Classics or Comics?

February 12, 2013

Classics or comics? They may not have always had a lot in common, but they seem to be getting along now! Graphic classics are a combination of the visual appeal of comics and the timeless storylines of classic novels. They take an abridged or adapted version of a classic and bring it to life visually on the page.

Like all genres, there are some hits and misses. Marvel Comics put out a version of Pride and Prejudice that was eagerly awaited and turned out to be something of a disappointment to many Austen fans. The text, a fairly faithful adaptation by Nancy Butler, didn't mesh well with the overly modern artwork by Hugo Petrus. On the other hand, there are always surprise hits that work well in graphic form. Bram Stoker's Dracula, by Michael Mucci and Ben Caldwell, is a great example. The best and most iconic parts of the story are all there, and the artwork is engaging.

There are a lot of graphic classics in our system! Here are just a few you could try:

• Ulysses
• Moby-Dick
• Don Quixote
• The War of the Worlds
• Julius Caesar
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince

Anna W.
Red Bridge Branch