It's common knowledge in comic book lore that a superhero never truly dies—and it looks like that rule is crossing over into reality, if only for one upcoming comics project.
According to Bleeding Cool, a graphic novel written by none other than Michael Jackson himself is heading to comic book stores next June through Random House.
The graphic novel, titled "Fated," focuses on the story of Gabriel Star, a well-loved musician with obvious parallels to the tragically deceased King of Pop. In the book, Star's failed suicide attempt results in his popularity rising even further, elevating the character to literal supernatural status.
Apparently, Jackson had been working on the project long before his death and had finished his work on the book earlier in 2009. The comic is co-written by Gotham Copra of the now defunct Virgin Comics with Mukesh Singh supplying art.
Jackson's work on a comic book isn't entirely out of left field. Earlier in his life, the late musician met with Stan Lee about possibly purchasing Marvel Comics.
It's also not unprecedented for a deceased party to thrive in comics after their death, as seen by Heath Ledger's own passing and subsequent portrayal of Joker in "The Dark Knight."
But even if Jackson's geek credentials and the precedent for post-mortem comic book work are in place, the existence of "Fated" is no less jarring. It's particularly ironic that the story focuses on the almost death of a heroic pop star who simply becomes more popular after the botched attempt.
Sure enough, Jackson might not be returning from the great beyond—but between the upcoming documentary "This Is It," the biographical comic book from Bluewater Productions and now "Fated," it's as if Jackson himself has elevated to the same super-powerful status of his graphic novel's lead.
