Grateful Dead Comic Book to Be Released
Legendary rock band the Grateful Dead have been immortalized in artwork, film and, of course, music. Now their story will take on a new form: a comic book.
Grateful Dead Origins, released by Z2 Comics, will explore the early days of the classic rock band, delving into the lives of Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Pigpen, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart. The graphic novel promises to tell “the story of the band’s transformation from a bar band performing as the Warlocks to becoming the creators of their own sound and forefathers for the jam-band culture.”
“We've seen many archival releases that offer magnificent audio representations of the Grateful Dead's history, and several filmed interpretations of the Dead's story," said Grateful Dead audiovisual archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux in a press release announcing the venture. "To these, we're thrilled to add to the Dead's narrative canon this beautiful portrayal of the Dead's origin story in the form of this wonderful new comic.”
The graphic novel is scheduled for release in early 2020 with pre-orders available now. Grateful Dead Origins will come in standard and collectors deluxe editions. Both versions will feature an exclusive download of Grateful Dead music from the band's early years. The deluxe edition will also include a selection of previously unreleased Grateful Dead music on vinyl.
In a statement, Mark Pinkus, president of Rhino Entertainment, noted that “Jerry Garcia was an avid comic book enthusiast, so it is incredibly fitting to have the Grateful Dead’s origin story told in graphic novel form.
As for the band's surviving members, Dead & Company, the offshoot group featuring Weir, Hart and Kreutzmann alongside John Mayer, will hit the road for a U.S. tour starting May 31.