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SelfMadeHero announces Starman book launch at London’s Gosh Comics

By John Freeman on March 10, 2023

SelfMadeHero is holding a special launch their new graphic novel, STARMAN: Bowie’s Stardust Years, by Reinhard Kleist, at Gosh Comics in London on Thursday 6th April. It’s an opportunity to meet Reinhard Kleist himself, and get a signed copy of the book.

In 1972, the rock’n’roll messiah Ziggy Stardust was born. His provocative play on sexual identity and gender roles laid the foundation for David Bowie’s ascent to becoming one of the most successful pop musicians of all time.

Reinhard Kleist’s Starman, first published in German, on general release in the UK from 30th March, weaves the gripping tale of this outrageous character’s genesis, rise, and fall, as well as of David Bowie’s hapless efforts in the London music scene before Ziggy’s arrival, and of the struggles he experienced with his own creation at the height of his fame. As Bowie transforms himself, ever more frenetically, into the egocentric rock star he first conceived, the extravagant lifestyle he had only ever imagined threatens to engulf him, and bring everything down before his eyes…

Reinhard Kleist lives and works as a freelance comics artist and illustrator in Berlin. His international breakthrough graphic novel Johnny Cash: I See A Darkness was nominated for the Eisner and Harvey Awards and received the Max und Moritz Prize for Best German-language Comic. With The Boxer, he became the first cartoonist to receive the German Youth Literature Prize.

Kleist’s other books include Castro, Nick Cave: Mercy on Me, An Olympic Dream and Knock Out!, all of which are also published in English by SelfMadeHero.

His work on previous illustrated biopics cemented him as the man for the job when it comes to tackling the influential pop god, Bowie.

• STARMAN: Bowie’s Stardust Years, by Reinhard Kleist – Book Launch 7.00pm Thursday 6th April 2023 Gosh Comics, 1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR | Web: goshlondon.com

• Reinhard Kleist is online at reinhard-kleist.de | Instagram

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.