Preview: Melissa Etheridge’s Life And Work Explored Through Her Guitars In Z2 Comics’ ‘Heartstrings’

There’s a story behind every instrument – and with Heartstrings, the tale of Melissa Etheridge’s life is told through her guitars.

One of rock’s great female icons comes to comics as Z2 Comics release Heartstrings, the story of Etheridge’s life as told through her guitar collection.

With every guitar telling its tale, Heartstings is iconic guitarist Etheridge’s exploration of her life and her growth as a person and a musician through her guitars, gathered through her years playing music – and I’d imagine is the first graphic novel inspired by a guitar collection.

Each chapter of Heartstrings relates to one of the guitars in Etheridge’s collection, a famously large collection that Etheridge describes as a relationship that’s ‘beyond special’ with the instruments that Etheridge says, “hold a very significant place in my life.”

Joining Etheridge for the graphic novel will be writer Frank Marrafino, veteran music journalist Steve Hochman, with art by Manuela Pertega.

Melissa Etheridge’s Heartstrings will be released in both softcover and hardcover formats in bookstores, comic shops, and record stores on 18 April 2023. As with all Z2 releases, you’ll be able to find exclusive deluxe and super deluxe versions on the Z2 Comics website, complete with exclusive vinyl, art prints, hand-signed guitars, all the way up to the Melissa-signed Epiphone guitar that comes with the platinum edition.

Heartstrings: Melissa Etheridge & Her Guitars

Written by Steve Hochman & Frank Marraffino

Art by Manuela Pertega, Fred Stresing

Published by Z2 Comics on April 18th, 2023