217. Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery

Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery edited by Tom Pomplun (US) - (Canada)
Graphic Classics, Volume 21

Pages: 144
Ages: 12-Adult
Finished: Sept. 24, 2011
First Published: Sept. 13, 2011
Publisher: Eureka Productions
Genre: graphic novel, short stories, poetry
Rating: 3/5

Acquired: Received a review copy from Eureka Productions.

Reason for Reading: I read every new volume that comes out.

First sentence:

Residing in Paris during the spring of 1882, I became acquainted with a Monsieur Auguste Dupin.

A graphic anthology of short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe.  This is the second volume in the series to feature Poe as Volume 1 did as well.  The crowning glory of this volume is the adaptation of "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Antonella Caputo and Reno Maniquis.  Very much in keeping with the original story, they have brought the classic story to a new medium and shown this first detective story in all its gruesome delight.  I also enjoyed "The Facts in the Case of of M. Valdemar" which is a creepy story to begin with and Michael Manning's illustrations really bring a new essence to the story that words alone cannot convey.  I'm happy to see Hop-Frog back in its original form by Lisa K. Weber only with added colour, this time.  Not one of my favourite Poe stories but a wicked little tale of revenge nicely done in the graphic format.  "The Masque of Red Death" is back also in colour and I'm not sure whether I appreciate this one as much in colour as I did in black and white.  There are a few lesser known tales represented here and they are not ones that really do much for me though I enjoyed the artwork completely, throughout the book this time.  "Berenice" was particularly a favourite of a story I hadn't remember so well.  There is only one story I did not like and that was a new rendering of "The Tell-Tale Heart", which had been turned into a modern story with the antagonist portrayed as a female punk rock neo-nazi type. Didn't work for me at all.

There are quite a few poems in this volume, short poems.  It felt like more than usual but I'm not holding another book to actually compare, perhaps it's because I'm not exactly a poem person and had been hoping that "The Bells" would be represented.  Overall, a good read.  Poe is good material to work with graphically, but I'll honestly have to say I preferred the b/w volume to this new colour volume.