“No one forgets their first Clash show and for 17-year-old Shawn Kelly it turned into the ultimate Clash fan experience. Now he's teamed up with talented illustrator Regina Villegas to tell the story of one incredible day he spent with Joe and the lads in Cleveland Ohio in 1979.” 

-BILLY BRAGG, British Singer, Songwriter and Political Activist 

THIS IS CLEVELAND CLASH

GRAPHIC NOVEL

Story & Photos by Shawn Kelly, Illustrated by Regina Villegas

Thank you to all our Kickstarter supporters!

80 page paperback book

Release: October, 18, 2025 at the Las Vegas Book Festival

Avantpop Publishing is proud to present the long-awaited graphic novel by Shawn Kelly, 'This is Cleveland Clash', illustrated by Regina Villegas 

Initially published as a limited-run book, this story has now been transformed into a vibrant, full-color graphic novel by Avantpop Publishing.

In addition to rare photo documentation by author Shawn Kelly at a 1979 concert from The Clash's first US tour - The Pearl Harbor Tour named top 50 Greatest Concerts in the Last 50 Years by Rolling Stones - this story is now brought to life with the illustrations of Las Vegas prodigy Regina Villegas. This is Cleveland Clash Graphic Novel is poised to resonate with both longtime fans and a new generation of music lovers worldwide.

“A Jack Kerouac style journey to see and get to hang out with The Clash. Shawn Kelly gets taken into a show by Joe Strummer, hears the songs that changed his life and learns of The Clash's ideals. This book captures the tone and the flavour of punk rock gigs back then and it also inspired Shawn to record a song with Allen Ginsberg. A great story about the Clash playing the Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio February 13, 1979.”

-STEVE DIGGLE, The Buzzcocks

"This fascinating collaboration between teacher and student seemingly benefits from their fifty year age gap to inject youthful enthusiasm into what might otherwise have been a very regional punk rock memoir. But the truth is that this inherently narrow perspective tells us all more about punk rock in 1979 than a full-tour dossier ever could. Punk Rock was for the fans —and so is this."

-MATT KENNEDY, Pop Sequentialism