近來成人繪本書有蔚為潮流之勢，美國Simon & Schuster日前公布令人驚奇的繪本出版計畫，作者竟是素有搖滾樂「工人皇帝」（the Boss）之稱的Bruce Springsteen！

《Outlaw Pete》根據Bruce Springsteen的2009年同名名曲改編，全部文字由Bruce Springsteen親自撰寫，插圖繪者是艾美獎得主卡通/插畫家Frank Caruso。

Bruce Springsteen孩提時讀到一本童書《Brave Cowboy Bill》，從此開啟了他對西部故事的熱愛，日後更擴及西部片、墨西哥音樂、印第安藝術，再揉合他的搖滾樂，全都成為創作〈Outlaw Pete〉這首歌不可或缺的啟發與養分。如今推出繪本版，有如一趟回到原點的旅程，與歌曲相映成趣。

《Outlaw Pete》是關於一名罪犯的現代傳奇。主角起先是個穿尿著布的嬰兒銀行搶匪，接著經歷一連串事件，代表成年的衝撞與磨難。這是Bruce Springsteen寫過最具野心與原創性的歌曲之一，尖銳、荒謬、有如一則吟詠敘事詩，揉合多種搖滾風格及交響樂，隱喻一個男人想要掙脫、逃脫罪咎的旅程，對命運與自由意志的思索。

插畫家Frank Caruso的作畫風格呼應Sprinsteen荒謬與沉思交融的故事，儘管關於命運的問題必然沒有直接的解答，他的插畫將原本歌詞中隱而不顯的細節帶了出來，提供更豐富的閱讀切入點。Frank Caruso 表示：「Bruce Springsteen不只是寫了一首歌，他創造了一個偉大的角色。當我第一次聽到這首歌時，腦海中自然而然跑出許多畫面。就像《湯姆歷險記》的 湯姆，《頑童歷險記》的哈克，《綠野仙蹤》的桃樂絲，從看似童趣的故事裡，卻可以領悟出深邃道理。」

這是一個結合音樂、閱讀、圖像，深刻而富創造力的合作計畫！

 

Bruce Springsteen’s recording career spans more than forty years, beginning with 1973’s Columbia Records release Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. He has released eighteen studio albums, garnered twenty Grammy Awards, won an Oscar, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was a 2009 recipient of Kennedy Center Honors, and was named 2013 MusiCares Person of the Year by the Recording Academy. Springsteen’s newest album, High Hopes (Columbia), was released on January 14, 2014.

Frank Caruso is a cartoonist and Vice President of Creative Services for King Features, where he has upheld the mantle of Popeye, Betty Boop, and other classic comic properties. Caruso has contributed as a writer/cartoonist to various humor magazines and created the graphic novel Heart Transplant with Andrew Vachss covering the topic of bullying. He won two Emmys for his work on the children’s safety show SeeMore’s Playhouse. Caruso is a member of New York’s Society of Illustrators.