EXCLUSIVE: The Blues Brothers are back in business. Only this time, the Briefcase Full of Blues will be opening through a graphic novel.
The family of Dan Aykroyd and the late Judy Belushi-Pisano‘s estate is planning to build a Blues Brothers universe over coming years with TV shows, films, live events and music, and this will begin with graphic novel The Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet Jake.
Stella Aykroyd, Luke Pisano and James Werner are writing the book, which is being billed as a “love letter and a sequel to the original Blues Brothers film,” with Brazilian artist Felipe Sobriero on illustration. Z2, a graphic novel publisher known for its musical collaborations, is attached. Dan Aykroyd, who formed the Blues Brothers with the late John Belushi, has editorial oversight of the project and will provide a foreword. The writers say they are taking “utmost care” to ensure the graphic novel remains true to the soul of the musical siblings, who first appeared in SNL sketches before the cult classic movie dropped in 1980. John Belushi died of an overdose in 1982. TV and radio producer Judy Belushi-Pisano, John Belushi’s former wife, conceived of the expanded universe idea, but passed away in July last year from cancer. She had been instrumental in the development of the Blues Brothers.
“The Blues Brothers weren’t just a SNL act or movie, they were real musicians, in awe of the legends who came before them. This book is a continuation of that labor of love,” said Luke Pisano, a writer and marketing professional who has stepped into his mother Judy’s role at Blues Brothers Approved Ventures following her passing.
“This book is dedicated to my mother, Judy Belushi-Pisano – the widow of John Belushi and the fierce, loving steward of the Blues Brothers legacy for over 40 years. After John’s passing, she didn’t just preserve the story – she expanded it. With the team at Z2, and with the talents of Stella and James, we finally found the right partners to make that dream turn reality. I am proud – and humbled – to continue her work in expanding this world of fun, music, and mischievousness.”
He added that it “makes complete sense to me that the new generation of Blues Brothers will begin in comic book form, where the possibilities for destroying police cars is infinite, physics have no bounds, and the potential for jam partners is off the charts.” Stella Aykroyd added: “Elwood and Jake are precious to me. In fact, one of them is actually my dad. I’ve helped him sharpie ‘ELWOOD’ onto his knuckles before Blues Brothers shows with ‘Brother Zee’, I’ve walked behind him as he’s made his way through a sea of fans dressed as Elwood and Jake all over the world and I’ve been his co-pilot on the road, where he’s explained to me the proper way to T-bone a car.
“Now, with Elwood, and the one and only ‘Sister Zee’, Judy Belushi’s blessing, Luke, James, and I take the wheel and swerve into the endless possibilities that Z2, Felipe Sobreiro, and the comic book world provide for Jake and Elwood.”
She said that the Blues Brothers antics with “flying cars, supernatural nuns, [and] dusting an entire apartment building worth of bricks off your shoulders,” meant they were “perfectly suited for a comic strip.
“Our development process was guided and inspired by the stories and real life occurrences from the lives of Judy, John, and Dan and their process of conception of the Blues Brothers and using it not only for easter eggs but for plot points,” she said. “I am so excited to share this whole new story with all our music loving anarchists.”
Z2 President Josh Bernstein said: “The Blues Brothers are comedy, pop-culture and musical royalty. Z2 is proud to expand the creative universe built by Dan Akyroyd, John and Judy Belushi-Pisano and welcome new band members: Luke, Stella and James. When you mix their story with the art of Brazilian Blues Brother, Felipe Sobreiro, fans of all ages will be delighted with the epic return of Jake and Elwood Blues. We apologize in advance to the fine men and women of the Chicago Police Department.”
The book will be made available for pre-order via Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other independent book, comic and record stories.
