In a panel at the 2008 philadelphia wizard world comic book convention, garth ennis stated that the basis for barracuda was stagger lee, a folk song about a large terrifying man and the terrifying things he does to people. Once he leaves, he goes to a bar called the bucket of blood. It was intended as a teaser to give a general idea when we tried to. Shortly after the event, the murder became the subject of folk song tradition, known as stagolee, stagger lee and other variants. Charlie lee, the piano thumper in the kansas city leavenworth. Stagger lee is one of the classic american folk songs, starting with an actual event the shooting of billy lyons by shelton stag lee passing into widespread oral tradition, and then, into endless variations, permutations and renditions since by a variety of artists and in a variety of styles. Stagger lee brilliantly puts the shooting in the context of the politics of the time 1895 and place st. In this first issue are three stories interpreting the life of the actor, steve mcqueen, and a wraparound cover illustrating a high point in the stagger lee legend. This is the true story of what happened after stagger lee shot billy. On the one hand, it is a fictionalized account of the late 19th century trial of stagger lee shelton for the murder of billy lyons. In case you are unfamiliar with the work, stagger lee is a novel in two separate, yet connected, parts.
Stagger lee is the titular protagonist villain of the song of the same name by nick cave and the bad seeds biography. May 03, 2006 this book is the fictional recreation of the real story of lee shelton, the man who inspired the legendary folkmurder song stagger lee, alternately known as stacker lee, stag o lee, and about a dozen other variations. The crime was immortalized in a blues folk song that has been recorded in hundreds of different versions. He had been scoping out stark ever since his embarrassment yesterday.
Nick cave and the bad seeds are an australian postpunk band formed in melbourne in 1983 by vocalist nick cave, multiinstrumentalist mick harvey and guitarist blixa bargeld. Louis music legacy a long history of very important contributions to american culture. Sep 18, 2006 mcculloch and hendrix launch a stagger lee 101 tour at berkeleys comic relief book store on september 30 from 7 p. Join facebook to connect with cary stagger lee baker and others you may know. Jun 27, 2007 the story of stagger lee originates from a shooting that occurred on christmas night, 1895, near the third ward, also known as chestnut valley or the bloody third district. There is a song that has been recorded by james brown, nick cave and neil diamond. The graphic novel is presented in novel brown and white evoking a sense of sepiatone film.
Home books calendars comic prints your cart checkout. Shepherd hendrix a graphic novel adaptation of the legend of lee shelton, better known as stagger lee, which tells of the dice game that led to lee shooting and killing billy lyons, and which inspired the famous song. A stagger lee figure from american literature is bigger thomas, the badman in richard wrights native son. Stagger lee is the titular protagonist villain of the song of the same name by nick cave and the bad seeds. Stagger lee, also known as stagolee and other variants, is a popular american folk song about the murder of billy lyons by stag lee shelton, in st. The earliest versions were likely field hollers and other work songs performed by african american laborers. This book aims to get to the bottom of the traditional song stagger lee, and it. A i also recently got stagger lee, which is similar in some ways to. This would make a great gift for fans of nick cave, and pairs nicely with the graphic biography. Mar 27, 2007 shepherd hendrix artwork on the book is very crisp and detailed, with strong linework. His story has appeared in movies, poems, and even as its own comic book. Filled with visual delights, this recordsized art book is a kaleidoscopic portrait of nick caves wideranging career as a storyteller, musician and cultural icon. He was nicknamed stag lee or stack lee, with a variety of explanations being given. But i wasnt blogging then, and this is a book worthy of notice.
Derek mcculloch born 1964 is a writer, known for graphic novels such as stagger lee, gone to amerikay, pug, and displaced persons. A brief history of stagger lee and billy lyons american. Most of the characters in stagger lee are historical, although mcculloch and hendrix. A number of retellings of the story are available on the web. You should drop whatever youre doing and go, right now, before you forget, to your local comics shop, and tell them to order this book for you. A hundred years and a thousand songs later, this ordinary little murder had become a legend. Stagger lee there were four other murders that night in st louis but this was the one that counted, work songs, field chants and folktales describing how lee stack lee shelton killed billy lyons started to spring up.
Mcculloch and hendrix launch a stagger lee 101 tour at berkeleys comic relief book store on september 30 from 7 p. In tone, it s similar to the stagger lee 101 pages as we called them that run through the finished book, mcculloch says. The song of stagger lee is mostly made up by people over the years and thats how it became a great american folktale. This book is the fictional recreation of the real story of lee shelton, the man who inspired the legendary folkmurder song stagger lee, alternately known as stacker lee, stag o lee, and about a dozen other variations.
The story of the story of stagger lee international socialism. The story of stagger lee originates from a shooting that occurred on christmas night, 1895, near the third ward, also known as chestnut valley or the bloody third district. The song is a murder ballad about a badass named stagger lee, who murders a man named billy. This book juxtaposes actual incidents, modified facts and several incarnations of the characters in popular music. Many of them even have the same tag line in mind, something about filling the gap between wizard populist, tawdry, aimed at teenage boys and the comics journal highminded, pretentious, aimed at academic artcomic readers. May 21, 2007 stagger lee is also an amazing book that looks at the story behind the song and the legend it describes. Stagger lee, stagolee, stackerlee, stack o lee, stacka. Top shelf productions presents the debut of the allnew ongoing comic book series, happy.
The band has featured international personnel throughout its career and presently consists of cave, violinist and multiinstrumentalist warren ellis, bassist martyn p. This could easily be a mawkish kind of book, but bechdel is far too talented for that. He seemed to be an abusive husband towards his wife given at the start of the song, she kicks him out of the house. Comics worth reading page 494 independent opinions. On the other hand, it is an examination of how the song about stagger lee grew and changed over the years. Louis, missouri, where he gained a reputation as a pimp and gambler, and evidently served as a captain in a black four hundred club, a political and social club with a dubious reputation. A bad motherwatch yo mouth of a comic called stagger lee. It was just an awesomely cool melody with a mindnumbingly catchy rhythm and go stagger lee chorus. The legend of stagger lee is based on a real event that happened in st. Browns book remains the definitive history of stagger lee, and is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the song. A bad man by any name stagger lees fascinating journey. The historical stagger lee was lee shelton, a black pimp living in st. A bad man by any name stagger lees fascinating journey into myth.
The spirit of stagger lee can also be found in characters such as sweetback and superfly who starred in the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Here, though, the large format of the book really lets you appreciate all the details of the illustrations, and many of them are in color. Comics worth reading page 494 independent opinions, news. Memphis down in dixie, by shields mcilwaine ep dutton, 1948. Jun 08, 2006 the tale of stagger lee or stagolee, or staggerlee, or stackalee, depending on what version of the story is being sung has proven remarkably durable, and mccullough and. Published june th 2006 by image comics first published may 3rd 2006. Most of the characters in stagger lee are historical, although mcculloch and hendrix throw in an entirely fictional love story. Kleist also returns readers to nick caves imaginative world with comic book reimaginings of deanna, the good son and stagger lee.
The song was first published in 1911 and first recorded in 1923, by fred warings pennsylvanians. May 09, 2011 cedric is the grandson of legendary bluesman r. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. So did beck, mississippi john hurt, the black keys and elvis presley. Thus over 30 years the story of stagger lee was reshaped from furry lewiss cautionary blues ballad of 1927 to an aggressive rock n roll song in the late 1950s. Barracuda was introduced in a storyarc that lasted from the punisher vol. No, this thread is not about the criminal organisation, rather, it is about the game. Filled with visual delights, this recordsized art book is a kaleidoscopic portrait of nick caves wideranging career as a. Lee shelton also known as stagger lee, stagolee, stackerlee, stack olee, stackalee and by several other spelling variants was a black cab driver and a pimp 1 convicted of murdering william billy lyons on christmas eve, 1895 in st. The tale of stagger lee or stagolee, or staggerlee, or stackalee, depending on what version of the story is being sung has proven. Stagger lee has been sang about nearly countless times. This was a return to comic book work for hendrix, and im glad we have him back although i wasnt thrilled with his version of dylan in the book. Stagger lee turned into a comicbook hero and antihero, an.
The historical lee shelton was an african american born in 1865 in texas. Louis, and puts the politics in the larger context of race. Shepherd hendrix artwork on the book is very crisp and detailed, with strong linework. You dont even need to know the music to appreciate this intertwined exploration of culture, fame, artistic creation, politics, racism, love, and revenge. Stagger lee, also known as stack o lee, stackerlee, stagolee, etc is an american folk song. Two very good graphic novels you might enjoy if you havent gotten.
A occasionally it seems like she does it for comic effect, and thats. Punk, hawaiian, heavy metal, disco, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, country, and soul have all seen recorded versions, often with great popularity and by names as wildly famous as. The worlds finest surf guitar act twang up lloyd prices tune to admirable effect on this longneglected instrumental. Stagger lee by mcculloch and hendrix has won prizes for its literary and artistic merit. Stagger lee was a bad man, the original gangsta, and he murdered billy lyons on account of a john b. Stagger lee bandprofessional country rock band cincinnati, oh. Stagger lee, stagolee, stackerlee, stack o lee, stackalee. Cant seem to post there, so somebody feel free to copy this and put it there. Nov 12, 2018 here, though, the large format of the book really lets you appreciate all the details of the illustrations, and many of them are in color. He was born in ottawa, ontario, raised in grande prairie, alberta, and lives in oakland, california. Assuming that you dont know the game, ill bet you are asking. The comic format makes it all more immediate and experiential. No comic book, it presents both the history and the legend. Selftaught photorealist artist living and working in the uk.
Stagger lee is also an amazing book that looks at the story behind the song and the legend it describes. They added mystery to the title after the first book, even though it was a bonafide hit right from the getgo. In any event, as a complete work, i would definitely recommend stagger lee. Burnside, who also sang popular versions of stagger lees song.
Its a dream of many bloggers and comic journalists. Stagger lee turned into a comic book hero and antihero, an embodiment of all. Stagger lee band was formed in 1981 when band founder bobby joe mueller named the group after the 1958 hit song made famous by lloyd price. The first evidence for it is a reference to stackalee being performed by prof. Through every generation and nearly every musical style, stagger lee has made an appearance. Its theme had been changed from one of surviving oppression to active selfliberation. The story of the story of stagger lee international. Author book signing, reception stagger lee book tour who. Stagger lees profile read comic strips at gocomics. The lyrics were first published in 1911, and the song was first recorded in 1923. See more ideas about cher videos, wilson pickett and the cher show. T his is the story of how a barroom shooting involving one stag lee shelton became one of the most prominent narratives of 20th century popular culture in america william lyons, 25, colored, a levee hand, living at 1410 morgan street, was shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 oclock in the saloon of bill curtis, at eleventh and morgan streets by lee sheldon, also colored.