My favorite parts were the discussions at the beginning of each chapter about how the details of the Stagger Lee-Billy Lyons ordeal played out, but I found it hard to follow the various fictionalized plots that jumped around giving the story context. Still, got some good info, and the story of Stagger Lee is fascinating. Maybe I'll get a chance to do a little scavenger hunting this weekend to find a few of these locales in the story.

********
Panels Read Harder: Comic about a real life historical event. ( )

An excellent use of the comic medium to explore the modern folk tale of the murder of Billy Lyons by Lee Shelton. ( )

A fictional account of the history behind folk legend Stagger Lee and the song that was inspired by his murder of Billy Lyons. “Stag” Lee Shelton shoots and kills Billy Lyons during an argument in a St. Louis saloon in the 1890s. Billy Lyons’ family has political clout in the community and they want to see Stag hang. But Stag has connections of his own and lawyer Nathan Dryden is hired to keep Stag from hanging. Other characters of interest include Mama Babe who runs a local whorehouse; Justin Troup, who takes over Stag’s case after Dryden dies of a morphine overdose; Justin’s fiancee Evelyn, one of Mama Babe’s former whores; and Hercules Moffat, the whorehouse pianist and Evelyn’s affair. The author includes historical notes, citations and explanations of deviations from the historical account.

Don't know where that Turtle guy gets off posting a review of a 200+ page book having read only 5 pages -- but if he'd stuck with it, he'd have found the book is pretty much the opposite of what he claims here that it is. It's a brilliant distillation of 100 years of history, music, and folklore, faultlessly true to its source, keenly penetrating in its insight, and devastating in its emotional impact. Don't believe the Turtle guy. This is a wonderful book. ( )

The story of Stagger Lee; Stack-o-Lee; Stacker Lee; the names changes depending on the teller or singer of the folk song that stems from a true story. Lee Shelton killed Billy Lyons in a turn of the century (20th century) bar fight over a Shelton's Stetson hat. The story has been differently interpreted over the years by musicians ranging from prison inmates, Ma Rainey, Bama, Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, the Clash, and countless others. The book is a bit confusing at first because the authors intertwine a fictional love story, but once you get into it, it's a good read. Illustrations are not up to Spielgelman caliber, but are original, creative, and well-done. ( )