REVIEW: Edgar Allen Poe Graphic Novel Adaptations (The Raven)

Edgar Allen Poe: Graphic Classics and Max Graphic Novel Adaptations (The Raven)

Poetry written by Edgar Allen Poe. Graphic Novel adapted by Corben and Co. (Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allen Poe) and Pomplun and Co. (Graphic Classics: Edgar Allen Poe)

Poetry published 1824 to 1949.

Graphic Novel adaptations published 2006 and 2010.

Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allen Poe (The Raven)

· As with the Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven is limited to the artist’s interpretations yet this is made more clear with the original text provided with it

· The violence against the Raven wasn’t necessarily in the original poem and may have been a fabrication of the artist

· The comic is noted to not be a true word for word adaptation of the poem, as the lettering in the graphic novel is noted to be different than with the poem

· The fact that the artist was limited to but eight pages leaves little for the imagination, compared to the implied pacing of the poem being indefinite, which seems finite given the nature of the graphic novel and its but eight pages

· It is noted that the Raven is further changed to the interpretations of the artist Corben, who took the liberties to change connotations and wording of the poem to make way for his art

Graphic Classics: Edgar Allen Poe (Raven)

· The art has an abstract feeling to it, with the protagonist eerily transitioning to a tragedy mask while the raven sits on top of a comedy mask

· The lettering, while noted to being clumped on top of the work and seems to be a separate entity from the comic, is at least part of the composition as the eye can flow from picture to lettering as with any other comic naturally

· The facial expressions on the protagonist seems unnatural to the situation he is in, having a rhetorical conversation with a raven. He seems too emotional, and not necessarily in the negative sense. Then again, this piece is more abstract than the other comics so that may have been the intent of the author

· The raven doesn’t seem like an ominous figure in the poem as it appears to be more comical in nature. This downplays the tragedy of the composition for me

· The background seems to lack consistency, as the study to which the raven stalks seems to change from panel to panel in continuity

Bibliography

Corben, Richard, Rich Margopoulos, and Edgar Allan Poe. Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe. New York, NY: Marvel, 2006. Print.

Poe, Edgar Allan, and Tom Pomplun. Edgar Allan Poe. Mount Horeb, WI: Eureka Productions, 2010. Print.