PRESS RELEASE
Z2 Comics reveal the first of their 2021 spring lineup today, with what is certain to be one of the most talked about comic book debuts since Stan Lee christened the Silver Age, with the arrival of Oliver Tree’s first graphic novel Oliver Tree Vs. Little Ricky: Alien Boys! Following on a string of select track appearances following the influential artist’s untimely retirement from music, comes his latest creative venture in the world of comics!
Oliver Tree says “I’ve been writing this manifesto for the last 15 years, and after hundreds of different versions, I’ve finally crafted the greatest story ever told. This is my magnum opus, based off real events from my travels around the world. Let this book serve as a bible for my fellow artists in their darkest hour…”
“When I retired from comics in 2019, I didn’t think there was anything that could draw me back”, says co-author Orpheus Collar. “But as I was drawn into Oliver and Ricky’s orbit, I connected with their struggles navigating art and commerce. ALIEN BOYS is a prescient and exciting tale, which, like the thumping bassline of Oliver & Ricky’s musical oeuvre, will resonate with people of all beats of life. For those interested in out-of-this-world scooter tricks, punching and kicking, there’s plenty of that too.”
Little Ricky ZR3 comments “I do not endorse this book in any way. I haven’t received any financial compensation for my contributions to the novel. Oliver did not allow me to be credited as a writer, which is strange because it’s based off my life as well. Also I would like to say I do not believe this story to be entirely accurate. He left out extremely important details to save face from making himself look bad.”
“Oliver has descended upon comics like the Son of Odin to wield his scooter like Thor swinging Mjölnir,” says Z2 publisher Josh Frankel. “This book has everything his fans would want out of his first comic book, and everything comics fans could need for full indoctrination into Oliver Tree fandom. With Orpheus handling the art, I would argue that the world of Oliver Tree and Lil Ricky has never been more vivid and more hilarious.”
ALIEN BOYS tells Oliver Tree’s life story, picking up as he is thrown into the meat grinder of the music industry to promote his debut retirement album “Ugly is Beautiful”. Denied his chosen herbal medicine to overcome the aches and pains brought on by a deadly life in the fast lane, Oliver threatens to retire, prompting his label to find an out-of-this world replacement in Little Ricky, an alien with a sick mix tape….In a world too small for the both of them, Oliver and Ricky are forced to either become fast friends or throw down in a turbo-charged battle that threatens to destroy them both.
Oliver Tree Vs. Little Ricky: Alien Boys will be released on April 13, 2021 and is available for preorder now through the Z2 website in both a standard edition graphic novel, as well as various deluxe formats including exclusive picture disc vinyl variants of Oliver’s final album Ugly is Beautiful, and an Oliver Tree vs Littly Ricky statue! Preorder now: https://z2comics.com/olivertree
The Super Deluxe Edition of the graphic novel includes (Limited Edition of 500):
Hardcover Graphic Novel (Exclusive cover artwork)
Oliver Tree vs Little Ricky Statue (statue details and subject to change)
Exclusive Vinyl Picture Disc LP of Oliver Tree’s album ‘Ugly Is Beautiful’
(3) never before seen ‘ALIEN BOYS’ inspired Art Prints
Limited edition hardcover slipcase for graphic novel
The Deluxe Edition of the graphic novel includes (Limited Edition of 1,500):
Hardcover Graphic Novel (Exclusive cover artwork)
Exclusive Vinyl Picture Disc LP of Oliver Tree’s album ‘Ugly Is Beautiful’
(3) never before seen ‘ALIEN BOYS’ inspired Art Prints
Limited edition hardcover slipcase for graphic novel
The Standard Edition (Softcover) version of the graphic novel includes:
Softcover graphic novel
The Standard Edition (Hardcover) version of the graphic novel includes:
Hardcover graphic novel
About Oliver Tree:
Dubbed by Billboard as “Alt-pop’s merry prankster,” Oliver Tree’s debut album ‘Ugly is Beautiful’ has earned raves from HYPEBEAST (“…somewhere between a meme and creative polymath”) Interview (“With Ugly is Beautiful…the Gen-Z jester has declared his arrival onto the internet’s airwaves”) and more. ‘Ugly Is Beautiful’ debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums Chart and Alternative Albums Chart, and in the Top 15 on the Billboard 200. As if that wasn’t enough, he celebrated the release of ‘Ugly Is Beautiful’ by breaking the Guinness World Record for building (and crashing) the world’s largest scooter and is on his way to becoming a fashion icon. On ‘Ugly is Beautiful,’ Oliver Tree takes his millions of followers on an unpredictable roller coaster ride through a cracked world full of comic disaster. ‘Ugly is Beautiful’ then is the product of all of Oliver’s otherworldly experiences distilled into fourteen songs – the promise of his EPs, ‘Alien Boy’ and ‘Do You Feel Me?’ fulfilled. As Rolling Stone stated, Oliver Tree is outlandish, and it’s working.”
About Orpheus Collar
New York Times Best-selling graphic novelist Orpheus Collar has come out of retirement to create co-author Alien Boys with Oliver Tree and Little Ricky. His graphic novel work includes adapting and illustrating Rick Riordan’s THE KANE CHRONICLES trilogy, currently in development for Netflix, and illustrating the PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN graphic novels, currently in development at Disney +.
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.
