CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED #4 The Raven and Other Poems

Hello, everyone!
This is editorial assistant Michael Petranek here, writing about the new exciting CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED  volume that just hit stores. “The Raven and Other Poems” by Edgar Allan Poe and  illustrated by Gahan Wilson.  It has already garnered rave reviews and we wanted to share one them with you. But  we’ll save that for the end.  First, here’s a look at the cover:

Pretty cool, huh? I love artist Gahan Wilson’s work– he’s the perfect artist to illustrate Edgar Allan Poe’s dark and chilling poems.

Here’s a tiny bit of info on Poe and Wilson:

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), who lived in Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City, is the father of the American mystery tale. “The Raven,” his most famous poem, has been adapted into everything from a movie starring Vincent Price to an episode of The Simpsons. The Mystery Writers of America have named their highest award, the Edgar, in honor of Poe.

Gahan Wilson is one of the most famous cartoonists alive.  His work has received the World Fantasy Award, the National Cartoonists Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival Award. He grew up in Illinois and lives in New York.

You may have noticed that Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809. That means we’re celebrating his 200th birthday this year!  And what better way to celebrate, than presenting his most famous poems in this profusely illustrated edition, for the very first time in hardcover.

You can Google Gahan Wilson and Edgar Allan Poe for even more information on these two legendary creators! But to give you an even better idea of what CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED #4 is like, here’s a Poe preview page:

That was just a snippet from “The Sleeper.”

Horror fans love Poe and his work. Here’s what a great website devoted to all things macabre had to say:

“I only wished my old CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED looked this good!…Raven and Other Poems is a tribute to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. All his greatest poems are featured inside this rather attractive edition. The one I reviewed consists of a hardcover bound much like the Dr. Suess books with nice semi gloss stock. If that isn’t enough we have the great illustration work of Gahan Wilson, an all time favorite macabre cartoonist of mine. He has been called on to illustrate each poem with 1 page pieces as accompaniment to Edgar’s works posted throughout. Each illustration contains that Wilson style we have come to love. Humorous, macabre, quirky, detailed and a truly unique style that more than appropriately shares space with Poe’s work…Do yourself a favor and pick up a few [CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED volumes]. This edition is very durable and a prize for collectors” – www.horrornews.net

Very cool! Mania.com says that “this match of Poe and Wilson was made in Heaven. Wilson’s illustrations are just bizarre and innocent enough to appeal to kids while not dulling the edge of Poe’s words…Grade A.” You can read that review by clicking here:

http://www.mania.com/starlog-ceases-publication_article_114372.html.

Another amazing review came from the School Library Journal’s website. The site says that “the illustrations combine pastel hues, ink lines and cross-hatching, and eerie images for a spine-chilling effect.” I couldn’t  agree more! To read the full review and to see what The School Library Journal has to say about some previous CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED titles along with the upcoming Tom Mandrake adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” (Classics Illustrated #5), click here: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6647784.html. This article also has some info on Rick Geary’s “The Invisible Man” (calling it “a gripping version of this pioneering work of science fiction”), and Kyle Baker’s adaptation of “Through the Looking Glass,” which it describes as containing “crisply colored, almost stylized illustrations.” Thanks, School Library Journal! As you know, we here at Papercutz are big fans and supporters of libraries everywhere. If we’re not at the office, you can usually find one of us with our nose buried in a book somewhere.

CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED #5: “The Raven and Other Poems” features (aside from “The Raven”) the Poe classics Annabel Lee, Lines on Ale (a personal favorite), The City in the Sea, The Sleeper, Eldorado, Alone, The Haunted Palace, and The Conquerer Worm. I hope you enjoy reading this collection as much as we did putting it together! Let us know what you think. Love it or hate it, we always want to hear from you.  So just leave a comment and sound off!

-Mike