Age range 14+
From the creator of Netflix original series Dead End: Paranormal Park comes the graphic novel series that started it all!
Barney Guttman's life has been turned upside down. His family is struggling to fully embrace his trans identity, but thanks to his best friend Norma, he's just landed a job at Phoenix Parks, a Dollywood-esque amusement park inspired by the long life and career of mysteriously youthful actress and singer Pauline Phoenix. Soon, Barney and his dog, Pugsley, secretly move into the haunted house attraction. Little does Barney know, the house contains a portal to the demonic planes of Hell. When Courtney, Barney's devilish new roommate, invites a demon king to Earth through the portal, they offer Barney and Norma as flesh vessels for the king, but in a strange twist, Pugsley is possessed instead! It's a race through the park to save Pugsley - and the world - from the demon king's reign of terror that leaves Pugsley with strange and magical side effects. With all of this chaos going on, Barney is also discovering he has crush on park employee, Logan, so he must face his biggest fear of all... talking to someone he likes.
Follow the lives of this diverse group of friends in this hilarious and moving graphic novel series, complete with talking pugs, vengeful ghosts, and first love.
Part workplace comedy, part supernatural horror adventure, with a splash of LGBTQ+ romance, The Watcher's Test is perfect for fans of author Hamish Steele's TV series Dead End: Paranormal Park who are in search of more adventures, for graphic novel lovers who want more diversity in their reads, or simply as an introduction to the zany, creative, and laugh-out-loud funny world of DeadEndia.
'DeadEndiais immediately appealing with its colorful art, unique setting, and funny jokes, but I especially loved the complicated emotional arcs of the characters and the weird, spooky magic underlying everything!' - Molly Knox Ostertag, creator ofThe Witch Boy
'Heart-warming, heartbreaking, heart-pounding, and heartfelt!' - Marika McCoola, TheNew York Timesbestselling author ofBaba Yaga's Assistant
About the Author :
Hamish Steele (he/they) is a freelance animation director and illustrator who grew up surrounded by legends, myths, and folktales. Since graduating from Kingston University in 2013, Hamish has worked for the BBC, Cartoon Network, Disney, and Nickelodeon, among others. He is the creator of and showrunner for the Netflix series Dead End: Paranormal Park, based on his graphic novel series, DeadEndia, and the Eisner Awardwinning creator of the graphic novel Pantheon. Hamish currently lives in London and can be found online at https://hamishsteele.co.uk/.
Review :
Texas Library Association 2020 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List pick "With a madcap pace, off-kilter jokes, and an LGBTQ cast, this is perfect for teens who love macabre humor and heartfelt friendship." --Booklist (starred review)
"The art is imaginative and engaging, with rich, evocative color schemes. [...] A wild ride." --Kirkus Reviews
"This quirky, heartwarming adventure by Steele (Pantheon) captures the awkwardness of early adulthood and the idiosyncrasies of power-hungry demons. [...] A Steven Universe-like aesthetic and a full palette of bold, contrasting colors grace a diverse cast of characters." --Publishers Weekly
"Complicated emotions, strong friendship, demons, and plenty of LGBTQIA+ representation. All that and bright, bold illustrations AND great writing? Total win. Sweet, funny, and enjoyably, delightfully weird." --School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox
"Joyful and weird, Hamish Steele's DeadEndia is a delight. The boundaries of Steele's colorfully crafted universe are as unlimited as his imagination." --Niki Marion, bookseller, Third Place Books, Seattle, WA
