GCD, Volume 1: God Save The King

This 2012 indy comic collection by 215 ink was an interesting look at the garage rock scene. When the so-called King of Rock n' Roll is killed, his record label holds a contest to crown his successor. To become the next in rock royalty, musicians must compete in regional qualifiers first.

It's young Dylan's goal to get to the nearest arena for his chance. Along the way, he meets a fellow free spirit named Flip. However, that's not going to be easy as Dylan has pissed off some bad dudes and they've made it their mission to become the next in line for the rock crown!

I really enjoyed this book by Adam Wilson. Very well written, quite creative, and essentially captivating, I wanted to know what happens next. Unfortunately, I don't think I ever will. I've done several Google searches on how to find the next volume and I can't find anything. Typing 'GCD' takes me to a comic book grading site and with '215 ink' I keep getting links for ink cartridges. 

Even the cool scanning stamp included in the book that allows you to listen to a suggested soundtrack on Spotify no longer works.

Will Dylan and Flip make it past round 1? Who will become the next King of Rock n' Roll? Will I ever find volume 2? These are all questions that may remain forever unanswered. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Red Rocket 7

  Red Rocket.

It’s a mystery that has fascinated music lovers and musicians alike for the past 60 years. A young man with striking red hair, who seemingly never ages, keeps popping up throughout the annals of music history.

  Elvis- he was there, learning the newest rockabilly chords.

  The Beatles- he was there, working as a roadie.

  Bowie- he was there, inspiring the genius’s Ziggy Stardust personality.

  And then in the 1980s, he just disappeared.

  Jump ahead 18-years and now there’s a new band with a lead guitarist, as ginger as can be, claiming to be Red Rocket.

   Is it the same man? His son? An impostor? And just where has Red Rocket been for the last 2 decades?

   An intrepid young music journalist seeks to find the answers to all these questions. As her research opens her eyes to the secret history of rock music, so will her stream of consciousness, as the mystery of the Red Rocket 7 will take her to the farthest edges of the galaxy and beyond.

     Last year, Mike Allred made no excuses to show his love and devotion to the artist David Bowie when he lost his battle with cancer. Really, Allred's fandom has been evident for years, like the cover to Madman: Atomic Comics #15, in which he renders his beloved creation with Bowie’s Space Oddity lighting bolt across his face.

     Reading this 1998 book, I was struck with two thoughts. One: Red Rocket is the music version of Forrest Gump as the character is involved with every major rock movement from the early 50s up to 1998. Secondly, (and most importantly): This is Allred’s Space Oddity or The Man Who Fell To Earth. I’m not sure which. Could be both. No matter which it is, Red Rocket 7 is also some very trippy stuff.

      Elvis, the Stones, The Ramones, and the Dandy Warhols play some major supporting roles in this book. But it’s Bowie's book through and through. If you love David Bowie, this is the comic book series you must read- even if it’s in that odd 45 record shape.

      Amazing artwork by Allred. He’s one of my favorites and his wife Laura who does the inks and colors IS my favorite in the industry. I may not understand all of the zen the Allreds put into this love song to rock & roll, but I loved Red Rocket 7 nonetheless.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Fifth Beatle

John, Paul, George, Ringo, and the Fifth Beatle.

   But just who is this Fifth member of the greatest rock and roll band of perhaps all-time? Is it drummer Pete Best, the band's first tempo keeper kicked out in favor of Ringo Star? Was it Eric Clapton, who played lead guitar on the White Album's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' and was frequently asked to join by the quartet? Was it Yoko, who once she married John, was joined at the hip and known to sit in on sessions? Or was it Billy Preston, asked to play piano for the Let It Be sessions in order to help keep the peace amongst the band in the throes of breaking up? 

    While the answer has stymied fans for decades, the most definitive answer has always come from Paul. In the 70s, McCartney once said 'If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.' The Brian in question was the late Brian Epstein. After reading this graphic novel about the unsung first manager of the Beatles, I am inclined to agree.

   Without Epstein, the Beatles probably would be just another band playing gigs in Liverpool. They were good but they weren't at that next level that would make them legends. It was Brian who got them to that legendary status. 

   The new manager made the band be more clean cut, drop Best for Ringo and made John marry his girlfriend Cynthia whom he just got pregnant. Epstein was also behind getting the band on Ed Sullivan which kicked off the global phenomenon called Beatlemania! I think this also shortened the band's lifespan by about 5-10 years, in which the grueling pace caused riffs and exhaustion amongst the four friends and their eventual breakup in 1970.

    Not only does this book focus on Epstein's role with the Fab Four, but it also chronicles the pain and struggles of a hurting man. Brian was gay and though the Beatles and his parents knew, it was kept secret. I didn't know this but until 1967, it was a crime in Great Britain to be homosexual. So, Epstein frequented Spain and the Big Apple, two more 'tolerant' areas during his holidays from the band in order to live his life a little more openly. But all of his hiding plus the frantic pace of being the manager of the biggest band in the world saw Brian taking tons of drugs, therapy, and alcohol all of which lead to an accidental overdose just one month before the criminal band of homosexuals in the UK was lifted.

   I got this book in a Comic Bento box as a gift from my wife over the Christmas holidays last year. But this graphic novel has been available since November of 2013. At the time, Brian Epstein had yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and gay marriage was still illegal in about 38 states. A lot has changed in the past 3 years and I think this book had a lot to do with those changes.

   Less than one year after the Fifth Beatle was published, Epstein finally got inducted in Cleveland. And just last year, the Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal nationwide. Now, you might be thinking 'how did this book help gay marriage?' Well, in the back, legendary underground comix artist and writer, Howard Cruse wrote an afterword expounding Epstein's influence on his life. That page goes on to say that proceeds from this book went to the Freedom to Marry campaign, which was a fund for the gay marriage fight in the US Supreme Courts system. In 1966, Epstein inspired the world to know 'All You Need Is Love' and after he telecast that song worldwide on a Beatles simulcast, that challenge was took up by many, including Cruse.

   I see this book as being the next non-superhero comic book blockbuster in theaters and currently writer Vivek J. Tiwary is working on a screenplay. I kinda hope the film is at least partially animated relying on the artwork of artist Andrew C. Robinson, who does a beautiful job making the Fab Five come to life. The only thing I was not a fan of was Kyle Baker's inclusion as the artist for a scene in the Philippines. I'm not sure why he was even used for this book. I love Baker, but his comical anecdote detracted from the rest of this beautiful book.

   A must-read for Beatles fans whether you like graphic novels or not!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Graphic Elvis: Free Comic Book Day Sampler

Graphic Elvis is a coffee table book full of pieces done by some of the top graphic artists and writers of today. This Free Comic Book Day offering is comprised of pin-ups from the book and Elvis quotes or quotes from famous fans about the King.

Also included in book this preview and the book itself is a cosmic tale about Elvis’ trip to Paradise after passing on Aug. 16, 1977. That tale is penned by Marvel legend, Stan Lee. Though this wasn’t drawn by Jack Kirby, the artwork is done in the style of the King of Comics. It’s a very heart-warming tale that will make you believe in a rock-n-roll heaven.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.