Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Bob Fingerman, graphic novel, peter bagg, weird al yankovic, z2

Z2 Comics Turns Weird AL Yankovic Songs Into Comic Book Stories

Published Wed, 25 May 2022 11:27:11 -0500

Z2 Comics has announced a collaboration with "Weird Al" Yankovic to publish The Illustrated Al: The Songs of "Weird Al" Yankovic, with over twenty songs interpreted by such artists as Bill Plympton (Your Face, Guard Dog), Aaron Augenblick (Superjail!, Ugly Americans), Peter Bagge (Hate), Steve Chanks (Revolver Magazine), Felipe Sobreiro (Luther Strode, Death's Head), Gideon Kendall (Megaghost), Michael Kupperman (Tales Designed to Thrizzle, The New Yorker), Wes Hargis (My New Teacher and Me!, When I Grow Up), Ruben Bolling (Tom the Dancing Bug, Super-Fun-Pak Comix), Fred Harper (The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal), Ryan Dunlavey (Action Philosophers), R. Sikoryak (The Unquotable Trump), Jeff McClelland (The Tick), Jeff McComsey (The Fourth Man), Hilary Barta (Plastic Man), Johnny Sampson (MAD Magazine), Tom Richmond (MAD Magazine, Cracked Magazine), Bob Fingerman (Minimum Wage), and more.

The book also features cover art by Drew Friedman (MAD Magazine) and Mike & Laura Allred (Madman), as well as a custom art print set from Jesse Philips (Transformers, Star Trek), a collector's card set by Danny Hellman (Screw, Legal Action Comics), and a foreword from comedian Emo Philips, who is also opening for Al on his current 133-show tour of North America, with an accompanying illustration by master MAD alumnus Sam Viviano.

"It's such an incredible honor to see my song lyrics brought to life by some of my all-time favorite cartoonists and illustrators," Yankovic says. "I've actually been playing the long game—the only reason I spent four decades in the music business is so that one day I could have my very own graphic novel."

Z2 Comics and "Weird Al" Yankovic present The Illustrated Al: The Songs of "Weird Al" Yankovic in both softcover and hardcover formats, as well as oversized hardcover deluxe, and an oversized hardcover deluxe hand-signed edition. Drew Friedman and Mike & Laura Allred provide cover art. Deluxe editions include a wax pack of collector's cards illustrated by Danny Hellman, a 3-piece art print set from Jesse Philips, a vinyl slipmat, drink coasters, and, in the Super Deluxe Edition, Al-signed books as well as a "Weird Al" Yankovic branded mini-accordion.