Rainbow - Bitly

QUEER AND TRANSCOMIC ARTISTS + ILLUSTRATORS

OF AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND

Under theRainbow

Compiled by Sam Orchard

All artwork in this zine is copyright to the respective artists and/or copyright holders. Please contact the relevant artist/author for permission to reproduce any image.

Published May 2019, Creative Fruit Ltd.

QUEER AND TRANSCOMIC ARTISTS + ILLUSTRATORS

OF AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND

Under theRainbow

Under the RainbowIndex

Holly Aitchison Raewyn Alexander Cat Atkinson Hana ChataniDon Chooi Jack Remiel Cottrell Ekkus Amy Eye Erin Fae Richard Fairgray Kī Foster Casper GordonSani Gregory-MooreHairbrushedHuriana Kopeke-Te AhoSloane Kim Winter KnealeCasey Lucas

Sarah LundLiv MehrtensSaturn Rose MurraySam OrchardPepper RaccoonStace RobertsonLaya RoseAsh SpittalMadshrewNate TamblynYaron TanaTempestKezia TubbsMaxwell VexVincentJem YoshiokaLenny Zook

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Holly Aitchison (she/her)

Holly is a fine artist who uses comic creation/il-lustration to decompress from the pressures of life. Holly has self published a graphic novella called Potato and been involved with We Are Beneficiaries.

Facebook: Holly AitchisonInstagram: @hollyhopop

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- Comic Writer and Artist - Illustrator -

Twitter: @RaewynAlexnderFacebook: raewyn.alexanderPatreon: RaewynAlexander

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Raewyn Alexander (she/her)

Raewyn writes fiction, poetry, non-fiction, es-says, reviews, blogs and critique;is an editor, publisher and performer. Three novels so far, (Penguin and Bright Publishing), also a co-writer of guides for teens. Raewyn’s first comic, early ‘80s was TKO - given away to inner city wildlings, thanks Martian Way Press. Since then, Three Words Anthology in print; Nowhere and Nothing (but Love) - a 68 page hand-drawn ebook on Amazon world-wide, and Cooking Inventively soon.

Cat Atkinson (they/them)

Cat enjoys creating pieces that are relatable and make people smile! They draw personalwork and commissions, and have also createdsome pieces for local queer non-for-profits.

Website: www.heycaterina.comInstagram: @ softcorevoid

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Hana Chatani (she/Her)

Hana is a Japanese Kiwi artist living in New Zealand, trying hard to balance her creative life with the real world. She is a traditional painter and comic artist.

Twitter: @hanpanmangakiInstagram: @hanachataniPatreon: hakobore

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- Comic Artist - Illustrator - Don Chooi (he/him)

Don Chooi is an illustrator, a graphic design-er and an aspiring academic. He has been contributing art to the gay bear community since 2005 as D.ChooiDoodles and complet-ed his first graphic novel ‘Homebound’ for his Master’s in 2017. Don’s work focuses on the cultural and sexual identity of the gay asian immigrant, and gay male hypermasculine per-formativity.

Website: dchooidoodles.blogspot.com Facebook: dchooidoodlesInstagram: @dchooidoodles

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- Comic Writer -Jack Remiel Cottrell (he/him)

Currently Jack writes very short stories and wistfully gazes at pieces which would be better as comics, were he not completely incapable of drawing. He specialises in sneaking genre pieces into lit-fic circles (often in a trench-coat with a fake ID). Always looking for artists to collaborate with.

Twitter: @sportingcryptidInstagram: @JackRemi

‘What’s in my pocket?’ and other riddles that have no good answers

“Guys, have you seen my ring?” Henry’s voice always slides up the octaves when he gets upset, “I can’t find it!”He sits amongst the detritus of his kitbag, shaking it out. I turn to dig through my own gear, just in time to miss the stifled hiccup behind me.

I fell in love with that hitch in his throat. Sit next to him for the exquisite agony of the smell of his soap powder and his sunscreen and him.But he doesn’t care about me. Not like I need. Not enough to bring a hitch to his breath.

There’s only so much masochism I can take, rifling through my belongings looking for the ring that marks him as hers, that shows he loves her and not me.

I zip up my bag, then gently put one hand around Henry’s shoulder as I head towards the door, leaning into him for a moment. The outside of my leg presses against his arm and I can feel him trembling, just a little.

He pauses from where he is rechecking pockets that he already knows are empty.

“It’ll be okay mate, it’s gotta be around here somewhere.” My thumb slides up his shoul-der to fleetingly brush his neck. “Thanks,” he gives me a watery smile, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His voice sounds as hollow as I felt when I realised, he’d never care.

As the door closes behind me, I slip my hand into my own pocket, trace the warm metal with one fingertip, feel the scratches that mark years of wear. It’s not enough, but it’s something.

At least it’s something.

- Illustrator -

Website: 66sukke.weebly.comInstagram: @eksekseksekseks

Ekkus (she/her)

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Amy Eye (she/her)

Amy is a trans illustrator and occasional comic writer from New Zealand. Most of her comic work was posted online under her previous identity, so she is starting all over again.

Website: tapas.io/AmyEYE Twitter: @KthranosFacebook: Amy EyeInstagram: @kthranoPatreon: AmyEYE

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Erin Fae (she/her)

Erin Fae is a nonbinary femme lesbian who makes mischief and works on paper in the shadow of a dormant volcano. She likes get-ting her fingers inky. Recent projects include a comic of witches, a souvenir of the desert, and a vending machine to help get more self-published works to people living in Tāma-ki-makau-rau.

Website: erinfae.comTwitter: @miss_faeInstagram: @ _erinfaePatreon: erinfae


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Richard has created comics all his life, mostly all ages stuff. He does an ongoing series called Blastosaurus about a mutant dinosaur, a middle grade horror series called Black Sand Beach as well as a bunch of picture books that have won a bunch of awards. His last picture book was a feminist reimagining of the myriad of stories about boys being eaten by lions. Jill Sobule did a song for it, it’s called Sweet Pen-ny and the Lion. His more adult work includes a lot of short web comics, an ongoing memoir about his fear of becoming an octopus, and a handful of graphic novels.

Website: richardsux.comTwitter: @blastosaurusFacebook: blastosaurus, richardsux, richardfairgrayInstagram: @richardsuxcomics, @blastosaurus

- Comic Writer and Artist - Illustrator - Richard Fairgray (he/him)

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- Illustrator - Ki Foster (they/them)

Kī is a goblin with a brain full of big words, simple doodles, css, and pastel working class aesthetics. work includes the suit and i are one, a fanzine/comic about ptsd and iron man; mixed-media art about sex work for fightback magazine; numerous published poems; and a number of illustrations, posters, sites and logos for leftist organisations in aotearoa.

Website: goblins.downloadTwitter: @pastelprole

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- Comic Writer and Artist - Illustrator - Casper Gordon (he/they)

Casper writes zines and comics that talk about mental health, and does other illustrations about various bits n pieces.

Website: caspergordon.tumblr.comFacebook: doomeggInstagram: @doomegg

- Comic Artist -Sani Gregory-Moore (they)

A they/them creator chasing the feeling in the back of your eyeballs when colours are just that little bit too loud. Sani is passionate about making work that is entirely accessible for all, and using colour and humor to ease relatable and painful subjects.

Website: sanidoesart.bigcartel.comInstagram: @sanidoes

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- Illustrator - Hairbrushed (she/they)

Hairbrushed makes art for people who take stairs two at a time.

Website: hairbrushed.tumblr.com Instagram: @hairbrushedPatreon: hairbrushed

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- Illustrator - Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho (they)

Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho is a takatāpui artist of Ngai Tuhoe, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Kahungungu descent based in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auck-land, they also whakapapa to Samoa, Tahiti, Ireland, Scotland and Denmark. Their work is primarily influenced by their Māori whakapapa, takatāpui identity and political beliefs.

Twitter: maorimarxist Facebook: Huriana Kopeke-Te AhoInstagram: @hurianakt.a

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- Comic Writer and Artist - Illustrator - Sloane Kim (they/them)

Kim is a nonbinary artist, born in SoKo and grown on the sprawling, concrete, suburban pastures of Auckland, New Zealand. They are mostly focused on tattooing these days but have been known to do illustrations and com-ics too.

instagram: @flaeshmachinetattoostwitter: @plaest2kpatreon: plaest2k

Winter Kneale (they/them)

Winter creates illustrations inspired by tradi-tional tattoos, studio Ghibli movies and drugs

Instagram: @pohutukawa.babi

- Illustrator -

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Casey Lucas (she/her)

Casey Lucas is a Queenstown-based novelist and sportswriter whose first comic, Where Trees Grow Tall, is upcoming in late 2019. A former professional ghostwriter, she has pub-lished sixteen books and finally released one in 2018 under her real name: the fantasy web se-rial Into the Mire. Casey loves big, genre-blur-ring stories that are full of heart where charac-ters can triumph over their losses and attain if not a happy ending at least a peaceful one.

Website: intothemire.comTwitter: @caseylucasquaid Patreon: CaseyLucas

- Comic Writer -

They drag him beneath the sprawl of the Gallows Tree, the old gnarled presence that has lurked in the Square since history can remember. It’s ancient. It’s dead. Its twisted boughs throw writhing, tentacular shadows on the aged stone, but Calay isn’t scared of it. He grits his teeth into the rag that gags him, biding his time.

As they haul him up onto a stool, some dignitary whose name he can’t remember bellows out his crimes. It’s a satisfyingly lengthy list. The crier imbues the words with appropriate menace. He flits the tiniest glance off toward the Landed in their marquee. Shame Lady Rovelenne couldn’t join you, he wishes he could say.

He does not search the crowd for his friends. Doesn’t want the memory of their haunted eyes to wake him at night. Gaz is out there somewhere. Syl, too. And he imagines Loy might be there, if only because watching him die would be of scientific curiosity.

Turn away, he wishes he could tell them. You don’t need to watch this part. It’ll all be over in a minute. Right now, they’re holding their breaths and awaiting something awful. They don’t know they’re watching a magic trick. Don’t know the coin’s about to reappear in their palm, safe and sound.

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Sarah Lund (she/her)

Sarah is a cut paper illustrator and comic creator from Christchurch; her favourite thing is exploring queer and feminine themes in fantasy settings. Her work has been published in both the Three Words and Funtime anthol-ogies.

Website: plaidart.tumblr.comTwitter: @plaidcushion Instagram: @plaidcushion

- Comic Artist - Illustrator -

Liv Mehrtens (she/her)

Liv is a digital artist and graphic designer from the city of Hamilton, New Zealand. She be-gan freelance contract work at 13 after win-ning a graphic design competition for a small newspaper. It was from there that she started exploring the business side of her real pas-sion: illustration. For Liv, creativity and passion make life SPICY, and she have developed a real and fulfilling love for breathing life into a vision...whether that be her own vision or that of another person.

Website: Livartisan.weebly.comFacebook: LivartisanDesignInstagram: @livartisanPatreon: Livartisan

- Illustrator -

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Saturn Rose Murray (they)

Saturn is currently studying at an art institute in Wellington. They enjoy writing comics and developing characters for fun.

Website: deviantart.com/saturnsorbit


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Sam Orchard (he/him)

Sam Orchard autobio webcomic ‘Rooster Tails’ explores his life as a queer transgender man, the comic explores themes of mental health, fat embodiment, nerd culture, trans lives, and caring for a food-obsessed cat. He is also the author of ‘Family Portraits’, a series of short comic stories that amplify the stories of inter-sectional identities within rainbow communi-ties. His comics and resources have been used across the globe.

Website: roostertailscomic.comFacebook: roostertailscomicTwitter: sam_orchardPatreon: Roostertails

- Comic Writer and Artist - Illustrator

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Pepper Raccoon (she/her)

Pepper Raccoon is an illustrator and explorer of twisted chasms with a passion for nature’s mystery, humour, and diversity. She has her own online store at pepperraccoon.com with some of New Zealand’s most popular enamel pins, as well as art prints, stickers, and more. She’s an enthusiastic participant of art and zinefests around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Website: pepperraccoon.comTwitter: @pepperraccoonInstagram: @pepperraccoonPatreon: pepper_raccoon

- Illustrator -

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Stace Robertston (he/they)

Stace is a disabled queer trans guy of Pākehā descent. He has a Bachelor of Media Arts with Honors and works across many different media including photography, oil painting, illustra-tion and ceramics. His work is predominantly portraiture and he aims to represent those who are marginalised across intersections of identi-ty.

Website: theallofusproject.netTwitter: @tripupstaceInstagram: @ tripupstace

- Illustrator -

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Laya Rose (she/her)

Laya is an artist/designer who loves faeries, plants, and pretty things. She has two web-comics. Overgrown is a short interactive/an-imated comic about a girl trapped in a faery realm who needs to complete three tasks to get home. Mistlands is an ongoing webcomic, also about girls and faeries!

Website: layaroseart.comTwitter: @layahimlayaInstagram: @layahimlayaPatreon: Layaart


Ash Spittal (he/him)

Ash is a queer artist from Auckland who has been self-publishing his work for the last six years. He am currently working on his debut comic book titled ‘Life’s a Beach’ which can be supported through his Patreon.

Twitter: @ashspitsInstagram: @ashspitsPatreon: Ashspittalcomix


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Maddie Tait-Jamieson (she)

Maddie - also known as MADSHREW through her comics - completed a fine arts degree at Beaux Arts de Montpellier in France. She currently works in Wellington as an image and text-based artist and part time barista. Mad-die’s latest exhibition ‘Art Talk with Art Friends’ showed at Bartley + Co Gallery in December 2018. Her works have been published in Mim-icry Journal and Capital Magazine.

Website: madshrew.comInstagram: @madshrewy

- Comic Writer and Artist -

Nate Tamblyn (he/him)

Nate is a multimedia Christchurch artist: Com-ics, Paintings, Ceramics, Doll-Making, Anima-tion & Character Design. Author of Nothing Fits and currently Co-Directing and Writing on a game project called: Shelflife.

Website: shelflife.pizzaInstagram: @bucketofchunks

- Comic Writer and Artist -

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Yaron Tana (she/her)

aron is a trans woman from the wild Northland region of Aotearoa. Initially started as a hobby artist, it quickly grew into an intense passion. While Yaron’s main focus is character design, she also occasionally does animation, comics and concept art. Yaron often explores inner emotions and thoughts relating to the world around her.

Twitter: @artofyaronInstagram: @artofyaron

- Illustrator -

Tempest (she/her)

Tempest is a bubbly hurricane of colour and darkness. Her work focuses on disturbing peo-ple and breaking boundaries. She loves using bright happy colours as well as dark and down right gorey. With things like 4 eyed blue cats and naked body’s stuck together with bloody goo Tempests work caters to everyone’s strange needs. Tempest works in many medi-ums but mainly focuses on digital, acrylic and watercolour. New Zealand born and based she comes from the bottom of the world, welcome to her corner of strange.

Instagram: @tempest.art @tempestscorner

- Illustrator -

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Kezia Tubbs (she/they)

Kez is an illustrator and story teller from New Zealand. They’re a recent bachelor of design graduate interested in drawing colourful car-toons and comics and handsome girls. They also enjoy baking and being bad at video games.

Website: thekingkez.comTwitter: @TheKingKezInstagram: @TheKingKez


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Maxwell Vex (he/him)

Maxwell is a comic writer/artist and illustrator who loves to draw cute and spooky things. Over the course of several years he wrote and drew the graphic novel series Agents of the Endtimes. He is now working on a webcomic called The Sequential Adventures of Chelsea and Millie, about two ginger-haired little misfit sisters with a penchant for paranormal-tinged adventures.

Website: chelseaandmillie.comTwitter: MaxwellVexFacebook: maxwell.vex


Vincent (they/them)

Vincent is a long time collaborator with the band Departure Party (formerly Yor Cronies); used to do a lot of gig posters; various zines, and cartoons online; one book ‘The Taken Up-per Collection’ which is alllllmost sold out.

Website: Vincentkonrad.com Twitter: @vincentkonradFacebook: Tinyurl.com/fansofvincentInstagram: @vincentkonrad @depressionerror


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Jem Yoshioka (she/her)

Jem Yoshioka is an illustrator and comic art-ist living in Wellington, New Zealand. Deftly weaving words and pictures together, Jem’s comics tell evocative and emotional stories with themes of belonging, place, and heri-tage. Jem’s current webcomic project is a soft science fiction romance between an android and a human called Circuits and Veins, which you can read on Webtoons. Jem has been published in Electrum - an all-ages mixed race anthology, The School Journal, Three Words - the New Zealand Women’s comics anthology, and Geometry literary journal among others. She won first place in the Chromacon New Zealand Indie Arts Festival Comic Awards in 2013 and 2015.

Website: jemshed.comTwitter: @jemyoshiokaFacebook: jem.yoshioka.artInstagram: @jemyoshiokaPatreon: Jemyoshioka


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Lenny Zook (they/them)- Comic Artist -

Lenny’s work is often auto-biographical and centres around their struggle with mental and physical illness. Their goal is to strengthen the importance of connection and understanding of chronic health issues. They hope that their work can support others struggling through their own journeys, using humor, brutal hones-ty, oversharing and cute stuff

Website: lennyzook.comFacebook: lenny.zook.stuffInstagram: @lenny.zook

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