The world-dominating Coldplay are known for many things: #1 songs, selling millions of albums, life-affirming arena shows, long-winding comic book narratives. Wait, what?
Well now the UK band are looking to add that last one to their CV with the announcement they’re launching a six-part comic book miniseries based on “the story behind Coldplay’s Xylo Myloto album.” Bet you didn’t think the band’s latest studio album had a story to be “revealed” did you?
Stereogum points out that the comic’s launch coincides with this week’s San Diego Comic-Con International (running July 12-15), a leading industry convention for the comics world, where the first issue of the new Mylo Xyloto series will be available; with the rest to be begin publication in February 2013.
The six-part story was conceived and written by Coldplay alongside Academy Award-nominated writer and director Mark Osborne (whose film work includes Kung Fu Panda and The SpongeBob SqaurePants Movie), while Simpsons creator Matt Groening will be publishing the comics through his Bongo Group publication.
Chirs Martin and co issued a statement via their website announcing the new series:
“Three years ago we had an idea with our friend Mark Osborne about a character called Mylo Xyloto – “xylo” as in xylophone, “to” as in toe. Gradually Mylo’s story and universe came together and this ended up providing the backdrop for the album and tour… we hope you like it. It was fun making it.”
Turns out the Mylo Xyloto story may not be limited to the world of comics either. Director and co-creator Osbourne says:
“The comic is the latest expression of a music-driven feature animated film that the band and I started developing several years ago. It is the story of Mylo Xyloto, a young Silencer on the front lines of a war against sound and color in the world of Silencia. Mylo discovers that the enemy he’s been trained to hate his whole life might not be the enemy after all. There will hopefully be many, many connections for people who have heard the album. I am beyond thrilled with the way it’s turned out.”
Considering that superhero films and comic adaptations have become hot blockbuster proper in the last few years, thanks to the success of franchises like Batman, Spiderman and the lead-up to this year’s The Avengers, it’s no surprise that Osbourne and the band are considering optioning the animated film as a full-length feature.
It’s not the firs time the worlds of music and comics have intersected, the latest union being Australia’s own hip hop outfit, TZU, who took a novel approach with their comeback single “Beginning of the End” by releasing a companion comic book.
As for the Mylo Xyloto series, no word as yet whether the comic will feature Rihanna as ‘The Princess of China’, nor any mention of Waterfall-sized Teardrops…
Take a gander at the cover of the first issue below:
