"Cruisin' 1977" by Mike Royer (2022, pencil and ink on bristol board).
My wife Kara and I collect alot of records and along the way somehow we started collecting the Cruisin' series, a nostalgia title that came out in the early Seventies featuring oldies from the 1950s and 60s interspersed with classic radio dj chatter and station ads. The whole collection is made up of 15 records, from 1955 to 1970, and the unique thing about the series is that the cover of each record features the same group of characters in different scenes through the years. The main protagonists are Eddie and Peg, two teenagers in love, who go through many ups and downs, including the Vietnam War and the student revolts of the Sixties, before finally getting married. Each cover was illustrated in classic comic book style, with word balloons and many background details specific to each year. It wasn't until we had collected these records for many years that I realized that the artist who drew these covers was Mike Royer, a cartoonist famous among comic book fans for his association with Jack Kirby, inking and lettering most of Kirby's comics throughout the 1970s, including The New Gods, Black Panther, and The Eternals.
When we sold our record store earlier this year, I got the idea to memorialize our run with some special art, so I contacted Mr. Royer to see about commissioning him to create a version of one of his classic covers as an homage to the Cruisin' series and to our time at Royal Cat Records. I chose his cover to Cruisin' 1967, which takes place in a hippie headshop, and asked him to update it to a record shop in 1977, the year punk broke, and place Kara and myself in the scene. The results were beyond my wildest dreams! I asked local cartoonist Jay Stephens to add colour to the black-and-white masterpiece Mr. Royer created, and I gave the whole package to Kara for Christmas this year.
Thank you Mike and Jay and Merry Christmas from Bryan and Kara!
There is Free Comic Book Day, there is Local Comic Shop Day, and there is Record Store Day, and never the three shall meet! Except! Every once in while there are comics-themed or "comics adjacent" releases that come out on Record Store Day, and 2021 is no exception. This year, like last year, Record Store Day was split into multiple days (called "Drops") because of the Pandemic. Here are the releases that have a heavy comics connection:
The Groundhogs, Who Will Save the World?
Legendary superhero comic artist Neal Adams is famous for the comics he did in the 1970s (Avengers: Kree-Skrull War, Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Superman vs Muhammad Ali), but this reissue is a tribute to the other career of this 80-year old creator, illustration work in the comics-idiom. Adams did a series of beloved monster-themed covers and interiors for the Power Records book-and-record line, and he did stuff like this: a superhero-style take on a rock band: "Legendary final album from the power trio's classic line-up and a UK Top 10 album from 1972; housed in a faithfully reproduced comic book sleeve featuring an interview with original Marvel artist Neal Adams, plus an unreleased live version taken from their final live show in Pocono, USA. A definitive collector's item and part of the ongoing Fire Records catalogue campaign for the seminal British rock group. Pressed on yellow vinyl." (Limited to 1000 copies: released June 12th)
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, Piñata: The 1984 Version
Cover by Ben Marra! Marra (Night Business, Incredibly Fantastic Adventures of Maureen Dowd, Terror Assaulter O.M.W.O.T. (One Man War On Terror) ) is the "Mister 1980s" of the underground/indy comix scene and his deadpan style is perfect for this Miamai-Vice-style reimagining of one of the signature hip-hop albums of the past decade: "Piñata, the acclaimed effort from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib is a perennial best seller. For RSD 2021 Gibbs and Madlib replace Crockett and Tubbs for a follow up to the blaxploitation-inspired Pinata: The 1974 Version, with the ‘80s fueled Pinata: The 1984 Version. Though we promise, no mullets or ugly Ferraris.This single LP edition of Piñata has been lacquered at half speed master by Metropolis Mastering in London for the highest fidelity and is housed in an ‘80s themed cover variant exclusively as part of RSD Drops 2021." (released June 12th)
Czarface, Czar Noir
Like MF DOOM, the hip-hop supergroup Czarface has sort of made a knowing-reference to Silver and Bronze Age superhero comics part of their schtick. The last couple of RSD releases from the group have been comics-themed, and they've even released a stand-alone comic book "origin story" through Z2 Publishing: "Czarface delivers a fresh action adventure in the form of an all new Czarface comic, Czar Noir, packaged with an exclusive vinyl soundtrack. In the spirit of the highly sought-after Power Records series from the ‘70s, you can read along with the comic and hear the story come to life on vinyl. This all new action-packed full color Czarface escapade comes with musical accompaniment by DJ 7L and the Czar-Keys. There’s death, destruction, mayhem and high drama – Czar Noir. The set will be available exclusively as part of RSD Drops 2021." (released July 17th)
Barney Wilen, La Note Bleue
Way back in 1988, French cartoonist Jacques de Loustal released a well-reviewed graphic novel called Barney and the Blue Note, a semi-biographical take on the life of a half-forgotten saxophone player (written by long-time Loustal collaborator Philippe Paringaux). The real-life Barney was kind of upset when he found out he dies at the end (spoilers!) but now all is forgiven (Wilen died in 1997) and for RSD a giant box set of a classic Wilen recording comes packaged with a complete reprint of the graphic novel in English! "Limited edition, numbered, 180g vinyl of the celebrated Barney Wilen LP, La Note Bleue. Newly re-mastered from the original 24-track master tapes. Also includes; complete 88 page English edition of the iconic comic strip Barney Et La Note Bleue, 40-page LP-size booklet featuring new liner notes and never before seen photos, plus a bonus CD consisting of a previously unissued radio France live broadcast recorded in 1989 at The Parisian jazz club Le Petit Opportun." (released July 17th)
