Alex Ross creates new limited edition “Yellow Submarine”-inspired Beatles prints

By John Freeman on February 18, 2015

US print makers Dark Hall Mansion have just revealed their latest officially licensed Beatles limited edition release: “Yellow Submarine” by pre-eminent comic book artist, Alex Ross, which will go on sale Thursday 26th February 2015.

1960s music icons The Beatles have always proven an inspiration for animators, comic artists and illustrators. In the UK, Angus Allan and Arthur Ranson delivered The Beatles Story for Look-In for example (re-published as a digital comic by ROK Comics) and, last year, Dark Horse published the critically-acclaimed and award-winning The Fifth Beatle, the story of their manager Brian Epstein, written by Vivek J. Tiwary and drawn by Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker..

Working with Apple Corps Ltd, Dark Hall Mansion will release Alex’s singular vision of the Beatles’ groundbreaking 1968 masterpiece, Yellow Submarine. Driven by the Beatles legendary music and inspired by the generation’s new trends in art, the film resides with the dazzling styles of Pop Art, yet it is Yellow Submarine’s art direction and production design by Heinz Edelmann that most defined the film’s pioneering look, and it’s in this spirit of unique innovation and creativity that Alex Ross’s highly unusual take can best be appreciated.

“Alex has often been referred to as ‘the Norman Rockwell of comics’ yet his Yellow Submarine piece reveals the similarly powerful influence of master surrealist Salvador Dali,” say Dark Hall Mansion, “whom Alex has also recognized as a guiding influence on his style.

“His Blue Meanies are a sight to behold as is his overarching composition that does justice to the sweep of this legendary animated classic.”

The Beatles: Yellow Submarine Prints by Alex Ross

Alex Ross’s mammoth six-foot long Yellow Submarine-inspired art.

“Hopefully by painting the work,” comments Alex Ross, “you gain a sense of life and believability that will draw the reader in a little more,” and this is dynamically manifest in his massive six-foot original painting for the Beatle’s Yellow Submarine.

Alex has worked on countless high profile projects, legendary comic book characters, Hollywood studios, a print for the Academy Awards, and so much more but he is very well known at this stage of his career for taking on projects of personal relevance and resonance most of all, and it’s in this context that he enthusiastically accepted Dark Hall Mansion’s invitation to a Beatles project, being an enormous fan of the world’s most famous band.

“For as long as I can remember hearing music, I have loved the Beatles,” he enthuses. “Not only do I believe they are the greatest musical group of all time, but also one of the greatest things to have happened in human history. Yellow Submarine has also been one of my favorite films since I was six years old. The opportunity to work with the Beatles’ likenesses in the very inspired context of the film is an absolute dream come true.

“There is so much I love about these men, their legacy, and this film.”

This is the first time Alex has ever done a Beatles project and he was given little constraint, so it’s safe to say all involved on the project, from Los Angeles to London, were shocked on receiving a note and attachment one day revealing a stunning six-foot painting and just exactly how passionate Alex really was about this project!

DHM’s Alex Ross Beatles Yellow Submarine limited editions are meticulously printed by Alex’s longstanding personal printer of choice and will be released by Dark Hall Mansion in exact scale to his original painting via limited edition canvas and paper editions. Both Beatles and Alex Ross fans worldwide will have an opportunity to own an officially licensed Beatles, full scale, 72-inch Alex Ross Yellow Submarine canvas or paper edition, each personally signed by the artist.

Dark Hall Mansion’s signed Alex Ross Yellow Submarine paper edition, limited to a worldwide run of just 295 pieces, will price at $375, while the select signed Alex Ross “Yellow Submarine” canvas edition, with only 125 editions available worldwide, will price at $550.

• Both the Standard and Canvas editions are attached and may also be viewed directly on Dark Hall Mansion’s Blog or on DHM’s Facebook page. All Editions go on sale Thursday 26th February 2015 at Dark Hall Mansion on their dedicated Store page at 9.30am PST: http://www.darkhallmansionstore.com/

The Beatles limited edition print series is created by Dark Hall Mansion. ‘The Beatles’ is a registered trademark of Apple Corps Limited.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.