Has anyone read Marvel Illustrated Iliad?

[Jill]

Marvel comic books is doing "graphic novels" of Classics.
Iliad, Treasure Island, Moby Dick, etc. Has anyone taken a look at them and evaluated them esp. for young readers (mine's 6.) Are they twaddle?

http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=8091

[training5]

bump

[Plaid Dad]

I haven't seen it, but I notice it has a T+ rating, meaning it's geared toward the 13+ age range. I would assume that means it wouldn't be appropriate for a much younger child.

[Camy]

Drew, do you know if the rating has to do with depictions of graphic violence or of the typical Marvel comic-type representation of women?..ahem...if you kwim.

[dawn of ns]

Drew, do you know if the rating has to do with depictions of graphic violence or of the typical Marvel comic-type representation of women?..ahem...if you kwim.

It won't be that. I picked up the Moby Dick one a few years back because a comic book artist I adore (yes, I'm a comic book geek) did it, Bill Sienkiewicz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Sienkiewicz) and the art was wonderful but far from typical comic book stuff. They generally try to accomplish a little more in terms of art to match the feel of the story so you won't find the same style at all in many of those graphic novels.

I imagine the rating is more because the content of the novels is generally more mature. The graphic novels are not an attempt to make the books more engaging for younger readers but rather reflect them in a different medium. So mature themes aren't avoided or played down.

And they aren't twaddle. Moby Dick especially is fantastic. A different experience yes, but not twaddle. Just don't buy them thinking they're for kids is all.

[Camy]

Dawn, thanks. These sound like they'd be worth checking out! Blessings.