The Fifth Beatle Debuts To Strong Sales

The Fifth Beatle, a graphic novel biography of Brian Epstein published by Dark Horse Comics, had impressive sales in its first week of print. The book debuted at #5 on the New York Times bestseller list of Hardcover Graphic Books. It was also the highest-ranking book not featuring a superhero, trailing only books featuring Batman, Hawkeye, Aquaman and a Daredevil omnibus from Frank Miller and Klaus Janson.  

  The Fifth Beatle was written by Vivek J. Tiwary, a Broadway veteran who has written stage hits such as Green Day’s American Idiot and The Addams Family. The painted art was provided by popular artists Andrew C. Robinson (Starman, Superman) and Kyle Baker (Plastic Man, Nat Turner). Although the Beatles has remained a beloved music act since their start, Brian Epstein, their manager, remains largely unknown. The Fifth Beatle tells not just the story of his musical career but his life. Many people feel that Epstein was as important to the success of the group as were the four members. Epstein was also a close friend and advisor to the group. Despite his success with the Beatles, his personal life was less happy. Epstein was a closeted homosexual who was unable to express his true self due to England’s laws at the time (he could have been jailed for admitting being a homosexual). As an adult, he also formed substance-abuse problems. He died of an accidental drug overdose at the young age of thirty-two.  

  In addition to his strong sales figures, The Fifth Beatle has also been critically acclaimed by Newsarama, Comic Book Resources, and Publishers Weekly. Written for both longtime fans of the Beatles and those less familiar with the group’s history, The Fifth Beatle takes a look back at an important individual in the history of music and popular entertainment.