The Smiths graphic novel anthology to be released

the_kaz

Active Member
'Unite And Take Over is a comic book anthology of stories inspired by the songs of The Smiths. Its premise is “What is the story that plays in your head when you listen to your favorite Smiths song?”.'
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/07/29/the-smiths-graphic-novel-starting-something-he-can-finish/

The picture they're using to promote it doesn't exactly fill me with excitement, but I'm glad that someone's finally putting something like this together. Many other influential bands and singers have graphic novel anthologies devoted to them, so it's about time The Smiths got one too. It just seems a shame that this looks like it'll be a low budget thing, with unkown writers and artists working on it. The comic book industry is full of heavyweight creators (from Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, to the artist behind the Gorrilaz stuff) who cite Morrissey/The Smiths as huge inspirations, so a big budget thing could have been incredible.
 
We are at 27% funding after only 4 days on Kickstarter, so I think we are off to a good start. Kickstarter will allow us to print a larger run than we would have. As far as big names, one of Neil Gaiman's first works was a Duran Duran biography, so you never know what may come out of this. Thanks for posting the links.
 
We are at 27% funding after only 4 days on Kickstarter, so I think we are off to a good start. Kickstarter will allow us to print a larger run than we would have. As far as big names, one of Neil Gaiman's first works was a Duran Duran biography, so you never know what may come out of this. Thanks for posting the links.

I didn't know that about Gaiman! That is interesting. But please don't get me wrong. I was only wishfully thinking. It would be my ultimate wet dream if a Smiths/Morrissey anthology, featuring the work of such high profile Morrissey followers as Grant Morrison, Gerard Way, the Tank Girl/Gorrilaz guy (can't believe I've forgotten his name), and possibly Alan Moore (he was listening to The Smiths in the background during a documentary, so he could be a fan). But I know it'll never happen. This is the next best thing though. I'm certainly looking forward to it! Please keep us all posted!
 
Kaz - I would love to have Grant Morrison, Gerard Way, Jamie Hewlett, and Alan Moore. The idea for the project began in May as I was preparing for the Phoenix Comicon. I wanted to starting working on project for release in November for the Tucson Comic-con. I looked at the people I most wanted to work with and what we had in common. We all loved the Smiths, so I approached them. The more I talked to my creator friends, the more people wanted to be part of it. We were going to do it print on demand, but realized that we had enough people to go to a printer and do a large enough print run to reduce the individual book cost to make it viable for wholesale distribution. We decided to use Kickstarter to pay for the production costs and allow people to "pre-order" the book. Currently, thanks in part to Rich Johnston at BleedingCool.com and the good folks at the Guardian, we are at 85% of our fund raising goal with 38 days left in a 45 day pledge fund drive. I understand how people could be wary of the book, because the songs mean so much to people. I've done everything to make sure that the book isn't a farce though. The funny thing is about the cover with the rockstar superhero on it is that it is a riff on the original cover of the kid with dressed as a superhero which was a riff on the Smiths album cover photos and a riff on the title Unite and Take Over which was symbolic of a bunch of comic creators getting together to make the comic. I haven't talked about this to any of the media yet about the origin of the book, so this is a Morrisey Solo exclusive.
 
Today's BBC 6 Music Steve Lamacq show is having Smiths related topic of the publication of this comic anthology.
 
The Smiths Inspire New Comic Book Anthology

smiths4.jpg

SuperMoz!

Okay, so I avoided reporting on this until now because, well, I still sort of refuse to believe that it exists. But it does, so it’s my civic (or professional, or moral, etc.) duty to inform you that Morrissey is now officially a super hero.
Well not exactly, but he and his former band mates are the inspiration behind a brand-new graphic novel anthology called Unite And Take Over: Comic Stories Inspired By The Smiths. Masterminded by Shawn Demumbrum (coolest last name ever, right?), the collection features 13 different sets of writers and artists (including Christian Vilaire, Henry Barajas, Jeff Pina, and Shelby Robertson), all contributing original stories somehow inspired by The Smiths and their music.
“As a teen in the '80s, one of my favorite soundtracks was the Pretty In Pink soundtrack,” Demumbrum told The Guardian via e-mail, “While training for cross country, I played the cassette over and over on my Walkman as I ran. There was always something about The Smiths' 'Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want'. It tapped into my teenage psyche, a combination of loneliness and yet hopeful optimism, that only Morrissey's vocals seem to capture.”
The completed book is set to be unveiled this year’s Tuscon Comic Con on November 5th and 6th. No word from Morrissey himself on exactly which part(s) of this new project he despises, but I think it’s pretty damn cool.
Would you read a graphic novel inspired by The Smiths? Hit up our comments section below, tell us what you think about this story.


You can go to http://www.kickstarter.com and type unite and take over in the Kickstarter search bar to find our project.

For all those interested, you can currently pledge through Kickstarter to secure a copy (http://www.kickstarter.com/pro.... We won’t be able to solicit it through comic book and bookstore distributors until January, so pledging through Kickstart is the only way to get your copy before the holiday season.

Brett - Thanks for the compliment about the last name. I wish you could have been the voice of reason in grade school.

from: http://www.ology.com/music/smiths-inspire-new-comic-book-anthology
 
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