Pop Comix!

Now here’s a topic that combines two of my passions. Many pop musicians are of course comic fans as well and comic creators are also pop enthusiasts. So references to comics have surfaced on pop songs and pop references have figured in the comic books as well. (I realize that late 60s bubblegum linked cartoons with pop music heavily but that's an entirely different matter)

Here’s a sampling:

1. The Red Rocket 7 series by Mike Allred (he drew the artwork that appears in Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy) had a storyline that revolved around the history of pop music. Many well-known pop stars (like John Lennon, David Bowie and Jim Morrison) are featured. Allred also fancies himself a musician and produced a largely forgettable giveaway CD by his band GEAR to promote Red Rocket 7.

2. XTC (Andy Partridge is a comics buff) has often mentioned comic book characters in its songs. e.g. Sgt. Rock - "Sgt Rock; Supergirl in "That's Really Super, Supergirl; Brainiac - "Brainiac's Daughter & the Justice League of America - "Melt the Guns."

3. Comics writer Grant Morrison had an obscure comic tale called The New Adventures of Hitler. In one memorable scene, a young Hitler (in England for a holiday-don’t ask) opens a cupboard to find Morrissey (of the Smiths) singing "Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now!"

4. Paul McCartney, whilst not really an avid fan, saw fit to write a (unremarkable) song about two Marvel Comics villains Magneto and Titanium Man for Wings’ Venus and Mars album. For the “live” version of the song, the images of both characters would be cast on the stage backdrop.

. 5. Creator Matt Wagner is a longtime fan of the British band The Jam and so the first issue of Mage: The Hero Defined has the protagonist Kevin Matchstick (same initials as yours truly!) quote lines from "A Town Called Malice." Hopefully, the music of Weller and co will feature prominently when the movie version of Mage is released.

6. If there ever was a rock group that was inspired by the comic books, it would have to be KISS they even had one of their album covers (Unmasked) presented as a comic strip. With their painted faces and larger than life personas, it is no surprise that KISS has managed to make a smooth transition from rock monsters to super-heroes. Todd McFarlane, the creator of Spawn, has exploited this trait to the hilt with publishing the KISS: Psycho Circus comics and even featuring KISS action figures in his popular McFarlane Toys line.

7. Cult writer Alan (Watchmen, Swamp Thing, From Hell) Moore has …um… more than his fair share of misadventures in the world of pop. Pop Will Eat Itself even sang “Alan Moore knows the score” in a tune and he had the songwriting services of Daniel Ash (Bauhaus) in putting music to Moore’s lyrics in an installment of V for Vendetta for the now defunct Warrior magazine.

8. Speaking of Bauhaus, of course, the band sans singer Peter Murphy went on to steal-um borrow the name of Los Bros Hernandez’s wonder comic Love & Rockets and on to multi-platinum record sales in the bargain! Not surprisingly, the Hernandez brothers were none too impressed by the whole shameful-uh unfortunate episode. Gilbert Hernandez himself was responsible, with Pete (Hate) Bagge, for the delightful bubblegum girly band spoof-homage Yeah!

9. Robin Wilson (ex-Gin Blossoms) of Gas Giants is a huge comics fan. No surprise then that he managed to combine both genres in The Poppin' Wheelies featuring a 'good guy guitar band in space chased by an evil electronica robot.' The 11 track CD includes a six-page comic book illustrated by Alejandro Garza. Worth noting that Gas Giants' debut album featured a cover by noted illustrator Geoff Darrow, perhaps best known as the storyboard artist on Matrix and a co-creator of Big Guy and Rusty the Robot Boy.

10. Last but not least, I leave you with Eclipso. Who? Well, he's either a DC Comics super-villain 'who split off from heroic scientist Bruce Gordon every time there was a solar eclipse, and carried out nefarious schemes with his energy-blasting black diamond until the good guys could figure out a way to fuse him back with Gordon,' OR he's a multi-talented singer-songwriter-musician (also going by name of Bruce Gordon!) whose spanking new Earle Mankey-produced album will push all the right buttons for fans of the Beatles, Beach Boys, Badfinger & Big Star. Take your pick!

So pop fans if these references make you that much more curious about comics, well, now's the time to check out your friendly neighbourhood comics store and let them know I sent you!

Thanks to Joe Field for partial re-inspiration!

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