ONE MORE YEAR, a 240-page graphic novel about ultimate frisbee reaches Kickstarter target

For almost four years, a team led by cartooning duo Megan Praz and Meghan Kemp-Gee have toiled over a much-anticipated comics project: turning their beloved webcomic “Contested Strip” into ONE MORE YEAR, a full-length graphic novel about ultimate frisbee. Praz calls the book the authors’ “love letter to ultimate,” as well as the first-ever full-length work of graphic fiction about the sport. They are launching their Kickstarter on October 16 — to the delight of the ultimate community and comics enthusiasts alike.

ONE MORE YEAR, ultimate frisbee graphic novel

Gwen Ambler, eleven-time national and world ultimate champion, says of the book: “The personalities, motivations, and tournament atmospheres [in One More Year] were instantly familiar to me—this graphic novel captures so much of the humor and experience of the ultimate community.” Pro ultimate player Kevin Pettit- Scantling calls the project “a true homage to the ultimate scene, complete with satisfying innuendos, great character development, meaningful plot lines like one giant ode to our sport.” Podcaster and ultimate personality Tad Wissel calls it “a 240-page love letter to the people and relationships that make the sport worth doing. One More Year perfectly captures the agony and the ecstasy of a life ruled by ultimate.”

Although over 3 million Americans play every year, ultimate remains a relatively “niche” interest, recently getting passed over for the 2028 LA Olympic Games in favor of sports such as cricket, squash, and flag football. But Praz and Kemp-Gee insist that ONE MORE YEAR is truly intended for a wider audience. “It’s a classic ensemble sports comedy,” says Kemp-Gee. “Think The Mighty Ducks and Moneyball meets Haikyuu!!! and Ted
Lasso.” Shauna Deathe, a Canadian poet and early test reader, agrees: “Even as someone who knows nothing about ultimate frisbee, this was a fantastic comic. I never felt lost. The characters are vibrant and dynamic, the action is intense, the art style is gorgeous. I really, really cared about the ultimate!”

The story begins just as the fictional protagonist “Clint” decides to permanently quit playing ultimate. Despite dedicating his life to the sport he loves, Clint is notoriously “cursed,” and has never won a single tournament! But when his brainy friends Nadeem and Modulus come up with a madcap plan to “hack” ultimate and win Beach Nationals, Clint is convinced to give his “ultimate” dream one final try. The book showcases an ensemble of relatable characters that every weekend warrior will recognize, from mischievous party animals to teenage prodigies to rabid fitness junkies. Can this unlikely team of misfits and losers overcome their differences and beat the odds?

Praz and Kemp-Gee have timed the Kickstarter campaign and release of One More Year to coincide with some major, newsworthy ultimate tournaments in Southern California. USA Ultimate Club Nationals takes place in San Diego Oct 19–22. Huntington Beach is hosting the World Beach Ultimate Championships on November 1–5. And on January 13–14, thousands of players from around the world will descend on Huntington Beach for
the colorful, notorious party tournament known as Lei Out. The creative team will be present at these events to sign books and promote the campaign.

The ultimate community certainly seems to be enthusiastically throwing its weight behind the project. Evan Lepler, the play-by-play commentator known as “the Voice of Ultimate,” recorded a voiceover for the book trailer. Ultimate brands VC Ultimate, Layout Ultimate Gloves, and TOKAY Cleats have officially partnered with Praz and Kemp-Gee as sponsors, and the campaign has flourished thanks to word of mouth and community
affection for their “Contested Strip” webcomic.

The Kickstarter campaign runs from October 16 through November 3.

One More Year team biographies and social media

Megan and Meghan met on a field in Los Angeles ten years ago and have been making comics together as “Contested Strip” since 2014. Interview. Instagram. FB. Twitter. Website. Email. Kickstarter.

Megan “Bacon” Prazenica works as a storyboard artist and animator on shows including South Park, BoJack Horseman, and Tuca & Bertie. Megan is from Pittsburgh PA, but can often be found throwing deep shots on the beaches of Southern California. She is a two-time beach nationals champ with Point Break. Instagram. Twitter.

Meghan “Rho” Kemp-Gee is an award-winning poet, teacher, and scriptwriter. She has lived, coached, and played ultimate in many places, including British Columbia, Massachusetts, California, and New Brunswick. Her most recent book is the critically-acclaimed poetry collection The Animal in the Room. Twitter.

Alison “Tofu” Hu is a Taiwanese-American comics colorist who doesn’t really play sports, but gets real fired up over sports comics and manga. When not working, they can be found playing the recorder for the local pigeons. Website. Instagram. Twitter.

Richard Mercado is a Filipino Ignatz-nominated comics illustrator currently residing in the U.S. He doesn’t know much about ultimate (or sports), but he loves a lot of gay stuff! His debut graphic novel Coming Out Perfect is forthcoming from Scholastic in 2025. Website. Instagram. Twitter.

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