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Artist and illustrator Alex Scott’s debut graphic novel Episodes has a dedication: “For anyone who’s ever fallen for the commercial.”
Yes, whether it’s a catchy theme tune, witty meme, friendly protagonist or memorable refrain, you may find yourself falling in love with an advertisement, against your better judgement.
It’s a love that you can equally fall out of, and an overriding theme in Episodes where, over a series of short stories akin to short animations, a host of characters wrestle with the pervasion of advertising in their lives.
It’s everywhere in the novel: from character’s screens to giant billboards on street corners. It even, surreally but true-to-life comes out of the mouths of people they meet.
For regular readers of magazine the New Zealand Listener Scott’s work will be familiar. For 10 years she has contributed smart witty, single panel cartoons to the early columnist pages of the likes of Steve Braunias and Charlotte Grimshaw.
She is part of panel Writing Auckland at Auckland Writers Festival Sunday May 18.
