Sublime: $5 at the Door

by Ryan Cady, Sublime (Performer), Z2 Comics

CELEBRATE THE SOUNDS OF SOCAL'S FAVORITE SONS WITH THIS OFFICIAL ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL!

After teenage pals Bud and Eric form a band in high school, it takes a fateful meeting with a new kid named Bradley to discover the blend of punk-rock and reggae that would define an era. Xanadu meets Superbad in this heartfelt anthology of Sublime legends brought to life by Ryan Cady (Infinite Dark, Poppy’s Inferno) and a cadre of the industry’s most talented illustrators. Featuring a brand new cover by Sublime logo creator Opie Ortiz!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Music

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sublime: $5 at the Door is the story of Sublime.

I remember finding 40 Ounces to Freedom at the local Venture store in 1995. I'd heard Date Rape on the radio but the CD was my first real sampling of the band. I liked them but never bought any other records. My wife got this for me a few weeks ago. It's not something I would have picked out for myself but I liked it quite a bit.

Written by Ryan Cady with art by Logan Faerber, Julianne Griepp, Robert Ahmad, Vasillis Lolos, Bill Masuku, Hayden Sherman, Alex Diotto, and Audrey Mok, the book chronicles Sublime from their humble beginnings to the height of their fame. Thankfully, it stops before Brad's death.

While there are a ton of artists, the art has a unified feel to it. I didn't realize so many hands were in the pot until I was writing up my review. It feels more like a documentary in comic form than it does the actual comic. The captions tell most of the story and the band members and the people in their orbit provide soundbites of dialogue. A few chapters are devoted to the antics of the infamous Dalmation, Louis.

I'm not a tremendous Sublime fan but $5 at the Door is a satisfying read. I'm sure bigger Sublime fans would enjoy it even more. Four out of five stars.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sublime: $5.00 at the Door is a non-fiction graphic novel written by Ryan Candy with art by Logan Faerber, Julianne Griepp, Robert Ahmad, Vasilis Lolos, Bill Masuku, Hayden Sherman, Alex Diotto, and Audrey Mok.

$5.00 at the Door tells the story of Sublime, the 90s alt-rock band who started as a group of SoCal teens obsessed with music and having fun. These three friends grew up to be one of the most influential musical artists of the 1990s.

I thought the book was informative even though it seemed to go out its way in praise for the band. Yes, I agree they changed the idea of what alternative music could be in the 90s and are still influential today, but every couple pages it’s singing the praises of their musical genius. The book mentions how the band members were into alcohol and drugs and how they seeked out professional help for their addictions, but then doesn’t even cover vocalists Brad Nowell’s tragic heroin overdose shortly before the release of their third album. The way the book reads, everyone lived happily ever after. I believe the creators should have gone into more detail into the dangers of their addiction. Brad’s story can still save the lives of others going through similar troubles.

The book is divided into 6 chapters with interludes. Each chapter and the interlude are drawn by a different artist or artist team. The book still flows well considering all the different creators involved. I especially liked the interludes that focused on Lou-Dog and how much of a positive impact he had on Brad and the band’s lives. If you are a big fan of Sublime, you probably know a lot of the material covered in this book, but it’s an interesting read for more casual fans.

[Bin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ about as wholesome as a rock band can be

[Vanessa C]

He did cry when his dog ran away. We all knew he did.

[Adam Parrilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Got my library to order a copy for the community. Slightly off putting to have 6 different artists, but really the flow wasn’t interrupted. Bravo on the many pages devoted to Lou-dog! 🌞

[Jonathan]

I am a HUGE Sublime fan. This book was given to me by DJ Product one of bands artist, creator of the origional sublime logo and the artist of the other cover for this graphic novel. It was an honer to meet him and hear stories about the early days of the band. It was cool to learn some stories of Eric Bud and Brad. Like many other fans I found Sublime about a month after Brad died, when their third self titled album droped. My heart sank when I learned the lead singer of this awesome band had died a month before I found them but my love for them grew as I found their eailer works 40 oz. and robbin the hood. Sublime is more than their great music they are a way of life and they represent a very important part of my life, though we weep for the loss of Brad this world is a better place because of his contrabution. RIP forever my brother

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel really puts my sparkling intelligence on display. That is, despite the title, I somehow missed that this was a biographical history of the band, Sublime. A band who, let me be honest, I have never knowingly listened to. But since I was in the mood for a music-based graphic novel, it did scratch that itch.

I think the art was lovely, and the moments this really shined was when it let some anecdotes play out. Life with Lou Dog especially was such a great little intermission here and there.

But it often got bogged down with a play-by-play, reeling off facts that made it a little on the drier side.

Still, I’m looking forward to actually checking out Sublime now, because I love hearing people wax rhapsodic about the things they love the most, and then checking them out.

[J.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot like the 40 oz. to Freedom album—an underground gem. I've read some recent graphic novels on the Beatles, David Bowie & Billie Holiday, and this Sublime book, like 40 oz., rises above the more lucratively-produced works. It's just got better writing chops. Insightful. Multi-layered. Character driven. You close the book with a richer understanding of the band as a sum of its parts, rather than just acquiring objective knowledge.

Plus, Lou dog!

Maybe MCA will pick this one up like they did with 40 oz.? I would.

[JayJay Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in 95 I bought an album of Saturday Morning Cartoon covers. When I heard the Hong Kong Phooey one I had the weirdest feeling that nothing would ever be the same again. It was genius. I listened to it over and over. Then sought out everything I could about Sublime which wasn’t always that easy in NYC. The music affected me, changed the way I saw a lot of things. The band’s influence was profound.
I was keenly interested in reading the graphic novel and it’s a romp. The art is great. It reflects the chaos of the band’s story.

[Diego Dotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because of the psychedelic cover and didn’t know it was about the band, I didn’t even see that the name of the band was in the cover. :p it was a nice surprise though. The sad part is that they tried to put too much stuff in few pages and quite biased, it’s clear that it was made by fans.

I read while listening to the band songs, which was cool. The main reason I’m not giving less stars is that the book made me enjoy some Sublime songs and imagining the dog messing around. 🐾

[Rutger Gerrits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sublime has been one of my favorite bands since my childhood. when I got to visit long beach, it felt ever more so special. But Sublime's tale is filled with tragedy and love. Bradley never got experience the full reach and impact the band had on music and it's fans. and this book captures this picture. absolutely perfect. Now with his son taking over the reigns of the band, I'm excited to see what is next. 'and then Lou dog sailed off to the moon'...

[Shannon Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sublime, and loved reading the stories that got them to where they landed. Loved everything about this! 🤘♥️

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fckn rad!

[Jonathan Pavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice light read about sublime and their journey. Would have been nice to dive a bit deeper into certain parts though.

[Jack Reickel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good. Different artists throughout but all held their own, the three principal members were recognizable and each covered well.