Baby's in Black: Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and The Beatles

U.S.A.: First Second, 2012. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Small tear in lower right DJ corner closed with tape otherwise a tight and unmarked copy.. Baby's in Black, Anne Bellstorf, A fascinating, exhilarating portrait of the Beatles in their early years. Meet the Beatles . . . right at the beginning of their careers. This gorgeous, high-energy graphic novel is an intimate peek into the early years of the world's greatest rock band. The heart of "Baby's In Black "is a love story. The "fifth Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to the UK, Sutcliffe quits, becomes engaged to Kirchherr, and stays in Hamburg. A year later, his meteoric career as a modern artist is cut short when he dies unexpectedly. The book ends as it begins, with Astrid, alone and adrift; but with a note of hope: her life is incomparably richer and more directed thanks to her friendship with the Beatles and her love affair with Sutcliffe. This tender story is rendered in lush, romantic black-and-white artwork. "Baby's In Black "is based on a true story.