Written by Joe Illidge and Hannibal Tabu
Art by Meredith Laxton
Published by Humanoids
“The Velvet Underground didn’t sell many records, but everyone who bought one went out and started a band.”
This quote has been ascribed to the prominent music producer Brian Eno and to the founding band member Lou Reed.
I’ve never thought much about how many people decided to play music after buying a Prince record, but it’s safe to assume that it happened a lot.
Prince’s genius was not discovered posthumously and he sold a lot of records.
Everyone knew he was supremely talented and his death was shocking and painful to those who admired him, including people like me who can’t play a single note of any song on any instrument.
MPLS Sound tells the story of Starchild, a Minneapolis band started by an ambitious young black woman whose musical identity was unlocked by seeing a Prince concert. Prince makes more than a cameo appearance in the book, choosing her as a protege and testing her dedication with an offer to help her band become just another Revolution knock off.
Minneapolis is also a star of this tale, as any story about Prince would be lacking without an examination of the city with which he was entwined.
It’s a positive story about hard work, talent and integrity. But it pains me to tell you how boring and silly it is.
From the writing to the artwork, it appears to have been born from the imagination of a 13-year-old Prince fan who has seen a few after school specials and wants to make a statement.
I hate to dump on this book because its heart is clearly in the right place and the creators put in the work, but that isn’t always enough.
The cliches are telegraphed – parents who die young, cemetery visits in the rain, a white rocker with long blond hair who drinks and smokes cigarettes.
And since it is difficult to convey music or musicianship in a comic book the writing has to do all the heavy lifting.
Sadly, it fails. Lead singer Theresa’s marching orders to the band are basically “do more, better.” And the following lines are delivered with nary a wink:
“The mother ship needs all of us or it won’t fly.”
“Starchild does not run away from a fight.”
“Not everyone wants to be a butterfly, Violet.”
“When you write the story . . make it about the music.”
I wanted to like this book. Perhaps its audience is children who are interested in music or race relations in America.
Past that, I can’t see anyone caring if the mother ship will ever fly.
