Daniel Vernon
- Writer, YeeHawTheBoys Direct
- Freelance Content Creator, ITP TechBlog
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Articles by Daniel Vernon
Don’t Let Voter Suppression Ruin Your Election
We’re nearing two weeks until the election, and we have until this Sunday, October 25, to enrol to vote. If you miss this deadline, well, too bad. Despite being a tax-paying citizens who should have the right to enrol to vote even on election day, you will not be afforded that opportunity when the clock strikes midnight.
An ode to the plastic white chair, the backbone of community
Today, DARTZ is back with a new song, the first single from a yet-to-be-revealed third album. The song is called ‘Plastic White Chairs’ and is an ode to the humble chair we all know and love, as well as to community, culture, and helping others when we’re in the position and privilege to do so. But it’s also about holding those in leadership positions accountable when they pull the metaphorical chair out from those who need it, for their own selfish gains.
Māui Vs. The Sun Sneak Preview
Mōrena! Local Legends comes out next month! I’m very excited, very nervous, and super stressed, but I wanted to share a preview of another story from the book, ‘Māui Vs. The Sun’. This is the comic that planted the seed of doing a whole comic book dedicated to adapting pūrākau through my lens. It started with a simple one-panel comic (see below) and has evolved into a six-month journey.
Christopher Luxon’s spooky bedtime stories for billionaires.
Tales that have Nick Mowbray’s tossing and turning! Leave a Tip! Christopher Luxon’s Spooky Swarbrick Story (Warning: read with the lights ON): It’s 2027; you take a deep breath in; the air is fresh, too fresh. The lack of coal mines and adherence to climate goals have made the air quality far too good. You reach for a cigarette, but remember they’re too expensive to justify since Big Tobacco lost its taxpayer-funded benefits and tax cuts.
Using my unique powers for good
my powers being making unendorsed comics about the orange voting guy Leave a Tip! I feel like a lot of my posts this year about the election have been pretty dour, quite bleak, and, at times, maybe a cry for help. But in the last week, I’ve had the opportunity to do some work with people and organisations that seem to genuinely care about getting people engaged and enrolled to vote, especially young people.
My Man, My Maunga: The dating show at the dawn of time!
I thought we’d start the week off with something a little silly and fun. A non-political comic, as it feels like it’s been a while since I’ve done that, and why not kick off the week with something that isn’t bleak and depressing? Below is a sneak preview of ‘My Man, My Maunga!’ my loose adaptation of the pūrākau ‘War of the Mountains’, and the second comic in my upcoming book, Local Legends.
Will ‘Dirty Work’ influence the election? Probably not.
Not for any side, but mainly he’s injected a little life, a dash of gossip, something for us to sink our teeth into! He surprise-dropped his new book, ‘Dirty Work ’, on Tuesday night, which is a deep exposé of the so-called “Taxpayers’ Union”, a front for NZ’s far right, and a focus on their weaponised anti-Māori rhetoric.
The Week That Made The Supermarkets Sweat
It’s been a week of big supermarket policy announcements from nearly all the major parties this past week, so many that by the time I finished one comic on the subject, I ended up making a second as more news broke (that second comic will be further down behind the paywall as a treat for my paid subscribers). So let’s speed run through these like the Mad Butcher running through this week’s specials.
Drown out the divisive language this te wiki o te reo Māori
Ahiahi mārie! It’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)! Unfortunately for me, I just spent two and a half hours trawling through two years’ worth of posts across Winston Peters’ and David Seymour’s social accounts, looking for commonly used divisive and race-baiting words and phrases.
Orange Voting Guy Vs. National Party AI
Mōrena, I hope you are all having a refreshing Saturday morning. I’ve gone back to the well of making silly little cartoons about the orange voting guy to encourage more people to enroll to vote.
Simeon Brown continues to wear our health care system down.
I woke up this morning to a headline that we seem to be getting weekly: patients dying in hospitals as they face almost 24-hour wait times, as our health care buckles under an underfunded and understaffed system. The winter flu season has devastated hospitals that were already struggling, exposing just how vulnerable we are. And all the while, our Minister of Health stands there with that dumbfounded, uncaring look on his face.
Bird of the year if it ran like the election.
Bird of the Year, arguably the more exciting election happening this year, kicks off tomorrow! And why wouldn’t we be excited? An election with a positive cause that has no punching down on poor people or minorities - what a wholesome and refreshing change that I’m sure will have a record turnout.
Introducing My Newest Book: Local Legends!
I’m so thrilled to finally announce this and set a release date in stone: November 18th! As regular readers will know, I have been working on this book tirelessly all year (with still a few bits to polish), and it is something I’m incredibly proud of. It’s taken a lot of research, a different approach to storytelling and planning, and plenty of experimenting visually. As I said in my original PledgeMe pitch way back in May, this has truly been a passion project for me.
The Priceless PR Distraction of Ooshies
Oohsies are driving us all crazy! Adults are getting scammed on Facebook Marketplace, Kids can’t be trusted with them at school, and so they’re banned! It’s the perfect storm to distract us all from headlines such as the price of Mince rising to a record high, a 30% increase in just two-and-a-half years, or reports showing the duopoly has retained an 80% share of the market, or the fact they are “trialing” using live facial recognition technology in stores.
Some Honest Election Billboards.
Let’s chat billboards and campaigns! Since apparently that's the only exciting thing Labour has to announce right now, it's a strategy that's absolutely working for them, according to the polls! Labour is running with ‘Better Starts Now’, which, to be blunt, is as vague as their policies. This is the party and leader who can’t, for the life of them, push back on some easy wins, and fumble the ball every time it’s passed to them.
The Return of Sexy Orange Voting Guy
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that, given the real porridge options in this election, people just aren’t engaging with it, are exhausted by it, or have given up. What’s more worrying is that it’s young people; as it stood in March, nearly half of 18- to 24-year-olds had yet to enroll. With voter turnout tending to be more prominent for older generations, this is concerning when the future of this country feels very much at stake.
Call 'Move on Orders' what they are: Poor Patrol.
With apologies to my niece. Adventure Bay has a new Mayor! Christopher Luxon has shaken up the once harmonious seaside town where the Paw Patrol reside, with a whole slew of dire situations unfolding since taking office! Marshall and his fellow firefighter dogs once again find themselves on the side of the road as their fire trucks keep failing, with funding continuing to fall short for replacing old equipment and paying staff fairly.
Breaking out the emergency Paul Henry to distract from our former Party President.
Yesterday, the biggest news story across all platforms was that former Breakfast presenter and outrage-baiter Paul Henry is to stand for ACT at this year’s election. This has followed a trend of washed-up has-beens deciding to run in minor parties that are courting the far-right vote. Still, the way the media covered this announcement, you’d think Henry was a game-changing political veteran who will shake the foundations of the upcoming election.
Another Shift at the 'Tamatha Paul Was Right' Factory.
I assume in the top police headquarters, there’s a huge sign that reads: “DAYS SINCE WE HAVEN’T PROVEN TAMATHA PAUL’S POINT,” and nearly every day some poor PR person walks up a ladder and keeps the number below at “0”.
The fight against the Conservation Amendment Bill isn't over until its dead and buried.
Last week, Forest and Bird released a map outlining how the Conservation Amendment Bill would impact our conservation land, mainly making it easier for a greedy government in power to destroy, damage, or sell them off. The map outlines around 60% of our conservation land, including such sites as Coromandel’s Cathedral Cove, Wellington’s Remutaka Ranges, and Dunedin’s Tunnel Beach.
Economic Lunacy!!
National is the party of the future, and the future we are invested in protecting is the one where we kowtow to those who wish to exploit us; it’s that simple. It’s inevitable: the world has been handed over to billionaires and trillionaires (congrats, Heir Musk!), so securing New Zealand’s future in the new world order means making sure we can offer all we can, immediately, without poking the proverbial bear.
Sir David Attenborough’s observations of the elusive Chris Hipkins
An exclusive look at Attenborough's notes as he attempts to figure out what exactly Hipkin's plan here is. Sir David Attenborough’s observations of the Chris Hipkins (expanded) It can be said that a sighting of the Hipkins (Middleous Roadius) is as rare as laying one’s eyes on a Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), or the native Kākāpō (Strigops habroptila).
Can we define what a coward is, please?
Plus a message to New Zealand from the three Dorkmen of the apocalypse! From the desk of the three dorkmen of the apocalypse: Today, New Zeland our mission to fix this country grows as we focus on the groups terrorising our nation and the fine citizens that still remain! First, it was the greedy and needy poor, littering our streets and sucking on the sweet teat of the taxpayer, winning the lotto living it up large in social housing, and using all that excess money that they have from their...
Underinvesting in the arts is underinvesting in our economy and community
DARTZ is heading out on tour! Grab a ticket and come along and have a beer and boogie. I’m super stoked on this poster, it’s the first one that I’ve printed and framed, it’s hanging above my desk as I type this, but alas, this poster and tour isn’t what I want to talk to you about today.
Now is the time to scrap things that aren't meeting objectives, according to Luxon.
Christopher Luxon, who swears he and his party are doing their best to keep young Kiwis in the country, announced that they are scrapping the University free-fee scheme, which had given university students their final year of study free, and redirecting that money to “trades training.” I guess young Kiwis are only useful for building “roads of significance”, useless tunnels, and new houses on flood-prone land.
A Lettered Preview of 'Māui Versus The Sun'
Mōrena! I’m starting off Friday with some good news: as of last week, my PledgeMe for my Untitled Māori Mythology Comic has reached its minimum goal, which means it’s full steam ahead! I just wanted to take the time to sincerely thank each and every one of you who has pledged, locked in a pre-order, or even shared it online. I really appreciate it.
Winston Peters reaffirms our commitment to kowtowing to war criminals.
Winston Peters is on a winning streak. A new poll released this week had New Zealand First up 3.9 points to 13.6 percent, the highest of all the minor parties by a significant margin, all this despite his Trumpian-like language and rhetoric and focus on a cultural war during a cost-of-living crisis. Today, Peters arrived for a taxpayer-funded trip to the United States for an election-year photo op with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Winston Peters War
Winston Peters loves being Minister of Foreign Affairs (second only to Prime Minister, but despite all his deal-making, he’s never quite made it into those boots). Now, his chum and current political inspiration, Donald Trump, has dragged him, us, and the rest of the world into a war nobody wanted, driving up the cost of living across the globe. And for ol’ Winnie, this whole Iran War has thrown a big wet blanket on his favorite war: The War on Woke.
A Pledge Me campaign for my next comic book on Māori Mythology!
Today I’m launching something a wee bit different from me: A Pledge Me campaign for my next book:A yet-to-be-titled Māori Mythology Comic Book! The project is one I’ve wanted to pursue for some time, but until now I haven’t been able to dedicate the time it deserves. I plan to adapt five or six Māori myths and legends into comic form, each interpreted through a different genre, such as action, romance, and horror.
Outdoors... With Jones!
The Fisheries Amendment Bill goes to its first reading today, and Shane Jones has called critics of the bill "a range of noisy voices".
What has the focus of our leaders during a crisis
The effects of the Iran War are now being felt across the country, including petrol prices surging, predictions that food, travel, and most basics will increase dramatically, and a “current worst-case scenario” of inflation rising to 3.7%. And this is already on top of the country already dealing with record high inflation, record high unemployment, and record high levels of poverty, as well as a cost of living crisis that hasn’t even begun to simmer.
Western World War Concerns
The war in Iran has our local media in a tailspin, and has so far been a really bleak insight into its priorities when reporting war in non-white countries.
The Black Market of Banned Items!
It’s been a week of bleak news and political comics from me, so I thought I’d share a silly and wholesome comic for you this morning, to start your day with a smile. This comic is from my latest book, A Few More Slices of Heaven (available to purchase from my store), and is a deep dive into the banned items of our school days, and is just a celebration of the fun of being a kid with an active imagination.
Chuck & Mary's "Once in a lifetime" trip to New Zealand.
Christopher Luxon used tourism to justify giving police move-on orders, so let's look at what else he should consider tourism in... Leave A Tip While chatting with Mike Hoskings yesterday, Chris Luxon justified giving the police extra powers to move on rough sleepers by claiming they are needed for “tourist safety” so that “Chuck and Mary” can enjoy their “once in a lifetime trip” to New Zealand.
Where exactly are we "moving on" all these people in need of housing?
Certainly wont be into the 3500 cancelled state homes or the additional 900 up for sale, thats for sure. Leave A Tip Yesterday, the government announced another tried-and-true tactic of shifting things out of view to make things seem better (see: changing climate targets, tightening beneficiary criteria, gang patch ban) by giving police the power to issue “move-on orders” to rough sleepers to move them out of town centres or face fines as big as $2,000 or up to three months imprisonment.
Can we politicise catastrophic weather events yet, Nicola?
Over the weekend, a second “once-in-a-hundred-years” storm hit the country, bringing flooding, incredible amounts of damage to property and infrastructure, delayed flights and ferries, and, unfortunately, has cost one person their life. This is the second comic I’ve made about the Government’s response to these events and their lack of responsibility, which adds to the catastrophe these events cause.
Waitangi Day Reflections
I try to make a comic each Waitangi Day to capture the mood surrounding it, both on the ground and around the country, and my own feelings leading up to and during it. These comics tend to be political, and it’s hard for them not to be, with treaty breaches and re-interpritations being threatened as well as a general rise of outward racism toward Māori as they are continuously used as a scapegoat in an ongoing culture war.
Where does our ✨ Workplace Relations Minister✨ stand on the easy win of stopping modern slavery?
Last week, it was announced that National and Labour would do the rare move of joining forces to co-sponsor a bill to get modern slavery legislation into Parliament, using a new rule allowing a bipartisan majority to have a member's bill progress without being pulled from the 'biscuit tin' ballot.
Humid Rivalry: The Uninspiring Election Battle Streaming Now!
Heated Rivalry is the steamy new show about two rival professional ice hockey players who have a long-standing, unrequited romance that everyone is talking about. (It brings new meaning to the word ‘yearning’, trust me) Meanwhile, here in Aotearoa, we have a battle, well, more of a light tussle, between two rival Chrises, but it is anything but must-see viewing.
Wednesday Comics: Crank That Soulja Board
Happy Hump Day! As I mentioned last week, every Wednesday I’ll be dropping non-political comics on random subjects, exclusively for paid subscribers (nudge nudge, treat yourself). These are meant to be silly slices of life and deep dives into weird topics as a palate cleanser from the doom and gloom of global politics. This week’s topic is quite niche and may go over the heads of some of my older followers, but for those who were teenagers in the mid 2000s, this one is for you.
Christopher Luxon's 'State of the Nation' showcases his lack of leadership
After disappearing for half the month while major world events unfolded, our health data was breached, and parts of the country were flooded in the middle of summer, Christopher Luxon is back on the job! And he decided to come back with the kind of tone-deaf pageantry that he is accustomed to, by dropping his state-of-the-nation speech at the Auckland Business Chamber.
This year, I'm making a few small changes to Substack as I transition into being a full-time freelance illustrator (scary). As I aim to focus more on my Substack output and its content, I wanted to make sure that not every newsletter/cartoon is focused on politics. I think for my own sanity, and I’m sure yours as well, each week at least one cartoon will be about something local focused, wholesome, or just plain silly.
Buckle Up, It's Going to Be A Year.
Welcome back to what I assume is a lot of your first proper weeks back at work. As politicians slowly get back into the grind and the election year gears start churning, we’re going to have to pressure our two potential leaders (sigh) about what they plan to do with America. It’s unavoidable at this point, as things are starting to shift in some dark directions. It’s very easy to slip into a “that’s over there, not our problem” mentality, except that it could very quickly become our problem.
Happy Election Year!
Happy New Year! I was pretty absent from Substack in December, but I was very busy shipping out copies of my new book, recording a new DARTZ album, and working on a couple of new projects that I’m excited to start sharing with you in the coming months, mostly exclusively here on Substack for paid subscribers, so be sure to renew or sign up! This year, being an election year, I’m sure this Substack will be pumping out more content than usual.
The Beauty of Being "Born Again Bogan"
The book has been out a week today! As I make my way through shipping them all out (it’s one man operation here), I figured I’d share one of the comics just incase any of you were on the fence and needed a nudge! (order before friday to get it by Christmas!). This comic was inspired by my love of small town bogans, the kind of lower-middle class legends who will do anythng for anyone and also have a love for a lushous maine and 80’s ROCK.
'A Few More Slices of Heaven' is Officially Out!
A follow-up from my previous book, but slightly larger at 40 pages, collects a fresh batch of warm and witty comics that celebrate what makes Aotearoa so unique, with over seven warm and witty comics celebrating our quirks, institutions, identity, and shared experiences.
The Black Market of Banned Items! - A Sneak preview...
A quick warning: If you have already pre-ordered my new book and want to go in blind and not have anything spoiled, close this email or tab, walk away now, and go enjoy your day. If you still need convincing to pick up a copy, or want a little preview of the goods you’ll be getting, then carry on! This is the longest comic in the book, clocking in at ten pages, and was simply the most fun to make.
Chris Luxon Relaunches Kiwisaver
On Sunday, Chris Luxon and National did the funniest thing: they pitched their new KiwiSaver policy. The pitch, on paper, and when covered by the bare-minimum media, sounds good: a pledge to further increase the default KiwiSaver contribution rate to “match Australia’s Super”. Now, why is this funny, you ask? Well, first off, it’s an incredibly confident move to make after tanking the economy and presiding over record unemployment rates.
When will punishing our Trans and Māori communities finally help bring down the cost of living?
As we head into the middle of November, some things are inevitable: retail stores will be torturing their minimum-wage workers with Christmas music, the fireworks debate will fade along with the random Saturday explosions, and the government will quietly slip a few last-minute maneuvers into action, hoping our collective minds are fast-tracking into holiday mode.
Introducing my newest book, 'A Few More Slices of Heaven!'
Last year, I released my first serious comic book collection, Slices of Heaven: Uniquely Kiwi Comics about Aotearoa, a collection of short, non-political comics celebrating the many things I love about this country. It was such a fun and creatively invigorating process, and the reception to the book was overwhelmingly positive, that I’ve spent the better part of this year working on a sequel, which I’m now excited to announce: A Few More Slices of Heaven.
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