CountVladDracula — 16 years ago(January 21, 2010 03:50 PM)

I bought the Marvel graphic novel of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I had to buy it on amazon because the nearest Barns and Nobel has a very small and somewhat lacking graphic novel section. The Marvel graphic noel is very nice.
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/bau/97809558/9780955816932 /0/0/plain/picture-of-dorian-gray-a-graphic-novel.jpg
Well, after looking at them there's no contest. The Marvel one is definitely a far superior version. The illustrations are gorgeous. It's a word for word adaptation of the novel. Everyone looks the way I imagine them from the original book, save for Basil. I think the graphic novel version of Basil is far more attractive than my mind gave him credit for. Strangely, I'd say he even looks a bit like Ben Barnes' version of Dorian. Lord Henry always looks the same in almost every adaptation so his appearance was no surprise to me.
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/bau/97809558/9780955816932 /0/0/plain/picture-of-dorian-gray-a-graphic-novel.jpg
Well, after looking at them there's no contest. The Marvel one is definitely a far superior version. The illustrations are gorgeous. It's a word for word adaptation of the novel. Everyone looks the way I imagine them from the original book, save for Basil. I think the graphic novel version of Basil is far more attractive than my mind gave him credit for. Strangely, I'd say he even looks a bit like Ben Barnes' version of Dorian. Lord Henry always looks the same in almost every adaptation so his appearance was no surprise to me.
http://allyoutouch.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/marvel_dorian-gray.jpg
I also bought a graphic novel version from Sterling press. I wasn't sure which one I'd prefer.
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/bau/97809558/9780 955816932/0/0/plain/picture-of-dorian-gray-a-graphic-novel.jpg
Well, after looking at them there's no contest. The Marvel one is definitely a far superior version. The illustrations are gorgeous. It's a word for word adaptation of the novel. Everyone looks the way I imagine them from the original book, save for Basil. I think the graphic novel version of Basil is far more attractive than my mind gave him credit for. Strangely, I'd say he even looks a bit like Ben Barnes' version of Dorian. Lord Henry always looks the same in almost every adaptation so his appearance was no surprise to me.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-1.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-2.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-3.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-4.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-5.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-6.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/previews/marvelcomics/illustr ated/preview/MARILPODG001_int-7.jpg
Reading small print tends to give a headache after a while even with reading glasses so I think I'm going to try to find a CBR (Comic book reader) file version of Marvel's The Picture of Dorian Gray graphic novel to read off the computer screen so I can better appreciate the details of the art work without badly creasing the graphic novel itself. I'm brutal with paper back books I enjoy. I tend to buy multiple copies for this reason.
I'm very disappointed in the Sterling edition though. The Sterling Picture of Dorian Gray graphic novel is done in this art deco 1920s type of style where everything's flat, straight lined, sharp edged, and Dorian is drawn vaguely like the nineteen thirties film version, and not at all like the literary version. It's also a far rougher adaptation. Lots of heavy edits and lacking in scene detail in the art work.
Out of the two graphic novel versions of The Picture of Dorian Gray I strongly prefer the Marvel version. I highly recommend it to any Oscar Wilde fan. The Sterling version not so much.