Auckland Writers Festival Workshop: Comics 101 with Ant Sang

The Auckland Writers Festival is fast approaching, with a great line-up of local and international writers in attendance to discuss their work. There is also an opportunity for budding writers to take part in exclusive writing workshops and receive guidance and advice from some of the most experienced authors around.

The Comics 101 Workshop is taking place on Friday 15th of May, and will be lead by acclaimed cartoonist Ant Sang - author of the graphic novels The Dharma Punks, Shaolin Burning and designer of the hit TV series Bro' Town.

Above: Ant Sang's graphic novels, Shaolin Burning (2011), and The Dharma Punks (2014). Copyright Ant Sang.

Ant Sang is one of New Zealand's leading comics voices, and has a wealth of experience to share regarding the creation of a graphic novel - from outlining the story to designing the characters, sequential storytelling and working with major publishers - this is your opportunity to learn from one of the best. There will be discussion and drawing, so make sure you bring your sketchbook and art tools of choice!

The workshop is an hour and a half, taking place Friday May 15th at the Goodman Fielder Room, Level 4, Aotea Centre, Auckland, from 9am-10.30am and costs $45. Attendance is strictly limited to 40 participants, so make sure you get in quick - for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Auckland Writers Festival website HERE.

- AK!

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!

EVENT: Ant Sang: The Making of Shaolin Burning

Above: Ant Sang discussing his artwork and previous comics series The Dharma Punks.

As a part of NZ Book Month, Ant Sang will be giving an illustrated talk on the making of his recently released graphic novel, Shaolin Burning.

It will be held this coming Sunday, March 20th at the Auckland Art Gallery - Art Lounge (on the corner of Cnr Lorne St and Wellesley St) from 3pm - 4pm. Admission is FREE, and there will be copies of the book for sale at Parsons Bookshop next door if you would like to get a copy signed. For more details check out the event listing HERE.

-AK!

Shaolin Burning Launch Party Photos!

Above: Ant Sang signing copies of Shaolin Burning.

Ant Sang's graphic novel Shaolin Burning was officially launched last Thursday night, neatly coinciding with the Chinese New Year.

There was a great turnout of friends and fans, with many of Auckland's finest cartoonist on hand to celebrate the occation, including: the Bro'Town crew, Dylan Horrocks, Timothy Kidd, Ben Stenbeck, Darren Sheehan, Richard Fairgray, Lee-Yan Marquez, Chris Slane and even an appearance by filmmaker Vincent Ward (hmm...someone keep an eye on those film rights!).

Below are the Limited Edition Art Prints:

'Merciless Attack of the One Hundred Spearmen'

'Audacious Attack of the Killer Tongs'

'Deadly Plum Blossom Amongst Cascading Petals'

Each of these prints are high quality pigment based digital prints on 170gsm Satin Paper. They are limited to a print run of 30 copies. Available in either A1 or A2 size, all prints will be signed and numbered by Ant. The A2 prints (420x594mm) are $100 each, and the A1 prints (594x841mm) are $160 each.

Plus all of the original pages from the graphic novel are for sale, only $350 a page (except for double page spreads, which are $550 each). These are a real bargain given there whopping A2 size; so seek out your favourite page and frame it up!

The exhibition is still on till the 18th of February, so get along to the Gifthorse Gallery on 24 Graham St, Auckland (PH: 09 3073222), to see some great artwork and get your copy of Shaolin Burning signed by the author!

-AK!

EVENT: Shaolin Burning Book Launch & Exhibition!

The first new original NZ graphic novel in over a decade, Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang hits bookstores this coming Tuesday.

To celebrate the book's release, Ant is launching it in style with an exhibition at the Gifthorse Gallery, 24 Graham St Auckland, running from the 4th - 18th of February.

The book launch/preview night will held on Thursday 3rd of February, from 5.30pm. Come along and meet the author, see some of the original artwork, purchase a book or two, plus get your hands on some limited edition prints!

You can RSVP for this event at the official Facebook page HERE, or just rock up by following the directions provided in the map below. If you can't make it on the night, the exhibition will be opening six days a week till the 18th of Feb, Mon-Friday: 10am - 5pm and Sat: 11am - 3pm.

Will see you there!

-AK!

FIRST LOOK: SHAOLIN BURNING by Ant Sang

Above: The official cover for Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang. Copyright Ant Sang 2011.

Firstly, Happy New Year everyone! I'm going to kick things off with a reveal of the first big New Zealand graphic novel for 2011: Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang!

Coming out on the first of February from HarperCollins, it's 192 pages of epic adventure for only $24.99, available from all leading bookstores (ISBN: 9781869508135).

Here's the official synopsis:

Old China like you've never seen before. SHAOLIN BURNING is an exciting, modern take on kung fu mythology; a fusion of punked-up street culture and Chinese tradition. When the Shaolin Temple is destroyed by the Emperor's army, only five monks manage to escape alive. Or so the legend goes.

But few know the story of the sixth, Monk Who Doubts, who turns his back on the Buddhist path and embarks on a bloody trail of revenge, culminating in a devastating showdown with the Emperor's forces. Fewer still know the story of Deadly Plum Blossom. Unwanted at birth, she is rescued and raised by a Shaolin nun. Trained all her life in a new fighting style, she is determined to prove herself, and sets off to challenge the most dangerous man in China.

SHAOLIN BURNING is a graphic novel about two very different kung-fu fighters, whose lives intersect as they are offered self-discovery through the wisdom of martial arts, in a masterful interweaving of kung-fu myths and legends.

About the Author:

As one of the original key creatives of bro’Town, ANT SANG was responsible for designing the characters and locations of the show for its entire five series. In 2006 and 2008 he won the Achievement in Production Design award at the Air New Zealand and Qantas Screen Awards for his work on the show. His previous comic book series, The Dharma Punks, received awards, rave reviews, and a cult following in New Zealand. Ant Sang lives and works in Auckland.

Stay tuned for more exclusive coverage of this book in the next few weeks, and you can also catch-up by reading some of my earlier behind-the-scenes interviews with Ant, looking at his creative process and the genesis of this project HERE and HERE. For more updates, be sure to join the official SHAOLIN BURNING Facebook page found HERE and visit Ant Sang's website HERE.

-AK!

EVENT: Talking Pictures - The Graphic Novel with Dylan Horrocks & Ant Sang

This coming Monday, as part of the 'Writers on Mondays' lunchtime lecture series being held at Auckland New Gallery Art Lounge, Dylan Horrocks and Ant Sang will be discussing graphic novels (relating to their own work and the form in general) with host Mike Loder.

Above: A page from 'Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen', by Dylan Horrocks.

Dylan Horrocks is of course one of New Zealand's most highly regarded cartoonist, the author of the award-winning graphic novel 'Hicksville', which finally received it's first local printing this year from Victoria University Press (and is required reading here at Earth's End!). He is currently serializing two new graphic novels-in-progress at his website: 'The American Dream' and 'Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen'. The latter story follows a cartoonist through a creative crisis, as he struggles to write corporate superhero comics and retain his personal 'voice' as a creator. A dilemma which is all too familiar to Horrocks, who went through a similar ordeal writing for the 'Bat-family' of titles for DC Comics ('Batgirl', 'Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'). While this is not a straight autobiography of his experiences writing corporate super-heroics, it's certainly informed by them, offering a fascinating and honest account of a writer wrestling to reconnect with his craft, and the potential pitfalls of genre writing.

Above: Ant Sang with a page of his artwork from his up-coming graphic novel, 'Shaolin Burning'.

Ant Sang's artwork has quickly become iconic in New Zealand, as the lead designer of the hugely successful TV series 'Bro' Town'. He's also know for his cult comic series 'The Dharma Punks', one of the top selling NZ comics ever published, at it's peak it was locally outselling such bestselling comics as 'Uncanny X-Men'. Currently working on his first original graphic novel 'Shaolin Burning', which is to be released early next year, it should finally establish Ant as a house-hold name (and rightly so).

The talk is hosted by comedian and occasional comic-book writer Mike Loder, and takes place at the Art Lounge in the New Gallery from 12 noon, so feel free to bring your lunch and friends! You can find more details and information HERE at the Gallery website.

-AK!

NZ Comic Creators Media Attack!

Above: A 'Shaolin Burning' wallpaper for cellphones, created by Ant Sang for 2 Degrees Mobile. Copyright Ant Sang 2010.

If you can't wait for Ant Sang's upcoming graphic novel 'Shaolin Burning', the good news is now you can download an exclusive cell-phone wallpaper (above) created by Ant from the 2 Degrees Mobile website!

It's called 'Tigerman' and costs 99c. It can be downloaded HERE.

For more information on 'Shaolin Burning', you can check out the exclusive announcement HERE or my tour of Ant's studio HERE.

Above: The cartoon character 'FOT', set to appear on the sketch show 'RadiRadiRah'. Copyright Alex Dron 2010.

In other media news, TV3's new comedy sketch show 'RadiRadiRah' screens this Friday night at 9.30pm. It features an impressive line-up of local comedy talent including: 'Boy' director Taika Waititi, the Naked Samoans (the writers of Bro' Town) and Rhys Darby. One of the shows regular segments will be an animated short called 'FOT' (Funny Orange Thing), voiced by Rhys Darby and co-written and animated by Alex Dron and the Comicbook Factory's Karl Wills.

A fine animator as well as cartoonist, Karl Wills has been very busy of late. As well as working on 'FOT', Karl has also being animating a series of 'Underworld' cartoon shorts based on the comic-strip by US underground cartoonist Kaz. You can check out the first five episodes HERE with more on the way! For updates visit the Comicbook Factory website HERE.

-AK!