The Fifth Beatle Artist Andrew C. Robinson Nominated For Reuben Award For Best Graphic Novel

April 3, 2014, NEW YORK, NY— Andrew C. Robinson, artist of New York Times #1 Best-Selling graphic novel, The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story, has been nominated for the 68^th Annual National Cartoonist Society Divisional Reuben Award for “Best Graphic Novel.” The Fifth Beatle, published by Dark Horse, has also garnered recognition as a Lambda Literary Award-nominee for “Best LGBT Graphic Novel” and a ForeWord Review’s 16^th Annual “Book of the Year” nomination. The award will be presented during a ceremony at the NCS Annual Reuben Awards Weekend on May 25^th in San Diego.

“I’m extremely honored and pleased that my stylistic approach to illustrating The Fifth Beatle has been noticed by the National Cartoonists Society. I am truly thankful for this nomination,” said Robinson.

Fellow nominees in the Graphic Novel division of the NCS Reuben Awards are: Dan E. Burr (On The Ropes) and Rick Geary (Madison Square Tragedy.)

The Fifth Beatle, written by multiple Tony Award–winning producer Vivek J. Tiwary (Green Day’s American Idiot, The Addams Family, Mel Brooks’ The Producers) and painted by fanboy favorites Robinson (Dusty Star, King Conan, Starman, Superman) and Kyle Baker (The Shadow, Plastic Man) is the untold true story of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who discovered and guided the Beatles to unprecedented international stardom. More than merely the story of “The Man Who Made The Beatles,” The Fifth Beatle is an uplifting, tragic, and ultimately inspirational human story about the struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Epstein was homosexual when it was illegal to be so in the United Kingdom, Jewish during a period of pervasive anti-Semitism, and from Liverpool when it was considered just a dingy port town. He helped spread the Beatles’ message of love to the entire world, yet died painfully lonely at the young age of thirty-two, consumed by staggering ambition and the endless struggles that came with it. The Fifth Beatle is available in bookstores everywhere and on Amazon.com.

The Fifth Beatle film adaptation, written and produced by Tiwary, has Peyton Reed (BRING IT ON, THE BREAK-UP) signed on to direct and Academy Award-winner Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) is attached as producer as well. The film is the first ever feature film about The Beatles to secure music rights to their songs, granting unprecedented access to the Lennon/McCartney music catalog.

For more information on The Fifth Beatle, please visit: www.thefifthbeatle.com.

About Andrew C. Robinson

ANDREW C. ROBINSON

Growing up on the family farm in Florida, Andrew C. Robinson was quite the daydreamer, with a huge fascination for artists like Frank Frazetta, Walt Simonson, and his influential older brother, Roby. Before graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Andrew landed his first professional comic-book job. His career began illustrating short stories for Dark Horse Presents. Since then, he has seen his paintings published by all major comic-book publishers in the industry, contributing beautifully-illustrated covers for such titles as Detective Comics (Batman), Hawkman, Starman, Action Comics (Superman), Iron Man, X-Man, King Conan and Justice Society of America. Andrew is also a writer and a creator, and he continues to work on his own creation, Dusty Star. Andrew’s sequential art can also be seen in the pages of Batman Black and White #5, which came out this year. Currently he’s illustrating covers for The Wake, Winter Soldier, The Seventh Sword, Batman Year Zero and Batman Detective. Andrew lives in Altadena, California, with his lovely wife Leah and their daughter Ella.

To learn more about his art and projects, visit NextExitComics.com.

To purchase Andrew’s prints, art books and original art, please visit www.essentialsequential.com.

About Vivek J. Tiwary

Vivek J. Tiwary is a New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning producer of Broadway shows, film, television, and graphic novels.

He is the producer and writer of “The Fifth Beatle,” a New York Times best-selling graphic novel based on the life of Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. “The Fifth Beatle” has secured unprecedented access to Beatles’ music and a feature film is in development to shoot in 2014.  “The Fifth Beatle” will be produced by Academy Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, MILK, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.)

Vivek is attached to lead produce a Broadway adaptation of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. The production will include the participation of Morissette, as well as that of Pulitzer and Tony award winner Tom Kitt.

In television, Vivek sold a sitcom pilot “Punk Rock Dad” to CBS, based on the bestselling memoir/parenting manual by Pennywise lead singer Jim Lindberg.  He is developing a number of additional series including Amelia Rules! — a children’s film franchise and television series based on the series of tween graphic novels by New York Times best-selling author Jimmy Gownley.

On Broadway, Vivek’s productions have won a combined 25 Tony Awards from 44 Tony nominations—every single one of his shows have been decorated. They include “The Addams Family,” Green Day’s “American Idiot” (the groundbreaking adaptation of the superstar rock band’s multi-platinum album), Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” (the most Tony Awards ever) and “Young Frankenstein”, “A Raisin In The Sun” (starring Sean Combs), and “A Little Night Music” (starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury). Off-Broadway, Vivek produced a theatrical collaboration between electropop/performance artists Fischerspooner and avant-garde theatre collective The Wooster Group (founded by Willem Dafoe, Spalding Gray, and others) that launched the 2008 Sao Paulo Art Bienal.

Vivek also serves on the Board of Directors for Valiant Entertainment (www.valiantentertainment.com), a multi-platform company that boasts the third largest and most-loved universe of comic book characters and has been hailed by the New York Times as “Marvel 2.0”.

Prior to founding Tiwary Entertainment Group (www.tiwaryent.com) and online music education/empowerment company StarPolish, Vivek held a number of major label music-industry positions, including launching and heading the Alternative Marketing Department at Mercury/PolyGram Records, and managing Video Promotion for Mercury/PolyGram, where he worked closely with MTV and VH1. Vivek has worked with artists covering the entire musical spectrum including Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Kiss, LL Cool J, John Mellencamp, Allen Ginsberg, Oasis, Hanson, 311 and The Mighty Mighty BossTones to name but a few.

Among many charitable pursuits, Vivek is the Co-Founder of Musicians On Call (www.musiciansoncall.org), a nonprofit organization that uses music and entertainment to complement the healing process.

Vivek is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of both the Wharton School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences. He also holds a filmmaking certificate from The New York Film Academy and is an acting student of Susan Batson/Black Nexxus Acting Studio.

Vivek is represented by Lawrence Mattis and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion 310-253-7777.

Press Contact: Rachel Depew, Rachel.Depew@42West.net