Graphic novel to tell Freddie Mercury's life story

LONDON — A new graphic novel will tell the life story of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in his own words, from his childhood in Zanzibar to becoming one of the most famous rock stars in the world.

Z2 Comics has joined forces with Universal Music Group and Mercury Songs Ltd for “Freddie Mercury: Lover of Life, Singer of Songs”, which it described as “the first-ever graphic novel paying tribute to one of the greatest figures the music world has ever known”.

The book, released in November, will look back on Mercury’s life on and off stage.

“The story is told in his own words, with each chapter giving a glimpse into the many facets of his life,” Z2 Comics said in a statement.

Mercury died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991.

(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

-reuters-

UK issues commemorative coin celebrating rock band Queen

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Royal Mint has issued its first commemorative coin featuring a British rock group, in a tribute to the late Freddie Mercury and the three other band members of Queen.

“This is a ‘who would’ve thought it’ moment. Here we have a coin of the realm, a five-pound coin in fact, made by The Royal Mint, in the customary fashion,” said Queen lead guitarist Brian May in a video clip, holding a one ounce silver proof coin.

“On one side we have The Queen (Elizabeth), on the other side we have Queen. This never happened before,” he said.

All British coins and banknotes bear the head of the monarch.

The coin, released on Monday, features the band’s logo and instruments played by the Queen members: the Bechstein grand piano played by Freddie Mercury for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, May’s “Red Special” guitar, Roger Taylor’s Ludwig bass drum with an early-day Queen crest and John Deacon’s Fender Precision Bass.

The coin’s designer Chris Facey also paid tribute to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the band’s most celebrated hit, with the keys of the piano on the coin pressed down for the opening notes of the song, The Royal Mint said in a press release.

The commemorative coin is available in gold and silver proof, with prices varying from 13 pounds for a £5 Brilliant uncirculated coin cover to £2,100 for the one ounce gold proof coin.

The Queen coin is the first release in The Royal Mint’s upcoming “Music Legends” series.

Reporting by Reuters Television; Writing by Hanna Rantala; Editing by Gareth Jones

source: news.abs-cbn.com