Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History

I understand that the original “Classics Illustrated” was published far before I was born but I can say that I got to them as soon as I was able. I love literature. In fact, I have made a life and career out of it. Additionally, I love graphic novels. So clearly I would cheer with happiness upon discovering that the two had mated and created “Classics Illustrated”. The series includes great pieces of literature from “Moby Dick” and “The Iliad” to “Wurthering Heights” and “Great Expectations”. There truly is something for everyone. But this review is not about “Classics Illustrated”, kind of. It’s actually about a nonfiction book that was recently published about the founding and rise of the famous series.

This book can easily be described as a cultural history book chronicling the founding and development of “Classics Illustrated”. Many chapters focus on individual authors who wrote/illustrated for the series and how their unique perspective molded the comics. The book is objective in that is examines each artists’ strengths, weaknesses, and techniques. To prove his point, the author includes a multitude of black and white images of covers and panels from the original comics. Don’t worry, there are plenty of colored plates as well that really bring the comics to life. It is these colorful plates that bring the comics to life and truly show the trend from cartoon, to realism, to abstraction. The author also describes the five spin-off series including nonfiction comics that were brought about by Roberta Strauss Feuerlicht in the 1960s. The spin-off series were geared towards young adult readers and were published with the purpose to educate as well as entertain. Such titles included “The Ugly Duckling,” “Cinderella”, and “The Pied Piper.”

Clearly, this cultural history is quite thorough. William Jones, the author is an avid reader and collector of “Classics Illustrated” which makes him the perfect person to pen this book. His adoration for the series is contagious and this publication is obviously a labor of love. For those who have read and enjoyed the series, this is a MUST read. For a casual reader, this is probably not for you as Jones often dwells on ancillary details that would bore anyone not enthralled with “Classics Illustrated”.

-DLP