Liquid Comics, in cooperation with EPE, announced the release of the book ‘Graphic Elvis’ revealing Elvis Presley’s love of superheroes and comic books. For many, Elvis Presley was a true marvel. But what he really wanted to be was Captain Marvel.The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s love of superheroes and comic books is explored in Graphic Elvis, a collaboration between Liquid Comics and Elvis Presley Enterprises. The illustrated book will feature examples of comics’ influence on Presley’s personal and professional lives, and it allows a new generation of artists to create works inspired by his music, his archives and his personal and public experiences.
“Comics influenced so much of his life and made him a larger-than-life hero to so many people. It’s paying homage to that on the 35th anniversary of his death (in 2012) and allowing today’s generation of artists to do the same to him,” says Sharad Devarajan, co-founder and CEO of Liquid Comics.A 12-by-12-inch limited-edition version (2,500 copies, $195) will be available for the holiday season. A mass-market edition arrives in April, followed by an iPad edition tentatively scheduled for mid-2012.
Artists from all over the world have been commissioned for Graphic Elvis, from Japanese animé to Indian artists to famous comic illustrators such Paul Pope and Greg Horn. “It’s about a global icon being celebrated by global artists,” Devarajan says.
Many of Presley’s loves have been documented over the years — from his affinity for peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches to his passion for karate and hip-shaking. Graphic Elvis is the first project to fully explore his penchant for comics, which Al Wertheimer and others captured in photos that will appear in the new book.
(Source: USA Today / FECC)