DEATH ANGEL Comic Book Unveiled

Artist Joshua Emerick, who has previously worked with THE BEATLES, CKY, SOCIAL DISTORTION and SONIC YOUTH, has created a DEATH ANGEL-themed comic book in collaboration with the DEATH ANGEL bandmembers. The following is an excerpt from an interview conducted by the renowned comic- and toy-oriented magazine Wizard:

Wizard: So how much can you tell me about the DEATH ANGEL project?

Emerick: The DEATH ANGEL project started from when I did the CKY comic book. And what happened was that Deron Miller, who was the lead singer for CKY, also had a death metal band and the record label he's working through let me know that DEATH ANGEL was doing a comic book. And I was like, "Yeah! I'll do it!" 'cause a lot of my work to date has been a lot of rock pieces. I've done a lot of artwork for the BEATLES' magazines, for SONIC YOUTH, SOCIAL DISTORTION, I did CKY's tour shirts and their comic books.

Wizard: In the DEATH ANGEL comic, how collaborative was it? How many writers did you have working with you?

Emerick: I brought in the writer that I grew up with. We used to make comics when we were kids and we stayed close friends and he did the CKY book for me. We did a couple things for Cartoon Network for proposals for shows. I kept him on with me when I got a new writer who came in. He's a stand up comedian and he's helping on the book as well. And Dennis Pepa, the bass player [of DEATH ANGEL], he's actually the one I've been talking to the most, though. He's the one we're forming the comic book company with.

Wizard: You mentioned bringing in a comedian. Is the comic going to be like a "Metalocalypse" thing where you're making fun of metal while also celebrating it?

Emerick: Pretty much, yeah. The first series has a lot to do with how music is being taken over by corporate music offices and everything. But when it comes to the one-liners and punch lines, that's where the comedian comes in and adds his flavor to it.

Wizard: So it's a struggle with the corporatization of rock and roll?

Emerick: Yeah, what happens is since they're called DEATH ANGEL, we have the Angel of Death the Grim Reaper come in and he knocks them all off. And somehow they go to an alternate universe. It's kind of like "Akira", based in the future where everything's a mess: a post-apocalyptic setting. And there's the main villain, Ludwig, and ironically he's death. He's the one controlling this thing called the "Sonic Beatdown", that's one of DEATH ANGEL's new singles that they released. I guess it's the B note that he's controlling and using to take control of the world pretty much. And DEATH ANGEL is going to come in and try to make things better and help people out.

Wizard: Help people out by rocking?

Emerick: [Laughs] Pretty much, yeah! [Laughs] They're pretty much going to get together as a team and they're gonna make the "Sonic Beatdown" instrument turn against the leader and try to reverse everything and try to bring harmony back to the world. There's all kinds of mech robots, there's machines that are half robot, half human, half animal.

Wizard: That sounds pretty awesome!

Emerick: Yeah, the writers did a really good job on this one. I'm really happy with it and I'm halfway done with the book now with penciling and inking. And I'm just really happy with it now.

Read the entire interview and view artwork from the comic at this location.

DEATH ANGEL is currently making waves with its first tour U.S. tour in years, the "In Thrash We Trust" trek also featuring GOD FORBID, SOILENT GREEN, ARSIS and LIGHT THIS CITY.

The band recently filmed a video for the song "Dethroned" with director Robert Sexton (THE DWARVES, AMEN, MONDO GENERATOR) in Santa Paula, California. Watch the clip below.

Released on February 26, 2008 via Nuclear Blast Records, DEATH ANGEL's latest album, "Killing Season", sold approximately 2,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album was recorded at Studio 606 in Northridge, California with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, VELVET REVOLVER, SHADOWS FALL and STONE SOUR, among other acts.