Bob Dylan Revisited: 13 Graphic Interpretations of Bob Dylan's Songs [Hardcover]

Bob Dylan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 16, 2009

Rendered in striking, explosive graphic form, many of Bob Dylan’s most famous songs—illustrated as they’ve never been before.

For the last forty years Bob Dylan has never ceased to be one of the most creative and inspired musicians in the world. Mesmerized by the power of his lyrics and intrigued by the possibilities of translating his powerful, enigmatic personality into art, thirteen leading graphic artists banded together to create this unusual testament to the universality and transcendent vision of an American musical genius. With their vibrant, unexpected colors and dynamic, cinematic imagery, this group has assembled in Bob Dylan Revisited one of the most provocative interpretations of Dylan’s music in decades. These artists capture the tender emotions, the ineffable sadness, and the romantic overtones of Dylan’s classic songs, at the same time reflecting the moral and political urgency of his music. Each artist’s style surprisingly complements Dylan’s lyrics and offers an irresistible window through which to reconsider one of America’s most enigmatic artists. A deeply respectful and brilliant homage to the extraordinary influence of Bob Dylan.

Featured inside:

• "Blowin’ In the Wind" by Thierry Murat
• "A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall" by Lorenzo Mattotti
• "I Want You" by Nicolas Nemiri
• "Girl of the North Country" by François Avril
• "Lay, Lady, Lay" by Jean-Claude Götting
• "Positively 4th Street" by Christopher
• "Tombstone Blues" by Bézian
• "Desolation Row" by Dave McKean
• "Like A Rolling Stone" by Alfred, Raphaëlle Le Rio, Maël Le Mae, and Henri Meunier
• "Hurricane" by Gradimir Smudja
• "Blind Willie McTell" by Benjamin Flao
• "Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door" by Jean-Philippe Bramanti
• "Not Dark Yet" by Zep

Nominated for two 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards: Best Anthology; Best Short Story ("Hurricane" by Gradimir Smudja).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sixteen cartoonists, mostly European, interpret 13 of Bob Dylan's most familiar lyrics in this lavishly illustrated oversized book. Dylan's songs don't generally call out for visual accompaniment—they map out emotional states or tell stories, but provide all the images they require. There's plenty of stylishness and a wide range of illustrative technique; unfortunately, few of the contributors have anything in particular to say about or add to Dylan's words. Some artists settle for redundant representations of the lyrics, including Bramanti's western death scene for Knockin' on Heaven's Door and Gradimir Smudja's semiphotorealist Hurricane. Even Dave McKean, rendering Desolation Row with his usual multimedia technique and surreal distortion of space, can't help packing his story with literal renderings of individual lines. Other artists simply throw their hands up: Bézian accompanies Tombstone Blues ' hilarious torrent of language with apropos-of-nothing drawings of girders, railroad tracks and a crowd of people, and Jean-Claude Götting's Lay, Lady, Lay is a brief erotic scenario that just happens to involve a big brass bed. The most rewarding piece is actually a commentary on Dylan himself: Zep's interpretation of Not Dark Yet shows four sly caricatures of the songwriter in the various phases of his career. (Nov.)
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Review

[N]early all the graphic interpretations are visually striking, some even breathtaking in their powerful imagery. (Kristina Lindgren - Los Angeles Times )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 98 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (November 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393076172
• ISBN-13: 978-0393076172
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #912,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( D ) > Dylan, Bob

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the more unusual and wonderful things honoring Bob Dylan., January 30, 2010

By 

Ann M. L. Johnson (Denver CO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bob Dylan Revisited: 13 Graphic Interpretations of Bob Dylan's Songs (Hardcover)

For anyone who loves and respects Bob Dylan and his incredible, incalcuable contribution to the arts and society, this is a must. There are 13 songs and 13 graphic interpretatons, one each of each song. Each one of the superbly qualified graphic artists bring their own particular interpretation to one of his most deeply written lyrics and songs to the page, and innure each song with other layers of insight and meaning through the visual art for the viewers consideration. Bob, himself, is a remarkable visual artist, and (I would guess) must be honored by the skillfully fine interpretation of his works. This is a deeply touching book honoring one of the world's finest and most important artists, as well as some of the most poignantly written words ever brought forth from pen to paper. I suggest you not miss this one. I'm glad I didn't.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great visual interpretations of Dylan's words, October 13, 2010

By 

T Erskine (Kalamazoo MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bob Dylan Revisited: 13 Graphic Interpretations of Bob Dylan's Songs (Hardcover)

Firstly, I never write or read reviews. However, I am surprised by how often I return to this book, so I thought I'd share my thoughts.

This is a beautifully done book and a great medium with which to experience Dylan's artistic contribution. Especially noteworthy is the graphic interpretation of the last song presented in the volume, "Not Dark Yet." Already a haunting song, the visuals are very insightful and lend a lot to the themes of aging and hopelessness already present in the lyrics.

If your a Dylan fan, a fan of the graphic novel medium, or just appreciative of art and popular culture, you should dig this.