The year was 1975 and an ex-Beatle, at the height of his fame, chose New York City to raise his young family, setting career, adoring fans, and creative contemporaries aside. Just five years later, John Lennon was dead.

Lennon adapts award-winning author David Foenkinos‘ legendary novel to graphic album form, with striking black-and-white illustrations by French artist Horne. This piece of true biographical fiction recounts the defining moments and experiences that shaped pop music’s – and popular culture’s – most influential voice, as captured by Eric Cobeyran’s moving graphic novel adaptation.

The graphic novel follows the extraordinary trajectory of the iconic singer/songwriter – from his difficult childhood, through Beatlemania, to his solo career. In his novel, Foenkinos imagined and transcribed the artist’s sessions on his therapist’s couch. Lennon reads like a classic autobiography, with the star as narrator.

Reserve a copy of Lennon for when it shelves across the universe in May 2017.