New York City Glow - Rachel Coad

Book Review: Take a rock-and-rollercoaster ride through 1970s New York with Rachel Coad’s NEW YORK CITY Glow

It’s 1977, and Strawberry the glowing octopus (Stauroteuthis syrtensis) is finally out of jail. Hitching a ride with Ray, an insurance sales-snake searching for meaning in his life, she heads for New York City, where she eventually finds work at a little bar called CBGB.

Centered around the New York City Blackout of 1977 and featuring a host of rock royalty, NEW YORK CITY Glow is the outstanding graphic novel debut from Margaret River, Australia based Rachel Coad. From start to finish, it’s an absolute delight, pulling double duty in both capturing the zeitgeist of the period and imbuing the whole thing with a sense of whimsy that can only come from having a glowing octopus as your leading lady.

Not content with featuring the iconic CBGB, The Ramones, New York Dolls, or even handing Strawberry a guitar, Coad also adds suggested listening to many of her gorgeously imagined pages. It’s truly a love letter to music – whether of the era or otherwise – and there’s even space to add a few tracks of your own and build that perfect NEW YORK CITY Glow playlist.

A unique twist on a brief period of New York history, NEW YORK CITY Glow is also a sweet comic caper, with echoes of found family, self-discovery, and following your dreams. A genuine joy!

~ The AU Review 

NOTE: Comes with accompanying Spotify soundtrack featuring The Ramones, Television, Bad Brains, Buzzcocks, Blondie, Johnny Thunder & The Heartbreakers and some other great surprises. 

(Rare: This book is an import from Australia. Mint Gallery Records is currently one of two distributors in the USA)