Children who stay with the book will find war, romance, gambling and political intrigue. But the first chapter or two may...
This graphic adaptation of the Mahabharata would be easy to conceptualize as a math problem.
The original Indian poem has 100,000 stanzas. The graphic novel is 112 pages long. So the panels are covered with dense blocks of text like this one: “Since Dhritarashtra was reluctant to hand over the kingdom to Yudhishthira, Bheeshma and Vidura urged him to divide the kingdom so that the Pandavas and the Kauravas could live in peace.” Readers might have been satisfied with less Mahabharata per page. Any one of the incidents that make up the story could have been turned into a full-length graphic novel. There are battles and disguises. There’s a funny, and strangely moving, sequence in which Draupadi finds herself married to five brothers. When the book simply tells an adventure story, it’s captivating. The artwork, helpfully, is stunning. The colors nearly glow. The book includes everything a reader could want but not right away. The prologue has hundreds of words about lines of succession that lie between them and the story.
Children who stay with the book will find war, romance, gambling and political intrigue. But the first chapter or two may feel a little too much like a math test. (character guide, family tree) (Graphic classic. 9-14)Pub Date: April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-93-80741-09-3
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013
This too-ambitious graphic adaptation of the beloved childhood tale falls extremely short of the mark. In this reworking of Carroll’s great tale of whimsy and imagination, readers will be transported to a very clumsy, wonder-less Wonderland. Though Helfand hits most of the memorable points in the original story—the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the caterpillar, the Cheshire cat—the combination of the awkward art with text proves to be distracting. Nagulakonda’s maladroit art is ultimately this adaptation’s weakest spot; the strained, rough-hewn faces are nothing short of disconcerting. Alice’s face, in particular, is troubling in many panels, looking pained or vacant instead of possessing a look of wonder at her curious surroundings. The clunky adaptation and clumsier art will leave its readers cold. Given these flaws and comparing it to the development and sophistication of many of the graphic novels currently available, this feels like an amateurish work in desperate need of refinement. (Graphic classic. 9-12)
Pub Date: July 20, 2010
ISBN: 978-93-80028-23-1
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
Designed to look like a weatherworn comic found in the woods, this outrageously imaginative graphic novel touts itself as the “first extraterrestrial comic book on earth.” Through a series of untitled nonlinear vignettes, the wide-eyed and seemingly innocent-looking alien characters embark on a series of adventures (and misadventures) that capture intrinsically human characteristics. In some episodes, bright, boldly colored cutesy aliens—who bear a toy-like resemblance—juxtapose violent situations, portraying both beauty and horror, in smart cohesion. Evincing the cruelties, the comedies and the oft-bizarre traits of the protagonists through an inventive and unique format, Trondheim distinguishes himself as a trailblazer in the youth graphic-novel market. Readers will be delighted by the wordless tale with its endearing, yet rascally alien characters and the sometimes crude plot that encompasses a variety of motifs, from invoking compassion to scatological humor. Not for the younger set, but an accomplished offbeat selection worth considering. (Graphic novel. 12-14)
Pub Date: May 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-59643-095-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: First Second/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2006
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