By T.J. Kirsch, Adam Walmsley, Jeremy Massie, Jason Pittman, Håvard S. Johansen, J.T. Yost, Coşkun Kuzgun, Jesse Lonergan, & various (NBM)
ISBN: 978-1-68112-332-5 (HB) eISBN: 978-1-68112-263-2
I live a pretty blessed life these days. I love history and am addicted to comics and many of the best ones are just sent to me. The present trend is to combine both of my passions in graphic biographies – or even autobiographies. Our European cousins have pretty much collared the market on the former, with a range of personal histories featuring the great, the good and especially the extremely cool, but today we’re happily revisiting via a nifty, thrifty paperback and All-American(ish) confection that deftly hits that elusive sweet spot.
Whether you’re a fan or not of the music, you can’t deny the tenacity and enormous spirit of musician, writer, actor, filmmaker and activist Willie Nelson… the outsider’s outsider.
Utilising the talents of a group of indie artists, writer T.J. Kirsch has compiled an effective, effusive and moving monochrome testament to the troubadour’s talent, determination and resilience, which begins in 1933 in ‘Hill County, Texas’.
Rendered throughout in evocative, dried & dusty monochrome, the history begins with Coşkun Kuzgun detailing a hard life for a young boy wedded to mischief and addicted to music.
As they grew, Willie and sister Bobbie became local celebrities – but not rich ones – through performing, so he began a career in radio, using the opportunity to plug his own material. Never finding that elusive hit, Willie joined the Air Force in 1951, serving until a persistent back injury forced him out of the armed forces, just in time to stumble into matrimony. ‘A Humble Picker’ (limned by Jeremy Massie) traces that tempestuous relationship and Willie’s attempts to feed his family in and out of showbiz, before sliding back into disc jockeying and discovering marijuana…
The slow painful climb begins in Håvard S. Johansen’s ‘Country Willie’, continues in ‘Grinding Away’ (Jesse Lonergan) and culminates in professional breakthroughs and personal breakdowns in ‘Austin, Texas’ (art by Jason Pittman) as 1970 sees the true commencement of the legend…
J.T. Yost then depicts a life hard-lived but well worth the effort in ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ before the saga sparkles to a close – for now – in the all-T.J. Kirsch chapter ‘Elder Statesman’, revealing that music and legends just keep on going. That’s where the 2020 edition ended but here an ‘Epilogue’ by Kirsch catches us up, detailing the COVID days, “Sister Bobbie” Nelson’s passing and the outlaw gigs where Willie – well into his 90’s – still commands attention and applause. As of 20 minutes ago, and as far as I know, Willie’s still going strong…
Another addition is a bonus feature going behind-the-scenes into the book’s genesis and completion, complete with deleted pages, studies and sketches, embellished with creator commentary to back up original extras including Intro, Outro, Chapter and Endpaper illustrations by Adam Walmsley, ‘Bibliography’ and ‘Song Credits’ listing. This is an immensely likable pictorial testament that feels like a journey shared with a most interesting stranger. You may or may not like the music – yet – but you’ll be unable to not love the indomitable, irrepressible man.
© 2020 T.J. Kirsch. All rights reserved and managed by NBM Publishing, Inc.
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