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Classics Illustrated #7: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
This classic tale is a favorite of comics fans. Not only is it the inspiration for The Incredible Hulk, but Alan Moore, writer/creator of the best-selling Watchmen graphic novel, used Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in his original graphic novel series, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, thus making this CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED version of the original novel sort of an “origin” story for the monstrous Mr. Hyde. Likewise, CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED #2, which featured fellow LOEG member “The Invisible Man,” will also appeal to fans of Mr. Moore’s Victorian Age super-hero team. Of course, this adaptation by “Batman” and “Grendel” artist J.K. Snyder is true to the spirit of the original Robert Louis Stevenson novel, and stands by itself as a fantastic thrilling adventure.
56 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
30 people want to read
About the author
John K. Snyder III
44 books4 followersJohn K Snyder III is an Eisner Award nominated illustrator and writer, with decades of experience in the comics industry. He has worked for numerous publishers including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse Comics, on iconic titles ranging from Suicide Squad to Grendel. Snyder is also the creator of the groundbreaking Fashion In Action, an acclaimed adventure series first published by Eclipse Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 22, 2013
When I got this from the library and saw the cover, then flipped through the pages the art made me pause and go "Whoa!". I didn't even want to read it at that point and I love this classic RLS novella. The art is very modern and immediately made me think Picasso, with all the strange angles and weird unrecognisable geometric shapes. It's also very colourful, but in a dark way with mostly blues and reds. So, I kinda got myself over the idea of reading a Victorian story with such outrageous art and proceeded to read. It did not take me long before I was emerged in the story and by the end had become used to the art style. The textual adaptation of the story itself is very well done. It opens with the girl getting trampled in the street and proceeds chronologically not letting us into the secret of Jekyll & Hyde until the end, and is even divided into the same chapter headings as the original. A great introduction to the story and certainly a different visual way to experience it than I had ever done so before. Browsing through the book now that I've read it, I do appreciate the art much more than on first impression! A unique adaptation.
July 2, 2019
Robert Louis Stevenson's ``The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde'' holds a record as the single most frequently-
dramatized work of fiction. In addition to a lavish London
stage musical, there were hundreds of movie versions in the silent era alone, not to
mention modern parodies like ``The Nutty Professor'' and takeoffs
like ``Mary Reilly.'
And not one has followed the plot of the book.
Stevenson's narrative is basically a mystery. As the story
opens Hyde is already at large, and a doctor and a lawyer
discuss his infamous crimes and unfathomable connection to
respected Dr. Jekyll. That Jekyll and Hyde turn out to be the
same man, transformed by a serum, is a ``Crying Game'' style
surprise not revealed until late in the tale - literature's
worst-kept secret.
But Stevenson's elegant prose, grasp of psychology, and
sophisticated flashback structure makes the slim shocker still
well worth reading, especially since this is one classic novel
shorter than its own Cliffs Notes. You've got no excuse - unless
you want instead to try Berkely Book's remarkable comic-book
version published in 1990, No. 8 in their ``Classics
Illustrated'' series.
Adapter/artist John K. Snyder III remains
scrupulously faithful to the original text while using warped,
expressionistic panels reminiscent of Art Spiegelman's ``Maus.'' It is a great
tribute as well as a complement to the original, and it doesn't follow the model set by Hollywood.
Mr. Hyde'' holds a record as the single most frequently-
dramatized work of fiction. In addition to a lavish London
stage musical, there were hundreds of movie versions in the silent era alone, not to
mention modern parodies like ``The Nutty Professor'' and takeoffs
like ``Mary Reilly.'
And not one has followed the plot of the book.
Stevenson's narrative is basically a mystery. As the story
opens Hyde is already at large, and a doctor and a lawyer
discuss his infamous crimes and unfathomable connection to
respected Dr. Jekyll. That Jekyll and Hyde turn out to be the
same man, transformed by a serum, is a ``Crying Game'' style
surprise not revealed until late in the tale - literature's
worst-kept secret.
But Stevenson's elegant prose, grasp of psychology, and
sophisticated flashback structure makes the slim shocker still
well worth reading, especially since this is one classic novel
shorter than its own Cliffs Notes. You've got no excuse - unless
you want instead to try Berkely Book's remarkable comic-book
version published in 1990, No. 8 in their ``Classics
Illustrated'' series.
Adapter/artist John K. Snyder III remains
scrupulously faithful to the original text while using warped,
expressionistic panels reminiscent of Art Spiegelman's ``Maus.'' It is a great
tribute as well as a complement to the original, and it doesn't follow the model set by Hollywood.
September 13, 2022
I originally bought this off the rack and read it back in 1990. But since I had just read the original novel, I decided to pull this out and reread it.
This is a fantastic adaptation. It follows the events of the story, beat for beat, yet tells them in its own way. The art is fantastic.
If I had any criticism at all, the adaptation seemed towards the end of the story to turn to big one page spreads with giant blocks of text directly out of the book. Which seemed a little lazy. But the one page spreads were gorgeous.
This is a fantastic adaptation. It follows the events of the story, beat for beat, yet tells them in its own way. The art is fantastic.
If I had any criticism at all, the adaptation seemed towards the end of the story to turn to big one page spreads with giant blocks of text directly out of the book. Which seemed a little lazy. But the one page spreads were gorgeous.
June 14, 2012
Robert Louis Stevensons immortal classic has always been one of my favorites. But for some reason I have always preferred the "Classics Illustrated" version to a regular book. Now just to clarify I got this version way back in the early 90s (around 91 or 92), and I think the reason I prefer it is due to John K. Snyder III nightmarish paintings he made for this version. His version of the insidious Edward Hyde is the stuff of nightmares, his face his twisted in an unnatural grin with yellow teeth and wild eyes that are obscured only by his long dark hair, making him look less human and more demonic. Jekyll looks human until near the end of the book, were he is drawn slumping, hunched over, his hair greasy, dirty, and unkempt with dark circles under his eyes. In other words, Jekyll looks not only like a man about to die but also like a man who has been defeated by a demon he released.
The only thing I didn't like was that Snyder left out Jekyll's realization of how Hyde won. Not just because Jekyll liked being free to be wicked as Hyde, but that Hyde was purely evil were Jekyll, like all men, is capable of both good and evil. None the less, this is still a great adaptation for anyone who likes classics, not to mention the graphic novel version will get younger people to read the story by thinking its some demented comic book.
The only thing I didn't like was that Snyder left out Jekyll's realization of how Hyde won. Not just because Jekyll liked being free to be wicked as Hyde, but that Hyde was purely evil were Jekyll, like all men, is capable of both good and evil. None the less, this is still a great adaptation for anyone who likes classics, not to mention the graphic novel version will get younger people to read the story by thinking its some demented comic book.
February 10, 2016
This is a much better adaptation by Snyder than The Secret Agent, though to be fair, The Secret Agent probably doesn't lend itself to comic adaptation to begin with. Nevertheless, the artwork in this adaptation is much more refined, and the sequences are much easier to follow.
I'm ashamed to say I have never read the novel itself: only this adaptation. So ultimately I can't judge it as a good adaptation of a work I've never laid eyes on. I can, however, judge it on its merits as a way to introduce the novel to visually-minded readers such as myself. This comic made me want to read the original book when I was a kid, and after re-reading it as an adult, that effect is still strong. Why I never got a copy of the novel in all those years is a mystery to me.
The depictions of Hyde in this comic are especially unnerving. Lots of creepy atmosphere despite the highly stylized artwork.
I'm ashamed to say I have never read the novel itself: only this adaptation. So ultimately I can't judge it as a good adaptation of a work I've never laid eyes on. I can, however, judge it on its merits as a way to introduce the novel to visually-minded readers such as myself. This comic made me want to read the original book when I was a kid, and after re-reading it as an adult, that effect is still strong. Why I never got a copy of the novel in all those years is a mystery to me.
The depictions of Hyde in this comic are especially unnerving. Lots of creepy atmosphere despite the highly stylized artwork.
Shelved as 'books-abandoned'
May 19, 2014This graphic novel is a remarkable browsing experience. Snyder's German Expressionist style illustrations have real impact. The problem is reading the darn thing. The Victorian-era style of the prose and dialog are wrong for the pictures that interpret them. Some might defend this as an opportunity to contrast the prose and visual styles as one informs the other. I don't buy it. The emotional impact of the visuals, then, ought to change with the emotional nuances of each speaker, but they do not.
Snyder is a brilliant illustrator, but a terrible storyteller. His job here is to tell a story. I gave up after about a dozen pages. The stunning visuals are the only thing that enticed me to read that far.
Snyder is a brilliant illustrator, but a terrible storyteller. His job here is to tell a story. I gave up after about a dozen pages. The stunning visuals are the only thing that enticed me to read that far.
November 5, 2014
Review is for the original CI comic #13.
I haven't read the original but I'd much rather read this version because there's a few points where the narrative lags and I'm happy to avoid the moralizing and atmosphere I expect the original would exhibit. That noted, it's a solid adaptation and I liked the background at the end about how it's supposed to be more of a moral allegory than a simple good vs. evil dynamic.
I haven't read the original but I'd much rather read this version because there's a few points where the narrative lags and I'm happy to avoid the moralizing and atmosphere I expect the original would exhibit. That noted, it's a solid adaptation and I liked the background at the end about how it's supposed to be more of a moral allegory than a simple good vs. evil dynamic.
April 23, 2008
A doctor name Jekyll is just an ordinary man when something terrible happens in his lab. He has created a potion to turn him into someone else. The doctor is now known as Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde has almost no control of himself and is out of control. He is believed of murder. How can he control himself.
March 12, 2012
Reading Classics in Comics illustrated Form is one of the best experiences you can ever have.. Gives new Dimensions to the text and gives it more it can carries..
visuals with words gives you the perfect feeling of involvement..
You shoulda try this, people.. :)
visuals with words gives you the perfect feeling of involvement..
You shoulda try this, people.. :)
April 6, 2014
There's nothing wrong with using a graphic-arts-style book to understand something complicated. (Why did no one tell me when I was younger it was a book-within-a-book?!)
September 23, 2013
This one is quite sensational in it's Graphic portrayel
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
