FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
36 Comic Strip Artists
Team Up Against Bullying
Millions of us love Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Luann, Dick Tracy,
Gil Thorp and other comic-strip characters. We laugh at their
adventures and their failures. But, as the title of this powerful new
comic book declares: Bullying Is No Laughing Matter. This fullcolor paperback is a historic “team up” of many cartoon favorites,
united in encouraging kids to support each other when someone
starts bullying. This book is a perfect discussion-starter to engage
kids in building supportive relationships.
Bullying has become a national epidemic! This new book is part of the cure. The fact that
dozens of top comic artists have collaborated in this unique collection is news! The format of
this comic book is news, as well. It’s a “flip book” with two covers and two pathways through
these comic adventures. The front cover takes kids (and the adults who love them) through
dozens of individual comic panels and strips. Most of these pages contain personal notes from
the creators of these comics. When flipped over the “other cover” takes readers through a
graphic novel starring a youthful super hero, The Cardinal.
The Cardinal confronts a seemingly horrible “enemy”—the Warthog—but readers discover that
there’s far more to this bully than we guess in our first glimpse. In the middle of the book,
Cardinal author and artist Kurt Kolka tells his own story of overcoming the effects of bullying;
and Camille Paddock, a teen-age girl who has become a real-life hero for her own triumph over
bullying, tells her story as well. Amazingly, readers discover that the Warthog and young
Camille share similar crises in their lives. Kids can easily internalize these lessons about
compassion and develop the courage necessary to help end bullying.
There are so many ways to use this flexible new comic book!
• Lots of Encouragement: Along with the cartoons, many comic artists share words of
encouragement and some describe their own experience with bullies.
 Both Fiction and Fact: The longest comic adventure, featuring Kurt Kolka’s young
superhero The Cardinal, reveals a problem shared by many kids nationwide. This story
is more than fiction. Readers also will find the story of a real teenage girl who shares the
same problem featured in the comic and her success story in overcoming chronic
bullying.
• Short Videos: We are sharing two online videos. One explains the current definition of
bullying with a creative flourish; the other shows some of the fans at Comic Cons who
are supporting this effort.
• Free Downloads: A new website will share anti-bullying comics, week by week, along
with easy-to-use discussion questions. Fans can also download a colorful Bullying is No
Laughing Matter web badge to put on their Facebook pages or websites to show they
want to be part of the solution. Check out www.BullyingIsNoLaughingMatter.com
 Kids Will Talk: Every part of this book and online project is designed to get kids talking
about the all-too-common challenges of bullying. The comic strips are “discussion
starters” supported by the weekly Internet content. There are lots of ways kids and
adults can interact in their families, schools and local youth groups.
Bullying is No Laughing Matter unites 36 nationally distributed comic strips, many of them
specifically addressing the issue of bullying for the first time in this publication. Young readers
will enjoy colorful visits from funny page regulars such as Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Dennis the
Menace, Dick Tracy, Funky Winkerbean, Gil Thorp, Luann, Stone Soup, Mary Worth, and
many more. The adults in their lives will appreciate the assistance that the book and
commentary provide in approaching this important topic of discussion in our homes, schools
and churches.
Kurt J. Kolka is an award-winning journalist for a Michigan newspaper. He
also is the creator of the comic super hero The Cardinal, a costumed crimefighter who cares about the lives in his small town as much as Kurt and his
wife Diane care about their community in Michigan. Diane Schunk Kolka
has been a high school teacher for three decades with a background in
family and consumer science. She and Kurt worked for more than two
years to assemble this nationwide collection of comics to encourage kids to
help end bullying. Together, Kurt and Diane lead anti-bullying programs
for adults and kids. They live in Gaylord, Michigan, with their teen-age
daughter Rebekah.
Bullying is No Laughing Matter and Wrath of the Warthog
Compiled by Kurt J. Kolka, creator of The Cardinal
Preface by Tom Batiuk, creator of Funky Winkerbean and Crankshaft
Foreword by Greg Garrett, educator and author of “Holy Superheroes!”
Read the Spirit Books; ISBN 9781939880673
Available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Itunes and other on-line retailers
Paperback $15.00
Publication Date: August 11, 2014