The fiddle-free side of Nova Scotia history

More than the stereotypes of lobsters and fiddles, Canada's "ocean playground" of Nova Scotia boasts a vibrant history of ghost stories, folklore, industry, politics, and vibrant Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ and immigrant communities. Home or formerly home to some of Canada's biggest names in comics over the past decades, this anthology brings together 15 artists, making Nova Scotia's history come to life through a collection of graphic stories that are spooky, funny and thought-provoking. Nova Scotia and the Maritimes are usually neglected in the study of Canadian history. This anthology will bring offbeat stories from across the province to light in a fun, engaging and irreverent manner. Presenting Nova Scotia history in a graphic format and unique stories that aren't taught in schools, this book will be an approachable, readable collection that appeals to readers of comics and non-fiction alike.

Laura Kenins is the author of the comics Steam Clean (Retrofit) and Alien Beings (kuš!), as well as numerous self-published works. Her comics have been published in Carte Blanche, Kuti Kuti, The Rusty Toque, Truthout, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and other publications. Her journalistic work has been published by CBC, Quill & Quire, The Coast, The Telegraph-Journal, This Magazine, and other publications. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design and a master's degree in history from Central European University. Having lived in Halifax, Latvia and Hungary, she currently resides in Toronto.

Laura Kenins' profile page

Rebecca Roher is a cartoonist, illustrator and educator. Her work has been published on the Nib, Bitch Media, New York Times Now, GUTS Canadian Feminist Magazine, Seven Days Alt-Weelky, Symbolia, the Media Co-op and Briarpatch. She's also a co-publisher of the West Dublin Monitor and recently completed an MFA at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. Her comic Mom Body was nominated for an Ignatz Award and the minicomic version of Bird in a Cage won an Expozine Award. She lives in Toronto.

Rebecca Roher's profile page

Kris Bertin is a Halifax-based writer of novels, short stories, graphic novels, and screenplays. His first collection of short stories, Bad Things Happen, won the 2016 Writer's Trust of Canada's Danuta Gleed Award. He is a two-time winner of the Jack Hodgins 'Founders' Award for Short Fiction and his stories have been published in The Walrus, TNQ, The Malahat Review, PRISM International, and many others. Kris Bertin's graphic novel, a surreal mystery story set in a remote east coast village (co-created with artist Alexander Forbes), The Case of the Missing Men, was nominated for a Doug Wright Award. He and his screenwriting partner, Naben Ruthnum, have projects in development at Oddfellows Entertainment. Visit krisbertin.com.

Kris Bertin's profile page

"Nova Graphica is a good example of how the comics medium can help make history more accessible to all."

--Mark J. McLaughlin, Assistant Professor of History and Canadian Studies at the University of Maine.

"Nova Graphica is the graphic novel history of Nova Scotia I didn't know I needed. Wide-ranging in tone and featuring a diverse perspective of voices and styles, the comic compendium hits the nail right on the head."

--Broken Pencil