Tori Amos Graphic Novel Announced For Little Earthquakes 30th Anniversary

Almost 30 years ago, Tori Amos’s Little Earthquakes blasted onto the music scene and made her a household name for millions of audiophiles. Now, Amos is teaming with Z2 Comics to celebrate that anniversary by releasing a graphic album and vinyl release of the record. This is not Amos’s first outing as a comics collaborator; Z2 actually characterizes it as “a long overdue spiritual sequel to Tori Amos’ Eisner- and Harvey-award-winning first graphic novel, Comic Book Tattoo, which was released in 2008 by Image Comics and featured the writing and art of dozens of creators on 50 short stories.

Released in 1992, Little Earthquakes was Amos’s debut album, and established her as an iconic voice in music who would go on to inspire generations of artists and musicians. The Little Earthquakes graphic album will include 24 stories inspired by the 12 songs on the album, as well as the 12 “B-sides” that accompanied the album and its associated singles. Rantz Hoseley, who previously edited Comic Book Tattoo, will edit the book.

“To have some of the most creative graphic artists interpret the songs from Little Earthquakes is a true honor,” Amos said in a statement. “I enjoyed working with Rantz on Comic Book Tattoo so much that when he contacted me about putting something together for the 30th Anniversary, I had no hesitation. Artwork is such an important part of my musical world, and to see these songs come to life in graphic form is such a joy.”

“Having been present during the writing of many of these songs, I can tell you they are inextricably bound to comics,” Hoseley said. “They were on the early demo cassette that I snuck to Neil Gaiman at the San Diego Comic-Con in 1991, telling him ‘this is my friend, she sings about you, please don’t sue her.’ It’s been too long since Comic Book Tattoo, and it’s truly a pleasure to get to make comics with Tori again.”

Since the release of Little Earthquakes, Amos has sold over 12 million albums across 16 releases, with her most recent effort, Ocean to Ocean, released in October 2021.

Here’s how Z2 describes the project:

“This graphic novel release demonstrates the breadth of impact of Amos’ work through the 24 stories inspired by the album and its accompanying B-sides. The contributors to the book are an all-star cast of literary and artistic talent, including Tori’s longtime friend Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, American Gods) telling a tale inspired by “Tear In Your Hand” with artist Bilquis Evely (The Dreaming), and legendary author Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale) who will bring to life the iconic song “Silent All These Years” with acclaimed artist David Mack (Kabuki), who has also painted the stunning cover. Other contributors include Leah Moore, Colleen Doran, Derek McCulloch, Lar deSouza, Annie Zaleski, Marc Andreyko, Cat Mihos, Neil Kleid, and Alison Sampson. A full list of participating creators and the stories they are creating will be released on March 11th, coinciding with the first part of Tori’s Ocean to Ocean tour.”

Little Earthquakes: The Graphic Album will be available in three editions. The 8″x8″ standard hardcover edition will be released in bookstores, comic shops, and record stores everywhere in September 2022, and will be available for pre-order through Z2 and ToriAmos.com. The limited Deluxe and Platinum Artists Editions will be available exclusively through Z2’s website in limited quantities.

The oversized 12″x12″ Deluxe Edition will be limited to 1,450 units, which will come packaged in a collectors slipcase, with vinyl releases of Little Earthquakes and the previously unavailable vinyl picture disc of Little Earthquakes: The B Sides, as well as 12″x12″ art prints by Comic Book Tattoo contributors Jason Levesque, KAKO, and David Mack.

The Platinum Artists Edition is limited 500 copies, and includes the signed and numbered oversized 12″x12″ graphic novel with a foil embossed hardcover, the vinyl album of Little Earthquakes and the exclusive B-Sides picture disc vinyl, prints by Jason Levesque and KAKO, and a print of the cover signed by David Mack and Tori Amos, and a sketchbook/diary, contained in a die-cut clamshell collectors box that echoes the wooden crate that is synonymous with the cover of this album. 

There will not be a second pressing of the limited picture disc vinyl of Little Earthquakes: The B-Sides that is available with the Deluxe and Platinum editions.