CLASSIC COMIC-BOOK COVERS REIMAGINED WITH THE BEATLES

Alex Robinson is a multi-award-winning American writer and artist who has a wife, a few pets, and several graphic novels under his belt, including 'Box Office Poison' and 'Tricked'. He's also such a huge fan of the Beatles that he's illustrated a series of covers depicting certain events in their lives, each inspired by a classic DC or Marvel comic-book cover. Want to know more? Then please check this out 👇.

In 1946, a five-year-old John Lennon was urged by his parents to choose between living with his mother, Julia, or his father, Alfred. The cover of 'Trauma Comics' captures this heartbreaking dilemma by mimicking Dick Giordano's cover for 'Detective Comics' #457, dated March 1976. In this case, though, John's predicament supersedes the origin of the Dark Knight.

The Beatles' original drummer was a local lad from Liverpool named Pete Best. But on August 16, 1962, their manager, Brian Epstein, sacked Pete and then replaced him with Ringo Starr. Inspired by John Romita Sr.'s cover for 'The Amazing Spider-Man' #50, dated July 1967, the cover of 'The Savage Young Beatles' reframes this event by depicting the dejected ex-Beatle walking away from a giant silhouette of his replacement, instead of Peter Parker walking away from a giant silhouette of his superhero persona.

In 1964, Bob Dylan inadvertently altered the Beatles' musical direction when he introduced them to marijuana, a substance known for its mind-altering properties. The cover of 'The Beatles' apes this notable introduction by spoofing Jerry Robinson and Bob Kane's cover for 'Detective Comics' #38, dated April 1940. It features Dylan, not Robin, bursting through the page, and the Fab Four, not Batman, standing idly nearby.

The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, tragically passed away on August 27, 1967, from an accidental drug overdose. He was only thirty-two years old at the time. Influenced by John Byrne's cover for 'The Uncanny X-Men' #136, dated August 1980, the cover of 'Epstein' captures this tragedy with John Lennon holding Brian's lifeless body, rather than Cyclops carrying a dead Dark Phoenix, while their respective associates mourn behind them.

Despite initial reservations, the Beatles gave their permission to use their cartoon likenesses in the 1968 animated film, 'Yellow Submarine'. The comic-book cover of 'Yellow Submarine' reimagines the aftermath of their decision through the lens of Dave Cockrum's cover for 'Giant-Size X-Men' #1, dated May 1975. It includes the Beatles' animated counterparts, not a new team of international mutants, jumping through the page, along with apparitions of their real-life selves, not apparitions of the founding X-Men, looking shocked in the background.

In January 1969, the Beatles hired the infamous American music executive, Allen Klein, to help them manage their tangled financial affairs at Apple Corps. However, their decision didn't go as planned and ultimately accelerated the Beatles' breakup a year later. Based on Jack Kirby's cover for 'Fantastic Four' #16, dated July 1963, the cover of 'The Beatles' reinterprets this financial misstep by replacing Doctor Doom with Allen, Marvel's First Family with the Fab Four, and Ant-Man with Yoko Ono.

In John Lennon's 1970 song, 'God', he lists everything he no longer believes in, such as magic, Buddha, and the Beatles. The comic-book cover of 'John Lennon' reframes this musical declaration by parodying Ed Hannigan's cover for 'The Avengers' #221, dated July 1982. But instead of showcasing potential recruits for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, this grid displays some of the figures John rejects in his lyrics, aside from himself and Yoko.

In closing, I'd like to encourage you to check out more of Alex Robinson's amazing artwork by clicking here to visit his official website.