The Doors break on through to comic book side in new graphic novel

(Image credit: Henry Diltz (Elektra))

On the fiftieth anniversary of the the Doors' iconic album Morrison Hotel, the surviving members of the band, Robby Krieger and John Densmore, are working on a graphic novel exploration of that album's songs, themes, and context. 

(Image credit: Z2 Comics)

According to the publisher Z2, the graphic novel "will feature some of the lore that led to their status as the architects of counterculture, influencing artists, poets, and outsiders for generations to come, set against the backdrop of the close of the free spirit of the 1960s into the tumultuous 1970s. A decade in which women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays, lesbians, and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam."

The graphic novel anthology, likewise titled Morrison Hotel, will be written by Leah Moore, with art by Marguerite Savauge, Tony Parker, Christopher Mitten, Vasilis Lolos, and more.

"Very few bands have had such lasting importance to American rock history as the Doors, and to be able to work with them directly is unreal," Z2 publisher Josh Frankel said in the announcement. "To have been afforded the honor to add to the band’s enduring legacy with their first comic anthology further cements Z2’s status as the premier publisher of comics for music fans, and an honor we don’t take lightly."

Z2 plans to publish the OGN anthology on October 13, and simultaneously released a limited edition version which will include an exclusive fiftieth-anniversary edition 12" picture disc of the complete Morrison Hotel album, three exclusive art prints, and a slipcase to contain it all.

Chris Arrant

Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)