Recent Flexi-disc Comic Books

The greatest novelty publishing format mixes two of my favourite things: comics and records. There was a brief vogue for including flexi-discs in comic books during the 1980s. Famously, Alan Moore recorded as part of combo The Sinister Ducks and released a flexi, "March of the Sinister Ducks"/"Old Gangsters Never Die", in Critters #23 (1988). Issues of Nexus, Scout, RAW, Femforce, Mad, and many others included similar stunts. With the resurgence of vinyl, the flexi has reappeared and the combining of comics and records has also made a comeback, usually in comics with a music connection or as stand-alone marketing gimmicks added to record packages by musicians. Here are some recent flexi-discs included in comic books from the last few years:

Ed Piskor / Jorun Bombay, Hip Hop Family Tree #12 (2016)

Publisher's blurb: "Too many incredible milestones in this issue to name! LL Cool J makes a record with Rick Rubin and Def Jam. KRS One gets arrested and meets his future DJ. The Fat Boys and Run DMC headline the first national Hip Hop tours. Just to name a few. PLUS: This issue comes with an exclusive flexi disc of hip hop gold!" [flexi-disc by Jorun Bombay: "Hip Hop Family Tree"]

HANS ZIMMER & JUNKIE XL, "There War Here" (2016)

Inserted into a special edition of Birth.Movies.Death, the magazine of soundtrack label Mondo Records. Publisher's blurb: This March titans tussled as BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE exploded into theaters. To celebrate the long-awaited team up of the world’s finest superheroes, BIRTH.MOVIES.DEATH. published a special collector’s issue exploring the histories of the characters in comics, cartoons, TV shows and movies. From ACTION COMICS #1 to the upcoming JUSTICE LEAGUE movie, BIRTH.MOVIES.DEATH. tells you everything you need to know to watch Batman and Superman square off.

As a bonus we are randomly inserting limited flexi discs featuring a track from Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL's epic BATMAN V SUPERMAN score into copies of the magazine. Only 2,500 exist! The issue features the secret history of Wonder Woman, an appreciation of Prince’s classic Batdance and an essay by comic book legend Mark Waid reminding us “Why Superman Matters.” This spectacular collector’s edition boasts a dynamic wraparound Mondo-designed cover by Oliver Barrett, and inside it features an exclusive gallery of Mondo’s most exciting DC Comics artwork, reprinted in full page, full color glory!

CHARLY BLISS, Guppy: Issue One (2017)

Publisher's blurb: "Now you too can experience one of the year's most critically acclaimed albums ... in comic book form! Barsuk Records and Charly Bliss are pleased to present Guppy: Issue One, a limited-edition 16-page full-color comic that's a companion piece to Charly Bliss' debut album Guppy. Not only does this comic include artwork by noted indie comic book artists Sadie DuPuis (of Speedy Ortiz), Michael DeForge, and cover art by Noah Van Sciver (amongst others) but it also includes a flexi-disc with two previously unreleased tracks from the Guppy sessions, "Golden Age" and "Special", along with a download code for digital enjoyment. The comic book is limited to 500 worldwide and each are hand numbered."

FRANCESCO DE MASI / ANOTHER DEAD JUNKIE, The New York Ripper theme (2017)

This comic book adaptation of The New York Ripper, the 1982 Italian giallo film directed by Lucio Fulci, contains a signed-and-numbered 7-Inch New York Ripper flexi picture disc soundtrack featuring Francesco De Masis' theme music from the original soundtrack performed by Another Dead Junkie.  Flexi art by Pat Carbajal, with colours by Bruna Costa. Comes in a plastic sleeve with liner notes insert, featuring the original poster art from the original theatrical release.

Denzel Curry, Unlocked (2020)

Publisher's blurb: "Earlier this year, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats put their heads together and emerged with a clever project, Unlocked. It was first released as a short film/long-form music video, in which a collaborative album between the two leaks online, so the two have to virtually traverse the internet to recover it. The next day, they released the songs from the film as a new album of the same title. Now, Curry and Beats are dipping back into the Unlocked well, as they are gearing up to release the project in comic book form.

The plot of the comic comes courtesy of Psycho Films, and the 48-page book will be illustrated by Sam Hochman, Joey Prosser, Forrest Whaley, Justin Johnson, Chaz Bottoms, Malik Bolton, Rachel Headlam, Borboev Shakhnazer, and Asekov Tilek. Additionally, the book will include a vinyl flexi-disc insert of the single “DIET_.” "