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Dio: Holy Diver
The Dio Estate and Z2 Comics have teamed up to bring you Dio - Holy Diver, the graphic novel adaptation of the classic album "Holy Diver" and the artwork it inspired.
the Holy Diver graphic novel – an original storyline inspired by one of heavy metal’s most iconic album covers. Penned by acclaimed horror comics writerSteve Niles (30 Days of Night), the book will tell the tale behind the events leading to the powerful moment captured on the cover of Dio's debut album—definitively addressing 30 years of fan speculation. Why is the priest being thrown into the ocean? Who is truly the villain in this scenario?
All of these questions are exclusively answered for the first time within the 120 pages of this graphic novel.
the Holy Diver graphic novel – an original storyline inspired by one of heavy metal’s most iconic album covers. Penned by acclaimed horror comics writerSteve Niles (30 Days of Night), the book will tell the tale behind the events leading to the powerful moment captured on the cover of Dio's debut album—definitively addressing 30 years of fan speculation. Why is the priest being thrown into the ocean? Who is truly the villain in this scenario?
All of these questions are exclusively answered for the first time within the 120 pages of this graphic novel.
Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2024
4 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Steve Niles
837 books457 followersSTEVE NILES is one of the writers responsible for bringing horror comics back to prominence, and was recently named by Fangoria magazine as one of it's "13 rising talents who promise to keep us terrified for the next 25 years."
Niles is currently working for the four top American comic publishers - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. He got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison.
Steve resides in Los Angeles in his bachelor pad with one cat. While there's no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there...but we have an idea.
--from the author's website
Niles is currently working for the four top American comic publishers - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. He got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison.
Steve resides in Los Angeles in his bachelor pad with one cat. While there's no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there...but we have an idea.
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 5, 2022
HOLY DIVER serves as a modern morality play in such a way that it makes the reader pause and consider the meaning of what they just read. Steve Niles plays loose with the concept and turns religious provincialism on its' head, raising the question of which side is the correct side? I loved it for that reason.
While this is an effort to shed more meaning and insight into the classic rock song, it's a beautiful story to read. The illustrations are gorgeous and this serves as a brilliant showcase for the art of Scott Hampton, especially the full page panels that look like lush paintings.
I've read a few of the Z2 Comics graphic novel offerings recently, and this one is my favorite of the bunch.
While this is an effort to shed more meaning and insight into the classic rock song, it's a beautiful story to read. The illustrations are gorgeous and this serves as a brilliant showcase for the art of Scott Hampton, especially the full page panels that look like lush paintings.
I've read a few of the Z2 Comics graphic novel offerings recently, and this one is my favorite of the bunch.
December 7, 2022
This one I got mainly for the artwork. I love the work of this particular illustrator Scott Hampton has a style that convinces the reader that they are seeing a work of art in every panel. There are elements of watercolour (say, the tree or the guardian, in this book) and elements of oil painting (the rich, ochres and blues of the earth and the blue of the ocean at night) and enough line drawing to make the characters stand out.
The story is pleasant enough; a crazy missionary type lands on an island to convert the islanders, in this case (unlike most real life scenarios) the islanders get to keep their culture and rituals despite the missionary trying to subvert the children. There is a surprise ending when you find the villagers have a real guardian on their side.
A decent story which the very beautiful art fully complements.
The story is pleasant enough; a crazy missionary type lands on an island to convert the islanders, in this case (unlike most real life scenarios) the islanders get to keep their culture and rituals despite the missionary trying to subvert the children. There is a surprise ending when you find the villagers have a real guardian on their side.
A decent story which the very beautiful art fully complements.
September 20, 2025
Το περίμενα πολύ καλύτερο. Οκ έχει κάποιες αναφορές από τα τραγούδια, έχει το όνομα του DIO στο εξώφυλλο και έχει κάτι από το εξώφυλλο του δίσκου που αγαπάμε. Δεν υπήρχε περίπτωση να το αφήσω να μου ξεφύγει, αλλά σίγουρα δεν έγινα σοφότερος που το διάβασα. μέτριο σχέδιο, μέτρια ιστορία, αλλά δεν έχασα και το χρόνο μου. όλα καλά. πάω να ακούσω το LP
July 11, 2024
This graphic novel interprets the backstory behind Ronnie James Dio's excellent 'Holy Diver' song, as well as its great album cover art (not on the cover of this). Conjecture of the story here, because it's not Dio writing this, R.I.P.
Steve Niles' fantastical narrative is well written, at times quoting lyrics directly from the song. Scott Hampton's illustrations are stellar, and fans of the actual album cover will love the last few pages!
As always, Bill Sienkiewicz' cover art here is great.
Only thing that I would've like to have seen is more of Dio's song lyrics spread throughout the story.
Steve Niles' fantastical narrative is well written, at times quoting lyrics directly from the song. Scott Hampton's illustrations are stellar, and fans of the actual album cover will love the last few pages!
As always, Bill Sienkiewicz' cover art here is great.
Only thing that I would've like to have seen is more of Dio's song lyrics spread throughout the story.
February 16, 2022
If you hit record stores in late May 1983 you might have seen a certain debut album with some interesting art. The cover shows a giant demon creature standing over a mountain side as a priest wrapped in chains struggles to stay afloat in the waters below. Welcome to heavy metal band Dio and their debut album Holy Diver.
The religious right had a fit. They argued that the artwork was satanic with a demon killing a man of the cloth. But Dio front-man Ronnie James Dio argued that things were from a different perspective. And that perhaps it wasn't a priest being killed but in fact a monster!
The cover was painted by Randy Berrett and has since become known as one of the most iconic album covers of all-time. The album cemented Ronnie James Dio as one of the preeminent heavy metal headliners after tenures with the bands Rainbow and an Ozzy-less Black Sabbath. But the question still persisted 'What's the story behind the album cover?'
Over the years, Ronnie James Dio and his wife Wendy would conduct charity work for exploited children; later for child sex victims of the Catholic church. In interviews, Dio would claim that his controversial album cover was coming true. Some would question if Dio himself was a victim of molestation, having been raised in the Catholic church. While Dio was not officially listed as having answered in the affirmative, the singer would continue to allude to his Holy Diver artwork as being something 'not as it seems.'
Ronnie James Dio passed away in May, 2010. While he never fully gave away all of his secrets, he left a backstory to the Holy Diver artwork. According to wife Wendy, Dio was okay with the story being revealed after he passed. She just needed to find the right voices to do it.
To mark the 10th anniversary of Ronnie James Dio's death, Dio's widow selected 30 Days of Night's Steve Niles to take the singer's notes and turn them into a cohesive story. Artist Scott Hampton (Black Widow) would illustrate. Together, readers were taken back in time to an age of magic and dragons.
On a secluded island, Father Emil seeks to convert it's pagan inhabitants to Christianity. The elders imprison the priest in hopes of teaching him a lesson in tolerance. But when it's revealed that the holy man has been poisoning the children with lessons on hate, the adults find that they make have to put an end to Father Emil.
The story was quite good. But I was really hoping for a foreword or even an afterword to delve more into the mind of Ronnie James Dio. The priest on the cover of the album is wearing modern vestments. I would have liked to known if setting the story in what I assume is medieval times was intentional or a game time decision in hopes of not offending the Church.
Scott Hampton's artwork was really chaotic. Some characters looked cartoonish while others looks amazingly lifelike. There's also a lot of nudity in this book (and why are they floating?!). With the druid-like village and excessive skin, this book felt a lot more like a prequel to The Wicker Man than a tell-all about what really happened between the demon, Murray, and the drowning priest.
This graphic novel clocks in at 124 pages. All story. No backstory. And backstory was why I bought this book! I guess I'll just never know the full ins-and-outs of the artwork to Holy Diver!
The religious right had a fit. They argued that the artwork was satanic with a demon killing a man of the cloth. But Dio front-man Ronnie James Dio argued that things were from a different perspective. And that perhaps it wasn't a priest being killed but in fact a monster!
The cover was painted by Randy Berrett and has since become known as one of the most iconic album covers of all-time. The album cemented Ronnie James Dio as one of the preeminent heavy metal headliners after tenures with the bands Rainbow and an Ozzy-less Black Sabbath. But the question still persisted 'What's the story behind the album cover?'
Over the years, Ronnie James Dio and his wife Wendy would conduct charity work for exploited children; later for child sex victims of the Catholic church. In interviews, Dio would claim that his controversial album cover was coming true. Some would question if Dio himself was a victim of molestation, having been raised in the Catholic church. While Dio was not officially listed as having answered in the affirmative, the singer would continue to allude to his Holy Diver artwork as being something 'not as it seems.'
Ronnie James Dio passed away in May, 2010. While he never fully gave away all of his secrets, he left a backstory to the Holy Diver artwork. According to wife Wendy, Dio was okay with the story being revealed after he passed. She just needed to find the right voices to do it.
To mark the 10th anniversary of Ronnie James Dio's death, Dio's widow selected 30 Days of Night's Steve Niles to take the singer's notes and turn them into a cohesive story. Artist Scott Hampton (Black Widow) would illustrate. Together, readers were taken back in time to an age of magic and dragons.
On a secluded island, Father Emil seeks to convert it's pagan inhabitants to Christianity. The elders imprison the priest in hopes of teaching him a lesson in tolerance. But when it's revealed that the holy man has been poisoning the children with lessons on hate, the adults find that they make have to put an end to Father Emil.
The story was quite good. But I was really hoping for a foreword or even an afterword to delve more into the mind of Ronnie James Dio. The priest on the cover of the album is wearing modern vestments. I would have liked to known if setting the story in what I assume is medieval times was intentional or a game time decision in hopes of not offending the Church.
Scott Hampton's artwork was really chaotic. Some characters looked cartoonish while others looks amazingly lifelike. There's also a lot of nudity in this book (and why are they floating?!). With the druid-like village and excessive skin, this book felt a lot more like a prequel to The Wicker Man than a tell-all about what really happened between the demon, Murray, and the drowning priest.
This graphic novel clocks in at 124 pages. All story. No backstory. And backstory was why I bought this book! I guess I'll just never know the full ins-and-outs of the artwork to Holy Diver!
October 30, 2021
Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE fan of the musical work of Ronnie James Dio. And I love the 'Holy Diver' album as well. The artwork was always striking and of course the music was fantastic.
When I saw the news that writer Steve Niles had been chosen to tell the story behind that album cover's artwork, I knew it would be a tale of horror in some way shape or form.
Not being a huge horror fan I was unsure how to gauge my expectations. I will say that I love the artwork from Scott Hampton and the cover of the graphic novel by Bill Sienkiewicz is superb.
As for the story...
Okay, in truth there's nothing wrong with the story overall. The artwork for the album depicts a priest that has been tossed into a body of water while a demon overhead looks on.
So the plot line is essentially telling the reader a tale of what leads up to that moment and how it comes to pass. Using both his own storytelling prowess and working in lyric lines from the song "Holy Diver" as both dialogue and exposition, Niles tells the story of a hard core believing priest who's made it his mission to root out any and all he determines to not worship his god as he thinks they should. Coming to a clearly pagan type village, the priest denounces them in the eyes of his lord. But the villagers turn the tables and imprison him. But he's not done with his mission and he soon tries a different way to insinuate his beliefs into village life.
How that comes to pass and the reaction it engenders fills the rest of the story before the climactic conclusion any music fan knows is coming. It makes for interesting reading overall, particularly if you are a reader just coming to the story.
The drawback for me was that since I knew the conclusion ahead of time, it makes it hard to be surprised by it. And frankly, the priest is just a total (throw in your preferred insulting curse word here) and deserves his fate. For all his posturing, it was the priest who was found wanting.
Still I appreciated the way Steve Niles and Scott Hampton fleshed out the backstory to the original artwork. And anything that keeps the spirit of Ronnie James Dio both alive and in the forefront of everyone's mind is A-OK with me!
When I saw the news that writer Steve Niles had been chosen to tell the story behind that album cover's artwork, I knew it would be a tale of horror in some way shape or form.
Not being a huge horror fan I was unsure how to gauge my expectations. I will say that I love the artwork from Scott Hampton and the cover of the graphic novel by Bill Sienkiewicz is superb.
As for the story...
Okay, in truth there's nothing wrong with the story overall. The artwork for the album depicts a priest that has been tossed into a body of water while a demon overhead looks on.
So the plot line is essentially telling the reader a tale of what leads up to that moment and how it comes to pass. Using both his own storytelling prowess and working in lyric lines from the song "Holy Diver" as both dialogue and exposition, Niles tells the story of a hard core believing priest who's made it his mission to root out any and all he determines to not worship his god as he thinks they should. Coming to a clearly pagan type village, the priest denounces them in the eyes of his lord. But the villagers turn the tables and imprison him. But he's not done with his mission and he soon tries a different way to insinuate his beliefs into village life.
How that comes to pass and the reaction it engenders fills the rest of the story before the climactic conclusion any music fan knows is coming. It makes for interesting reading overall, particularly if you are a reader just coming to the story.
The drawback for me was that since I knew the conclusion ahead of time, it makes it hard to be surprised by it. And frankly, the priest is just a total (throw in your preferred insulting curse word here) and deserves his fate. For all his posturing, it was the priest who was found wanting.
Still I appreciated the way Steve Niles and Scott Hampton fleshed out the backstory to the original artwork. And anything that keeps the spirit of Ronnie James Dio both alive and in the forefront of everyone's mind is A-OK with me!
January 25, 2022
By far the most average story I have read in a graphic novel. 2.5 Stars.
I'm certain that any Dio fan would want to read it, but the linear story telling devoid of any profound character development and without any plot oscillations or twists takes away any thrill or suspence from the story.
The cover of the comic is beautiful, but I think that the artists could have spent more time detailing the demon character in the end.
Basically, I knew how the story would develop after I read some 20% of the graphic novel.
I'm certain that any Dio fan would want to read it, but the linear story telling devoid of any profound character development and without any plot oscillations or twists takes away any thrill or suspence from the story.
The cover of the comic is beautiful, but I think that the artists could have spent more time detailing the demon character in the end.
Basically, I knew how the story would develop after I read some 20% of the graphic novel.
July 27, 2021
3.5 really
August 4, 2021
Classic Niles: short, punchy and to the point. Great Wickerman vibes
August 17, 2021
The illustrations are great but the story is weird AF. And not in a good way.
October 7, 2021
Pretty cool story. Pretty cool art. I enjoyed it!
January 9, 2022
Not what I thought the song was about but what do I know? A pretty good story for the song.
January 10, 2022
Nice art and a cool story.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews