As much as we love our favorite musicians, sometimes the artwork they choose to represent their music falls short. That was never the case for the renowned artists on Manchester label Factory Records. Founded in 1978, Factory Records helped unveil the UK’s New Wave of rock and roll, both musically and aesthetically. Bands like Joy Division and The Happy Mondays worked closely with designers and artists to create cover art that reflected not only their sound, but their image as well. Label founder Tony Wilson called this process “a laboratory experiment in popular art,” but what began as an experiment came to successfully define an era. Films like 2002’s “24 Hour Party People” reflect the growing interest in Factory’s past, and popular indie groups like Interpol and Franz Ferdinand are still working the Manchester vibe. The recent publication of “Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Novel” by Matthew Robertson is the result of eight years of research to create the only authoritative collection of Factory Records graphic design. Now almost 15 years of musical history is documented in this 500 page stunner; a feat that would make even Ian Curtis smile.