What's the Deal, TVNZ? Terry Teo Could be a Hit

Above: Kahn West as Terry Teo.

In today's NZ Herald, entertainment columnist Karl Puschmann reviews the new Terry Teo TV series - streaming now on TVNZ Ondemand - and found a lot to like, "Terry Teo is an effortless reboot that's perfectly pitched for its modern audience and the old-school fans. It pulls off the neat trick of managing to be both familiar and new. It's a winner."

He continues, "Terry Teo is snappy, lively and filled with good-natured humour and zing that only occasionally rubs up awkwardly against the seriousness of its premise. The script's great, it's superbly cast and, best of all, it has proper car chases. Despite its modernity it retains that real 80s kidult action feel."

But he also poses the question, if the show's this good, why isn't TVNZ airing it? "...if I had a locally produced show of this calibre, with a positive and charismatic young Polynesian hero in the lead and a great multi-ethnic cast, I'd change whatever plans I had and get this thing on air sharpish." 

TVNZ has publicly stated that they plan to air the TV series at a later date, at an appropriate time slot to better accommodate the PG rating of some of the episodes.

You can check out the full review HERE.

- AK!

Terry Teo screening now at TVNZ Ondemand!

The new Terry Teo is here! Catch the first two episodes: Terry and the Gunrunners Parts 1 & 2 available to stream now on TVNZ Ondemand HERE.

And check back here later in the week as we break down the episodes for a full review!

- AK!

12 Questions with Terry Teo Co-Creator Bob Kerr

Above: Terry Teo Artist and Co-Creator, Bob Kerr. Photo by Nick Reed.

In today's NZ Herald, Terry Teo Artist and Co-Creator Bob Kerr answers 12 questions on the creation of the original Terry Teo graphic novel, his paintings, and more. Discussing his early career as an author/illustrator, he told the NZ Herald, "We live in a culturally rich country. I was part of a new wave of people who wanted to produce New Zealand books. Most of us came through Writers in Schools. Joy Cowley organised a very lively meeting at her place in the Sounds in the late 80s. We all got together - Lynley Dodd, Gavin Bishop, Tessa Duder - and had a rip-roaring weekend. It was an exciting time. Kids now are growing up with a Disney-fied universal culture driven by mass market economics. I want our kids to know about where they live."

As for being approached to turn Terry Teo into a TV series in the mid-1980s, Bob recalls, "there was a knock on the door and a film producer wearing a safari suit said, "Hello, I'm Logan Brewer. I'd like to make a TV series." Steve and I thought this must be what happens. We were just naive goofs along for the ride. Steve wrote nine episodes of TV script but only six were made because skateboarding went out of fashion, according to the funders".

You can read the full interview HERE.

- AK!

Meet the New Terry Teo: Kahn West

Above: Kahn West as Terry Teo.

Ahead of tomorrow's premiere of the brand new Terry Teo TV series on TVNZ Ondemand, learn more about the actor who's picking up the trademark skateboard to become the new Terry: Kahn West. 

After a minor role in the 2012 horror film Fresh Meat, playing Terry Teo is his first major role as a lead actor. While he wasn't aware of the original character's cult status, his family certainly was. As West told the NZ Herald Weekend Magazine, "I came home and told my family I'd auditioned for it and they started jumping up and down. They knew who Terry Teo was. They even started singing the theme tune. I was like, 'What the hell?". You can read the full interview with Kahn West HERE.

Above: Josh Thomson as Detective McMurray.

Josh Thompson plays Detective McMurray, who reluctantly teams up with the young sleuth over the coarse of his adventures. Thompson recalled the original show and graphic novel series from his childhood. He told The Waikato Times, "I remember seeing it a couple of times when I was little, I remember being quite a fan of the comics. I do remember them having massive shoes and quite sort of cartoony clothes." You can read the full interview with Thompson HERE.

Terry Teo premieres July 12th on TVNZ Ondemand.

- AK!

Earth's End at Auckland Armageddon Expo 2015!

Above: The cover for the new edition of Terry Teo and the Gunrunners by Bob Kerr & Stephen Ballantyne.

Earth's End is back at Auckland Armageddon Expo this Labour Weekend, with a great selection of the finest NZ comics and graphic novels - and a few surprises too!

First up, we're proud to present our latest publication: a special edition of the classic kiwi kids graphic novel, Terry Teo and the Gunrunners by Bob Kerr & Stephen Ballantyne. Newly remastered from the original artwork archived at the National Library of New Zealand, this 1980s adventure is now more vibrant and action-packed than ever before! This edition also features an in-depth history of this icon character, from graphic novel to television screens - Adrian Kinnaird charts the legacy of Terry Teo. With brand new interviews and insights from co-creators Kerr & Ballantyne, veteran TV director Chris Bailey and producer Logan Brewer, and the team behind the upcoming new TV series Terry Teo, writer/director Gerard Johnstone and producer Luke Sharpe. It will be available all weekend for $24.99.

Above: The Heading Dog Who Split In Half  by Michael Brown & Mat Tait.

In association with Potton & Burton Publishing, we will be hosting cartoonist Mat Tait, on hand to sign copies of his new graphic novel with Michael Brown, The Heading Dog Who Split In Half: Legends and Tall Tales From New Zealand. This gorgeous over-sized paperback collection adapts some of New Zealand's rich folklore and weirdest tall tales into comics form. A place of phantom waka, ruined castles, romantic escapades in the early whaling days, magical sheepdogs, gargantuan crayfish and more are all captured in Tait's densely detailed and atmospheric artwork. This is must-have for every local comic collection! Mat Tait will be signing on Saturday, and the collection retails for $39.99.

Ant Sang will also be in attendance on Saturday to sign copies of his landmark graphic novel, The Dharma Punks. If you have yet to pick up a copy and find out what all the fuss is about, now is your chance to get a signed copy and meet the author himself! We will also have the latest from Faction Comics, including the recent collection of climate change themed comics, High Water, featuring: Damon Keen, Katie O'Neil, Sarah Laing, Toby Morris and more!

Above:  The cast of the new Terry Teo TV series. From right: Kahn West as Terry Teo, Drew Brice Ford as Caleb, Hanna Tevita as Polly, and Manon Blackman as Penelope Butterworth. Copyright Semi-Professional Pictures 2015.

And in an Armageddon Expo exclusive, if you stop by our booth you can view the very first footage of the new Terry Teo TV series, coming this summer to TV2! So make sure you see it here first!

The Auckland Armageddon Expo will be held this Labour Weekend, Friday October 23rd - Monday October 26th at the ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane. The Earth's End booth is located in Pavilion #2, Booth #88 just opposite the international comics guests. You can visit the Armageddon Expo website HERE for more details, and buy tickets HERE. We look forward to seeing you there!

- AK!

Terry Teo's Life of Crime?

Above: Kahn West and Terry Teo at the scene of a crime. Copyright Semi-Professional Pictures 2015.

In today's Sunday Star Times, Eleanor Black takes a look at the new, slightly grittier changes made to the Terry Teo characters in the upcoming TV series set to screen on TV2.

In the new series, Terry is a potential gang prospect, his policeman father has been killed, and his mother is now a petty criminal. Despite his troubled family life, Terry still overcomes these setbacks to fight crime and hopefully solve his father's murder.  Co-creator Stephen Ballantyne, Dylan Horrocks and myself chime in with our thoughts on the changes, and what makes the original graphic novel so appealing.

You can read the article online HERE.

- AK!

Terry Teo Returns!

Revealing the return of a classic kiwi icon, and a tie-in edition to the new TV series Terry Teo, to air soon on TVNZ!

Earth’s End Publishing is proud to announce the return of the classic kiwi kids graphic novel, Terry Teo and the Gunrunners by Stephen Ballantyne & Bob Kerr, to be published on the 6th of November 2015.

Originally released in 1982 as Terry and the Gunrunners, this distinctly local take on the Tintin graphic novel format was an instant hit with children across the nation. The popularity of the book made Terry an instantly iconic kiwi character – inspiring two sequels, and the much loved television adaptation, Terry and the Gunrunners (1985), starring Adrian Bell, Michael Bentine and Billy T. James.

This new edition has been digitally remastered and restored from the original artwork and archives, allowing readers to experience Terry’s first adventure in vibrant watercolour – capturing all of the detail and delights of this action-packed, family favourite adventure!

Above: Remastered artwork by Bob Kerr from Terry Teo and the Gunrunners.

There is also an exclusive behind the scenes look at the history of this kiwi icon, and the brand new TV series, Terry Teo (2015). Due to air soon on TVNZ, the new series is produced by Gerard Johnstone and Luke Sharp, the team behind the recent hit movie Housebound (2014). Starring Kahn West as Terry Teo, Kimberley Crossman and Michael Hurst, the series is produced by Semi-Professional Pictures.

Above: A first look at the new Terry Teo TV series cast. From right: Kahn West as Terry Teo, Drew Brice Ford as Caleb, Hanna Tevita as Polly, and Manon Blackman as Penelope Butterworth. Copyright Semi-Professional Pictures 2015.

The continued interest in this classic character came as a pleasant surprise to Terry Teo artist and co-creator Bob Kerr. “We weren't thinking about any of this when we started. We were probably rather naïve. We just wanted to create a story featuring some local kids having a ripping adventure with heaps of laughs along the way, and somehow that connected with readers. Steve and I are delighted that Terry has been remembered, and that 30 odd years later he is having another outing both in print and on the telly”.

Above: Remastered artwork by Bob Kerr from Terry Teo and the Gunrunners.

Synopsis:

Terry Teo is not your average schoolboy - he's a skateboarding super-sleuth about to embark on his very first adventure!

When he stumbles headfirst into the criminal schemes of the villainous Ray Vegas, Terry finds himself embroiled in a dastardly gun smuggling operation. Along with his karate-chopping sister, Polly, and older brother Ted, Terry must use all his street smarts to avoid Vegas' henchmen, defeat the smugglers, and save the day!

Ordering Information:

Copies of Terry Teo and the Gunrunners are now available for order from Earths End Publishing. Email: earthsendpublishing@gmail.com.Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries or require further information. You can also follow us on Twitter: @EarthsEndComics and Facebook: www.facebook/EarthsEndPublishing.

Publishing Details:
Terry Teo and the Gunrunners
Bob Kerr & Stephen Ballantyne
Trade paperback 260mmx210mm
56 pages, full-colour
RRP: $24.99
Release date: 6th November 2015
ISBN - 978-0-473-33067-5

Be sure to check back here soon for further updates and exclusive preview material!

- Adrian Kinnaird

Editorial Director