Gavin Aung Than is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and creator of Zen Pencils, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into comic stories, and the middle grade graphic novel series Super Sidekicks, published by Puffin Books (Aus, NZ, UK & Asia) and Random House Children’s Books (US & Canada). His debut picture book Baa Baa Black Belt (Scholastic Aus) is out now in Australia and NZ.
After working in the corporate graphic design industry for 8 years he quit his unfulfilling job and sold his house to follow his true passion: drawing comics. Gavin launched Zen Pencils at the start of 2012, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into comic stories, and hasn’t looked back since. Zen Pencils was featured by The Washington Post, National Geographic, Slate, Buzzfeed, Gawker, Brain Pickings, was named one of the Internet’s top 100 websites in 2013 by PCMag and has been collected into four books. Gavin also recently contributed illustrations to the latest book by #1 NYT bestselling author Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart.
He is currently working on Baa Baa Black Belt books 2 & 3 (due out in April/Oct 2024) and the middle grade graphic novel Myth Valley Medics, about a hospital for mythical creatures, due out in 2025 (First Second/Macmillan).
Gavin lives in Perth, Western Australia with his wife and two daughters.
He is represented by Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary Agency.
You can get in touch with Gavin here.
AWARDS
2023 Reading with a Chance of Tacos podcast awards – Best character: Goo (Super Sidekicks)
2020 Environmental Award for Children’s Literature FICTION CATEGORY (Super Sidekicks 2: Ocean’s Revenge)
2012 Top 100 websites - PCMag (zenpencils.com)
MEDIA
Zen Pencils: Gavin Aung Than becomes comic star after trading in job, house to pursue dreams – ABC 7.30 Report