It seems that a new category of comics is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Alternative band comics are swiftly picking up steam, and titles such as The Amory Wars and The Umbrella Academy are guaranteed to be a hot commodity for 2007/2008.

Claudio Sanchez, lead vocals and guitarist for the band Coheed and Cambria seems to have started the development in 2004 with the release of The Second Stage Turbine Blade, a series of two comic books and also the title of his first album. Known for creating a rock-opera of sorts, his albums tell an epic science fiction tale that takes place in the distant past, in an alternate universe known as Heavens Fence, between a married couple who realize they have a deeper purpose with the universe they currently know. The Second Stage Turbine Blade comics are now out of print, with the first nearly impossible to find and the second becoming increasingly rare.

Sanchez sings the story in three parts, which can be found in the three released albums, the fourth scheduled to debut in October. Now, a new series of comics have been released that paints an epic picture of these haunting lyrics. The Amory Wars, published by Image Comics, is being released in a five issue mini series. It has a great story line and if you are an aficionado to the band Coheed and Cambria, this is something you simply must take a look at.

Following in the foot-steps of Sanchez, lead singer of the popular band My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way has created a comic titled The Umbrella Academy. It made its debut from Dark Horse Comics on September 19, 2007 and has been flying off the shelves of local comic book stores ever since.

So far, the story line is hard to define with only part one of the series, The UmbrellaAcademy: Apocalypse Suite 1, out on the market. However, it has an interesting premise and looks to have a promising future. The UmbrellaAcademy: Apocalypse Suite 1 tells a story about seven orphans who each possess some kind of extraordinary gift. Their adoptive parent is an alien and a horrible father who has no idea how to raise children. Fast forward nine years and you have all the children, now grown, attending the funeral of the only person they could ever call “dad.” From there, the story really starts to heat up.

The European band, Gorillaz, has a graphic novel in the works, set to come out in November 2007. This really isn’t a surprising move for the Gorillaz considering band member Jason Hewlett is co-creator of the comic, Tank Girl. The upcoming graphic novel is titled Gorillaz: The Rise of the Ogre, and is said to illustrate the bands beginnings and their swift march toward fame. The fun part will be reading about all the misadventures they encounter along the way. Part lampoonery, part history, and part entertainment, this can be another to add to the newly formed alternative band comic collection.

Also being published by Image is Rob Zombie’s creation, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. The 288-page graphic novel was released in May and is said to contain the strangest crime fighters the world has ever seen. Zombie likes the work so much that he is turning it into an animated movie, set to release very soon.

Even though the alternative band comics are becoming extremely successful, the same cannot be said about old rock or rap groups. Ironically, KISS 4K: The Legend that Never Dies is doing just that, dying with even the most avid fan is passing on this one. The same can be said for 1980s rap group Public Enemy, who came out with a 22-page comic book. They may have rapped about politics and gun wars but it is their comic that is being shot down by fans.

In some instances, such as Coheed and Cambria and The Amory Wars, the reader must listen to the music to truly appreciate how creative and ingenious the comic really is. For others, such as The Umbrella Academy, the reader needs no background except for what is learned in the first issue. The bottom line is, alternative band comics are quickly becoming a popular product and are definitely expanding the territories in the comic industry. At least for right now, this new genre of comic books is certain to continue its increasing growth.