cover image Haddon Hall: When David Invented Bowie

Haddon Hall: When David Invented Bowie

Néjib. SelfMadeHero, $22.95 (144p) ISBN 978-1-910593-26-4

Franco-Tunisian cartoonist Néjib’s slice-of-life graphic biography about a formative time in David Bowie’s early career will occupy a unique slot in what is sure to be a flood of Bowie-related releases this year. The title comes from the massive old house just outside London that David and Angie Bowie moved into in late 1969, where he could reevaluate the then-short career that “so far was nothing but a string of flops.” That, at least is the opinion of Haddon Hall itself, cast as the querulous interpreter and historian of the momentous events that followed in its sprawling, hippie- and musician-packed warren of rooms. Bowie gathers collaborators like Tony Visconti and starts searching for ideas on how to transform from just another long-haired folk songwriter into a mind-blowing, shape-shifting, glam dystopic avatar. While the breezy yet sharp and highly colorful art is certainly evocative, the narrative’s fuzzy way with details both demands too much of the reader and ultimately fails to answer why David invented Bowie. (Feb.)