Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

by John Carnell (Adaptation), Steve Leialoha (Contributor)

Comic book adaptation!

Don't panic! You're not timetripping! It's the tenth anniversary of the publication of Douglas Adams's zany, best-selling novel, and to celebrate Harmony is reissuing a special edition of this cult classic!

By now the story is legendary. Arthur Dent, mild-mannered, out-to-lunch earth-ling, is plucked from his planet by his friend Ford Prefect just seconds before it was demolished to make way for a hyper-space bypass. Ford, posing as an out-of-work actor, is a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Together the gruesome twosome begin their now-famous inter-galactic journey through time, space and best-sellerdom.

For Hitchhiker fanatics (you know who you are!) who've read the books, seen the television program, and listened to the radio show, as well as newcomers to Douglas Adams's unique universe -- remember -- don't panic, don't forget to bring a towel, and don't forget to celebrate The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's tenth anniversary by wearing your bathrobe.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction, Humor, Fiction, Comedy, Classics

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Douglas Adams wrote one of the funniest science fiction trilogies (?) of all time with his "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and it sequels. The challenge of turning this book into a graphic novel is getting past the reader's imagination of what the characters look like and turning them into 2-dimensional characters on a page. And the books are just the beginning: there's also a lackluster movie, and a BBC radio program and TV series.

That was my problem with this graphic novel. Arthur Dent, in the book, is an Everyman: quiet and unassuming. In the graphic novel, he's a hipster in a bathrobe. Ford Prefect becomes a ginger-haired Peter Pan-esque manchild with freckles and horrible clothes; galactic president Zaphod Beeblebrox goes from being extremely cool to being Thor's two-headed twin brother.

Douglas Adams's brilliant text is married with pictures that don't fit my already loaded expectations. This graphic novel is probably better suited for someone who is new to the HHGTTG universe.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good adaptation. I often wonder what the motion picture would have been like if it were filmed in the early 80s. It would probably look something like this.

It's funny, I find it hard to picture Ford Prefect as anyone other than Mos Def, now.

[Fadilah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't believe I found this comic book at my uni library. HA! Afterall, I love sci-fi.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost as good as the book and as a bonus has that 90s comic art. Would love to find this in a physical collection to re-read from time to time.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are unfamiliar with the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (what have you been doing for the past 42 years?) then this is probably the ideal place to become acquainted.

For those of us that have our own small hand towel with 42 on it and a belt clip so that we know exactly where it is every 25th of May, then this is obviously an essential addition to your library.

The problem with making H2G2 into a graphic novel is that a lot of the jokes were in the scene setting descriptions that Douglas brilliantly came up with for the radio series became superfluous with the action depicted as a comic book. I also seemed to find that where there were two jokes in a speech, it was always my favourite that was cut for space. Maybe that’s just my personal preference, but it’s cost this version a star.

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great story. Have loved this story for a long time. I was so disappointed by the art. Not sure if it was the printing quality or what. I saw that the people who had purchased the ebook thought it bad so I thought I was okay with the print version, but no. Author should’ve gone the Gaiman way; he used quality printing, quality art to make the transition to graphic novel with his works.

[Sarah⭐ The Ultimate Book Hoarder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took me FOREVER to read, and it was such a short book too.

It was alright, and I laughed out-loud a couple of times, but overall I just couldn't get into it.

(Please don't kill me! I REALLY wanted to love it, but it was a bit too weird for me. )

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have saw the serial and the movies and read the books individually and as omnibus and different sets, hardback, still in my library, says a lot. Date wrong, just saw it to review. also listened to radio ones of course

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how all the iterations are just a little bit different. This felt very much of its era - and the better for it!

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. I’ve read the book, watched the tv show, listened to the radio show and vinyl and watched the film as well as playing the game. Finally, the graphic novel. Well done!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good adaptation.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The graphic novel version. For some reason Adams wanted this version to stay as close to the books as possible. I loved it.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was cool to see some of the absurd aspects of the book as visuals on paper. I'd love to see these stories as a proper British television show or movie. I think there were many clever ways of adapting the novels into graphic novel form, which I enjoyed experiencing.

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Severely abridged, which was frustrating, and featuring a Ford Prefect who looks and sounds nothing like Mos Def*, also frustrating. Also, sadly, the ink in my library's copy is fading badly -- everything is still legible, with effort, but for how much longer?

Still, worth it for the short, sharp nostalgia trip.

* I know, right? I hardly ever switch my mental images of a classic book for a movie not even made until I was an adult, but it seems that Mos Def is my definitive Ford Prefect now.

[Federico · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t get an extraordinary and complex book as the HHGTTG into a comic without losing significant parts and jokes and dialogues. Apart from that, this book is amusing and funny and catches most of the atmosphere of the Most Famous Book of the Whole Universe. One thing: you can’t write white on a pale blue background, readers get fucking blind🙁

[Scott Butki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read
Found this in the libary of the school where I work. I read and loved Douglas Adams books and think everyone could read and enjoy them. This is a graphic novelish version of the story that brings bank fun memories.

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this might be horribly abridged, I still find this to be one of the staples of my Hitchhiker's canon. Really funny with awesome artwork. Super enjoyable :)

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helped me visualize the novel better.