Book Reviews 'ELVIS Hero of the Comic Books' Nigel Patterson

Written by EIN’s Nigel Patterson (with “over and above” help from Elvis Day By Day’s, Kees Mouwen) the first in-depth record of Elvis in comic books, graphic novels and cartoons, was published earlier this year.

A colorful 450-page “coffee table” release, it continues to garner high praise (Five-Star Reviews) around the world.

In the November 2024 edition of the well-respected Dutch fan club magazine, It’s Elvis Time, under its clever heading "A 'Marvel' of a Book!" noted reviewer, Rogier van Luyken, wrote a four-page narrative-visual review.

Also, author Bill Shute reviewed the book for the November 2024 edition of ‘Ugly Things' magazine:

... Elvis Presley was a devoted reader of comic books as a child, and when he gave a speech in early 1971 accepting an Outstanding Young Man award from the Jaycees, he began his speech with the lines, “When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic book.”

It’s thus fitting that he would eventually be depicted in many comic books, and later in graphic novels, either as himself or as a fictionalized fantasy-Elvis. This fascinating and well-illustrated volume documents those depictions of Presley in “sequential art” from 1955-2024.

It also includes a section on Elvis’s favorite comic book when he was a child, Captain Marvel Jr., and explains how it continued to influence him later in life (for instance, the lightning bolt found on his TCB logo). In addition, the Agent Elvis TV animated series is discussed because although it is not a comic book or graphic novel, its visual style is very much rooted in that world.

Otherwise, the book begins with a methodical rundown of appearances in comic books, such as Betty and Veronica being Elvis fans and mentioning him (and seeing his pic on their bedroom walls) in various Archie-related comics, to parody characters based on Elvis in Cracked or in Charlton’s teen culture oriented Go-Go .

Later entries include the popular crossover series of Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep and Elvis-like characters who appeared in comics such as Starman and Pinky and The Brain. It was also nice to be reminded of the “Early Elvis” piece by Harvey Pekar (drawn by Gary Dumm) from the legendary American Splendor.

There are also many international comic appearances, and an entire section is devoted to The King’s appearances in adult comics. In the last few decades, there have been a number of graphic biographies of Presley, and those are covered too.

Finally, a section is devoted to the Dutch cartoonist and seminal Elvis collector / writer / fan Ger Rijff, one of the most important international champions of Elvis in the days before Ernst Mikael Jorgensen and Follow That Dream Records, the all-Elvis collectors label. Rijff created hundreds if not thousands of cartoon sketches of The King in his various publications and in fan magazines (and in his personal correspondence) over the years, and it’s good to see him remembered here.

As most all of the publications covered are expensive collectors items nowadays, you’ll be happy to know that there are excellent and good-sized color scans of all the covers and of sample inner pages. I wasn’t expecting a book on this subject, but I’m very glad that it’s out.

You can get a satisfying vicarious experience by reading about these comics and graphic novels without actually owning them, and they tend to be so entertaining that even a casual Elvis fan would want to keep the book handy. Considering how many color images there are in the book, the price is reasonable too.

Check out the detailed review of Elvis, Hero of the Comic Books by Elvis UK’s, Gordon Minto where you can also check out even more sample pages..

-Copyright EIN / EIN Website content © Copyright the Elvis Information Network.

Elvis in Literature #4 - 'Elvis, Barbra, A Star Is Born, and a girl circling overhead': That Elvis was considered for the co-lead role in A Star Is Born, starring Barbra Streisand, has long been a discussion point among fans. Why didn't Elvis take up the offer? Could he have carried it off?
Ms Streisand recently released her autobiography, My Name is Barbra (Century Books), a mammoth book of nearly 1,000 pages (but unfortunately no index)!!
Streisand's account of discussions with Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker about the role of John Norman Howard is interesting - and her description of meeting Elvis also includes a fascinating and somewhat bizarre account of why Elvis was late in meeting up with her.

Go to 'Elvis in Literature #4' on Barbra Streisand and Elvis for the whole story, photos and excerpts..

(Spotlight, Source;Nigel Patterson/ElvisInfoNet)

NOW UPDATED (Film Review) Priscilla – film by Sofia Coppola: While Baz Luhrmann’s major hit film in 2022, Elvis, was a colorful narrative and frenetic musical explosion, in 2023, Sofia Coppola’s, Priscilla, is more subdued, but still a colorfully hued and musically expressive story.

Coppola is an acclaimed filmmaker and director. Thematically, her films explore themes of identity, isolation, and the complexities of human relationships, and these underscore, Priscilla.

EIN’s Nigel Patterson recently watched the film that has divided the Elvis world.

Read Nigel’s detailed (2,500 word) review which includes discussion of “the (two) elephants in the room”.

Now updated with EIN READER comments...
We have had plenty of general negative feedback but also some lengthy and rather interesting discussions on the film..
EIN is also interested in hearing YOUR comments on the movie.
(Film Review, Source:ElvisInformationNetwork)

Elvis in Literature #3 – ''Elvis's Man Friday' by Gene Smith: Continuing EIN’s occasional series of interesting and (hopefully) thought-provoking Elvis excerpts (references/discussions) found in general literature.
Elvis's Man Friday by Elvis' first-cousin Gene Smith is an often forgotten "insider" memoir.
Elvis and Gene were very close from a young age, and Gene later became a prominent member of Elvis' Memphis Mafia.
In his book, published in hardcover (with dust jacket) in 1994, Gene recounted his time with Elvis in linear fashion, in what was a very readable, entertaining and informative release.

In particular, the reader is informed about a number of unusual things and Elvis' idiosyncrasies.
EIN wonders how many readers knew that Elvis and Gene had (for a while) their own secret language?...

Go to 'Elvis in Literature #3' 'Elvis's Man Friday' by Gene Smith for the whole story, photos and excerpts..

(Spotlight, Source;ElvisInfoNet)

(Spotlight) 'Elvis biopic and Agent Elvis – Revisionist History and Reinforcing Negative Stereotypes?': In a thought-provoking 3,000 word article, EIN’s Nigel Patterson examines the impact of Baz Luhrmann’s film 'ELVIS' and the adult-orientated animation, Agent Elvis.
Undoubtedly in any mass-media the dehumanisation of Elvis is a real issue but marketing the man has always been more concerned with the “mainstream” commodification of his name since mid-1950s.
So are these new millennium productions good or bad for how society views Elvis and which one will have the greatest impact?
.. Read the article... Now Updated with YOUR comments
(Spotlight, Source:ElvisInfoNet)

'Elvis Hero of the Comic Books'

by Nigel Patterson

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