FIRST WATCH: IDW Publishing Says It Loud with James Brown: Black and Proud

Upcoming Graphic Novel Explores the Life and Legend of The Godfather of Soul

IDW Publishing has announced James Brown: Black and Proud, an immersive biographical graphic novel drawing back the curtains on a legend of popular music whose influence and appeal continues to reach audiences worldwide, even today. Written and illustrated by Xavier Fathoux, James Brown: Black and Proud will be available in stores in October.

Born in the South during the height of segregation, James Brown launched his career as a gospel singer before skyrocketing to fame with tracks like “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine.” During the height of the civil rights movement, he soothed the tensions of a mourning community in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, and provided the cause with an anthem in “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud.” With immeasurable talent and powerful presence, and amid adversity and controversy, he chased what he believed was the American Dream.

“Tracing the life of this cultural juggernaut, Black and Proud, paints a rich portrait of a true larger-than-life American personality,” explained Justin Eisinger, Editorial Director of Graphic Novels and Collections at IDW. “Even readers more than casually familiar with Mr. Brown’s career and achievements will find plenty of new revelations and details that add a deep complexity to a celebrated cultural icon. And that’s something so powerful about the contemporary non-fiction movement in graphic storytelling.”

Join the charismatic, hardworking, and sometimes tyrannical bandleader on a journey down the roads of America with a group of talented musicians, spreading the sound of funk and soul throughout the country. Told against the backdrop of a changing America during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, this is the story of a man and his band that would go on to revolutionize the world of pop music.

James Brown: Black and Proud is now available for pre-order via online booksellers and comic book specialty retailers.