The Essential Footrot Flats

THE ESSENTIAL

FOOTROT FLATS

By Murray Ball

upstart press

RRP: $49.99

'…..the dog is one of my favourite characters of all time' - Charles M. Schultz

For 40 years, Murray Ball’s ‘Footrot Flats’ has ruled both the New Zealand and Australian comic strip roost.

In fact, “Dog” — the central character in the Footrot Flats cartoon strips — has been voted New Zealand’s best-loved fictional character.

Now, Upstart Press presents The Essential Footrot Flats. From more than 5,000 strips produced since the mid-1970s, the Ball family has hand-picked 450 strips, including 32 colour illustrations, to make up this ‘best of’ compilation.

This beautifully presented volume incorporates the highest possible production values. Accordingly, The Essential Footrot Flats will be a must-own for all fans of iconic strip.

Timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the much-loved Footrot Flats cartoon strip, Upstart Press also present a beautifully illustrated calendar to commemorate the event: The 2015 FOOTROT FLATS 40TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE CALENDAR.

MURRAY BALL is probably New Zealand’s greatest cartoonist and his Footrot Flats strips are familiar to almost every New Zealander. His books have sold millions of copies worldwide and even though he has not drawn any of the Flats characters for a number of years, his books continue to sell in huge numbers. His most recent book, a beautifully packaged collection of 'Luv' strips, was a runaway bestseller in New Zealand and Australia.

Charles M. Schultz, creator the famous Peanuts cartoon strip, once said of Murray. ‘I love the way Murray draws these animals. I love the relationship among all the characters and am especially fond of the absolutely original approach to the humour . . . the dog is one of my favourite characters of all time.’