'Graphic Elvis' will combine rarely before seen quotes, writings, photos and memorabilia with original pieces of artwork by leading international graphic novel artists. Commemorating the 35th anniversary of his death, the illustrated anthology will be an homage to Elvis' lifelong appreciation of comic books.
Many of Presley's loves have been documented over the years — from his affinity for peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches to his passion for karate and hip-shaking.
'Graphic Elvis' is the first project to fully explore his penchant for comics, which Al Wertheimer and others captured in photos that will appear in the new book. When he was named one of the Jaycees' Ten Outstanding Young Men in 1971, Elvis told the crowd 'When I was a child, I was a dreamer. I read comic books and I was the hero of the comic book ... So every dream I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times'.
Given access to the archives at Graceland, Devarajan was floored by the many reflections and summations on life Presley had jotted down in his books. 'He was much more of a seeker than I gave him credit for. He was clearly a guy who loved to read, loved to think about the world and loved to understand his place in it'.
Growing up in Memphis, Presley was a fan of Captain Marvel Jr. and the rest of the Marvel Family, and it showed in his hairstyle, his 'TCB' lightning logo and his colorful 1970s concert jumpsuits with capes.
'They were very emblematic of classic costumes you'd see in comic-book creations', Devarajan says.
Presley's fondness for comics has found its way into pop culture over the years. The King appeared in an issue of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic series, and a trampoline routine in Cirque du Soleil's Viva ELVIS in Las Vegas was inspired by Elvis' love of flying superheroes who went up, up and away.
With Presley still influencing entertainment decades after his death, Williams is glad there's something like Graphic Elvis that offers a different take on the legacy.
'We never say what we think Elvis would do or not do, but because he loved comic books, this is absolutely something he would like', Williams says. "He would get into this big-time'.
The illustrated, oversized coffee-table book will be available in stores in early April 2012.