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The Graphic Canon, Vol. 2: From "Kubla Khan" to the Bronte Sisters to The Picture of Dorian Gray (The Graphic Canon #2)
by
Russ Kick ,
Maxon Crumb , Molly Kiely , Gris Grimly , S. Clay Wilson , Dame Darcy , Kim Deitch , Seth Tobocman
,
more…
The Graphic Canon, Volume 2gives us a visual cornucopia based on the wealth of literature from the 1800s. Several artists—including Maxon Crumb and Gris Grimly—present their versions of Edgar Allan Poe’s visions. The great American novelHuckleberry Finnis adapted uncensored for the first time, as Twain wrote it. The bad boys of Romanticism—Shelley, Keats, and Byron—are vis...more
Paperback, 512 pages
Published
October 2nd 2012
by Seven Stories Press
(first published July 10th 2012)
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I was fortunate enough to meet Russ Kick, the editor/curator of this amazing work, while he was in town for Books on the Banks. He mentioned (as he does deftly in the Introduction) that we are living in the "Golden Age" of graphic novels, and this behemoth is true testament to that. The popularity of graphic novels in both popular and academic cultures is not to be underestimated. Kick's appreciation of this is forward-thinking and prophetic, at the very least.
The Graphic Canon, volumes 1 and 2,...more
The Graphic Canon, volumes 1 and 2,...more
This huge volume of graphic novelizations of various poems, stories and novels is almost too much to get through, some portions actually including large sections of works (Grimm's Fables and others) in very small print with relatively little illustration to accompany them.
Overall I enjoyed the various artists twists on the stories, some of my favorites include the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by Wordsworth I thought was conveyed very nicely by PMurphy, very colorful,...more
Overall I enjoyed the various artists twists on the stories, some of my favorites include the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by Wordsworth I thought was conveyed very nicely by PMurphy, very colorful,...more
There are some real gems here, most notably Julian Peters' thrilling rendition of Rimbaud's Drunken Boat, Megan Kelso's delightful Middlemarch, Michael Keer and Nicole Rager Fuller's On the Origin of the Species, and Tim Fish's Wuthering Heights (plus the inevitable Alice Gallery), but on the whole the second volume of the Graphic Canon struck me as inferior to Vol 1. In part, this has to do with the book's narrower definition of the Canon: Vol 1. included extracts from Native American stories,...more
Only passable. The anthology claims to include "the world's great literature as comics and visuals," but this volume is truly the Western world only, and embarrassingly so. And while the editor chose a good selection within the canon -- and it is a pleasure to sample so many good works -- the number of selections means each one receives just a few pages. I'd have much preferred fewer works with more pages per work.
The art looks rushed. I didn't feel that all contributors offered their best work,...more
The art looks rushed. I didn't feel that all contributors offered their best work,...more
I enjoyed this, much like I enjoy art museums. There's stuff I like, and there's stuff I don't like. This series (of which this is the first book I've read) is certainly an immense undertaking, and I would imagine that there are tons of literary gems that were passed over in the editing process. But, the heart of this project is the art associated with the literature. Most of it is great, a few were so-so, only a couple did I find not to my taste. Some are comic in form, others have their roots...more
One aspect of the first volume I loved was its global focus; the anthology managed to produce a collection that truly felt representative of the literary canon. Volume 2 disappoints in this respect, it is very much focused on western classics.
The diversity of contributors is still impressive, and there are some works I would love to see get full-book treatment (Huxley King's P&P illustrations at the top of that list, obvs). Fortunately my favourite pages did (Introducing me to Kish's work is...more
The diversity of contributors is still impressive, and there are some works I would love to see get full-book treatment (Huxley King's P&P illustrations at the top of that list, obvs). Fortunately my favourite pages did (Introducing me to Kish's work is...more
Just as good as the last one. This covers probably my least favorite era in literature - the 18th and 19th centuries - but it still has a few really beautiful adaptations, notably Moby Dick and Huckleberry Finn.
A thought about the era: I recently read Jane Eyre and Les Miserables, two of the books adapted in this collection, and it's impossible to miss how much attention is given to minutia and detail, with Les Mis especially. My theory is that this was the first era where storytelling was domi...more
A thought about the era: I recently read Jane Eyre and Les Miserables, two of the books adapted in this collection, and it's impossible to miss how much attention is given to minutia and detail, with Les Mis especially. My theory is that this was the first era where storytelling was domi...more
Unexpected delight - and I've ordered Volume 1 and preordered Volume 3 as a consequence. Not only is it lovely to see passages of great poetry and literature interpreted by some very interesting artists, but it's also inspired me to explore some of the original works in their full version, pronto.
The art is extraordinary. The idea that someone might want to sit down and read every story in the 11th grade 'literature' anthology back to back is ridiculous. Nice coffee table book, but not the epic read everyone had me believe it to be.
Similar to volume 1 (See review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...), but a bit less interesting to me, personally. "Less interesting" does not equal uninteresting, however! This is a great series. I can't wait for volume 3.
I usually like graphic novels, but there was so much in here that didn't do it for me. The introductions to each piece were more fun to read than the works themselves for the most part.
Volume 2 (three is forthcoming) contains more poetry, excerpts of novels. I especially loved the Middlemarch adaptation. Made me want to revisit the classic.
*Recommended for teaching literature.* A great collection of short graphic novels covering 51 of literature's most enduring classics.
If you have a curious, intelligent, talented relative, you might want to seriously consider either volume as a holiday present for her. And one of their finest effects is to send the reader hurrying to the original work. Volume 3 coming in 2013!
Can't wait for the third volume.
I really liked the art for Pride and Prejudice and Moby Dick.
I really enjoyed volume two of the graphic canon. The excerpts were amazing for the most part, and the art work was brilliant. I would list off my favorites of all the great artwork and adaptations, but honestly there are too many that I enjoyed. I think I enjoyed volume two a bit more than volume one, but that may be because I am slightly more familiar with the works in this period. I am excited to get the third volume in April. I can't wait to see more, and to have the complete collection!
Poetry-heavy, but good!
Vol 2 was very text heavy, so took quite some time to finish. Great, though.
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Editor of the website The Memory Hole which publishes and archives hidden US government documents, including scientific studies and reports, civil rights-related reports, intelligence and covert action reports.
He is also editor-at-large for The Disinformation Company, where he has published several books including The Book of Lists and 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know.
More about Russ Kick...
He is also editor-at-large for The Disinformation Company, where he has published several books including The Book of Lists and 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know.
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