Redbone:
The True Story of a
Native American Rock Band

The first graphic Novel devoted to Redbone

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band, an intriguing, historically accurate telling of the high-flying career of rock ‘n’ roll pioneers and talented brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas, as they influenced The Doors, jammed with Jimmy Hendrix before he was “Jimi,” and took the 1960s Sunset Strip by storm.
Written by Christian Staebler and Sonia Paoloni in cooperation of the Vegas family and illustrated by Thibault Balahy, Redbone uncovers key pieces of American history and the powerful story of the Native American civil rights movement, from the creation of the first rock ‘n’ roll band made up of all Native Americans, to the incorporation of tribal beats into chart-topping rock music and popular culture, to the members of the band taking a stand for their ancestry over continued commercial reward.
“I’d like to thank this book’s creators for such a fantastic piece of work. It’s an honor for me to be depicted in a comic and to have my story told,” says writer, vocalist, bass guitarist, producer, and Redbone co-founder Pat Vegas.
“I hope you enjoy this flashback journey into the history of my family! It’s rich in knowledge, wisdom, truth, love, originality, and strength,” says Frankie Vegas, daughter of Pat Vegas.
“This graphic novel collaboration between Redbone co-founder Pat Vegas with authors Christian Staebler and Sonia Paoloni makes for an inspired telling of the group’s storied origins, itself serving as a window into a riveting and often obscured history of Native American civil rights past and present,” said editor Justin Eisinger. “I could not put this book down.”
Timed with the English Language release in October, IDW welcomes the Redbone graphic novel into the company’s comprehensive Spanish Language publishing initiative with the release of Redbone: la Verdadera Historia de una Banda de Rock Nativa Americana, expanding the accessibility of this culturally and politically important story to Spanish-speaking communities throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The english version can be ordered .
The spanish version can be ordered .

Some reviews of the book in the press - august 2020

"Compelling reading for fans of roots rock and Native American history in middle school and up." —School Library Journal
"An entertaining, enlightening history for music fans. Balahy’s loose, energetic drawings; imaginative layouts; and playful use of color make everything pop." —Publishers Weekly
"Musicians with heart put their people before profits in an inspirational tale. Well-researched and well-paced, this book will introduce a new generation to the music and impact of Redbone." —Kirkus Reviews (Starred review)
"In the early sixties, Pat and his brother, Lolly, perform on the Sunset Strip, crossing paths with The Byrds, The Doors, and Jimi Hendrix, who gives the brothers the idea of forming 'an all Indian band. That'd make this country sit up.' The seed germinates and Redbone bursts forth. Staebler and Paoloni offer a lens onto aspects of the twentieth-century Native American struggle for civil rights and injustices like forced schooling and racist policing, as well as the 1968 birth of the American Indian Movement. Balahy's art is particularly splendid and well-varied in style for the complex subject matter." —Booklist

Where find the book?