Moby Dick : based on the novel by Herman Melville
(Graphic Novel)

The great white resurfaces in this gripping, comic book-style retelling. Comic-strip veterans Schwartz and Giordano condense Melville's leviathan tale into an action-packed, 48-page adventure. Despite forgoing Melville's "Call me Ishmael" first-person narrative and sensory details, this retelling closely adheres to the original plot, including some pivotal scenes absent from Allan Drummond's spare but entertaining 1997 Moby Dick. The dense story clips along, thanks to concise but appealingly hammy storytelling and melodramatic drawings, plus multiple panels that quicken the pace. When Ishmael meets Queequeg, for instance, the author squeezes out every drop of suspense: "There in the dimly lit room looms the forbidding image of Queequeg... harpoon at the ready, poised to sink its sharp head into his shaking body!!" Giordano ratchets up the tension with a series of close-ups of Ishmael's terrified face as he awakens to the "savage" in his rented room. The brooding, dark-toned panels exude imminent danger-an ideal milieu for Captain Ahab's doomed voyage. The book also provides a brief biography of Melville, as well as facts about whaling and New Bedford, Mass., the city that commissioned this retelling in celebration of the 150th anniversary (in 2001) of Moby Dick's original publication. Ages 8-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 1-4-In this picture book for older readers, Melville's first-person epic about the sea-loving Ishmael and his entanglement in Captain Ahab's obsessive hunt for the great white whale is stripped down to its core elements. As a consequence, little of the original's literary, thematic, and historical merit remains, and many of the book's important plot points are left out completely; that being said, this version should appeal to young readers who enjoy straightforward, narrative-driven works. Edwards does manage to successfully convert Melville's verbosity into a more accessible form for modern children while maintaining the tone and style of speech. Each spread features a single illustration that highlights the key event mentioned in the text; these are colored with dramatic effect. Character designs have a Disney-like quality; body shapes and facial features are embellished to represent personalities visually. VERDICT This title offers a decent introduction to the plot of the classic but is best used for entertainment rather than educational purposes.-Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Moby-Dick is one of our greatest and most enduring works. The physically and psychologically scarred Ahab's at-any-cost pursuit of the white whale is a riveting tale with considerable philosophical overtones. Then there is Melville's invention of the Pequod, a microcosm of humanity together with his mythopoeic vision of both the greatness and self-destructive tendencies of America. Finally, there is the intricate narrative technique itself, with the story of Ishmael, Queequeg, and Ahab constantly being interrupted for minutia about the whaling industry and numerous other subjects, often with digressions within digressions. At first, Paul Boehmer seems a tad youthful and earnest to convey this momentous yarn, but, after all, this is the story of the young and inexperienced Ishmael. In addition to avoiding an overly melodramatic voice for Ahab, Boehmer offers an exceptionally well-measured performance, alternating between the calm and the enthusiastic. An excellent production; recommended for all collections.-Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Melville's epic novel is presented in a comic-book style. The severely condensed plot is related in mediocre prose, and the color art has a rushed, unfinished quality. However, the book, which includes background material on whales and whaling, may serve to spark interest in the subject matter or, at some point, in Melville's original work. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Shadowy pictures of larger-than-life figures cast atmospheric gloom over this summary version of the classic.Edwards leaves out most of the gory whaling bitsas well as Ahab's talismanic doubloon and so many other details that what's left is more a precis of the main plot points. It's speckled with vague allusions ("Despite ominous warnings, Queequeg and I stayed committed to the Pequod") and capped with a one-line climax: "Claiming more than just the harpoon boats, Moby Dick dashed the Pequod and claimed all her crew. All except one." In Horsepool's stylized paintings, semiabstract views reveal icy seas in which looming clouds, icebergs, and the whale look much alike. These alternate with scenes of monumental but misshapen human figures (Queequeg and Ahab both sport tiny pointed heads atop humongous bodies) that are often seen from behind and generally in dim lighting. Ishmael appears only at the end, looking more like he's standing in knee-deep water than clinging to the coffin. The cast's diverse origins draw a narrative mention, but aside from Queequeg and one crew member in a group scene, everyone in the art appears to be white. Other recent illustrated versions outsail this superficial recasting. (Picture book. 10-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The great white resurfaces in this gripping, comic book-style retelling. Comic-strip veterans Schwartz and Giordano condense Melville's leviathan tale into an action-packed, 48-page adventure. Despite forgoing Melville's "Call me Ishmael" first-person narrative and sensory details, this retelling closely adheres to the original plot, including some pivotal scenes absent from Allan Drummond's spare but entertaining 1997 Moby Dick. The dense story clips along, thanks to concise but appealingly hammy storytelling and melodramatic drawings, plus multiple panels that quicken the pace. When Ishmael meets Queequeg, for instance, the author squeezes out every drop of suspense: "There in the dimly lit room looms the forbidding image of Queequeg... harpoon at the ready, poised to sink its sharp head into his shaking body!!" Giordano ratchets up the tension with a series of close-ups of Ishmael's terrified face as he awakens to the "savage" in his rented room. The brooding, dark-toned panels exude imminent danger-an ideal milieu for Captain Ahab's doomed voyage. The book also provides a brief biography of Melville, as well as facts about whaling and New Bedford, Mass., the city that commissioned this retelling in celebration of the 150th anniversary (in 2001) of Moby Dick's original publication. Ages 8-up. (Oct.)

Gr 4-8-In trimming Melville's leviathan novel down to picture-book length, some of what made the original so intriguing is inevitably lost; what this version retains is the main action of the story and details of life at sea. The former is captured admirably by dramatic illustrations that have a classic comic-book feel. Unfortunately, the flow of the story is often confusing: the loss of a first-person narrator relegates Ishmael to near nonexistence; the flow of images can be disjointed, leaving readers wondering what panel to read next; and the text, while suitably hyperbolic, is awkwardly reliant on ellipses and exclamation marks. Just as in the original tale, information on whalers and whaling appears throughout the work, yet here the handling is uneven. "Ambergris" is clarified in a side panel, "captor pilings" go unexplained, and "scrimshaw" is mentioned in one of three short essays (on Melville; whales; and New Bedford, CT) that bookend the main text. Readers looking for an introduction to Melville's most famous work may find this title useful; otherwise, it is an additional purchase, particularly for those who already own Will Eisner's mythic comic adaptation (NBM, 2001) or those lucky enough to have acquired Bill Sienkiewicz's breathtaking "Classics Illustrated" edition (Berkley, 1990).-Douglas P. Davey, Guelph Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.