Graphic Classics Paperback – August 16, 2016

Even though I was not a great fan of the late Jack London, I have read a few of his wonderful stories. He was a man of his times and his life at times was tragic and that may be why he became a Socialist. I also suspect he did not understand the corrupt nature of government and the value of individualism and freedom compared to collectivism and slavery.This volume (Graphic Classics: Jack London: “The Red One plus ten more stories of adventure, horror & Science fiction) is unique because it is organized and created in a graphic novel format. Many writers and artists were involved in putting this interesting volume together.This text is organized into the following sections: Meet Jack London, The Big Rd, Jan, the unrepentant, To kill a man, Just meat, The wit of Porportuk, The handsome cabin boy, That spot, War, The Francis spaight, How I became a Socialist, Moon-Face, A thousand deaths, About the artists and writers.Most of the stories were good but my favorite one was “A thousand deaths.” I have enjoyed graphic novels more lately and I really liked this one. If you like Jack London and would enjoy seeing his work in a graphic novel format, you should check out this volume.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: The Samurai Soul: An old warrior’s poetic tribute).

Pictures say a lot, things like setting, time of day, character development, action and actors. All of the things that are so readily skipped over when a teenager is reading a dull "classic novel" The beauty of London's writing is sacrificed, but the introduction to his work is made.

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Think of Jack London, and the image springs to mind of racing dog packs racing over icy Alaskan landscapes, fighting fang and fur in a primitive struggle for life. On the reading list of almost every American school system, "The Call of the Wild" is a classic of American literature.And there it stops. Aside from "The Call of the Wild," I was totally ignorant of Jack London's works. I never knew his clever since of humor, or his ability to delve into mystery and unknown lands. He always seemed an author very much grounded in hard reality.Graphic Classics has again taken a treasured author and produced some fantastic adaptions of his lesser-known yarns. Editor Tom Pomplun has a great eye at matching artistic style to the tone of the story that makes each collaboration a treat. He also picked a wide selection of London's stories, showing a breadth of talent that most readers were not aware of.This collection features:The Red One - A classic pulp adventure tale featuring head-hunters, native romance and a massive, unearthly artifact that pules with an ominous sound. This one would have been right at home in Weird Tales. Artists Mark A. Nelson keeps the art rough and realistic, just the way it should be.Jan, the Unrepentant - A very funny little short story about a group of rascals, and frontier justice. Hunt Emerson gives it just the right comedic touch.To Kill a Man - This one has almost a Sherlock Holmes feel to it, dealing with a thief and a woman who has to learn if she has what it takes to kill a man. Nice moody adaptation by Rod Lott.Just Meat - The hard reality of what it means to be human, as a pair of thieves divvy up their loot. Onsmith Jeremy takes a cartoony approach that suits the tone.The Wit of Poportuk - Now this feels like Jack London. A beautiful Indian maiden is desired by a poor man, whom she loves, and a rich man, whom she hates. Her will proves to be stronger than both of them, but there is a power that even she must bow to. Arnold Arre gives the yarn exactly the edge it needs.The Handsome Cabin Boy - After the last hard-edge tale, this one is another comical piece, adapted from an old folk song about a cabin boy who is a girl who is a boy who is a...a good laugh at the end, with some good Victorian-style illustrations by Anne TimmonsThat Spot - A dog story! Another funny piece about the toughest and laziest dog of the Yukon. Nick Miller draws a clever adaptation.War - A text-and-pictures adaptation. Hard-edged and sorrowful, with lovely pictures by Peter Kuper.The Francis Spaight - A true tale of the high seas, and what men are capable of when the chips are truly down. John W. Pierard gives it a taste of salty hell.How I Became a Socialist - A personal essay on how Jack London became a socialist against his very will. Another text-and-pictures adaptation, with art by Spain RodriguezMoon Face - A dark and funny story about a man who is so happy that people want to kill him, because they just can't stand someone who smiles that much. Milton Knight brings his usual flair to this one, and it is just right for his talents.A Thousand Deaths - A mad scientist tale of a man who kills his son over and over again, bringing him back to life each time all in the name of science. J. B. Bolivert's unique style is really great on this one, which is quirky and calm considering the subject matter

I remember when I was younger; I loved reading classic literature in comic form. It was often the impetus to get me to actually go out and find the book and read it so I could get the full benefit of all the things that were left out of the graphic version. However, I found that reading the graphic version often primed me to see the story in my head as I read based on the artist's vision. With Graphic Classics: Jack London instead of a novel you have eleven short stories each adapted and illustrated by various authors and artists. Some stories are heavily illustrated with the art work taking the weight of the storytelling others have one or two drawings to set the stage for the story.In each case the artwork and narrative dovetail to set the scene and tell the story. The artwork differs for each story reflecting the 'feeling' of the tale -- rough, noir, light-hearted, polished, fantastical -- the art sets the stage for the story.For myself, I liked some of the stories and others left me a bit upset with the author. That's, however, not a fault of the editor, the artists, or those who adapted the story -- it's the fault of Jack London. I've read most of his novels and as I get older I have less tolerance for his low opinion of women -- most of the time his male characters see women as a tool to be used rather than another human being. For example, "The Wit of Poportuk" is the story of a young native American girl who is raised and schooled at a convent who wishes to marry a man of her own choice. She escapes Porportuk's schemes to marry her several times -- outwitting him and running away. Although the main character is El-Soo, the story is named for Poportuk and his revenge after her last escape.Otherwise, the stories are what you'd expect of Jack London -- adventure, comedy, observations on the human condition, and daring do. Included in this volume are "The Red One", adapted by Tom Pomplun and illustrated by Mark Nelson, about an adventurer who risks it all to find out what makes the bell-like sound that he hears coming from the interior of the land. "Jan the Unrepentant" drawn by Hunt Emerson is a comic tale of two men who are trying to hang a third for the murder of their friend -- only the friend may not actually be dead. Other stories are "To Kill A Man", "Just Meat", "The Handsome Cabin Boy", "That Spot", "War", "The Francis Spaight", "How I became a Socialist" which is really an essay but very interesting reading, "Moonface", and "A Thousand Deaths".Overall, this is a great introduction to Jack London and his stories. While for all ages, it's a great way to get reluctant readers a taste of literature in a format they can appreciate.