The comics world welcomes Ziggy Marley and his new Image Comics original graphic novel, Marijuanaman. The five-time Grammy winner and Reggae star is collaborating with notable underground illustrator and Live Artist Jim Mahfood and longtime comic scribe Joe Casey. Marley came up with the concept of the character who is an alien who has landed on Earth to “deliver an important message and at the same time save his own planet.”
Mahfood said in a press release earlier this month, “It’s been a really unique and thrilling project for me to work on. Ziggy Marley is a visionary and Marijuanaman is his, so he’s involved in every step, but he’s also been cool enough to let Joe and I cut loose and really spread our artistic wings on this project. Through our collaboration, we are creating something that has a unique flavor and feeling. Marijuanaman is not going to be what people except it to be.”
And the expectation is some silly nonsense about getting high all the time right? But that would be selling these creators short.
Marley, is currently working on a new album entitled Wild and Free, which will be released alongside the graphic novel. He is a prominent environmentalist and social activist whose Reggae jams echo the ever-changing vibe of the world. Mahfood is known for his silly autobiographical slice-of-life comic strip 40oz. Comics, his Beat Bee Sessions hip hop radio show, numerous comic projects and successful marketing campaigns for Colt 45, but his work remains on target to the pulse of what concerns younger America. Casey co-founded Man of Action studios, a group of comic creators who created the cartoon series Ben 10, currently airing on Cartoon Network and has written on titles such as Uncanny XMen, Wildcats 3.0, Adventures of Superman, and Avengers: The Origin.
All three rolled into one creative endeavor; this is going to be one funky joint. See them talk about the project at Comic-Con 2010 with the Independent Film Channel here.
Marley attempts to encapsulate the series by saying, “Marijuanaman represents the hope of the future… the hope that we will utilize all of the power that the universe has given us to save our planet.” In other words, don’t sleep on Marijuanaman; it promises to be deep as much as it is dope.
The 48-page oversized Marijuanaman hardcover will hit stores on April 20, 2011 and will retail for $24.99; visit your local comic shop to place your pre-order today.
