OEDIPUS

Reimagined through a hybrid picture-book/comics lens, Oedipus meets his cataclysmic fate.

In this third volume of the Toon Graphic Mythology series, Oedipus and his tragic prophecy are given the spotlight. He’s doomed even before his birth, as an oracle has foretold that if the baby of Laius and Jocasta is born male, he will kill his father and marry his mother. When their child is indeed born male, Laius orders him to be abandoned in the wild. As fate would have it, the boy is saved by a shepherd and raised by a king and queen in faraway Corinth. As Oedipus grows into a young man, his own rage and violence surprise him, and he flees Corinth, ending up—unbeknownst to him—back in his homeland, his destiny inescapable. Creating something that’s not quite a picture book nor a graphic novel, Pommaux uses a lovely combination of text and earth-toned illustrations dotted with conversational word bubbles to breathe life into an old tale. Helpful pronunciation prompts are interspersed throughout the text to help young readers achieve a greater sense of understanding. Also included is a pictorial list of main characters, an index, a map, and a list of books and websites for further reading. This pairs exceptionally well with George O'Connor's excellent Olympians series, creating an entirely immersive experience.

A well-wrought and edifying adaptation.