Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Brings Graphic Novel to Comic-Con

*Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready at 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Disney/Cristian Lopez)*

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready will appear at San Diego Comic-Con to support his upcoming graphic novel, Farewell to Seasons.

The book presents an alternate history of the Seattle music scene that gave rise to Pearl Jam, as well as bands including Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. McCready tells ABC Audio that the project began as an idea during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

“I had a few dreams, one with Layne [Staley] and one with Chris Cornell,” McCready says, referring to the respective late Alice in Chains and Soundgarden singers. “They were really dark and kinda strange.”

“I want to explore the reason why the Seattle music scene happened and my point of view of it, and why all these guys died, and was it worth it,” he continues. “I don’t know the answer to that question.”

Through Farewell to Seasons, McCready also aims to capture the collaborative, communal energy of the Seattle scene, reflected in his own work with Temple of the Dog and Mad Season in addition to Pearl Jam.

“We all played on each other’s records and went to each other’s shows,” McCready says. “[Seattle is a] small big city, I don’t know how to explain it other than that. You would run into people all the time.”

McCready says coming from that type of scene helps him connect with artists and creators in the graphic novel world.

“I love the artistry of it, I love how they push boundaries,” McCready says. “I love that there is a do-it-yourself ethic to these stories. I love how well-written the stories are.”

Farewell to Seasons will be released in October alongside a collection of original music.

San Diego Comic-Con is held Thursday through Sunday.

This article was adapted from original reporting by ABC Audio, as featured on 105.7 The Point.