'The Rolling Stones in Comics!' by Ceka is a combination of essays, photos and comics about one of the world's most famous rock bands.

There are 21 short essays and 21 short comics by various artists. The book takes a chronological look at the origins, successes, tragedies, and drugs. There are photos from throughout the years.

The comics that follow the essays pretty much rehash the essays, but it's interesting to see all the different styles of art. I confess to not being the biggest fan in the world, so not knowing a ton about the band or it's members. I had fun reading this book.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing, Papercutz, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

Quick easy read, giving an overview of the Rolling Stones and their history.

Alternating chapters of comic strip and story narrative which both equally enjoyable. This book is more for the person who has a casual interest, rather than the committed fan who would already know everything in the book. Never the less I think that anyone with the slightest interest in music would enjoy his book.

I love comics and the Rolling Stones (sorry Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) so I had to read the Rolling Stones in Comics!

It tells the Rolling Stones story from its humble beginnings as a R&B cover band through its last tour. It details the issues between the band members, the drugs, the deaths, the music, and the groupies. The books states that Bill Wyman was the first person to coin the term groupies. The books is full of interesting tidbits like that.

The artwork is bright and clear. The book has an innovative solution to the usual problem of trying to stuff too much information in comic book speech balloons. It has a prose introduction to each chapter. Most are about three pages long and also contain pictures of the Stones at the time period referenced in the chapter. It worked for me.

Overall, the Rolling Stones in Comics! Is highly recommended for Stones fans and others who want to revisit the turbulent 1960s and 70s. 4 stars!

Thanks to NBM Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had a lot of fun reading The Rolling Stones in Comics. I learned a lot of things about this band, like how they came together and the struggles they faced along the way. It told me of old members leaving and new ones coming in. You also learn how the band grew from these experiences into something more than just a band. As you read this graphic novel you hear some of their greatest moments and times when things couldn’t have been worse for them. If you are a Rolling stones fan then you will want to check this graphic novel out.

I loved the mix of fiction and illustrations. The art work and actual photos provides a deeper content to the material! Would love this in an music theory class.

An entertaining mix of a graphic novel, real photos, and short texts about one of rock and rolls iconic bands. Photographs and text describe pieces of The Stones history and are followed up with a graphic reenactment of the prose -- like Kieth and Mick meeting for the first time or how Keith Richards tunes his five-string guitar and why it sounds so unique. This book is by no means a detailed history of the band but hits many of the high (or low) points like the Redlands Affair and Altamont. A fun project for fans of the group that has been rocking since 1962.

February 16, 2019
WORDS ABOUT THE ROLLING STONES IN COMICS BY CEKA


Arranged by prose-like chapters with real-life images, then followed by comic books frame with text like captions, The Rolling Stones in Comics is an active and engaging read. It probably helps that I've been a Stones listener for many years (in fact, I spend most Saturday mornings enjoying their music).

The narrative jumps back and forth in time, and the art works well. Bright streets, grainy creative processses, and dialogue among the group members take shape in visual and written form. A recommended graphic novel experiences for fans of the music, as well as fans of the medium.

The story of The Rolling Stones isn't a new or closely guarded one. Any fan of the band has undoubtedly digested it in multiple media, ranging from book to documentary film to periodical piece. Now we have the opportunity to read the same old story in a brand new format in this comic book tale of The Rolling Stones.

Given the aforementioned nod to the band's tremendous public exposure, it goes without saying that this particular version of the Stones biography doesn't tell us anything new. That said, the delivery is different, and that's not nothing.

A warning needs to be extended to the reader that despite being billed as a comic book history, most of the book is actually in text form. The comic panels are interspersed between sections of pure written content, and generally provide supporting material to the text rather than actually telling the story. I would have preferred more art and less text, but generally speaking, the mix is not unpleasant.

My only real gripe with the book lies in the author deciding to use multiple artists for the graphic sections of the book. Part of the problem is that some of the artists chosen are, to put it bluntly, not particularly good at art. The quality from section to section varies wildly, with some of the art clocking in as outstanding and some of it rating as borderline terrible. The use of multiple artists also creates a disjointed feel and means the book doesn't flow all that well as a whole.

The quality of the written sections, too, leaves something to be desired. The humor is often unsubtle and ham-fisted, and the structure is about on par with a middle school book report. (That is, if there were ever a middle school teacher cool enough to green light a book report on The Rolling Stones).

Though flawed, the product as a whole still felt like a success. The writing and the art are up and down and far from perfect even at their best moments, but the mixed media format feels like a creative triumph and the combination of the story itself and the enthusiasm of those involved in the production of the book will give you some gritty, invigorating rock and roll feels. And there's nothing more Rolling Stones than that.

NBM Publishing is in the process of putting out a series of music star biography/ coffee table book/ comic strips. Some others feature the Beatles, Elvis and Billie Holliday. Of course, such a series would not be complete without a tribute to the World's Greatest Rock n Roll band: Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones! Chapters alternate between biographical stories and comic art by a variety of artists in a variety of styles, perhaps fitting because along with lunch boxes and T-shirts all kinds of rock paraphernalia were put out back in the day. What was really interesting to me at least was how little of the Stones story I was familiar with though I know ever riff and every lyric. To be honest, it's only a taste of the Stones and, if you are looking for a more in depth treatment of either their catalog or their biographies, there are plenty of other sources. But, the bottom line is that this book is just plain fun to thumb through (even though I'm thumbing digital pages).

Interesting mix of short texts and great comics.
I love the Rolling Stones and really appreciated this book.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

Interesting graphic history of The Rolling Stones interspersed with brief explanatory essays. Rather more information than the average person might need, but fans should be intrigued and art aficionados will enjoy the different approaches taken by different authors.