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

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!

Earth's End and Terry Teo at Auckland Armageddon 2015!

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!