Author(s): Hamish Steele

Graphic Novels | Trans, Intersex, Gender Diverse & Gender Non-Binary

Barney and his best friend, Norma, are just trying to get by and keep their jobs, but working at the Dead End theme park also means battling demonic forces, time traveling wizards, and scariest of all—their love lives!   “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 Barney Guttman’s life has been turned upside down. Barney’s 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, an 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. 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. “DeadEndia is 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 of The Witch Boy “Heart-warming, heartbreaking, heart-pounding, and heartfelt!" —Marika McCoola, The New York Times bestselling author of Baba Yaga’s Assistant

September 2023