This Is Cleveland Clash, an 80-page full color graphic novel, takes readers on a young punk's real-life epic adventure meeting Joe Strummer and The Clash in 1979, when The Clash performed a legendary concert at Cleveland's Agora Theatre, with Bo Diddley as the opening act. Author of This Is Cleveland Clash, Shawn Kelly, a passionate fan, documented this iconic event at age 17, with rare photographs and a vivid road-trip narrative. Featuring 40+ original photographs, never-before-seen snaps of The Clash at the Cleveland, Ohio show on February 13, 1979 at The Agora.
In addition to photo documentation from The Clash's first US tour - The Pearl Harbor Tour, named top 50 Greatest Concerts in the Last 50 Years by Rolling Stones - this story is now brought to life with illustrations by Las Vegas prodigy Regina Villegas. This Is Cleveland Clash Graphic Novel is poised to resonate with both longtime fans and a new generation of music lovers worldwide.
Illustrator Regina Villegas began the art for this project at age 13. Regina sketched out moments from Shawn's story that were not photographed, bringing this epic adventure into a vivid graphic novel. She completed the project three months before turning 15. Regina used a mix of mediums, including pencil, ink, watercolor, digital art, and more, to create the illustrations for This Is Cleveland Clash.