Comic Book Tattoo

Comic Book Tattoo is an eisner award and Harvey Award-winning anthology graphic novel made up of fifty-one stories, each based on or inspired by a song by American singer-songwriter Tori Amos, published by Image Comics in 2008. Rantz Hoseley, longtime friend of Amos, served as the book's editor. Together, Hoseley and Amos gathered eighty different artists to collaborate on the book. Comic Book Tattoo includes an introduction by another longtime friend of Amos, Neil Gaiman, creator of The Sandman series.

Comic Book Tattoo
Comic Book Tattoo cover.
Art by Jason Levesque.
Page count480 pages
PublisherImage Comics
Creative team
WritersVarious
ArtistsVarious
ColouristsVarious
EditorsRantz A. Hoseley
Original publication
Date of publicationJuly 2008
LanguageEnglish
ISBN1-58-240964-1

Background

From the start, it was decided that Comic Book Tattoo would not contain comic book versions of music videos for Amos's songs, nor illustrations created from literal interpretations of Amos's lyrics. Of her role in the project, editor Hoseley said, "It was very important to [Amos] that she see how the different creators were treating 'her girls' (the songs), but at the same time, not tying the creator's hands or make them feel restricted in any way and making sure that they felt the freedom to tell the kind of story that they felt strongly about."[1] When approached to contribute to the project, the graphic artists were asked to create a story that reflects that which the songs make them feel.

About the finished collection, Amos said, "I have been surprised, excited and pleasantly shocked by these comics that are extensions of the songs that I have loved and therefore welcome these amazing stories of pictures and words because they are uncompromisingly inspiring. It shows you thought is a powerful, formidable essence and can have a breathtaking domino effect."[2]

Stories
Song Album Artist(s)
Flying Dutchman Little Earthquakes* David Mack
Bouncing off Clouds American Doll Posse Josh Hechinger, Matthew Humphreys
Girl Little Earthquakes Jonathan Tsuei, Eric Canete
Merman From the Choirgirl Hotel* Jason Horn, Dean Trippe
Take to the Sky Little Earthquakes* Sara Ryan, Jonathan Case
Mr. Zebra Boys for Pele Rantz A. Hoseley, James Stokoe
Little Earthquakes Little Earthquakes Tristan Crane, Atticus Wolrab
Marianne Boys for Pele Kako
Crazy Scarlet's Walk Nikki Cook
Programmable Soda American Doll Posse Drew Bell, Kevin Mellon, Mark Sweeney (C)
Toast The Beekeeper Jeff Carroll, Mike May
Jackie's Strength From the Choirgirl Hotel Jeremy Haun, Amber Stone (C)
Little Amsterdam Boys for Pele Leif Jones
Here. In My Head Little Earthquakes* Elizabeth Genco, Carla Speed McNeil, Mark Sweeney (C)
Suede To Venus and Back Kelly Sue DeConnick, Andy Macdonald, Nick Filardi(C), Kristyn Ferretti (L)
Sugar Little Earthquakes* Cat Mihos, Andre Szymanowicz, Gabe Bautista (C), Kristyn Ferretti (L)
Teenage Hustling American Doll Posse C. B. Cebulski, Ethan Young, Joey Weltjens & Lee Duhig For Guru Efx (C)
Father Lucifer Boys for Pele Omaha Perez
Snow Cherries From France Tales of a Librarian Irma Page, Mark Buckingham
The Waitress Under the Pink Rantz A. Hoseley, Ming Doyle, Mark Sweeney (C), Kristyn Ferretti (L)
Caught a Lite Sneeze Boys for Pele Mike Maihack
Winter Little Earthquakes John Ney Reiber, Ryan Kelly, Kristyn Ferretti (L)
Baker Baker Under the Pink Alice Hunt, Trudy Cooper
1000 Oceans To Venus and Back Jonathan Hickman
Space Dog Under the Pink Matthew S. Armstrong
The Beekeeper The Beekeeper Neil Kleid, Christopher Mitten, Kristyn Ferretti (L)
Siren Great Expectations Soundtrack Stephanie Leong, Sonia Leong
Iieee From the Choirgirl Hotel Peov
Silent All These Years Little Earthquakes Kelly Sue Deconnick, Laurenn McCubbin
Leather Little Earthquakes John Bivens
Gold Dust Scarlet's Walk Hope Larson
Precious Things Little Earthquakes Emma Vieceli, Faye Yong (C)
Glory Of The '80s To Venus and Back Chris Arrant, Star St.Germain
Honey Under the Pink* Mike Dringenberg
Crucify Little Earthquakes Paul Maybury
God Under the Pink Jim Bricker, Craig Taillefer
Pandora's Aquarium From the Choirgirl Hotel Dame Darcy
Scarlet's Walk Scarlet's Walk G. Willow Wilson, Steve Sampson
Beauty Of Speed American Doll Posse Neal Shaffer, Daniel Krall
I Can't See New York Scarlet's Walk Adisakdi Tantimedh, Ken Meyer Jr.
Upside Down Little Earthquakes* Mark Sable, Salgood Sam
Northern Lad From the Choirgirl Hotel Tom Williams
Roosterspur Bridge American Doll Posse James A. Owen
Cornflake Girl Under the Pink Seth Peck, Daniel Heard
Pirates Y Kant Tori Read Ivan Brandon, Callum Alexander Watt
Hey Jupiter Boys for Pele Leah Moore & John Reppion, Pia Guerra, Mark Sweeney, Kristyn Ferretti
Devils And Gods American Doll Posse Jessica Staley, Shane White
Past The Mission Under the Pink Ted McKeever, Chris Chuckry (C)
Sweet the Sting The Beekeeper Jimmie Robinson
Ribbons Undone The Beekeeper Lea Hernandez
Pretty Good Year Under the Pink Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran, Jason Hanley (L)

* – Song is a B-side from aforementioned album
(C) – Artist served as a colorist
(L) – Artist served as a letterer

Editions

Comic Book Tattoo was initially made available in three formats, with the addition of another special edition released in November 2008. The available versions are;

  • Paperback

ISBN 1-58240-964-1

  • Hardback

ISBN 1-58240-965-X

  • Limited Edition Hardback (Leather bound encased, signed by Tori Amos and uniquely numbered)

ISBN 1-58240-966-8

  • Special Edition Hardback (With a slipcase cover)

ISBN 1-60706-031-0

Awards and recognition
  • 2009:
    • Eisner Award for Best Anthology: Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos, edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
    • Eisner Award nomination for Best Publication Design: Comic Book Tattoo, designed by Tom Muller, art direction by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
    • Harvey Award for Best Anthology: Comic Book Tattoo, edited by Rantz Hoseley

See also

References
  1. Michaels, Sean (April 1, 2008). "Tori Amos's comic reinvention". The Guardian. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
  2. "Tori Amos". ToriAmos.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
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