Z2 Comics and Deutsche Grammophon are teaming up to reimagine the historic life of the legendary composer BEETHOVEN.

The press release follows:

Media Release -- Z2 Comics and Deutsche Grammophon, one of the world's most historic and influential record labels, today announced a new original graphic novel looking 250 years into the past at one of the most celebrated musicians of all time: Ludwig van Beethoven. It will be accompanied by a new compilation album from Deutsche Grammophon, mirroring the story through the composer's own works.

A towering figure in the history of music, Beethoven's ground-breaking works continue to thrill audiences today – not only in concert halls, where he is the most performed composer (over 13% of all classical concerts worldwide in 2019 featured a work by Beethoven), but also on digital platforms where he has millions of monthly listeners. Beyond his prolific output, he faced many struggles in his personal life, with tumultuous relationships and loss of hearing affecting him profoundly.

Beethoven's influence on pop-culture has been immeasurable and his compositions have sound tracked and inspired some of the most iconic moments of the last quarter of a millennium. His music has been featured in over 1500 films and TV shows including: A Clockwork Orange, Die Hard, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, The Breakfast Club, Dead Poet's Society, Django Unchained, Disney's Fantasia, The King's Speech, Columbo, Sherlock, The Handmaid's Taleand The Simpsons; it's been sampled by Alicia Keys, Nas, Ennio Morricone, Giorgio Moroder, ELO, Kiss, Busta Rhymes and the Beatles; it's been sent into orbit on the Voyager spacecraft; it's influenced literary works like TS Eliot's Four Quartets; and the comic strip Peanuts even featured a Beethoven storyline! Beethoven's legacy has also been recognized in the cosmos, with an asteroid belt and a crater named after him on the planet Mercury.

Told across 144 pages, the graphic novel follows the life of a musical icon through striking new visuals, created by world-class artists. It will be released by Z2 Comics and Deutsche Grammophon in November, ahead of the composer's 250th anniversary in December.

Publisher Josh Frankel comments, "Beethoven wrote some of the most universally recognizable pieces of music in the history of the planet. It is of course, incredibly exciting to publish the work of some of today's well-known artists, but to have this chance to tell comic book stories from and inspired by the life of one of the most legendary artists of all time is humbling. We have done our very best to honor this by putting together what we believe will be an essential read for music lovers of all ages."

Kleopatra Sofroniou, Vice President Marketing Deutsche Grammophon, comments, "As one of the longest-standing record labels, Deutsche Grammophon has been celebrating Beethoven's 250th anniversary this year with a number of projects, including the most comprehensive New Complete Edition of Beethoven's works ever issued and wonderful new releases with stars like Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma and Rudolf Buchbinder. We are delighted to be encouraging the dialogue between the visual arts and classical music and hope that this exciting new project will open doors for comic book fans to discover the magic of Beethoven's music."

With a full slate of highly anticipated graphic novels due out this fall, Z2 adds yet another, switching genres yet again, in honor of one of the most influential and inescapable forces in music of any kind. The publisher taps writer Brandon Montclare (Rocket Girl, Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur) and a cast of artists to be announced soon. The book also features a gorgeous new painted cover by David Mack.

Beethoven: The Graphic Novel will be released in fine bookstores and comic shops everywhere in November, and is available to order now directly from Z2 Comics webstore: www.z2comics.com/beethoven

Meanwhile, listeners can enjoy a full collection of the composer's works with Beethoven – The New Complete Edition, a remarkable 123-disc box set and digital series featuring over 250 artists and 175 hours of music, created in partnership with the Beethoven-Haus Bonn.

About Z2 Comics:
Z2 is the premier destination for top quality music-based comics and graphic novels, having worked across genres to deliver an authentic experience to diverse audiences. Some of the publisher's best-selling books include Apocrypha: The Legend of BABYMETAL, YUNGBLUD Presents: The Twisted tales of the Ritalin Club and Eden: A Skillet Graphic Novel, alongside debut works of graphic fiction by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides), DJ Paul Oakenfold, internet sensation Poppy, jazz trumpeter Dave Chisholm and others. Z2's upcoming works include books created with partnership with The Grateful Dead, Sturgill Simpson and others.

About Deutsche Grammophon:
One of the most prestigious names in global classical music since its foundation in 1898, Deutsche Grammophon has always stood for the highest standards of artistry and sound quality. Home to the greatest artists of all time, the famous yellow label is a beacon to which music lovers all over the world look for outstanding musical interpretations, audio recordings and visual productions. Highly dedicated to the development of new repertoire in arts music, Deutsche Grammophon fosters and promotes a whole range of popular contemporary artists and eminent composers. The label also prides itself on its innovative use of the latest technology to provide music digitally to audiences worldwide.

Deutsche Grammophon's current artist roster boasts some of the most distinguished figures in classical and contemporary music today, including Martha Argerich, Daniel Barenboim, Gustavo Dudamel, El?na Garan?a, Hélène Grimaud, Evgeny Kissin, Lang Lang, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Andris Nelsons, Anna Netrebko, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini, Grigory Sokolov, Bryn Terfel, Daniil Trifonov, Rolando Villazón, Krystian Zimerman as well as Joep Beving, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Dustin O'Halloran, Agnes Obel, Víkingur Ólafsson and Max Richter. In addition, the label's catalogue represents the cultural legacy of whole generations of maestri and features recordings from many of the finest artists in music history, including Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Vladimir Horowitz, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Herbert von Karajan, Carlos Kleiber, Mstislav Rostropovich as well as Andrés Segovia.
www.deutschegrammophon.com

About Universal Music Group:

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Universal Music Group is a Vivendi company.
www.universalmusic.com

Beethoven: The Graphic Novel