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The Fab Four in Four Colors: Bill Morrison on Adapting Yellow Submarine for Comics
Bill Morrison is a legendary graphic designer, editor, and publisher. His promo art has been used for Disney classics like The Jungle Book and The Fox and the Hound, and as a publisher, he was one of the founders of Bongo! Comics, the comics line for The Simpsons. More recently, he’s brought Captain Carrot back to the DCU and taken over as the editor of MAD Magazine.
He’s also been working on a truly exciting project: a graphic novel adaptation of The Beatles’ classic movie Yellow Submarine. We recently talked to him about the challenges of adaptation, and writing music in comic form.
When did you first see Yellow Submarine?
I believe I saw the film for the first time in the early 1970s on television. I didn’t get to see it when it was in theaters in 1968, but I was aware of it through books, toys, posters, etc.
What led to you wanting to adapt it into a graphic novel?
I was commissioned to write and draw the adaptation—it wasn’t something I set out to do, or even dreamed was possible. I feel very fortunate to have been chosen for this project.
What were the challenges? And how much freedom did you have with the material?
The main challenge was to create a faithful adaptation of the animated film in a form that doesn’t have sound or motion. My initial thought after accepting the job was, how do I do this in a way that isn’t just a lesser version of the film?
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It’s available on home video, so why would a fan want to read a silent, non-animated version of something that’s famous for its eye-popping animation and beloved Beatles tunes? I decided to look to graphic design as a way of giving the book an element that the movie doesn’t have. From all accounts, this seems to have worked, and the book is exciting for what it is, apart from the film.
What do you think the lasting appeal of the movie is?
It has a number of things going for it. First, of course, there is The Beatles’ music. It’s timeless, and everyone knows and loves the songs. Then there are the characters of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as created for the film. They are a lot like the onscreen characters they created for themselves in the film A Hard Days Night and Help!—very charming and funny—but in Yellow Submarine we [also] have the wonderful designs of Heinz Edelman. They are appealing both visually and emotionally. And even though they’re pretty psychedelic, and definitely of the late-1960s time period, they are also somehow still appealing today (just like The Beatles’ music!)
Finally, there are a lot of great messages in the film that still resonate. There’s good conquering evil, love vanquishing hate, and also a message of redemption with the Blue Meanies. And Jeremy (the boob) offers a great lesson in how you shouldn’t judge people at first glance and decide they’re insignificant. Sometimes it’s the misfits who end up being the most important people in your life.
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How have you approached the music in the story?
I was unable to use lyrics from the film because of rights issues, so I worked around it. If a song had lyrics that moved the story forward, I covered by writing extra dialogue or narration. The trickiest scene was when the Blue Meanies are vanquished with music. It still works in the book, and you see The Beatles playing to beat the Meanies, but without lyrics. I always tell people it’s fun to put on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack while you’re reading the book. It’s not essential, but it does add to the mood.
What’s the moment you’re proudest of?
In terms of moments in the book, I’m proud of many of the page designs. I feel I was able to come up with innovative designs that would make great psychedelic posters, apart from the narrative of the graphic novel. Those moments in the book feel very successful to me, because they work on multiple levels. But as it relates to Beatles fans, I’ve showed some of the book to friends who are major Beatles and Yellow Submarine fans, and they say they’re thrilled by what I’ve done and can’t wait to own the book. That makes me extremely proud. I’d love it if this book became one of those treasured keepsakes that Beatles fans covet and speak fondly of for years to come. Ultimately, my goal is to give Beatles fans, and fans of the film in general, something that really pleases them.