Entertainment and Music Icon X Japan’s Yoshiki Join Forces To Create a Music Super Hero Motion Comic and Comic Book Series

By Ross Joseph

Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, the comic book legend who co-created Super Heroes such as Spider-Man and The Hulk, and Yoshiki, Asia’s most influential music artist who is songwriter/producer/drummer/pianist for Japan’s biggest rock band, X Japan, have joined forces to develop a music Super Hero comic book and motion comic series that will incorporate both Lee’s literary genius and Yoshiki’s music genius.  While Lee and Yoshiki are still in the early stages of the project, the as yet untitled motion comic book series is expected to debut in 2011.

Combining the talents of these two great artists, Lee’s gothic-styled music Super Hero will be based on Yoshiki, his passion for music and his fascination with dragons, and will be a vigilante.  Yoshiki’s music will be inspired by Lee’s story and will play an important role in the comic series, as the Super Hero’s powers are triggered when certain musical notes are played with drumsticks by Yoshiki’s character.  Additionally, Yoshiki will create music that will be heard in the motion comic.

“When I met Yoshiki,” said Lee, Founder, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of POW@ Entertainment, “I was so impressed with his musical talents and unique creative eye, that I knew immediately I wanted to work with him on something special where we could combine our strengths.  Creating a music Super Hero character was the natural evolution of our efforts.”

“Just like the rest of the world, I have admired Stan Lee and his creations my entire life,” said Yoshiki.  “Just meeting him was so great, and now working with him is the most fun and creative experiences I have ever had.  To watch his mind at work is amazing and inspiring.”

About Stan Lee

Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman emeritus of Marvel Comics.  He co-created Spider-Man™, The Fantastic Four™, The X-Men™, The Hulk™, Thor™, Daredevil™, Doctor Strange™ and Iron Man™, and hundreds more fictional characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. Lee was influential in the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multi-media company which was recently acquired by the Walt Disney Company.  Lee is currently Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of POW! Entertainment, a multi-media entertainment development company.

About Yoshiki

The heart of X Japan is Yoshiki ~ songwriter, drummer, and classically-trained pianist who also plays guitar, bass and trumpet.  Yoshiki, who has been referred to by his first name only throughout his professional career, is arguably Asia’s most influential musical artist and biggest rock icon.  According to one industry insider, “Yoshiki is to Japan what Bono is to the UK.”  His double-record classical album Eternal Melody (1993) was co-produced and arranged by the legendary George Martin, recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and remains one of Japan’s most successful classical releases.  For Kiss My Ass:  Classic Kiss Regrooved, the 1994 KISS tribute album, Yoshiki arranged and produced “Black Diamond” as a piano concerto, prompting Rolling Stone magazine to comment in its CD review, “…the ingenuity award must go to Yoshiki…”  Yoshiki has produced some of Japan’s most influential bands, including Dir En Grey and Glay.  At the request of the Japanese government in 1999, Yoshiki composed a piano concerto and performed it with a 77-piece orchestra to commemorate the Emperor of Japan’s 10th anniversary on the throne.  In 2005, he was named the Music Director for the 2005 World Expo, composed the event’s theme song, and conducted the orchestra at the opening ceremonies. Yoshiki also wrote the X Japan song “I.V.” for the 2007 international blockbuster horror film, Saw IV, which played over the film’s closing credits.

Beyond music, Yoshiki is an entrepreneur and a true renaissance man.  He started his own racing team ~ Team Yoshiki ~ with Honda in 2009, the Bank of Japan issued Yoshiki Visa card, and Yoshiki has overseen the development of a premiere line of Yoshiki jewelry.  He collaborated with the California Mondavi family to develop his own wine, “Y.”  For the first time in its history, a Hello Kitty product line was designed after a person, creating a new name – “Yoshikitty,” which became available in late May 2010.  Yoshiki has graced the covers of more than 200 music, business and trade media outlets in Asia. For more info on Yoshiki and X Japan, log onto tiny.cc/ckgmas