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Z2 Announces Charlie Parker Graphic Novel “Chasin’ the Bird”

By | April 27th, 2020
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'Chasin' the Bird'
Via The Hollywood Reporter, Z2 Comics have announced “Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker in California,” a new graphic novel by writer/artist Dave Chisholm, and colorist Peter Markowski. Named after his 1947 composition, the book will explore influential jazz musician Charlie “Bird” Parker Jr.’s time in California from 1945 to 1947, which included a residency in Hollywood; and a mental breakdown that led to six months in a mental hospital, which inspired the recording of some of his most groundbreaking work.

The book will be published in September, shortly after the August 29 centenary of Parker’s birth. “I am so thrilled and incredibly honored to have gotten the opportunity to write and draw ‘Chasin’ the Bird,” Chisholm said in a statement. “My creative and professional life has basically consisted of a steady ping-pong between two obsessions of mine: music and comics. Needless to say, I’ve had the time of my life writing and drawing this book, which has turned into an incredibly personal and meaningful project. I am beyond excited to share this with the world and help spread the word about Bird’s wonderful music.”

Z2 publisher Josh Frankel added, “Charlie Parker is one of the most well-known figures in jazz, and to publish a chapter of his tragically short life story [he died in 1955 aged just 34] in comics is an honor. Jazz has always been a perfect complement to comic books, and certainly an inspiration to some of our greats as well. Robert Crumb would be proud.”

Each regular copy will contain a flexidisc of rare music, details of which will be announced soon: a deluxe limited edition will have the flexidisc’s content on a 45″ vinyl instead. Head onto the Reporter to have a look at the interior artwork in the meantime.


Christopher Chiu-Tabet

Chris is the news manager of Multiversity Comics. A writer from London on the autistic spectrum, he enjoys tweeting and blogging on Medium about his favourite films, TV shows, books, music, and games, plus history and religion. He is Lebanese/Chinese, although he can't speak Cantonese or Arabic.

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