect, visit the event website HERE.

- AK!

EVENT: Comics Spotlight at WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival 2014!

Increasingly, comics and graphic novels have become a welcome addition to literary events around the country, and the WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival 2014 is no exception! The WORD Writers & Readers festival returns to Christchurch, kicking off tomorrow with 70 literary events running over the next five days, showcasing quality fiction, politics, food writing, poetry, music, crime, satire, the Christchurch rebuild, children’s books and free family events.

Cartoonists and comics are highlighted in three events over the course of the festival; the first is Reading Favourites, featuring Sarah Laing - author of the comic series Let Me Be Frank, and The Fall of Light - along with writers Kate de Goldi and Carl Nixon, as they discuss their favourite New Zealand books and the art of reading. Laing will also be discussing her in-progress graphic novel on the life of Katherine Mansfield, which should be fascinating for those curious about the process of producing a graphic biography. The event takes place on Friday afternoon at 2.30pm. More details on the event HERE.

The increasingly prolific Dylan Horrocks is the focus of the second event, Journey To Hicksville, which takes place on Saturday 30th at 2pm. Horrocks needs no introduction to the uninitiated, as the author of the seminal graphic novel Hicksville (1998, first published in NZ in 2010), Incomplete Works which came out earlier this year, and The Magic Pen, due out in November. Horrocks will be discussing his career, comics and more, with filmmaker and fellow cartoonist Jonathan King. For ticket information and details check HERE.

The final event is Capes & Tights: Superhero Comics, on Sunday 31st at 4pm. Join Philosopher Damon Young, YA author Karen Healey and Jonathan King, as they discuss the many issues surrounding the genre of superhero comics: has Hollywood ruined comics? What does copyright mean for fanfic? Are superhero comics inherently sexist? And are they ideologically sound? All this and more, in a conversation moderated by Dylan Horrocks. For ticket information and details check HERE.

So this weekend if you're in Christchurch, make sure you get to WORD to enjoy some our cartoonists discussing their work and the unique storytelling that the comics medium has to offer. Visit the WORD Festival website HERE.

- AK!

Contains Graphic Content: Comics Related Films at the NZIFF!

Above: John Hurt, Chris Evans and Jamie Bell in the film adaptation of Snowpiercer.

The 2014 New Zealand International Film Festival is rapidly approaching, kicking off in Auckland from July 17th - 3rd August, before going on the road to twelve other venues around the country. For those viewers with a love of comics and animation, I'm going to highlight some of great comics/graphic novel related film in this year's Festival line-up.

Above: A page from the French graphic novel Snowpiercer, by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette.

One of the most talked about films of the year so far is Snowpiercer, adapted from the French graphic novel series by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette, and directed by Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho (The Host). Set in a dystopian near future, Snowpiercer is mankind's last refuge from a new ice age, a lone, massive train circling the globe in a non-stop journey of survival against a now uninhabitable environment. Inside the train is segregated, with the poor lower class workers in the back carriages, and the elite class living in luxury at the front. This imbalance is about to be challenged when one of the workers, Curtis (Chris Evans), leads a desperate rebellion to take control of the train - by fighting their way to the front.

Described as 'visually stunning' and 'groundbreaking' by critics, this film has proven to be an instant cult classic, and well worth catching on the biggest screen you can find! More details and show times can be found HERE.

Above: A still from We Are the Best!, directed by Lukas Moodysson.

Coming from Sweden, We Are the Best! follows two rebellious teenage girls, Bobo (Mira Barkhammar) and Klara (Mira Grosin), who cut school to form their own punk band. They don't let the fact they are 'musically challenged' get in the way, and recruit a third, more experience musician - Hedwig (Liv LeMoyne), to complete their trio. 

Above: A page from Never Goodnight by Coco Moodysson. Copyright Coco Moodysson 2014.

This punk 1980's era coming-of-age story is written and directed by Lukas Moodysson, adapted from his wife's graphic novel, Never Goodnight by Coco Moodysson. More details and show times can be found HERE.

Above: A still from REALITi, directed by Jonathan King.

Now for some local connections: a filmmaker and more recently a prolific cartoonist, Jonathan King (Black Sheep, Under the Mountain) returns to filmmaking with this low-fi science fiction thriller, REALITi. Written by his comics collaborator, novelist Chad Taylor, REALITi introduces us to Vic Long (Nathan Meister), a media executive with a young family and a bright future. But when a petty crime throws a strange light on the world he has made, he begins to question the very facts of his existence. 

In their approach to making this paranoid thriller, the filmmakers stated, "We wanted to depict the modern urban landscape of New Zealand: the cities and suburbs, the corporate interests, and the fears we import from overseas". Jonathan King will also be making a guest appearance at the Auckland and Wellington screenings. More details and show times can be found HERE.

Above: A still from Over the Moon, featuring Anna Jullienne as Connie Radar.

Featuring in the New Zealand's Best 2014 short film competition, Over the Moon is a impressive adaptation of Karl Wills' Connie Radar min-comic series from The Comicbook Factory. Directed by James Cunningham, the seven minute short features a witty adaptation by Wills and Timothy Kidd, brought to life with the aid of some amazing effects work by a team of students from the Media Design School. 

The short is in competition here for the Madman Entertainment Jury Prize, and has also been selected to screen at the Comic-Con International Film Festival in San Diego later this month. More details and show times can be found HERE.

Above: A still from The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

The latest film from Studio Ghibli, The Tale of Princess Kaguya takes its inspiration from the traditional Japanese folk-tale 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'. Animated in the hand-drawn style of a storybook and set in an unspecified time, a bamboo cutter discovers a miniature princess, Kaguya, concealed in a bamboo shoot. He returns home with his curious discovery to show his wife, only to have it blossom before their eyes into a full gown baby. They adopt the child, who grows quickly for her age, earning her the nick-name 'bamboo' from the other village children. 

When he parents find gifts of gold and fine silk in the forest, they take it as a sign of Kaguya's royal lineage, and leave their pastoral lifestyle behind to raise her as a royal princess. From there the story develops in surprising and unexpected ways, taking a unique spin on the traditional princess fairy tale - from the battle of suitors to the revelation of her true heritage. More details and show times can be found HERE.

For more information on NZ International Film Festival sessions, screenings and events in your area, check out there website HERE.

- AK!

EVENT: Comics at Writers Week 2014!

The New Zealand Festival is currently underway in Wellington, with the Writers Week section kicking off tomorrow. 

Above: Let Me Be Frank #1, by Sarah Laing. Copyright Sarah Laing 2014.

This year's event features a variety of comics related panels, starting on Saturday 8th of March with 'Reading For Writers' at 9.30am. This two hour panel features Linley Boniface, Beattie’s Book Blog author Graham Beattie and Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner Emma Martin discussing their reading habits, and Let Me Be Frank cartoonist/writer Sarah Laing provides a confidence-boosting briefing on how best to absorb a comic!

Tickets are $45, and you can find more information on the talk HERE.

Above: The cover of Incomplete Stories by Dylan Horrocks. Copyright Dylan Horrocks 2014.

Later that evening, Dylan Horrocks will be celebrating the launch of his new comics collection, Incomplete Stories, with a release party - along with fellow Victoria University Press author Caoilinn Hughes' new poetry collection, Gathering Evidence. This is a FREE event, taking place Saturday, 8th of March at the Exchange Atrium, 24 Blair St, Wellington Central, from 7.30pm. See the event page HERE for more details.

There are also plans for a Incomplete Stories launch in Auckland later in March, so keep an eye out for that.

Above: American cartoonist Allison Bechdel.

The Festival will also be hosting acclaimed US cartoonist, Allison Bechdel. Creator of the widely published comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, she has also produced two bestselling graphic memoirs, Fun Home (2006) - which chronicles her childhood memories and her difficult relationship with her father, and Are You My Mother? (2012) - an exploration of her relationship with her mother and her time spent in therapy. Bechdel will be discussing her work and more, with community art space director Moira Clunie. The panel will be taking place on Sunday, 9th of March at 1.45pm at the Embassy Theatre.

Tickets are $18, check out the Festival page HERE for more details.

Above: The 'Comicsville' line-up: (from left) Adrian Kinnaird, Robyn E. Kenealy, Dylan Horrocks and Jonathan King.

Next up, From Earth's End: The Best of New Zealand Comics will be spotlighted in the 'Comicsville' panel, on Monday, March 10th at 10.45am at the Hannah Playhouse (formally Downstage Theatre). I'll be joined on stage with three of the featured cartoonists from the book: Dylan Horrocks - author of Hicksville; Robyn E. Kenealy - author of Roddy's Film Companion and the webcomic American Captain; and cartoonist/film director Jonathan King - author of Threat Level. We'll be discussing the exciting developments and growth of the New Zealand comics scene of the last few years, including the publication of From Earth's End and Dylan Horrocks' latest collection, Incomplete Stories.

Tickets are $18, check out the Festival page HERE for more details.

Online ticket sales are available now through the Writers Week events page HERE or Ticketek HERE. Some events are selling fast, so book you tickets now!

- AK!