Dark Horse

Writer: Vivek J. Tiwary

Penciller/Inker/Colorist: Andrew C. Robinson, Kyle Baker

Letterer: Steve Dutro

Cover Artist: Andrew C. Robinson

When the opportunity arose for me to review this book, I jumped at it. Not because I felt I’d be the best one to review it, but because it has so much meaning to me. The Beatles, for me, is an expression of all my personality. It might be because my aunt worked for Apple Records in NYC when I was very young, or that Paul, John, George, Ringo, and Beatles were among my first words as an infant. Perhaps, it was because Let It Be was #1 on the Billboard charts the week I was born. It might just be that they were, are, and ever will be the most influential, innovative, and greatest band popular music will ever know.

I can tell you nearly anything you might want regarding the Beatles. I’m a fan of Beatles trivia, and have an immense collection of Beatles records and artifacts that I love wholeheartedly. Similar to Vivek Tiwary, Brian Epstein was also a mostly unknown figure to me for so long . When I saw this work from Dark Horse, I knew I needed two of them, just like every great Beatles fan, one will remain sealed in the plastic, and one is for use. I am very happy that I did, indeed, crack open this work to read.

Tiwary’s writing is wonderful. It doesn’t act like a documentary of this great soul, but seems to emanate from the very heart of the man in question himself. The dialog is filled with the Liverpudlian quirks that we have all grown to love. You can almost palpably feel the excitement that Brian Epstein must have felt as we hear him tell this story. The research for this must have been exhaustive. Tiwary indicates that it was a twenty year quest for him, and I don’t doubt that one bit. We are given all the known highlights in wonderful first-person detail, while we are entertained with the author’s flights of fancy where the narrative might prove nebulous.

Regardless, we are willing to accept these imaginations as they weave in and around the Beatles story. He does a masterful job of showing just how much work Epstein had to put in just to get the Beatles started, and also how hard it was to keep on top of things while sacrificing nearly everything that we could consider a personal life. It is a tragic fact that homosexuality was a criminal act in Britain at that time. Having to remain not just in the closet, but in the closet down in the basement for fear of the light of the ever present media frenzy surrounding the Beatles might out him, and what might that do to the group?

He gave his all to the Beatles, and finally has his due in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Tiwary is very, very clear to make it known that Epstein is not only the hero of this story, but that his sacrifice was both heroic and tragic. Tiwary wrests all the emotion from one pivotal scene to the next and we bathe in the cascade of pure feeling that that provides.

Andrew Robinson’s artwork is sublime. It moves from the gritty and dirty of the docks, and streets of Liverpool, to the bright and airy freedom of Central Park in New York City. He renders these characters so well, and so archetypal, that we innately recognize the somewhat cartoonlike features of the early Beatles, and then the vivid detail of the later years. His rendering of Col. Tom Parker, echoing the writing of Tiwary, is, for me, ecstatic. I live in Memphis, Tennessee and, believe me, we are big on our soul music from Stax and Hi records. However, Elvis is still King in these parts, and I felt the Colonel in these panels.

In fact, I felt like I was there in all of these panels, and that is what great art can do for you. It can transport you from your seat and into the wide world. By reading this I was moved from my desk, here in Memphis, back to the city of my childhood, New York, and even to a country I spent years in while studying, visiting Liverpool (what Beatles fan would I be if I didn’t?), visiting London and all around. It was the visual impetus I needed to hearken back to those places and remember. To remember cold beer I was drinking in the Cavern Club one afternoon while Beatles music played over the PA. It was marvelous. Robinson does a fine job of creating the scene, and relating the story, just as much as the writing does.

I cannot recommend this book high enough. To be sure, every Beatles fan will be happy with story. I think the folks who are new to the Beatles, or not really fans of the music per se, will enjoy this book. The writing and artwork play in concert together so well one might easily forget this is a comic book. Just like Brian Epstein averred when talking of the upcoming Sgt. Pepper’s album, The Fifth Beatle will make people sit up and take notice that it is art.

Writing: 5/5

Artwork: 5/5

Overall: 5/5