Town: St. John's in Comics is a graphic anthology that captures the spirit of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador — its crooked streets, tangled wires, salt-stained houses, and the people who live in them. Featuring contributions from local artists, with each story showcasing different neighbourhoods like Rabbittown and Rawlins Cross through distinct artistic styles. Some are funny, some melancholic, some bursting with colour, and others inked in black and white, but all share the same beating heart: a deep connection to place. More than a comic about a city — a comic of a city, shaped by it, inspired by it, and impossible without it. source
Scenes (7)
“I chose to set my story in Goulds, a neighborhood that's now a suburb of St. John's. We officially amalgamated in 1989, but to me, it's always just been 'home.' It's a farming community, beautiful and a little quieter than the city, and I think it's a pretty special place. It felt natural to write about the place that shaped me.”
Woolridge's contributor statement names Goulds as the setting of his story 'Goulds' and the neighborhood that shaped him.
Kevin Woolridge, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
“I chose Signal Hill because it's such an iconic part of St. John's. Every time I go up there, it's just so beautiful and majestic — unless it's fogged in, and then you can't see anything at all! I've had a few really moving experiences up there. It just felt like the perfect backdrop for a story.”
Bastow's contributor statement names Signal Hill as the setting of her story 'Signal Hill'; the editorial photo specifies Cabot Tower as the iconic sub-landmark.
Kelly Bastow, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
Churchill Park (Churchill Square, Rennie's River Trail, Gonzaga High School)
“My story is set in Churchill Park, the neighborhood I grew up in. I spent so much of my childhood there — biking around Churchill Square, wandering along the Rennie's River trail, just soaking it all in. I even went to Gonzaga High School. Churchill Park has always been my favorite neighborhood in town.”
Feehan's contributor statement names Churchill Park as the setting and explicitly cites three sub-landmarks (Churchill Square, Rennie's River trail, Gonzaga High) usable for finer pins.
Mike Feehan, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
“There wasn't a particular neighborhood that I chose for my story. Instead, I decided to set it in different coffee shops around town — places I frequent all the time. The reason is simple: I love coffee. These coffee shops have become little hubs of community for me, each one with its own vibe and characters.”
Dinn's contributor statement explicitly disclaims a single neighborhood and spans multiple St. John's coffee shops; the editor's map nonetheless pins the story (#7) at The Battery, with The Battery Café photographed as the exemplar (photo by Sam Dinn).
Sam Dinn, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
“I love the whole premise of this anthology — that everybody could just step out their front door and find a story right there. When it came time to cook something up for Rabbittown, I didn't have much trouble. The neighborhood is just full of characters, full of life, and it didn't take much for an idea to come to me.”
Tucker's contributor statement anchors his story 'Rabbittown' to the Rabbittown neighborhood; the editorial spread illustrates it with a photo of Malta St., a Rabbittown street.
Paul Tucker, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
“It's right next to one of the most complex intersections in the city. The whole area is rich with history and energy; it's just alive with stories waiting to be told. Growing up around here, it was impossible not to be influenced by the way the streets twist and meet in strange, chaotic ways — a little like the stories themselves.”
Ryan's contributor statement anchors his story 'Halliday's & Life in the Key of Freds' to Rawlins Cross; the title-page spot illustration depicts the Halliday's storefront at the intersection.
Wallace Ryan, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
Summerville (Avalon Mall area)
“It's the kind of place Spielberg movies happen, and was a great place to be a kid in. It's about ten minutes from everything and filled with weird, overgrown trails and shortcuts. Vampire Park from the comic is a real place, as you can see in the photo. It has a different government name, but no one uses it.”
Hawthorn's contributor statement anchors his story 'The Avalon' to the Summerville neighborhood and confirms 'Vampire Park' as a real (locally-renamed) park there.
Andrew Hawthorn, contributor statement, in Town: St. John's in Comics, ed. Nancy Pedri (Black Panel Press, 2025) — source
