Electric requiem

by Mattia Colombara, Gianluca Maconi (Illustrator)

Electric Requiem es una biografía apasionante que, cuarenta años después de su muerte, nos cuenta la infancia de Jimi Hendrix en Seattle, atrapada entre la segregación racial y la conflictiva relación de sus padres y el alcoholismo de la madre, la cima de su carrera y su muerte.
Electric Requiem narra la búsqueda por parte de Hendrix de un sonido nuevo, la cual, a través de múltiples adversidades relatadas en una mezcla caleidoscópica de blanco y negro en el que se mezcla la cultura vudú, cherokee y negra, asume el carácter de un verdadero desafío que pone a prueba toda la vida de un hombre y músico que ha dejado una huella profunda en la cultura contemporánea.

Genres: Music, Graphic Novels, Comics, Biography, History, Memoir, Nonfiction

155 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yesterday, while perusing one of the sites I use to read comics and graphic novels online, I found this lovely Jimi Hendrix work by Mattia Colombara. It struck me with its gorgeous artwork, and so I chose to read it. The biographical details are interspersed with whimsical flights of fancy, so it should be noted that the book should in no way be considered solely a memoir, but a compilation of fantasy and fact.

I enjoy my horrors, but I also like to read other stories. I think that this graphic novel showed up on my comics homepage due to Black History month, and I think I should be more intentional about reading diverse authors with alternative voices.

I have included a new shelf "black voices, black stories" that I will use to highlight this diversity. The reason for two categories is to show that said voices are the authors, but the stories are sometimes told by nonblack people. Willow Rose tells a really great story about a very special black character that I have included on this shelf. Also, I didn't use African American, because some black voices are not American (see Antoine Bandele).

This year, I will try to add twelve stories to my "black voices, black stories" shelf. Hendrix: Electric Requiem is the first of those twelve books.

[mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★ Hendrix: Electric Dream tells the life story of a guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix. I didn’t know his story before reading this graphic novel. From his childhood in the South and early exploration of music to his later music carrier. As a child, he had a vivid imagination and often retreated to his own mind. He had a tough childhood. His mother was an alcoholic who died too early. The story is intertwined with many dreamlike states. Besides his life, we get a glimpse into his mind as well.

This was an interesting biography, although not too detailed. Colorful illustrations give you a sense of Jimi’s rich and colorful world. He was another music legend that left us too soon.

Thanks to Ablaze for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Hello Book Friends! HENDRIX: ELECTRIC REQUIEM by Mattia Colombara and Gianluca Maconi was originally published in Italian in 2010 and will be available in English at the end of the month. This graphic novel took me on a journey in this legendary guitarist’s mind and life. The illustrations are phenomenal, and the story is awesome. I learned a lot about this iconic guitarist. It gave a great overview of his early life and his relationship with his father, mother, and grandmother and how it impacted his mental health as an adult. I also learned how he was inspired to become an exceptional musician; and what he had to do to become a star. His candle burned out too early and it is sad that, like so many musicians in that era, drugs had to do with his death. This book is no doubt for an adult audience who loves music.

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[Jenn Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a biography it was really interesting. I felt like I learned a lot about Hendrix. The art reminds me of the manga XXXHolic. The characters have very long legs and arms. It is overly exaggerated, but still looks really good. I do not know a lot about Hendrix so I am not a good judge of accuracy.

4 stars

[som ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱₊˚⊹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

even though I didn’t really know anything about Hendrix before reading this book, it was still an emotional and entertaining ride to me ! + I didn’t actually like the art style at the beginning but it grew on me :]
his story was so tragic - especially near his death when things started going south in his life - and the way he died was so unfortunate :( - i kinda feel this way about every artist who dies young, more so if their death was due to their addiction (and this is exactly why i mostly avoid books about real dead celebrities 😫😫😫😫 their stories are always too sad and stressful to me and i end up in a shitty mood after finishing them 😫😫😫😫)
the epilogue was nice though :] + i listened to some of his songs while reading and i liked them ;} !!

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Hendrix: Electric Requiem' by Mattia Colombara with art by Gianluca Maconi is a graphic novel biography of the life of Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix was a musical genius, the likes of which we may never see again. This graphic novel is a look at his life, from his childhood in the South with a mother addicted to alcohol, to his rise to fame playing with his unique flamboyant style to his untimely death.

It's a flyover approach to a life, and some of it feels more fictionalized than other parts, but it flows nice and it's got cool art.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publishers Ablaze and Diamond Book Distributors for an advanced copy of this graphic novel biography on a musical and spiritual legend.

Jimi Hendrix was only 27 years- old when he left this earth for a higher plain of existence almost 52 years ago. To have lived so short a life and yet to burn so bright, leaving both a legacy and a legend that will spoken of as long as humans make music is inspiring and beautiful to contemplate. Sadly a member of the 27 club, artists who never passed the age of 27, some with so much more left to give, others whose muses had seemed to have left them is, adds to his mystique. Hendrix changed the idea of what a musician could and should do, what an instrument offered and where it could go, and what music and sometimes just pure noise could do for the human soul. Hendrix: Electric Requiem by creators Mattia Colombara and Gianluca Maconi is an overview of a life, accomplishments, spirituality, and the demons that haunted this immensely talented, and yet doomed musician.

James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle Washington to a country at war, and at war with itself. An unhappy childhood along with his mother's early passing left Jimi with a roaming soul, always looking for a place to belong. The guitar became his refuge, and during his stint in the Army a way to meet people, though Army life was not for him. Following the military he wandered the south as part of the 'chitlin circuit' another name for the tours that black acts would take through the segregated south, where he found racism, and confusion over his playing. However Jimi was always practicing and always watching learning from everyone and increasing his skills and ability. Soon a manager who believed in him and a chance in England was offered, where he wowed the biggest acts over there, from Clapton to the Who and others, culminating in a show at the Monterey International Pop Festival that blew people away.

A very good look at a life that was complicated by numerous views, stories, family members and other legends that have been excepted as fact. Like Jimi's life it is amazing all that the creators could cover in such a small amount. The story is well told, with a little bit of spirituality and religion that doesn't take away from the main story about the man, but might seem a little odd to some. There are plenty of footnotes and a very complete bibliography for those who wish to learn more about the guitarist. The art work is really good. A mix of both psychedelic and realism, that ties in well with the words and story. I enjoyed the color alot also, there seemed to be a brightness in the pages where Jimi was playing that wasn't present during the story parts, something I thought that highlighted what Jimi found most important. Performing.

Easily recommended for fans of Jimi Hendrix or for music fans in general. The art and story are very good, and the life that they are covering is fascinating, and well sad. Comic books and music biographies seem to go very well together. I am excited to see what these creators have planned next.

[Dr. des. Siobhán · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free graphic novel.*

I have to start by saying that I am not a Jimi Hendrix expert, I love his music and I know a bit about his life, but not enough to really judge how well done this graphic novel really is. Nevertheless I really enjoyed reading this, it starts with Jimi's family (Cherokee, African American) and his upbringing, how he came to love music, his successes, his losses, his drug abuse, and his death. There is always a fairy tale / fantasy layer and it is well connected to songs / his music, I really liked this. It is well drawn, but I disliked Hendrix being drawn as a monkey, I don't know, it feels wrong, and slightly racist, but I am sure that is not how it was meant to be.

If you are interested in Jimi Hendrix, pick up this graphic novel.

4 stars

[Vanessa L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you Netgalley for the advanced digital copy*
This was such a fun way to learn about Jimi Hendrix!! I absolutely loved it. Love the graphic style, love how it’s a tiny bit dark, but I feel like the vibes surrounding him were a bit dark and mysterious, so this was kind of great at captivating that about him. Overall, a must have for any graphic novel fan or a JH fan.
Please beware if you are looking to get this for a budding musician, that a couple of pages have some explicit drawings. it’s not terrible… I’d say it’s suitable for a mature 11/12+?

[It's just Deano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read quite a few of these music autobiography graphic novels over the last few years and Electric Requiem is undoubtedly one of the better ones.

The quality and love that has gone into this book is apparent from the start. It's approach is a novel one and it appears to take a more poetic take towards the autobiography format.

Fans of Jimi Hendrix and his music will likely not be disappointed here. Electric Requiem feels like a peep behind the curtain at the man himself as well as other musicians of the time, but it is quite a slow burn - a surprisingly odd choice given the fast paced legend that Hendrix is likely more well known for.

The artwork here is a pure joy. It has an almost animated charm to it and the illustrations of Hendrix are a brilliant characterisation.

Overall, Electric Requiem isn't a bad effort at all. It manages to capture an essence of Hendrix that isn't often seen outside of the legend. The artwork is colourful and absolutely sets a tone here. However, it does appear to take it's liberties with the truth and does have quite a few downbeats throughout the journey.
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My Score: 6/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐
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[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. A biography of Jimi Hendrix was in this story, along with some existential type dream sequences that really fit a Hendrix biography perfectly. I've been a long time fan of Hendrix, but there was still some material here I hadn't read much about. The art itself was a little cartoony, but worked very well since much of the story was very serious and it kept things from getting too dark.

Overall a very good graphic novel that I would recommend to Jimi Hendrix fans.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Recommendation: listen to "Machine Gun" (By Hendrix, obviously) while you read this review. ;)

Came to this with low expectations, but it was pretty great.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Fun, trippy, stylistic graphic memoir of Jimi Hendrix. Lots of tangents and dream sequences enhance the story of this haunted genius. The spread with the vanguard of the British Invasion watching him with mouths agape is especially effective. His influence is still found everywhere-even on the yachtiest of yacht rock anthems. Firefall, I’m looking at you. 🎸🛳

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

A flyover approach to Jimi's life. Very surface level with little insight and lots of dream / drug sequences.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some things you always have to have in graphic novels that present a biography of musicians. You probably have to have pages and pages of it not going their way, and/or an awkward upbringing. You probably have to have them having meaningless sex. You quite assuredly have to have them tripping, causing the artwork to bring out all the old stereotypes. And you definitely, definitely have to have some stoopid way of representing the music floating across the page and into their ears, or from their instrument of choice. The good thing to report about this look at Jimi Hendrix is that it breaks that rule – there is no naff music representation getting in the way. And everything else it had to have, as on my list, it actually does remarkably well. Could this be called a mould-breaker?

Well, no. Not exactly. And for all my dislike of the visualised music trope, Jimi stood on a plastic chair, showboating in front of him out of The Who, with no cables or amps in sight, looks naff here. The book has a great way of not telling you who anyone is – stars kvetching in the mid-60s about Jimi's prominence and talent don't exactly look like stars you know, and a (bizarrely potty-mouthed) TV interview is with A.N.Onymous.

But the narrative is still done better than many in the genre, taking us from his days as a toddler when he'd never met his father, to his mother dying of the bottle, to him as a hard-working jobbing musician, to – well, if you don't know the rest… And a lot of this, as I say, is superior to the norm for these books. I have to say I could take or leave a fantasy quest idea that seems to follow Hendrix from young childhood into adulthood and far beyond, for it only gets in the way too often. I didn't take to the voodoo, Cajun religion framing device. But the book definitely gains brownie points when highlighting the downfall of the man at the end – the hubristic, druggified attempts at new bands after new bands, when the finest rock trio of his time had been killed off by his drugs and his ego and his contrariness and everything else. Other books reach the peak and pretend nothing else ever happened.

These books are supposed to hinge on your love of the subjects, with the more appreciation for them you have, the better you find them. I think this might be a rule-breaker in being an inverse to that law – a Jimi adorer could easily be seen to take against some of this, with someone completely on the fence like me enjoying it a lot more. So devotees might want to look away now, but I as an outsider thought this a very strong example of its genre, and one stretching its capabilities (albeit not with its tongue behind its back, etc…).

[DoctorFeddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Gli Experience no, Chas ma io si… devo far sapere a questa gente… che sono con loro”

Questa graphic novel è un inno al musicista e a tutto ciò che ha fatto, Alcuni fatti degli episodi raccontati sono inventati dagli autori e alla fine del libro si dice quali, La storia parla di Jimi Hendrix uno dei padri fondatori del rock come lo conosciamo oggi, della sua grande scalata al successo e l’inesorabile declino terminatosi con la morte dello stesso, una persona che ha conosciuto molti personaggi della musica che ora sono leggende, sia ancora in vita che personaggi che sono passati a miglior vita, la storia si presenta molto lineare ma da anche spunto al personaggio di pensare e immaginare, parto dal presupposto che non ho mai sentito canzoni di Jimi Hendrix e questa graphic novel mi ha iniziato alla sua personalità, a ciò a fatto e che ci ha lasciato, la sua costante ricerca della perfezione musicale e le sue numerose storie con donne d’ogni tipo e il forte attaccamento alla madre. Per quanto riguarda il disegno devo dire che sono riusciti ad azzeccare lo stile di disegno migliore per questa graphic novel con questo tratteggio squadrato che raggiunge il suo apice nella scena del saluto a Martin Luther King JR, quella sequenza di tavole per me è il massimo con il discorso dello stesso tra una tavola e l’altra; una cosa che si nota dalla personalità raccontataci dal libro, che lui era esclusivamente interessato alla musica e non era razzista nei confronti dei bianchi come invece succedeva in quel tempo per molti neri o per gli stessi bianchi, in quel periodo. Molto Interessante mettere riferimenti a fatti od opere che sono usciti nello stesso tempo in cui Hendrix ha suonato come l’episodio della rottura della chitarra sul palco che lo ha reso famoso per gli intenditori o la tavola dove una scimmia con la faccia di Hendrix prende una chitarra immezzo alle rocce e alzarla al cielo per poi sbatterla in terra, scena di “2001 odissea nello spazio”.
Insomma Jimi Hendrix – Requiem Elettrico è una graphic novel che ognuno di noi deve leggere se vuole cominciare a conoscere il musicista e leggere una storia che non è prettamente veritiera ma che aggiunge sfumature del carattere al personaggio. Un pensiero personale: ho visto che molte altre star come lui arrivare in alto ma non riuscire a gestire il successo e cadere inesorabilmente ed ogni volta mi chiedo come fa l’uomo a gestire tutto quel successo senza che quel successo stesso ti distrugga dall’interno? Io non ho ancora una risposta.
Do 8 alla storia e 8.5 ai disegni.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Diamond Book Distributors Ablaze for a temporary digital edition via NetGalley of ‘Hendrix: Electric Requiem’ written by Mattia Colombara and illustrated by Gianluca Maconi. It was translated from the Italian by Micol Beltramini.

This engaging graphic biography undertakes a trip into the life and mind of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. It is framed by Jimi being escorted by two guides, representing his ancestors, to meet Baron Samedi. He asks the Baron if he is dead?

The loa confirms that he is dead, though currently in transition in a place that he may call limbo that exists inside him. He then opens a book (presumably an account of Jimi’s life) and invites Jimi to cross the threshold….

From then on we return to Hendrix’s birth in 1942 and his formative years growing up during the Jim Crow era. He eventually discovers a love of music, initially as a jobbing guitarist. He later achieves global superstardom along with adopting the excesses of the rock star lifestyle that led to his death in September 1970, aged only 27.

The book concludes with Hendrix meeting his two guides, who lead him to Baron Samedi before setting off on his next great adventure. The final panel brought a tear to my eye.

The authors finish with a select bibliography and notes on how they approached translating the events of Hendrix’s life into the graphic format, indicating that each of their chapters was planned to be similar to a song on a concept album.

This was never intended as a comprehensive biography and to me it felt more like a series of snapshots of a life: as the title indicates a requiem. Very much fitting the book’s framework of a post death reflection before moving on. There is also symbolic interludes scattered throughout.

I knew very little about Jimi Hendrix’s life before reading and especially appreciated the inclusion of Baron Samedi and the journey of the soul following physical death.

Overall, I found Hendrix: Electric Requiem an impressive work of graphic nonfiction, especially Gianluca Maconi’s stylised artwork, which I felt worked well with Mattia Colombara’s words. The use of colour throughout was very striking, providing in some cases a surreal experience. Memorably Jimi looks out from the page asking the reader: ‘Are You Experienced?’.

[Tya C.]

This graphic novel takes you on a trip through infamous rock and roll legend Jimi Hendrix’s life from the beginning to the tragic end and even into the afterlife.

First of all, I’ve been a fan of Jimi Hendrix’s music for years and I was so excited to get to know more about his life. I feel like this graphic novel gave me that in a beautiful way. I loved the artwork and vibrant colors of the illustration! And although it’s stated at the end of the book that some of the scenes were fictional, I still learned new things about Jimi, from his upbringing to the problems between him and Little Richard.

However I did have a few problems. First, I got confused at times with who characters were. I think maybe I was just expected to know some of them as rock stars, but I didn’t, and I think the book should’ve been a little more friendly to those that aren’t very familiar with some of the popular bands and managers of the time. But my big problem with this book was that some things made me, as a Black person, uncomfortable. There is a scene where Jimi is depicted as a monkey. After finishing the book, in the author’s notes, it said that scene was in reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. I’ve never seen the movie, so I don’t understand the context at all. But, non-Black authors and illustrators, understand that it is never okay to depict a Black person as a monkey. Also I felt the author tried to depict the Black people that were protesting after Martin Luther King Jr. died as unreasonable. And I didn’t appreciate that either.

It’s hard to rate this book because of those problems, but I do think it did its job of teaching me a little more about Jimi Hendrix’s life.

Thank you Diamond Book Distributers/Ablaze and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

TW: nudity and drug use

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of the life of Jimi Hendrix in graphic novel form, from his youth in the Jim Crow South to his untimely demise. The book takes narrative license here and there, rather than being a just-the-facts scholarly or journalistic biography. This license is most extensively seen in the mystical and surreal dream and death sequences, but the back matter suggests that there was at least one event depicted in the book that didn’t happen in reality (or, at least, there isn’t evidence to support its occurrence.)

Hendrix’s life was so short and his death was now so long ago that few people know more than that he was a guitar prodigy with a penchant for playing in wild and unusual ways. The story digs into moments of poignancy and drama in the guitar phenom’s life as well as emphasizing his interactions with major artists of the day: e.g. Clapton, McCartney, and The Rolling Stones.

I found the book intriguing and valued the fact that there were notes and a bibliography in the back that help to clarify what’s well-supported and what events take creative license. The art is well rendered and colorful. If you’re interested in learning more about a rock-n-roll legend, it’s worth looking into this book.

[Eric Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1960s was a time of new freedoms in America as well as ongoing civil strife. It was also a time of drugs, sex, and rock-n-roll. The electric guitar played a major role in the soundtrack of the times. When guitarists were gods, at the top of the pantheon was Jimi Hendrix. He was loved by many and is considered one of the best to ever take the stage.

Hendrix Vol. 1: Electric Requiem is a new graphic novel perfect for any Jimi Hendrix fan. Written and penciled by Mattia Colombara, the book tells the compelling life story of the little boy from Seattle who grew into a man loved worldwide. Colombara portrayed the young imaginative Jimi in the Prince Valiant-style graphic. The illustration signified different eras in Jimi’s life, from the use of darker tones in his foundational years to more vibrant colors that appropriately represent the musician’s psychedelic period. Colombara does not shy away from the hardships Jimi experienced, choosing to focus on the ongoing racism, much of what Jimi personally went through. Even as an illustrated story, this is one of the most complete Hendrix bios. With chapters named after his songs, it’s hard to get through without Jimi Hendrix playing in your head.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I guess I know why this book is the way it is. My guess is that the author wanted to make it accessible and was struggling with giving the topic a narrative arc. The result, however, is that this is not a non-fiction work, no matter how much we are told it is or how much of a bibliography there is on the back. Not only that but the pacing is all over the place, with the beginning feeling like a fantastical story that is in place to tell us something new about a rock legend, and the back end feeling like a bunch of factoids thrown at the page.

There is merit in this story, however, I did think that some of the creative choices made were great ones, if taken out of this context and into a more appropriate one. I also thought the illustrations were clean and interesting and the paneling was engaging.

It was just too much to try to make it a biography on top of an entertainment piece, especially for it being a graphic novel, but I do applaud the effort.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, the art is glorious. A very minimalistic, graphic, color-blocked style that really resonates with the story and ups the emotional impact of a truly emotional story. Which is a good thing because the story itself has a ton of holes that I'm pretty sure might leave someone that's not super familiar with Hendrix's life a bit confused. The time jumps are confusing and the most important events don't get any text to augment the images. Not always a bad thing because one of the most powerful moments of his life and the book does not need anything beyond the emotive images, but it would help fill out some of the blanks.
Overall, a good primer for someone interested in maybe starting to look into the legendary musician's life or for super fans that would like to include a gorgeously illustrated book with nothing but the most salient/basic details.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Ablaze for the gorgeous read!

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in Italian(?) 2016, this is the first English translation of this graphic informational biography about the late great guitarist, Jimi Hendrix.

While waiting in Limbo, Hendrix revisits his childhood past, his first guitar, glosses over his time in the army, first gigs, first trip on acid, smashing his guitar on stage, life in the fast lane, ending with his untimely death. It closes with him crossing from Limbo over the threshold (ostensibly to heaven).

A fast-moving bio of this legendary musician, it covers his life, focusing with more detail on his adult life as a performer on stage. It is quite the trip into the past to see Hendrix with friends such as The Beatles. Another 1960's cultural marker - check out the Intermission where Hendrix stars in a riff on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Visually, it is bright and stunning.

Recommended for fans and to-be fans ages 16+.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hendrix was a famous guitarist — a musician that was known by everyone. His music was and still is compelling. To understand his music, it helps to know his biography. In this graphic book, his life starts with living in the south and it’s racism. You see the exorbitant lifestyle of a rockstar. He always remembered his past never forgetting his home. The book is an excellent look at his life. I only want to know more about Hendrix after reading this. I will be listening to music that he played. I am glad I read this book as it reminded me of a musician I had not thought of for some time. The illustrations are well done for Hendrix.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me this eArc to review.

I will say, I do not know much about Jimi Hendrix so I cannot say if this is entirely true or if there has been liberties taken (other than the obvious). A warning for the fact that there are acts of racism within the book as it recounts parts of his life.

The art is absolutely wonderful in terms of the colours, they truly made the book super engaging. This was an interesting book filled with quite a lot of detail considering Jimi's short life and I found it a quick read. I would reccomend it to Jimi fans and at the back it shows a bibliography and then after that, there are a few notes on certain pages that show certain liberties being taken or further context which I found very helpful.

[April Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this magical mystical look at the life of Jimi Hendrix. It's by no means an in-depth biography; it's more of a memoir written by someone other than the subject, hitting highlights of his life, with some fictional elements added for flavor - third person historical memoir fiction maybe? At any rate, this was interesting and groovy, with fabulous, vivid art. If you don't know much about Hendrix, this is as good a place as any to start (though I recommend following up with a more traditional biography), and if you're already a fan, this offers some thought-provoking postulations with a more spiritual bent.

#HendrixElectricRequiem #NetGalley

[EVN the Bioethicist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully drawn but the writing of Jimi Hendrix’s life was a bit chaotic, focusing on strange and innocuous points within his timeline. Still worth flipping through for the dynamic illustrations full of whimsy, color, and creative imagining.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Vansa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting graphic novel, with gorgeous illustrations. Deeply evocative of a time period, and a fun read for all Hendrix fans.

[Joe Bogue · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a tribute to Hendrix than the illustrated biography I was expecting. Cool art, but I don't think the translation was done very well.