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Tuesday 9 August 2011

Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery


Graphic Classics
144 pages
graphic novel
full colour
Retail price $17.95


The blurb says it all:
Edgar Allan Poe’s
Tales of Mystery

Graphic Classics Volume Twenty-One
Fifteen stories and poems of mystery and terror
by the original creator of the detective story:

The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The great mystery story prototype,
adapted by Antonella Caputo and Reno Manquis
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
A mesmeric mystery
illustrated by Michael Manning
The Man of the Crowd
A strange tale of the city,
adapted by Rich Rainey and Brad Teare
Berenice
Death and dental horrors
illustrated by Nelson Evergreen
The Tell-Tale Heart
An alternate version
adapted by Ronn Sutton
The Oval Portrait
A new comics adaptation
illustrated by Craig Wilson
King Pest
adapted by Antonella Caputo and Anton Emdin
with new color by Glenn Smith
Hop-Frog
A new presentation in comics
adapted by Rod Lott and Lisa K. Weber
The Masque of the Red Death
Now in full color
adapted by Stan Shaw
Alone
illustrated by Maxon Crumb
A Dream Within a Dream
illustrated by Neale Blanden
To Violet Vane
illustrated by Molly Kiely
Spirits of the Dead
illustrated by Andy Ewen
Eldorado
illustrated by Roger Langridge
The Conqueror Worm
illustrated by Leong Wan Kok


Of course, Graphic Classics have always had a good name when it comes to print quality and packaging. A package arrives with “Graphic Classics” written on it I get excited!

“The Murders In The Rue Morgue” has been adapted into film and TV -and comics more than once. Interestingly, there was an incident that paralelled the killings later in the 19th Century: I came across the story while researching Some More Things Strange And Sinister (it’s included in the book).  This adaption both script and art-wise is a great one. A fitting start to the book.


“To Violet Vane” is drawn by Molly Kiely for whom I have had a growing respect over the years.
There are humorously drawn strips.  Okay, I had my funny bone removed years ago but I can appreciate the art of Neal Blanden, Roger Langridge, Lisa K. Weber, et al.

The modern setting for “The Tell-Tale Heart” was great but, really, British police helmet straps are hardly ever used and certainly not kept on by curtain rings!


:-o


This is a wonderful collection of stories/strips and Graphic Classics seems to go from strength-to-strength and I, for one, cannot wait to see what they come up with next!

http://www.graphicclassics.com/

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