Review by Ian Keogh

There are rock stars who’ve been phenomenally popular in their day, yet a decade later only their fans from that era remember Bush, Duran Duran or Jane’s Addiction. Others, though, escape that trap, becoming appealing, inspirational and influential to following generations, and Jimi Hendrix is among them, already the feature attraction of at least two graphic novels, with another due before 2024 ends.

That being the case, perhaps it’s time for something different, and Purple Haze symbolically recasts Hendrix as a planetary saviour, his music affecting people as he travels from gig to gig on a grander scale than he did in the 1960s. However well intentioned by writers Mellow Brown and DJ Ben Ha Meen, a pair of aliases if ever you heard them, this approach has the potential to head seriously off piste, trivialising rather than lionising, and yet, generally it works.

It’s partly because the tour may be planetary, but it reflects the endless tiresome days on the road Hendrix actually endured in the 1960s, only alive when playing and killing the hours between. Further echoes deal in allegory, such as the inspiration engine powering Hendrix’s touring spacecraft, requiring a few riffs at a time to power up again. As this project is approved by Hendrix’s estate, the sordid in his personal life is avoided, replaced by sordid commercial exploitation in the wider galaxy.

Given the approach, a sympathetic artist is essential, and Tom Mandrake’s years of experience distil into an imaginative career peak delivering a consistently creative vision of the future, be that people or places. His future is spectacular and the music performance timeless, but the scuzzier locations are only a skimmer craft removed from today. Memorable images abound, though, perhaps the most iconic being Hendrix playing on the hull as his craft sweeps through space, surrounded by a fiery forcefield provided by colourist Justin Prokowich.

Quoting Hendrix lyrics and incorporating biographical snippets, Purple Haze could have beamed forward from Heavy Metal in the 1970s, although possessing a little more finesse than much of Heavy Metal’s content. Spiritually, though, it’s a cousin, what with a 1960s icon recast as planetary saviour. Ultimately Purple Haze is silly, inspirational fun with Hendrix playing the role of the innovator cutting through the bullshit to ensure the music inspires. That’s not too far removed from 1960s reality, but in a different context.