Adapting to Comics

Adapting. It's what we humans do best. We evolve. We adapt. But what does that really mean? According to dictionary.com (my go-to on any term that is vague or used too generally) the sociological process of adaptation is "a slow, usually unconscious modification of individual and social activity in adjustment to cultural surroundings". How appropriate then that as comics take over the literature world, crowding out the romance novels in Barnes and Noble and edging out other winners on the New York Times Bestsellers list, we see classical literature being "modified" into comic form. And I'm NOT talking about the Classics Illustrated junk that is neither great art nor good editing.

After reading "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" by F. Scott Fitzgerald graphic novel (adapted by Nunzio Fillippis and Illustrated by Kevin Cornell) I believe that there are some stories that are being given new life and new eyes as we get to see art combined with what is already considered good literature. This particular book fit well with the medium since it is a book that solely focuses on the physical appearance of one Benjamin Button as he is born an 85 year-old man and becomes younger with each passing year. The art is truly fabulous, the watercolors evoking the time-period the book was set in, and the artist managed to catch each year very distinctively, a feat easier said than done. My one qualm with the book is that the speech bubbles are typed versus being lettered. I had no problem with the narration being typed, since I think it really helps cement F. Scott as still having a voice within his own story, but I would have preferred hand-lettered text in order to fit the beautiful images.

Before I am mistaken I have to say I am a literature major and am a huge advocator for reading the novel before seeing the movie or reading the comic book. I do not see comics as a kind of Cliff's Notes or dumbing down of the text, but rather ways for artists to take familiar and favorite stories and to put their own spin and outlook on them. I mainly say this since I am guilty of adapting of more than my fair share of favorite poems and short stories into comic format. That being said there's a lot of really great stuff going on out there. If you like this adaptation I suggest looking up Peter Kuper's "Metamorphosis", Posey Simmonds "Gemma Bovary" ("Madame Bovary") and "Tamara Drewe" ("Far From The Madding Crowd"), and Mazzuchelli's "Paul Auster's 'City of Glass'". I know I'm always looking for more great adaptations and encourage readers to be on the outlook (STILL waiting for a GOOD adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland"). But give these books a look over, you won't be disappointed!