The Rolling Stones: Das Comic!

by Céka (Brand)

Anfang der 1960er-Jahre wollten die Rolling Stones einfach Rhythm ’n’ Blues spielen, nichts weiter. Niemals hätten sie gedacht, dass sie einmal Popgeschichte schreiben und zu musikalischen Wortführern einer sich radikal verändernden Welt werden würden. Rhythmisch präzise und mit provokanten Texten streckten sie dem herrschenden Konformismus die Zunge entgegen und wurden dabei Millionäre. Angeführt von Mick Jagger und Keith Richards verkörpern die Stones seit fast fünfzig Jahren mehr als nur ihre Musik.

21 Strips einer neuen Generation franko-belgischer Comiczeichner werden von biografischen Texten und umfangreichem Fotomaterial begleitet. So lässt sich die unglaubliche Zeitreise der Rolling Stones auf eine völlig neue Art und Weise erleben ...

Genres: Music, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Comics, Pop Culture, Graphic Novels Comics

192 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2017

About the author

Erick Lasnel, see https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9ka

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley.com for the advance look.

I like the Stones, and have seen them 2-3 times. There are probably hundreds of books about them, several in each library. Well, this is another one and like most of them it is for fans about The Greatest Rock Band of All Time (I'm not going to argue about that here). It has several prose introductions to topics, it has fan friendly photos of the band from across the decades, and 21 short comics about different topics, in different styles.

Maybe because I am reading Catherine Ingram's I Am series of illustrated board books about artists, written as entertaining and substantive introductions to Great Artists, I was led to reflect on the difference between a puff piece for fans and a biography that doesn't deify, that admits the complications and contradictions of the artists being explored. The aesthetic of the Ceka book is jarring, jumping from photo to prose text to comics. Some of the comics do talk about interesting topics, if you are fan--as with the Fifth Beatle story, there is a little bit here about a fifth Stone piano player--but the overall sense is not of a beautiful interesting book but a series of disconnected factoids and perspectives. Which is fine, just not my cuppa. But I think if you are a true fan and if you are in the comics section of your library, you might want to check this out.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

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).

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Céka did a lamentable job with Michael Jackson bio, but this one was pretty decent. Which is to say I learned a lot about the band. These are such strange books, they appear as graphic novels, but content wise they are a mix of biographical essays, quotations and photographs. In fact, the graphics are just a small portion of the total, created by a variety of different artists in a variety of different styles, each one to reference some significant juncture in Rolling Stones’ life. Because of the variety, some of this comic art entries land nicer than others. Some veer too far into cartoonism. Although all have fun interesting colors.
This was a commemorative read, of sorts. RIP Charlie Watts. The band itself has exhibited a striking longevity, a very lively and kicking bunch of senior citizens and the book is actually from a few years ago, when Watts was still alive. Mick Jagger is pushing eighty and is still at it, not too shabby for a guy who once said he wanted to quit the business at 33.
So, what do we learn from this book outside of the admiration society style biographical narrative? Well, from a modern hyperwoke perspective one can say that a bunch of Englishmen got together, appropriated a variety of black music such as blues and jazz, took a name heavily associated with black culture (slavery link, didn’t know about this at all, very interesting reference) and spun it into decades worth of musical gold, fame and fortune.
But really, the more music biographies you read (or watch the cinematic adaptations of), the more you realize it’s literally the same story over and over, just with different players. The exact same curves on the narrative trajectories. Tragically predictable, but those who ride them out apparently become legends, so…who can resist.
Overall, a decent book for someone who wants to learn about the band quickly, overview style. Nowhere near as much fun as a Rolling Stones concert, but you know, medium limitations.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presenting the history of the Rolling Stones in the form of comics is a great idea, and for the most part, this volume tackles the job very well. Much of the narrative is actually short sections of text which introduce each of the twenty-one comics chapters, but that judicious use of prose allows the book to cover more territory than the graphics could do on their own.

Most of the visual sections are by a different comics artist, and those changing visual styles work well to chart the course of changes in the world of the Stones themselves. Given that most of the comics chapters are only five or six pages in length, it's inevitable that not all of the artists have risen to the challenge of creating something notable from a short slice of the Stones biography. But there are standouts, particularly Dmitri Piot, Kyung-Eun Park, and Dominique Hennebaut.

For me, the most successful chapter is Anthony Audibert's "Performance", which uses Mick Jaggers' role in the film of the same name to explore the free-wheeling sexuality that has always been a big part of the Stones' public persona. Audibert is a truly gifted comics stylist, and his creative approach to his topic stands out from the rather dry biographical facts that most of his peers have chosen to chronicle.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has the slapdash feel of a high school yearbook, but does gives an overview of the history of the Rolling Stones that kept me turning pages briskly. Between the many comic strips with a variety of artists who vary greatly in their ability to capture the likenesses of the members of the band, are a bunch of goofily written and worshipful text pieces and tons of public domain photographs.

The historical rigor and editorial philosophy of the book is best summed up by this disclaimer included on the verso page: "most of the quotes in this book are translated from the French edition, and are therefore not phrased exactly like the original quotes in English." Isn't there a game people play with Google Translate that does this same thing for laughs? Fortunately, the translator here does a better job of covering up any truly ridiculous gaffes, but it doesn't inspire confidence as to how much of this "history" can truly be trusted.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me longer to finish than I expected. It wasn't any dissatisfaction with the book on my part, but simply because I got sucked into another book--I tend to have two or three books going at a time. Anyway, I finally finished this one.

Although the title is The Rolling Stones In Comics, there's actually a fair amount of text as well. The comics portion is a series of vignettes of various stages of the Stones’ career, and the text is a more conventional rock biography that's mostly there to set up the context for each vignette. This was actually a smart move because, without the text, you’d need to be something of a Stones historian to understand the significance of the events depicted in the comics. The text allows the more casual fans to also appreciate the book.

Ultimately, I have kind of mixed feelings about this book. I can't deny that I enjoyed reading it, and the comics are well-crafted. But the idea that the comics are incapable of carrying the book on their own, that they need the prose sections to be comprehensible, makes me uneasy. It doesn't seem in keeping with the graphic novel spirit. I don't know. I’m probably overthinking it. In the end, it does work. The book was pretty decent, as I said.

Some of that ambivalence may be from my feelings for the band themselves. I’ll admit that I'm a casual fan. I only own two of their albums, both of them “Greatest Hits” style compilations (Hot Rocks and More Hot Rocks if you must know). I think their glory days were pretty much the 60's and 70's. Everything since then has been more about the Rolling Stones as an Institution rather than a band. That said, they play as well as ever, and certainly know how to put on a show. If they want to keep recording and touring, more power to ‘em. Their fans certainly don't seem to mind.

Anyway, this book was certainly readable, and even fun. I think it's possible to do better comics about the Rolling Stones, but these will certainly do. Kind of neutral as far as recommending it goes, but check it out if it sounds interesting to you.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun combo of stories, photos, and of course-comics -about The Rolling Stones. Especially intriguing to read after Sir Paul McCartney’s recent allegation that the Stones were solely a ‘blues cover band.’ According to the albeit succinct history presented in this book, that doesn’t seem like a characterization that the early Stones would disagree with; and particularly not Brian Jones, who was all about staying true to the Blues genre. Lively compendium with a variety of artists, all successful in summing up each chapter. Introduced me to some interesting blues artists and even a couple of Stones songs I didn’t know. Good fun and recommended if you’re a fan.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 book 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.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley.com for the advance look

[Francis Mayfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessant, aber nichts wirklich Besonderes

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Christiane Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE ROLLING STONES - Das Comic!

Hier kommt die Idee, die Rolling Stones als Band, im modernen Design, dem Leser/Hörer näher zu bringen - denn es geht ja immerhin darum, dass die Stones bereits seit fast 60 Jahren Musik machen und Fans im Alter von 10-99 Jahren begeistern können!

In dieser Biografie werden Höhepunkte und Niederlagen, aber auch „Insider“ Details in der Kombination aus Comic und geschriebenen Text aus 6 Jahrzehnten authentisch und informativ wiedergegeben.
Wir erleben die Entstehung der Band, erfahren von ihrer musikalischen Entwicklung, vom Ausscheiden und Tod der Gründungsmitglieder, erleben den Einfluss diverser Gitarristen, sind nicht nur bei Sex- und Drogenexzessen dabei, sondern auch bei der Entstehung ihrer wichtigsten Alben.

Wie konnte diese rebellische und provokante Band, sich den verändernden Zeiten anpassen ohne ihren wiedererkennbaren Rockstil zu verlieren und weiterhin bestehen?

Meine Meinung:
Die Kombination aus Text und Comic-Darstellung ist mehr als gelungen und konnte mir, obwohl ich bereits einige Biografien der Band gelesen habe und die Band seit fast 40 Jahren begleite, neues aufzeigen.

Wer wissen will, weshalb Keith seine Gitarre offen stimmt, Ronny die Band re-motivieren konnte, Mick seine Solokarriere geschickt an die der Stones knüpfte, Mick Taylor so wie auch Bill Wyman die Band verließen, Brian Jones, Stu und Charly Watts nicht mehr unter uns weilen, sollte diese außergewöhnliche Biografie lesen.

Ein kleiner Minuspunkt für die nicht ganz so getroffenen Zeichnungen der Band im Comic. Diese hätte ich mir ein wenig authentischer gewünscht.
Große Leseempfehlung für Stonies!
5- / 5

[Halei | DegenerateReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. Review originally at DegenerateReads - https://degeneratereads.wordpress.com...

This is essentially a biography of the band told through comics, but it also includes photos of the band and pages of text giving background information on different stories in the Rolling Stones' history.

As a Rolling Stones fan, I was beyond stoked to read this. Reading about how they got their start, and all the crazy things they've done since has been so fun. The writer definitely doesn't hold anything back or try to glaze over any of the less agreeable things the band members have done.

There were a few times throughout reading this that I felt the writer was being a tad condescending in the way they handled certain stories, but it occurred rarely enough that it didn't effect the overall tone.

The artwork has a fun, caricature-style cartoon-y look—and the artist uses dark,  monochromatic color schemes. The art itself is nothing I haven't seen before, but it doesn't take away from the reading experience, and I think "flashier" artwork would have distracted from the stories themselves.

This comic is part of a series by NBM Comics where biographical comics are written and illustrated for different bands. So far the only other band I can find available in this series is the Beatles, but I believe more will be added later.

I would recommend this to any fan of the Rolling Stones—whether your interest in them is casual or you're a hardcore fan.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'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.

[Ankita Arora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I loved it!

The story of Rolling Stones in a graphical, comic sort of way with deep insights to what made them so grand. Their struggle is evident and so is their success. For anyone who wishes to know about one of the best band there ever was, this is a good culmination of info and facts.

They were the first to bring their own take on Rock n Roll which was different to all others. The band lost many members but the love for music kept them going.

I loved the graphical take on it, plus the comic strips were to die for. I did not know so much about them. This was definitely enlightening.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book.

[MK · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good primer into the history of the band. I didn't know much so I found it very informative. Not as much a fan of the structure. There's a section where they talk about some element (really helpful) followed by about 6 pages illustrating it, by a rotating group of artists. I would have gotten much more from the art if the pages had been first, followed by the text. (Other in comics books have used this approach.) Artwork is fine, lettering is clear but the effect is underwhelming.

[Teresa Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter starts with text and photos highlighting different events in the Rolling Stones career followed by a more intimate graphic story. Each chapter is drawn by a different artist. All photos are from Wikimedia and credited with creative common licenses. This has been translated from the French. A good introduction to the Rolling Stones history.

[Lisa Kizer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixture of prose and comics. At times the comics seemed redundant of what was written in the prose. Knowing that you cannot cover everything, I also still felt like the author skipped over some, not all, the big happenings in the Rolling Stones career. While not disappointed, I still was not overwhelmed by this effort.

[Lay Ctr · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’histoire est évidemment excellente, la balance BD et infos est à point. Par contre, la traduction française laisse largement à désirer. De plus, il y a plusieurs erreurs d’impressions qui nous font rapidement décrocher.

[Erika Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in the goodreads giveaway. I absolutely love the comic styled rolling stones. Entertaining and great artwork!

[Kristen Thorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watered down history of the Stones but I really enjoyed the mix of comics, photos, quotes, and narrative. Nice blend of storytelling.

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This provides a fun biography of the band itself, as well as its members.

[Sabra Kurth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun miscellany—some great photos and comics.

[Paula LyMz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting balance of graphic novel and historical narrative about the formation and long career of the Rolling Stones, beginning with the meeting of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and continuing to their 2017 concert tour. Though I've heard the 'Stones my whole life, I never paid much attention to the history of the band. The stories that were comic-based were done my different illustrators/artists and the variety of styles was nice to experience. This book was a great review and was well done.

*Note: I was pleased to receive a copy from the publisher and #GoodreadsGiveaway.

[Laurel Zito · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was not that good and I was able to get it for free from a library system and the comics were sometimes just not very good and it was hard to read it as a digital book because the panels would not really open correctly.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Read n Review]

The Rolling Stones in Comics, By Ceka

This is a write up of the meeting of two of the greatest musicians to every grace a stage and play rock and roll.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, also how they went on to form the Rolling Stones.

The cast of characters are as follows.
Keith Richards, Mick Jaggar, Brian Jones, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts.
Not to mention the dozens of musicians who have come and gone from the band since 1962


I enjoyed the comic, i am familiar with the back story of both of the great Uk Invasion groups of the 60s.
The story i enjoyed as it went from a paragraph of text to a short comic back to text. It did this through out which made me enjoy this alot. The comics were drawn well the story kept true to facts and it flows really nicely.. the story covers the years 1962 - 2017 and the start of the rolling stones current tour, The No Filter Tour which oddly enough i got a notice about tickets coming soon earlier today.


I`d highly recommend this to Stones fans of course as well as any one interested in a fun way to learn the history of the Rolling Stones.
It is a very fun way to present the History of one of the greatest rock bands in the history of the world.