Singer Madonna to get her own graphic novel
"Our goal is to show the little-known events and influences that resulted in Madonna becoming the phenomenon she remains to this day," said Bluewater Executive Vice President Jason Schultz to NME.com, "more than a quarter-century after she burst upon the scene."
"A visual medium provides perspective that is not only accessible but more relatable to the average person without losing any of the information involved."
The 32-page comic book is a part of the company's "Female Force" series, which has issued other books starring other prominent female powerhouses such as Sarah Palin, Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Walters and Michelle Obama.
"A comic is an interesting addition to these."
Fans who have posted on Parmenter's forum are expecting their pre-ordered copies of the book by September.
Marvel's Spiderman developed one of the first modern incarnations of celebrities appearing in comic books, with their January 2009 issue featuring a newly inaugurated President Obama. It's great success spurred many other graphic novel companies to take notice.
"That did extremely well, we sold 10 to 15 times what we normally would," said Jared Smith, co-owner of locally-based Big Planet Comics. "And from that, a lot of comic book publishers realized there was a greater interest in the celebrity stories."
However, these comics have a short shelf life, Smith warned. Many publishers hire artists who can do the work quickly or cheaply to "capture the zeitgeist" of the subjects before their buzz fades.
"A lot of the art has not been exceptional," he said of the Female Force series.
Many fans who aren't looking for something specific flip through comic books to peruse the graphics.
"If the art doesn't compel them, they might pass on it."
As for the more sultry parts of Madonna's biography, Smith said they will probably omit the juicer details to keep the comic book appropriate for all ages.