NZ Graphic Novels rule the NZ Post Children's Book Awards!

Above: Nice Day for a War, by Matt Elliot and Chris Slane.

The winners of the NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2012 were announced on Wednesday night at a Wellington ceremony, with three of the major prizes going to comics related books. Nice Day for a War, by Matt Elliot and Chris Slane took out the top prize of Children's Book Of The Year, and won the Non-Fiction category. Nice Day for a War is based on the World War I diaries of writer Matt Elliot's grandfather, Corporal Cyril Elliot. The diary entries are complimented by gritty narrative comic sections depicted in stunning watercolour art by Chris Slane, that clearly made an impact on the judges. Gillian Candler, the Awards Convenor of Judges praised its unique approach to its subject, "Nice Day for a War is a stand-out book which offers young readers an honest glimpse into the lives of soldiers during World War I. The beautiful fluid line drawings and muted watercolour washes bring the diary to life. The interplay between the illustrations and text creates a powerful, emotionally engaging story for young readers".

Above: Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang.

Ant Sang's powerful debut graphic novel Shaolin Burning received the runner-up Honour Award in the Picture Book category. This is a great result, as Shaolin Burning was something of a surprise entry into the Picture Book category, with many industry watchers commenting that its subject matter really places it closer to the YA fiction category than anything else. As Ant commented, "I thought it would be tough for Shaolin Burning to compete in the Picture Book category, so was really pleased to receive the Honour Award. And fantastic that Elliot and Chris' Nice Day For a War scooped the top award of the night. NZ comics represent!"

However, If there was a prize for media coverage, Shaolin Burning would have certainly come out on top. It was easily the most talked about book leading up to the Awards, bringing some attention back to what can occasionally be a fairly predictable and safe line-up. With these results I expect we'll be seeing a lot more local graphic novels in the pipeline as publishers love award magnets, especially books that capture the public imagination.

-AK!

Graphic Novels dominate New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards!

The nominations for this year's New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards were announced on Friday, and all three of the local graphic novels released last year have received nominations. Ant Sang's Shaolin Burning (Harper Collins) is up for Best Picture Book, and Kimble Bent: Malcontent by Chris Grosz (Random House) is competing against Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War I (HarperCollins) by Matt Elliott and Chris Slane for the Best Non-Fiction title.

Above: The nominated titles and authors: Shaolin Burning, Kimble Bent: Malcontent, and Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War I.

The nomination of Shaolin Burning may raise some eyebrows, as it's in a category generally dominated by picture books for the very young (I think it's safe to say it's the only book in the category this year to feature multiple decapitations!).

'Dominate' may seem like a strong word to use here, but for those playing at home, that's THREE nominations for THREE graphic novels out of the over 350 children's titles nominated. That's a pretty high batting average by any estimation, not to mention all three titles topped the Nielsen BookScan Bestseller charts on their respective releases. One would hope this sends a strong message to publishers who are still cautiously approaching graphic novels with a barge pole: they are here to stay, and you are missing out on surest thing in publishing since vampires hit puberty!

The winning titles will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington on Wednesday 16th of May. 

-AK!

Above: All three nominated authors (with some other guys...) at Auckland Armageddon Expo 2011. 

From left: me, Dylan Horrocks, Chris Slane, Ant Sang and Chris Grosz.

EVENT: Auckland Writers & Readers Festival 2011: Graphic Novels, Comics & Cartoons

Above: The panel lineup from the left: Chris Slane, Dylan Horrocks, Ant Sang, Karen Healey and myself.

2011 has already proven itself to be a landmark year in New Zealand Comics publishing, with two graphic novels achieving wide release in bookstores and a growing host of great self-published comics becoming increasingly available through festival and expo distribution. With such a wealth of new material and increasing public interest in the graphic novel medium, it seemed only natural that a discussion on the subject would make a great addition to any literary celebration, and that's exactly what will be taking place next month at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival 2011!

On Sunday 15th of May, I'll be hosting event #47 of the Festival: Graphic Novels, Comics & Cartoons, in which I'll be moderating a panel featuring some of the best cartoonist and writing minds in New Zealand: Dylan Horrocks, Chris Slane, Ant Sang and Karen Healey. We'll be discussing our love of this special medium, plus an exclusive illustrated look inside the process of comics creation and graphic novel writing, invaluable information for the aspiring cartoonist that you won't find anywhere else!

Tickets for this event are on sale now from THE EDGE Box Office on level 3 of the Aotea Centre in Auckland, or online at www.buytickets.co.nz. It's $20.00* for Earlybird pre-sales, or $25.00* after May 11th (*booking fees may also apply). For more information on this event, you can visit the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival page HERE.

Now for a brief biography of the featured writers:

Dylan Horrocks

He really needs no introduction at this point, Dylan is the author of the seminal graphic novel Hicksville. Universally praised by the international comics community upon it's release in 1998, it has only recently been published locally for the first time last year by Victoria University Press, insuring it's place as a contemporary classic of New Zealand literature.

He also spent several years of the last decade writing for DC Comics, putting the speech bubbles in the mouths of such well recognised characters as Batman, Batgirl, Supergirl, John Constantine, Tim Hunter and more. After his corporate comics experience he was happy to return to creating his own comics, which he currently publishes weekly through his website hicksvillecomics.com. These include the two serials Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen and The American Dream.

Ant Sang

Ant has long been a pillar of the Auckland comics community, producing one the best selling NZ comics series of all time, The Dharma Punks, which was published between 2001-03. It was this series that brought him to the attention of the producers of the animated TV series Bro'Town, who hired Ant as art director and production designer for the show, winning him several awards for his dedicated work. Earlier this year saw the release of his first original graphic novel Shaolin Burning from HarperCollins, a kung-fu infused meditation on revenge and destiny in ancient China. It was an instant hit upon release, making the top ten NZ Bestsellers fiction list four weeks running and the #1 book for it's publisher that month.

Chris Slane

Chris is an award-winning cartoonist whose work has appeared in countless magazines and newspapers including: The Listener, The New Zealand Herald, Metro and many more. His editorial cartoons have won him the prestigious Qantas Cartoonist Of The Year award three times and the Qantas Editorial Graphics Artist Award twice. In the mid-nineties he produced arguably New Zealand's first original graphic novel Maui: Legends of the Outcast, with writer Robert Sullivan. Last month saw the release of his second graphic novel Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Soldier in World War 1, co-authored with Matt Elliott from HarperCollins.

Karen Healey

Karen is the author of the highly acclaimed novel Guardian of the Dead, a paranormal thriller heavily influenced by Māori mythology, which takes place in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her well received debut novel is a finalist for the American Library Association's prestigious William C. Morris Award. She is also the co-founder of the feminist comics website Girl-Wonder.org, and is currently writing a PhD on american superhero comics. Her next novel The Shattering, is due to be published by Allen & Unwin later this year.

Adrian Kinnaird

Well, if you are reading this, you know who I am ('Nuff said!).

The panel will run for 45 minutes of comics goodness, so don't delay and book your tickets today! It's probably also a good idea to read up on the main books which will be discussed at the panel, which are all available now from bookstores everywhere: Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks, Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang, Nice Day for a War by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott, and Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey. All the authors will be available to sign copies at the conclusion of the panel. I look forward to seeing you all there on the day!

-AK!

Book Launch: Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1

Above: Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott.

Copyright Chris Slane & Matt Elliott 2011.

Launching today, Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott, is the second New Zealand graphic novel to be released this year. It chronicles the wartime experiences of Corporal Cyril Elliott, co-author Matt Elliot's grandfather. The book itself is part graphic novel and part historical document; with Slane's vivid watercolour story sequences accompanied by actual photographs, letters and cartoons from the soldiers in the trenches themselves. It's an engaging combination, which I'm sure will make this a bestseller come Anzac Day.

Above: a page from Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott.

Earlier this month, I asked Chris if he could talk a little about it's unique shape (landscape) and format:

Chris Slane: I was inspired by old wartime photograph albums, created by veterans, which are often landscape-shaped. Our initial proposal to the publisher used the cover of an old album with a cartoon window. I expected this shape would also suit comic-style story-telling, as well as historical details like photographs, cartoons, and ephemera. We also hoped that our book would protrude awkwardly from bookshop shelves and trip up and possibly wound innocent civilians passing on their way to the Dan Brown section.

AK: How do the graphic novel parts of the story fit together with the text pieces and other information?

CS: The war experiences of Matt's grandfather, Cyril Elliott was the basis for the book. It starts when he left New Zealand and ends on his return, but covers in more detail his time at Messines. We considered having footnotes on every page, but it seemed cleaner to separate comic pages from the historical material. That way incidental information didn't interrupt the flow of the narrative, gave breathing spaces, and allowed time to pass between chapters. In the end, the book evolved until there was about one third fiction, two thirds non-fiction.

To celebrate it's launch, tonight there will be an author signing upstairs at the Grey Lynn (RSA) Returned Services Social Club, 1 Francis Street, Grey Lynn/Westmere, Auckland (kids allowed). From 6.00-8.00pm you'll be able to buy a signed copy of the book, grill the authors about obscure historical details, enjoy a drink and support the RSA by buying a poppy too!

Nice Day For a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott is available at all good bookstores nationwide today, and you'll also be able to pick up a copy of it this weekend at the Wellington Armageddon Expo alongside Ant Sang's Shaolin Burning at the New Zealand Comic Creators stall.

-AK!

Coming Attractions

Above: The cover of Nice Day for a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott. Copyright Chris Slane & Matt Elliott 2011.

It's a great time to be a fan of New Zealand comics and graphic novels, with two more high profile projects in the pipeline! Hot on the heels of Ant Sang's Shaolin Burning, HarperCollins has another local graphic novel set for release in April: Nice Day for a War: Adventures of a Kiwi Soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane & Matt Elliott.

This story is part graphic novel mixed with historical resources recounting Corporal Cyril Elliott experiences in the trenches during WW1 as retold by his grandson Matt Elliott and cartoonist Chris Slane. Here's the official synopsis:

Cyril Elliott was a boy when he enlisted to fight in World War 1, lured by the idea of exciting travel and adventure. What he found was quite different. But misery and terror were made easier by Kiwi humour, mates, and writing a diary. Corporal Elliott’s grandson Matt teams with award-winning cartoonist Chris Slane to tell the story of Cyril and his mates. Nice Day for a War tells what it was like to be in the Flanders trenches of 1917.

You can expect to see it on bookshelves everywhere on April 1st (..and no, this is no joke!).

It's a paperback and retails for $29.99 NZ, ISBN13: 9781869509019

Above: Snarked! by Roger Langridge. Copyright Boom Studios 2011.

Now to turn your attention off-shore: highly acclaimed ex-pat cartoonist Roger Langridge has more new comics coming up than you can shake a stick at!

After a very successful run writing and illustrating The Muppet Show Comic-Book series for US publisher Boom Studios, Roger is teaming up with them again to produce another all-ages comic Snarked!, for Boom's new kids comics imprint, Kaboom! The above cover image is an early teaser, with a major announcement from the publisher to follow soon, so I'll keep you posted.

Above: The newly coloured chapter of Mugwhump the Great by Roger Langridge. Copyright Roger Langridge 2011.

But if you can't wait for that title, you'll be pleased to know that Roger has launched the final chapter of his ongoing webcomic Mugwhump the Great at ACT-I-VATE, now available in full colour! There are 13 previous chapters in this story of vaudevillian hilarity, so make sure you catch-up on this great strip from the beginning.

With all this new material on the way, you'd be forgiven for thinking we're entering the golden age of New Zealand comics...

-AK!