Once upon a time, Jimi Hendrix captured the imaginations of millions across the world when he innovated the art of guitar-playing and, by proxy, rock 'n' roll, so it seems only fitting for Ablaze Publishing to release a graphic novel that seeks to capture the late rocker's own imagination via Jimi Hendrix: Electric Requiem. Jimi Hendrix passed away suddenly in 1970 at the peak of his career. Interestingly enough, save for Jimi Hendrix: All By My Side starring Outkast's Andre 3000 in the title role, very few mediums have tried to capture his life in biopic form in the time since his death.
With that said, it is most interesting to see his life captured in graphic novel form, as the comic book medium as a whole seldom takes up the challenge to capture someone's life within 200 pages of ink and thought bubbles. However, the impressive creative staff behind this Jimi Hendrix work of fiction met their ambitious goal.
The story opens by placing Jimi Hendrix at the center of his own purgatory, looking back on his life from birth right up until the moment of his death, all as he awaits his fate in the afterlife. Writer Mattia Colombara and illustrator Gianluca Maconi take full advantage of the graphic novel medium in telling Hendrix's story in a way that makes it feel as if this was the best way to capture such an awe-inspiring life story. As stated before, Jimi Hendrix captured the imagination of millions as the unique individual he was. So it seems only fitting that the graphic novel places readers directly into the imagination of Hendrix himself, allowing readers to look through the eyes of a future prodigy.
The graphic novel's visuals evoke the lyrics of Hendrix's best songs. It's hard not to see images like that of a mountain high castle crumbling into sand before Hendrix's feet and not think of "Castles Made of Sand" or even "Spanish Castle Magic." Such bizarre visions were frequent elements in Jimi Hendrix's lyrics, so in this graphic novel, it doesn't feel out of place to see them duplicated under the guise of a child-like imagination or of an adult man's psychedelic trip.
In the same breath, such fantastical elements are instrumental in telling Hendrix's emotional journey and the immense pressures he put himself under. The moment in which Jimi Hendrix first lays his eyes on a guitar is treated as if it's a spiritual awakening. "Something dark started moving inside Jimi's soul," is presented as if a young, infantile Jimi Hendrix finds his entire soul re-shaped in an instant, as a blessing and a curse that changes the course for the rest of his life. This one line of narration accompanied by stirring images says more in a matter of panels than a movie adaptation ever could with dialogue or moving pictures.
The presentation and execution of Jimi Hendrix: Electric Requiem deserves its high praise, and the story seamlessly introduces the singer for new audiences while pleasing longtime fans. Novice learners anxious to read up on Jimi Hendrix's life will be more than happy to gain a visual history lesson, while those who are already well versed in that history will be dazzled to see that same history fully realized with creative artistry. On the same note, Requiem uses stories of the past to tell modern allegories and commentaries on tough subjects like racism and police brutality that feel as relevant now as they did in 1969. In short, Requiem is one of those rare biopics within any medium that doesn't forget to tell a cohesive story, rather than just flip through highlights of the subject's life. Jimi Hendrix's music was ambitious, and naturally, so is this graphic novel in how it finds creative means to contextualize key moments in Jimi's life. This is a must-read for anyone who considers themselves a fan of Jimi Hendrix, as well as any casual fan with a curiosity regarding his work.
Ablaze Publishing officially releases Jimi Hendrix: Electric Requiem on May 18th, 2022, in local comic book shops and digital stores.