Terrific translation
Authors:
Adapted by: Illustrators: GUILLERMO del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s horror tale The Strain has had as many incarnations as Dracula himself. Starting off as a trilogy of novels, their story has become a comic book series, and now a hit television show – isn’t it a bit of a strain, keeping updated with all these adaptations? OK, bad puns aside....
The comic book adaptation of The Strain – with a script by David Lapham, art by Mike Huddleston, and colours by Dan Jackson – is a delightfully creepy read that will keep you up till the wee hours, clutching a silver stake.
For those unaware, del Toro and Hogan’s The Strain is a modern-day vampire horror thriller, which sees a diverse group of vampire hunters out to stop an ancient evil from spreading chaos in New York City. The story is most known for taking a more “scientific” look at vampirism, treating it more like a contagion than a purely supernatural curse.
The adaptation sticks closely to the plots of both the book and TV series, except for a few differences: for one thing, there are only three survivors on the doomed plane that kicks off the story, not four (goodbye, Joan Luss). The plot is fast-paced, and the characterisation, good.
Where the comic book really stands out, however, is in its art. Huddleston’s creepy, twisted figures blend well with Jackson’s moody colours to create a terrific spine-chilling atmosphere; particularly well-done are the plane scene and a chapter set in a Nazi concentration camp. And the vampires are truly nightmarish – no sparkly, shirtless, pretty boys here, no sir.
The Strain Volume 1 collects issues 1-6 of the Dark Horse comics series. Readers who enjoyed this should definitely pick up Volume 2, where Ukranian exterminator Vasiliy Fet (aka, the best character in the series!) finally makes his appearance!
Lush and detailed
Author: Adapted by:
Illustrators:
“For you, a thousand times over.” Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling 2003 novel The Kite Runner has touched countless readers the world over with its heartbreaking story of friendship, loss, betrayal and growing up.
In 2011, the book was converted into a graphic novel, with text by Hosseini himself, and illustrations by Fabio Celoni ( Dylan Dog) and Mirka Andolfo ( Geronimo Stilton).
Juxtaposing charming, colourful illustrations with complex, mature themes, the adaptation is an emotional read that keeps true to the original story’s spirit.
The Kite Runner is the tale of 12-year-old friends Amir and Hassan, whose greatest joy are the kite-flying tournaments of their native Afghanistan. One shocking event there, however, changes their lives entirely. After the Russians invade, Amir and his family are forced to flee to America; Amir realises, however, that he must return one day to make things right.
The story offers its read- ers an intimate view of culture and family life in Afghanistan, and contains blood, sex, and profanity, though nothing is explicit or gratuitous.
As the text was adapted by the author himself, it is very faithful to the original. Some of the chracters’ original thoughts are lost, and several minor events deleted, but fortunately, there are no major consequences to the story.
The art is lush and highly detailed: many panels look like they belong in a children’s picture book
This adds an extra layer to the graphic novel’s more mature scenes (such as a stoning by the Taliban, and a gut-punching attempted suicide scene), a visual illustration of harsh adult ways pervading the innocence of Amir’s world.
The only minor qualm I have about the art is that Hassan’s cleft lip, so prominent in the original story, is barely noticeable. A small but jarring issue.
Overall, a well-crafted adaptation of a well-loved classic that will no doubt warm hearts and boost spirits.