# Dread & Alive

Dread & Alive is a Jamaican-inspired multimedia series spanning comic books, novels, and reggae music created and written by Nicholas Da Silva, a multidisciplinary artist and musician known professionally as Zoolook. Zoolook is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Irie magazine. Dread & Alive follows Drew McIntosh before, during and after being empowered by a sacred amulet created by the ancient Jamaican Maroons.

## Publication history

Its creator, Nicholas Da Silva, known professionally as Zoolook, conceptualized the Dread & Alive series. It is the first superhero comic book with a Jamaican as the protagonist thus making it culturally relevant and boldly revolutionary in its undertaking. It's also noted as the first reggae comic book with a reggae soundtrack.

### Release

The first issue of the Dread & Alive comic book series was released on February 6, 2010, on the birthday of international reggae icon Bob Marley. The series is also one of the first of its kind to undertake charity 30% of all digital sales, and 10% of all print sales from Issue #1 will go toward non-profit group HELP Jamaica!
The series also planned a release on a compact disk featuring reggae acts such as Third World (band), Sahra Indio, Sly and Robbie, Shaggy (musician) and Freddy Locks.

### Music

The first compilation CD 'Dread & Alive: The Lost Tapes Vol.1' saw release on September 14, 2010. Since release it has met with high praise, being described as "History in the making" , “a very STRONG compilation… one of the better lineups of the year.” and “new territory in the collusion of art and Jamaican music”. The CD is designed to be heard either alongside Da Silva's reggae comic book, or, as a special, standalone musical event.
Dread & Alive the Lost Tapes vol.2 was released on October 19, 2010
On January 6, 2019, Nicholas Da Silva released the single "Trod" under his artist name, ZOOLOOK. It is the first track from the next story arc in the Dread & Alive series entitled From Babylon to Zion.

### Publicity and promotions

In order to promote the series Zoolook teamed with Reggae Festival Guide to give away an 8GB iPod Touch to one of the members of the Facebook group.
For Dread & Alive: The Lost Tapes vol.1 a series of interviews were done with World of Black Heroes to coincide with the launch.
In January 2018, Zoolook began writing the next installment of his Dread & Series, a 12 chapter story arc entitled Nine Night. The series includes a soundtrack series in the form of a reggae version of a rock opera. Chapter 1 titled 'Hide Your Soul' part 1, was scheduled to release in February 2021 for Black History Month. News of the project has caught the attention of mainstream media.
On September 7, 2015, Zoolook was featured on Afro-punk.
On June 20, 2018, he was featured on WBEZ's Worldview as one of 7 Black And Latinx Writers Working In Comics Today.
On June 20, 2018, he was interviewed on WBEZ's Worldview by Galilee Abdullah - Black Comic Books: Nicholas Da Silva and Global Roots.
On October 9, 2020, Dread & Alive was featured in Jamaica Animation Nation Network's 'Caribbean Comics'.
A Dread & Alive maxi-series, Nine Night, was announbced in February 2021!

## Characters

* Drew Mcintosh - The conquering lion and protagonist. He has dreadlocks like the members of the Rastafari movement though his beliefs are from the Jamaican Maroons and the Ashanti empire.
* Cudjoe - Drew's mentor and leader of the Maroons of Jamaica and Myal man.
* Shadowcatcher - The evil antagonist Obeah man.
* Maria Mcintosh - Mother of our hero and his only surviving parent. Maria harbors a dark secret. She comes from a long line of Obeah woman skilled in the arts of obeah that traces back to the Ashanti empire.
* Philip Mcintosh - Father of our hero and legendary Myal man and duppy conqueror.
* Brandy Savage - The love interest of the protagonist.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Campbell, Howard (November 29, 2009). "Coming soon ... Dreadlock Superhero". Jamaica Gleaner.
* 1 2 "Dread And Alive new Jamaican comic book series to be released in February 2010". Camana Bay Times. January 4, 2010.
* 1 2 3 Billen, Mark (May 19, 2010). "Dread & Alive returns!". webdesignermag.co.uk.
* ↑ Haugton, Eddie (September 8, 2010). "Dread & Alive: Every Hero Needs His Theme Music". Large Up/OkPlayer. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
* ↑ Timm, Birte; Keding, Hilmar (February 8, 2010). "HELP Jamaica! teams up with a comic hero!". helpjamaica.org.
* ↑ Campbell, Howard (February 16, 2010). "Dread And Alive release". Jamaica Gleaner.
* ↑ "Dread And Alive: The lost tapes Vol. 1 iTunes release". iTunes. September 14, 2010. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012.
* ↑ "The Lost Days Event". World of Black Heroes. September 9, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012.
* 1 2 "Series creator Nicholas Da Silva talks about the music and series Dread & Alive". World of Black Heroes. September 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 6, 2011.
* 1 2 "Sahra Indio talks about Dread & Alive: The Lost Tapes". World of Black Heroes. September 10, 2010. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012.
* 1 2 "Monsoon talks about Dread & Alive: The Lost Tapes". World of Black Heroes. September 23, 2010. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010.
* 1 2 "Toussaint talks about Dread & Alive: The Lost Tapes". World Of Black Heroes. September 11, 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2010.
* ↑ "Dread And Alive release". September 15, 2010.
* ↑ Cooke, Mel (September 17, 2010). "'The Lost Tapes' for comic book found". Jamaica Gleaner.
* ↑ "Dread And Alive Comic Book/Music Compilation". soulofthelion.com. October 2010.
* ↑ "Dread And Alive: The lost tapes Vol. 2 iTunes release". iTunes. October 19, 2010. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012.
* ↑ Trod - Single by ZOOLOOK, retrieved 2019-10-06
* ↑ Zoolook, "ZOOLOOK on Apple Music", January 6, 2019
* ↑ "FEATURE: 'DREAD & ALIVE' – BRAZILIAN ARTIST NICHOLAS DA SILVA'S JAMAICAN INSPIRED COMIC BOOK SERIES". Afro-punk. September 7, 2015.
* ↑ "Meet 7 Black And Latinx Writers Working In Comics Today". WBEZ. June 20, 2018.
* ↑ "Black Comic Books: Nicholas Da Silva and Global Roots". WBEZ. June 20, 2018.
* ↑ "Jamaica Animation Nation Network - Caribbean Comics". October 9, 2020.
* ↑ "Comic Attack". December 1, 2020.