AWA Studios Debuts Joe Quesada and Chris Ferguson Covers for Black Tape (Exclusive)

By Timothy Adams

Ahead of the release of the upcoming AWA Studios Rock N' Roll series Black Tape, the publisher is unveiling a pair of variant covers illustrated by renowned artists Chris Ferguson and Joe Quesada. Black Tape is an all-new original mystery comic series penned by award-winning comic creator Dan Panosian (Iron Man, Wolverine) and illustrated by acclaimed international artist Dalibor Talajić (Deadpool, Logan). The series tells the fictional story of a miscreant and rock idol named Jack King, who drops dead under mysterious circumstances in the middle of a sold-out show. Black Tape launches in February, and its playlist will include variant covers inspired by iconic Rock N' Roll albums.

ComicBook.com can exclusively reveal Joe Quesada's variant cover for Black Tape #2 and Chris Ferguson's variant cover for Black Tape #4. Quesada's variant cover brings him together again with AWA Studios' Chief Creative Officer Axel Alonso, who he previously worked with during his time at Marvel. The Chris Ferguson variant is an homage to heavy metal legend Mötley Crüe and is inspired by their album Shout At The Devil. Previously revealed covers were inspired by AC/DC's Back in Black, Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, and Motörhead's Motörhead. 

"I was privileged to read Dan's outline for Black Tape sometime last year. I had one note, let me know when I can buy a copy because even at that nascent stage, the outline was haunting, and the imagery, in my mind's eye, was iconic. So when Dan asked if I would consider doing a variant cover, I jumped at the chance. Plus, he had already done all the heavy lifting," Joe Quesada said.

blktape2023002-cvr-var-quesada-trim.jpg
(Photo: Joe Quesada Variant for Black Tape #2)

A description of Black Tape reads, "Mick Jagger claimed the swagger, Paul McCartney & John Lennon wrote the best tunes, and Robert Plant wailed like no other — but all those singers served as frontmen in a rock ensemble act. Only Jack King put it all together with his own name as the brand that would carry him to stardom. So when Jack dies suddenly at the height of his musical reign and his cause of death comes with neither rhyme nor reason, subsequent events paint a picture of a singing superstar caught in a web of lies, addiction, and even the unholy powers of the occult. What really happened to Jack King and the legendary, never-released final album called 'Black Tape' that King produced shortly before his death? Will his widow Cindy be able to protect his legacy as she mourns her loss? With the intersection of music, Hollywood, the 60s, counterculture, Satanic Panic, detective stories, and the supernatural, Black Tape unravels the mystery behind the lost album, Jack King's death, and who had the most to gain by making sure the iconic rocker never performed again."

"I'm a big fan of horror films like The Omen, Rosemary's Baby, and basically anything from the '60s and '70s because it was a fascinating time for music and culture then," said Dan Panosian, creator and writer of Black Tape. "Though I've spent the majority of my career as an artist within the world of comics, this was a story I was excited to tell as a writer, and I'm so thankful I've been able to work with AWA Studios to bring this story to life with them. Combine '60s Rock'n'Roll, a little horror, and the Crime Noir genre, and you've got Black Tape."

"I've been working with Dan since my days at Marvel, and while he's traditionally published his work as a comic artist, I knew he needed to flex his writing muscles after he shared his idea for Black Tape," said Axel Alonso, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of AWA Studios. "Dan has an amazing story here, and we're so proud of the work he's delivered as a writer. This series takes big swings, and the art and storytelling make for a great match."

blktape-issue-4-variant-cover-motley-crue-by-chris-ferguson.jpg
(Photo: Chris Ferguson Variant for Black Tape #4)

Black Tape #1 goes on sale February 1, 2023 from AWA Studios.

Trending Now: