Z2 Comics
Eternal Blue Slated for Late Spring 2022 release
Available to preorder online.
Following their formation in 2017, in Victoria, BC, the heavy metal quartet Spiritbox found a different way to haunt the charts. Although they’ve moved to Joshua Tree, California, let’s hope they’re still “Victorians” at heart. One of their singles, “Secret Garden,” may well allude to Frances Hodgson Burnett book of the same name, and suggest where a few of their tracks draw inspiration from.
But the pandemic stalled their plans for a proper debut in the tour circuit. Online, heavy metal fans took notice. This band’s debut album is getting the Z2 treatment and their debut LP, Eternal Blue will soon come out as a graphic novel. This was co-created with comic book writer Jim Krueger (Earth X, Justice) and artist Amilcar Pinna (Poppy’s Inferno, Generation X). Deluxe editions include a vinyl record and a spooky keepsake, a replica ghostbox!
This adaptation of the concept album tells the eerie tale of Eva, a painter on the verge of unbelievable acclaim and success. But her inability to reconcile her public perception with her true self allows a Spiritbox—a device used to communicate with the dead—to transport her to an ethereal world. Here, she finds herself trapped in a realm where false shadows become real and dangerous.
“I am in love with this story and artwork. I cannot wait for you to discover Eva and the world that she has been thrust into,” explains vocalist Courtney LaPlante. “It truly extends my feelings and the state of mind I held while writing our album, Eternal Blue, and the lyrics that resonate with me still.”
Ushering the cursed device from the pages of Eternal Blue: A Spiritbox Graphic Novel to reality, deluxe versions of the book will include a fully functional replica. Unlike the versions used in the field today, this one of a kind model resembles the ancient device as shown in the graphic novel, complete with a projection of Eva onto the ceiling and a distinct blue glow. Some may say it has a touch of that Elizabethan deco.
Edison tried to fashion a functioning device once, but he never went far with his design. It’s better known as a Ghostbox and modern versions of it are used in many ghost hunting shows in attempts to communicate with the other side. Colin Dickey‘s article on The Atlantic, explores whether a better ghost box can be made.
The real world version is essentially a radio with a few circuits removed. This enables the device to cycle cycle through all nearby radio stations. A spirit is supposed to be able to cause this box to stop and squelch out a word from those frequencies in response to a question. The versions sold at select paranormal supply services are nothing like the version being offered by Z2.
As for real life manifestations–no disclaimer is offered! It’s hard to say if the final product looks exactly like the polished 3D renders. Anyone brave to change the look by painting it up and adding patina, that shouldn’t be a problem.
About the Band:
For the last four-plus years, Spiritbox has sent tremors through the metal establishment; singles “Holy Roller” and “Secret Garden” respectively charted on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs and within Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart Top 40. Following its release, Eternal Blue peaked at 13 on the US Billboard 200 and topped both Billboard’s Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Album charts. To date, this band received over 100 million digital music streams and has graced the covers of Revolver, Kerrang, Rock Sound, Pollstar and had the number one song on SiriusXM Liquid Metal for two consecutive years—the first artist in the program to achieve this.
“Spiritbox has such a precise concept of their aesthetic, and how it ties into their music, that it makes the process of collaboration and creative exploration a joy,” editor Rantz Hoseley explains. “The result is an ambitious and haunting journey that pulls you down through the Eternal Blue darkness into a surreal realm of deeply personal exploration. For me, this is one of those books where it’s thrilling to get to read the story before everyone else, and I cannot wait for everyone to be able to experience Eva’s journey.”
“When I took on this job, I had no idea what it was going to become. I loved the poetry and metaphoric mysteries of Spiritbox (the band),” writer Jim Krueger says. “I loved their music and the chance to finally work with Z2. But, again, I was unprepared for the magic that happened creatively with this one. Or the places I was going to be allowed to go. And the art, the art. I cannot wait for people to see this. But grab one quick—I might be buying all the copies.”
“I couldn’t wish for a better script to draw! Jim’s writing on Spiritbox is weird, nightmarish, and surrealist! All things that I love to draw!” artist Amilcar Pinna elaborates.
For the last four-plus years, Spiritbox has sent tremors through the metal establishment; singles “Holy Roller” and “Secret Garden” respectively charted on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs and within Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart Top 40. Following its release, Eternal Blue peaked at 13 on the US Billboard 200 and topped both Billboard’s Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Album charts. To date, this band received over 100 million digital music streams and has graced the covers of Revolver, Kerrang, Rock Sound, Pollstar and had the number one song on SiriusXM Liquid Metal for two consecutive years—the first artist in the program to achieve this.Eternal Blue: A Spiritbox Graphic Novel will also be available in comic shops.
Deluxe, super deluxe, and platinum editions packaged with a Spiritbox device, exclusive vinyl variant LP of Eternal Blue, and gallery-ready prints by Jason Levesque can be preordered exclusively through Z2’s webstore.
