Graphic novel chronicles Joy Division's rise and tragic end

A new graphic novel titled "È mia la colpa. La vita dei Joy Division" traces the brief but influential career of the post-punk band Joy Division. The book, written by Lorenzo Coltellacci and illustrated by Mattia Tassaro, will be published by Feltrinelli Comics on May 21. It begins with the Sex Pistols concert on June 4, 1976, at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall, where Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, and Terry Mason decided to form a band. Ian Curtis joined as vocalist on December 19, 1976, at another Sex Pistols show at the Electric Circus. The band adopted the provocative name Joy Division, referencing WWII German brothels, and used Nazi imagery on the cover of their 1977 EP "An Ideal for Living." Over three years, they released two studio albums—"Unknown Pleasures" (1979) and "Closer" (1980)—and became pivotal in the transition from punk to post-punk to new wave. Curtis, who suffered from epilepsy, died by suicide on May 18, 1980, at age 23. The graphic novel, rendered in black and white, combines detailed reconstruction with evocative storytelling. Coltellacci said the project was inspired by the films "Donnie Darko" and "Control," while Tassaro described the book as an "unreleased album" with chapters named like a tracklist. The authors aim to appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers.