At first when you think of a rock ‘n’ roll legend getting a comic book adaptation, you might think of something like the David Bowie biographical story Starman, reviewed here at borg. That’s not what you’re going to get in Titan Comics’ new, officially licensed, graphic novel Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze. Billed as a “psychedelic space odyssey,” it can be added now to your comic shop pull list at Elite Comics or your local shop, or pre-order it here at Amazon. Get a first look at its wraparound cover and get all the details below.
Hendrix only released three studio albums in his short career: Are You Experienced (1967), Axis: Bold as Love (1967), and Electric Ladyland (1968), but 53 years after his death he’s still recognized as an important voice in rock history.
The graphic novel is written by Mellow Brown and DJ Benhameen, with artwork by Tom Mandrake. According to publisher Titan Comics, “The story sees Hendrix embark on a perilous quest to the very center of the universe in search of a magical talisman powerful enough to unlock the incredible latent power of his trademark sound, so that he can free a diverse population starved of rock ‘n’ roll by a tyrannical intergalactic force hellbent on silencing music and enslaving all life.”
“Jimi transcended time and space with his music, leaping generations into the future,“ said Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister and head of the Hendrix company. “There was an otherworldliness about him that was a true fascination for many. It’s thrilling to have a Sci-Fi story told introducing Jimi as a time traveller, freedom fighter, and magical musician. This graphic novel is an amazing depiction of what Jimi’s music, his songs, his art conveyed with futuristic imagination!”
To help set the mood, check out this wraparound cover by Tom Mandrake:
Look for Jim Hendrix: Purple Haze coming to comic shops in November.
C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg
