CONUNDRUM PRESS 2019 SPRING Front cover art by Alexander Forbes from The Cursed Hermit by Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes WELCOME TO THE SPRING 2019 CATALOGUE

Heading into our 23rd year, we are thrilled to be producing literary graphic novels of such high quality. This catalogue represents three Canadian artists, one Swedish artist, and one Belgian. There is also a page of teaser covers for the next two seasons. Ordering information can be found in the back pages. Please peruse at your leisure.

MEAT AND BONE 4

CHICKEN RISING 8

AURORA BOREALICE 12

WAGE SLAVES 16

SIMON & LOUISE 20

Art by Daria Bogdanska from Wage Slaves 1. Your comics are full of interesting characters bound together in complicated ways. Why do you incorporate this theme in your work?

All my favourite media is about the ensemble cast, from Shakespeare to LOST to and Octopus Pie. I can better reflect the diver- sity of life, opinions, situations and relationships when I have more characters to mix together. It’s not just about making the writing easier for me, I find like there’s more opportunity to look at feelings and stories from a different perspec- tive this way. I have also been something of a self-imposed loner most of my life, but I don’t think that’s my natural state. Creating these groups of people who are tied to one another, Kat Verhoeven is a working both in Towerkind and in Meat and Bone, is my illustrator and living own way of writing an ideal world. I like to see in Eastern Ontario. people accepting that they need one another.

2. What inspired you to create Meat and Bone? MEAT AND BONE nne thinks that getting a new place with her two best friends will be a Kat Verhoeven A I started Meat and Bone in 2014 after running a fresh start — then she meets Marshall, the popular illustrated restaurant review blog, which girl downstairs. Their friendship triggers I decided to end for a few reasons, including Also available: body image issues she thought she had what felt like at the time, a relapse of my eating ISBN 978-1-77262-033-7 8.5x5.5 inches, full colour, left behind. Meanwhile, Gwen tries out disorder. I was still fresh out of university, and 340 pages, softcover, polyamorous dating and Jane practically itching for a project. I had never read a comic $25 moves into the gym, where she quietly that tried to look directly at women’s feelings works through her problems and those about their bodies outside of tumblr autobios. I LGBTQ of her friends. In Meat and Bone, Kat thought it was a story worth telling. MAY 2019 Verhoeven winds these threads into an unflinching, beautifully illustrated exploration of how three Toronto women define themselves. “Meat and Bone is a beautifully illustrated gut-punch of a book. It holds up a mirror to the A queer slice- “Kat’s artwork, characters and story are worst of our self-loathing and dares us to smash it. Kat Verhoeven has created something terribly utterly fearless. Meat and Bone shines a TOWERKIND of-life drama light on the deep insecurities that drive real with this lavish delight of colour: a rallying about dating us, reflecting them out like a prism, in cry to self-love and an honest look at the hard ISBN 978-1-894994-91-0 dazzling full colour.” — Rebecca Mock journey to find it. This book made me feel gen- 164 pges, 4.25x5.5 inches, and eating (Compass South, Knife’s Edge) uinely hopeful that one day I might like myself, b/w, softcover, flaps, $15 too.” — Kate Leth (Adventure Time, Nominated for a Spell on Wheels) Award

4 5 6 7 . Boyd takes an unflinching First-time author D. Boyd is a self- Dlook back at a 1970s childhood taught cartoonist originally from Saint plagued by insecurity, bullying, and John, New Brunswick. After working family dysfunction. A shy only child, in advertising for twenty years in Nova Scotia, and pursuing filmmaking, she Dawn struggles to fit in. After start- moved to and reignited her ing a small town fried chicken fran- love of illustrating, writing, and especial- chise her war-vet father becomes ly, comics. Her earlier work is posted on even more emotionally inaccessible pastureoflove.com. at home, and nothing Dawn does is ever good enough for her mother. School isn’t much better: it’s filled with misinterpretation, false accusa- tions, and constant social challenges. 1. In Chicken Rising, you learn to 2. What was the most challenging as- Dawn’s a true underdog—and this is embrace who you are. How have those pect of writing such a personal story? the story of how she learns to find early lessons helped you as an adult? the good in the bad, and that fitting Thinking everyone is going to hate in isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I wouldn’t quite say embrace, but I me, and thinking it’s all going to be found a foothold, a gap in the abject misinterpreted anyway. When I start- compliance to my parents’ will, that ed, I wasn’t exactly planning on try- “Boyd captures pitch-perfectly the helped me discover a twinkling of ing to publish. I was just compelled CHICKEN RISING ordeal a great many of us have independence. This was the beginning to record the story of my childhood. of identifying with wonderful misfits So at first I simply enjoyed reliving D. Boyd endured: the loneliness and utter frustration of being young and artistic and letting go of trying to fit in. But the past and bringing my parents to many bad habits incubated during this life again. As it progressed and the ISBN 978-1-77262-034-4 in a place that doesn’t want you time, and years of emotional issues and idea to publish arose, I started to 152 pages, 7x10 inches, b/w, to be either. Chicken Rising is part softcover, $18 scrapbook, part shrink ray, and part distorted perfectionism followed. As an panic over how open it was. I’ve al- time machine, capable of reducing adult, as I learned to accept myself, and ways been an introvert, and sudden- APRIL 2019 you in stature, sending you back to then my parents, I found forgiveness ly I realized how much I’m exposing your youth, and letting you relive the and love. It took many years to actually – but by that time it had a life of moments in between the photographs embrace who I am, to be grateful for its own. I would lay awake at night, in your family album — the silly ones, my childhood, and to recognize that horrified by how much dirty laundry the quietly painful ones, and the the wounded part is where strength I’m airing. Shoot bolt upright in bed, ones that there are no names for. A comes from. sweating bullets over the feeling I’m wonderful story.” — Kris Bertin betraying my parents. Clenched with “I totally dig D. Boyd’s story about (The Case of the Missing Men, Bad guilt over how harshly I’m portray- the big and small cruelties of Girl- Things Happen) ing my mother, hoping I’ve done a hood with a capital G in 1970s ciga- good enough job of showing her as rette-smoky New Brunswick. A deftly “Both a precise portrait of juvenile a complicated person, not a villain. I drawn portrayal of the injustices anxiety and a New Brunswick of A bittersweet, still feel vulnerable, exposed, guilty, suffered at the hands of caring older the 1970s that’s as menacing as it is and have moments of panic! parents, only child stereotyping, and quaint, D. Boyd’s debut darkly funny grade school drama. Nothing some Chicken Rising is an egg-spert mem- Jeezly good fried chicken couldn’t oir in which the sky always seems graphic memoir fix!” — Fiona Smyth to be falling.” — Evan Munday (The of a social misfit (Somnambulance) Dead Kid Detective Agency series)

8 9 10 11 hen Joan Steacy graduated Joan Steacy is a visual artist Wfrom high school in 1974, who has worked in a variety of she left her small town behind disciplines, including sculpture, to embark on a lifelong quest for illustration, and digital painting. education. In Aurora Borealice, She grew up in southern Ontario, and moved to Victoria in 1987. A Steacy explores her personal graduate of Sheridan College, the journey through alter-ego Alice, a Ontario College of Art & Design, functional illiterate with a creative and the University of Victoria, mind and an astonishing amount she currently teaches at Camosun of artistic skill. The book is a College in Comics and Graphic lesson in both persevering and Novels, a program she co-created believing in yourself, despite the with partner . She is challenges thrown your way. also the author/illustrator of “So, That’s That!” the biography of her father, a scrap-metal dealer who The story follows Alice as she lived to be 100. winds her way through art college, marriage, an art career in Toronto, parenthood, and a major move to Victoria. Along the way, she draws “The Alice of Aurora Borealice is brilliant, tal- encouragement from her part- ented, and a functional illiterate who believes ner, Canadian comics artist Ken AURORA BOREALICE what she’s been told all her life, until with the Steacy, insight from media theorist Joan Steacy aid of a supportive boyfriend and a healthy Marshall McLuhan and mentor dose of Marshall McLuhan, she breaks free of Eric McLuhan, and inspiration ISBN: 978-1-77262-037-5 her labels. Aurora Borealice is wittily written from Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud, and 250 pages, 6.5x9 inches, b/w, and charmingly drawn.” —Trina Robbins Jack ‘King’ Kirby. The more Alice softcover, $20 learns, the more confident she “Joan Steacy’s Aurora Borealice is a whimsical, APRIL 2019 becomes—until she’s accepted into heartfelt and insightful look at the burgeoning the University of Victoria. There, Toronto art scene of the 1970s. A natural sto- she’s faced with one of the most ryteller, her vivid characters come to life with important questions of her life: her beautiful cartooning.” –, Essex what is the true value of a univer- County, Secret Path sity education?

“Joan Steacy offers up an interesting new door into a moment in cultural history now up for re-evaluation. A gentle and thoughtful look at A memoir of the recent past that feels far away at the same time.” – Douglas Coupland, Generation X triumph over the education “Aurora Borealice is delicate, tough, and direct. It’s about the box school systems try system to force you in, and how destructive it is. But Joan Steacy decided who she was going to be. This is that story.” –, Concrete

12 13 Yeah, and one hour remaining. Forty-five minutes gawd, why can’t i remaining. you're the remember the answer smart to that? calm down, oh shit, I’m still onthe first now gimme my sister! don’t panic. I’ve just question? pace, pace, pace! dammit, I can’t book back! all I can do gotta pace myself! remember - fuck! is draw my shitty little drawings!

thirty minutes remaining. fifteen minutes remaining.

bitch! i better move to the next... shit! shit! shit!

maybe this'll be the only job I get when I graduate... please put down your pencils and hand in your exams now.

See what I mean? I can’t remember any- thing under pressure...

yes...that’s a common complaint.

12 220

14 15 aria Bogdanska moves from Daria Bogdanska is a cartoonist born DPoland to Malmö to attend art 1988 in Warsaw and a resident of school, sets out to find a job, and Malmö, Sweden. She also plays in the discovers that in order to work in punk band Two Wars and works as a bicycle mechanic. the country legally, she needs a Swedish personal identity number. But there is a catch: she can’t get one without securing a job first.

To make ends meet, Daria starts working under the table at an Indian restaurant. There, she discovers another level of inequity: lacking regulation, the under- ground job market is forcing immigrants to settle for a substan- dard quality of life.

In turning to a union for help, she “Between classes and the restaurant, “In the 2018 selection of the sparks a legal battle that ultimately Daria is exhausted. But she is more Angoulême Comics Festival, a punk WAGE SLAVES leads to fairer work practices for and more angry: she discovers that she personality caught our attention. Daria Bogdanska the people in her community. is not the worst off or the worst paid, The first work of Daria Bogdanska and that her immigrant colleagues draws in black and white a portrait Reminiscent of the style of Julie from Bangladesh have more to lose of the youth of the European Translation from the Swedish Doucet, Wage Slaves is the auto- by Hanna Strömberg than she, white and European. She Union.” — Manifesto biographical story of Bogdanska’s understands that even in hell, there is a ISBN 978-1-77262-036-8 determined struggle to build a life ladder of privilege.” — Le Monde 200 pages, 7x10 inches, b/w in Malmö, and how she found a softcover, $20 way to succeed, against all odds. “With her sober black and white line, International Imprint between childish roundness and punk shagginess, Daria Bogdanska manages MAY 2019 to take her reader into her story, some- times too talkative and self-centered, but always fair and sincere. Beyond the successful autobiographical exercise, Daria Bogdanska, who is not yet 30 years old and with her first book, thus portrays beautifully a portrait of a generation of freedom-loving citizens The story of one of the world, who do not shrink from their responsibilities.” — BoDoi woman’s fight for fair pay

16 17 The festival was really stressful but Me and a Danish girl had some at least time went by quickly. problems communicating with the customers.

But we helped each other out. I worked double shifts every We soon grew tired of the day, spending fifteen hours a food we were serving. But we day in the burger tent. started a food exchange sys- tem with the other tents.

18 19 t all begins with a relationship 1.Who do you think will enjoy Simon & Also available: Iupdate on social media. Summer Louise? vacation is about to begin, and Simon discovers the change just as his sup- I think fans of This One Summer, Smile, and Blankets will also enjoy Simon & posed girlfriend leaves to spend two Louise. Like those books, Simon & Louise months in a seaside village. is a young adult book that can be enjoyed by grown-ups and teenagers; teens will Determined to find out what went personally relate to it, while grown-ups will wrong, Simon decides to hitchhike likely read it with a bit of nostalgia for their 520 kms to find her. With just his teen years. The book is set in the present backpack and a few snacks, he sneaks day, but draws on universal themes of being out of the house and hits the road— young, in love, lost, unsecured, crushed, but he quickly discovers that he isn’t and still a kid. quite prepared for the journey. The link to Blankets is less obvious maybe; it is, of course, a very different type of But that’s only half the story. book. But when I read it, I remember Unaware of the miscommunication, the feeling of not yet knowing where you WEEGEE: SERIAL Louise is dealing with social chal- belong and what you want, and trying to PHOTOGRAPHER lenges of her own. be you but at the same time like others. It’s with Wauter Mannaert SIMON & LOUISE something that really resonates with me, Written and illustrated from both and that’s something that I’m trying to do in my work. Translation by Aleshia Jensen Max de Radiguès points of view by the award-winning ISBN 978-1-77262-023-8 creator of (nominated for an Moose 2. As a teen, what was your most memora- 140 pages, 7x10 inches, b/w, Translation by Aleshia Jensen Eisner Award for Teens), Simon & ble summer adventure? softcover, $18 Louise is a story about two people ISBN: 978-1-77262-035-1 in love and the chaos that happens That’s a tough question. I guess it was the 120 pages, 6.5×9 inches, when technology gets in the way. summer when we had our licenses for the full colour with flaps, softcover, $20 first time. My dad was an electrician and International Imprint I, along with three friends, bought his old truck from him. We customised it with beds YA: Ages 13-16 and tables, and all four of us went to the JUNE 2019 “Will need to go in the beach bag if south of France (even though we had only you have a teenager at home.” three seats). — Planete BD We slept on the beaches, in the mountains and at the places of people we vaguely “Tender, funny and touching, this knew through family members. One night comic book is a real breath of fresh we were hungry and lost in the wild, the air that for some will evoke memo- next we were sleeping in a house on the ries of youth.” — La Provence hills of Saint Tropez. It’s was a really crazy and intense holiday. Today, I still wonder Road trips, how things didn’t go south. MOOSE social media, But most of my teenage holidays were just me and my two brothers going from having ISBN 978-1-894994-93-4 and summer love fun to being very bored, waiting for some- 160 pages, 5.75x8.25 inches, b/w, thing to happen… softcover, $17

20 21 Don’t forget everything you’ve All done! Summer Two months in Montpellier learned this year... at last! for me. Two months Class dismissed. without you. Have a great summer! Heh.

My mom finally let We can call each other, Promise? Promise. me get a phone. text and send pictures every day. It’ll go fast.

I’ll miss Same here. That’s you! my dad.

Talk to you Eeesh Two tonight! months

That’s a long It’ll be time... fine!

22 23 NOW AVAILABLE NOW AVAILABLE

FLEM 100 DAYS IN THE VAGABOND VALISE ON VINYL Rebecca Rosen URANIUM CITY Siris Lorenz Peters Ariane Dénommé Translation by ISBN 9781772620290 ISBN 978-1-77262-028-3 ISBN: 978-1-77262-027-6 80 pages, 6.5x8.5 inches, b/w, Translation by Helge Dascher & Rob Aspinal 80 pages, 7x10 inches 352 pages, 6.75x9 inches, softcover, $15 ISBN: 978-1-77262-026-9 full colour, softcover with flaps, $20 softcover, full colour with flaps, $25 144 pages, 7x9.5 inches, b/w, BDANG Imprint “Lorenz Peter’s On Vinyl is my early softcover, $18, BDANG Imprint pick for graphic novel of the year. When Julia meets a group of radical This tale of a technologically chal- feminist performance artists in a Inspired by the stories her father told A poignant account of an alcoholic lenged record-store owner who tries Brussels squat, she is convinced her, Dénommé sketches a portrait of a father who drags his family into to ride the so-called ‘vinyl resur- by their political perspective and Northern mining town in the late 1970s. misfortune, The Vagabond Valise is gence’ into the future is as funny as enchanted by their counter-cultur- the heart-breaking autobiograph- it is thought-provoking.” al lifestyle. But has she found her “In soft and sometimes sloppy pencil, ical story of Siris, represented by — London Free Press tribe... or lost her mind? Dénommé tells a quiet, tender tale of his chicken-headed alter ego. Siris men who deaden the heartbreak of sepa- paints a sincere and poetic portrait “An addictive piece of hallucino- ration with equal parts vodka, repression, of his troubled childhood, in and genic comic art... a book that deeply and sexual fantasy. In this cool-toned out of foster homes, but also of the penetrates your body and settles in portrait, the most powerful panels are working-class, post-war your bloodstream like a clot.” the wordless ones, where snow swirls, where it took place. Ten years in the — Bruzz Daniel stares at the frozen landscape, making, The Vagabond Valise is the and no one knows what to say.” first graphic novel from a founding — Publisher’s Weekly father of the Quebec comix under- ground.

24 25 BACKLIST BACKLIST

Feast of Fields Mister Morgen by Sean Karemaker by Igor Hofbauer ISBN 978-1-77262-025-2 Translated with an introduction by Nina Bunjevac 140 pages, 7×10.5 inches, b/w, softcover, $18 ISBN 978-177262-013-9 240 pages, 7.5×10.25 inches, duotone, softcover, $25 The Curse of Charley Butters International Imprint by Zach Worton Winner of an Alcuin Award for Design ISBN: 978-1-77262-022-1 340 pages, 6×8 inches, b/w, softcover, $20 Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa Norths: Two Suitcases and a Stroller Around the Circumpolar World ISBN 978-177262-011-5 by Alison McCreesh 140 pages, 6.5×9 inches, b/w, softcover, $18 ISBN: 978-1-77262-021-4 Young Adult / Memoir 420 pages, 7×5 inches, b/w, softcover, $20 Dreams in Thin Air BDQ: Essays and Interviews on Quebec Comics by Michael Nybrandt Edited by Andy Brown illustrated by Thomas Mikkelsen ISBN 978-1-77262-018-4 with a preface by His Holiness the Dalai Lama 224 pages, 6×8.5 inches, b/w, illustrated throughout, softcover, $25 ISBN 978-1-77262-010-8 Literary Criticism / BDANG Imprint 180 pages, full colour, hardcover with jacket, 9.5×6.75 inches, $25 Young Adult / International Imprint The Case of the Missing Men by Kris Bertin/ Alexander Forbes Lake Jehovah ISBN 978-1-77262-016-0 by Jillian Fleck 304 pages, 5.5×8.5 inches, b/w, softcover, $20 ISBN 978-1-77262-007-8 Nominated for a 216 pages, 5.5×6.75 inches, full colour, softcover, $25 CDN / $20 US

The Collected The Palace of Champions by Arn Saba by ISBN 978-1-77262-015-3 Afterword and interview by Mathieu Beauséjour 360 pages, 8×11 inches, b/w, softcover, $25 Translation by Peter Dubé Introduction by Trina Robbins ISBN 978-1-77262-006-1 Backward by and so much in between… 64 pages, 9×14 inches, full colour, hardcover, $25, BDANG Imprint Winner of the Expozine Award for Best Comic 2016 Getting Out of Hope Winner of the Doug Wright Pigskin Peters Award 2016 by James Cadelli ISBN 978-177262-014-6 Bird in a Cage 208 pages, 6×8 inches, b/w, softcover, $18 by Rebecca Roher ISBN 978-1-77262-005-4 Morton: A Cross-Country Rail Journey 112 pages, 7×9 inches, b/w, softcover, $15 by David Collier Winner of the Doug Wright Award 2016 for Best Book ISBN 978-177262-012-2 160 pages, 7×10 inches, b/w, softcover, $20

26 27 COMING SOON: FALL 2019 COMING SOON: 2020

MARTIN PETERS Patrick Allaby

MURRAY GEISTER: TOPP THE CURSED HERMIT PARANORMAL David Collier Kris Bertin & INVESTIGATOR Alexander Forbes Dakota McFadzean

LANGOSH & PEPPI: FUGITIVE DAYS Veronica Post

NOTHING TO TAXI: STORIES FROM SEE HERE THE BACK SEAT DAKWAKADA WARRIORS Howard Chackowicz Aimée de Jongh Cole Pauls

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Jacques Filippi : Quebec &Atlantic Provinces Tel: 1.855.626.3222 x244 Conundrum Press acknowledges the financial assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts, the This catalogue is printed by Halcraft Government of Canada toward their publications. on 100% recycled Enviro paper. 30 31 www.conundrumpress.com

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