Poe

by J. Barton Mitchell

Everyone knows that Poe created the detective genre, but did you know he was a detective himself? Finally the secret can be revealed for the first time! Enter the world of POE and follow the famous author of darkness as he tracks the killer of his brother’s friend. Supernatural adventure for fans of books like HELLBOY! “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” --Edgar Allan Poe

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Comics, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2010

Reviews

[Francesca Giardiello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessante racconto sulla storia di Poe che lo vede dopo la morte della sua amata compagna.
Anziché scadere nei cliché immaginabili, qui si tratta di lui da solo con la sua insanità e visioni e del fratello. Insieme si riavvicineranno per scoprire chi si nasconde dietro raccapriccianti omicidi.

Fra magie e morale, questo racconto intrattiene e insegna dando buoni spunti di riflessione.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun little read for fans of Poe or anyone familiar with his works. It's biographical and full of fun references to his poems and stories.

[Garth · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee...”

Incorporating themes from various Poe stories, Poe tells a tale of Edgar after the death of his wife Virginia & his deteriorating mental state. It takes a few liberties with Poe’s life (he did have an older brother William, but he was a sailor who died at 24) but weaves a half way decent detective tale. 3⭐️’s

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This volume presents a fictional Poe as a detective with psychic abilities. Nice dose of horror with some Poe easter eggs included. The art fits the story well, and overall this was a nice, creepy read.

[cyd⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i actually really liked this book! the writing was great and so was the illustration. i have personally never heard of Edgar before (crazy- i know.. he is so well known!) anyway i pick this book up at my library (intrigued by the cover art) i start and finish it in a day, remarkable.. honestly. It made such a good story.

(4/5)⭐️🪙

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poe is a graphic novel story in which Edgar Allan Poe is himself a detective, and it's no surprise that supernatural elements are involved as well. This is a perfect alternate history story for me, as I'm obviously a huge Poe fan. The author does keep the theme of mad-but-intelligent for the character of Poe that surrounds his legacy to this day, and I am glad that was a big element in this plot. Though his mental state is not healthy, Poe drudges through it to solve the mystery and continues his life to the best of his ability. For anyone dealing with mental health issues, this is inspiring to see and gives hope that we can all get through the tough times.

The combination of detective work, Edgar Allan Poe, and the supernatural may seem like a ridiculous combination of subjects thrown together, but when one has a solid grasp on Poe's work, it is apparent that it isn't so much of a stretch. Poe's work has been a huge influence on the detective genre, called the "Father" of the detective genre as we know it. I enjoyed the deducing that the character of Poe did in this short graphic novel, and I think fans of Sherlock Holmes would be interested in this book as well.

I really enjoyed the concept of Poe having gained inspiration for his stories through this fictional experience, and it was cool to see the references to his work throughout this book. There were funny moments, and some great facial expressions, and I really enjoyed the artist's style. The action is portrayed well for being in static comic form, and it worked well with the dialogue, rather than seeming like a separate entity from the writing. This is something that I look for in every graphic novel and comic that I read, and I'm glad this one didn't disappoint in this area.

Overall, I really enjoyed this short read, and I'm sure it's one I will come back to when I need a pick-me-up or a Poe fix with some gorgeous illustrations. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Edgar Allan Poe and the detective genre.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure 'Edgar Allen Poe as a Sherlock Holmes style detective who is also a psychic' was ever gonna work as a premise but if it was this isn't it. Maybe it took itself too seriously for such a goofy idea? Not sure. But it was pretty meh.

[Matt]

“Poe” by J Barton Mitchell is a book about a man who loses his wife and goes crazy. He starts seeing her ghost and other people's ghosts, so his brother puts him in a mental hospital. Edgar always escapes seeing his wife’s grave so his brother takes him out and lets him go on a call with him. It’s a murder and something valuable is taken from the body. The “valuable thing” is a coin. If all coins gathered you can bring back someone to life, so this evil magical man tries to get all the coins to bring back his sister. Edgar stops him and decides to use the coins to revive his wife that he had lost. Edgar is a courageous man who would do anything to save his wife. He misses her so much and can not function right without her. The story is someone in Europe because there is magic and there isn’t magic in the United States. My favorite part is when Edgar first meets the villain because It causes suspense. I wouldn’t recommend this book to any of my friends because it is easy and it is weird. I don’t know if my friends would like it but I think they wouldn’t.

[Ashkin Ayub · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is new in this book is the new dimensions to the characters and incidents which would make one wonder, “Did this really happen?”, everything and everyone is portrayed with a shade of weakness along with their strength making the entire storyline seem practical like it is happening today, more than it just being spiritual. Issues of law, administration, architecture, warfare, and leadership are discussed in the form of in-depth conversations between the characters. At places, I felt the image was going over the board. Another issue for me is the way it is put across, the choice of words; I found a huge problem with that, it left me with a heartache. Instances the book is too English to believe especially when you are thinking of this country B.C. It may have added to the ease of reading making it a fast-paced page-turner, but it only kept me confused throughout. I was left thinking about when exactly this story happened.

Story: 3/5
Art: 4/5

[Nataly Luevanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is based on the life and works of Edgar Allen Poe. After Poe's wife dies, he begins to go off the rails. His brother then brings him along to the scene of the latest murder where Poe uses his deductive skills to piece together the events leading to the crime. The brothers team up to find out who's behind the murders and why they're happening in the first place.

I absolutely loved the illustrations and the color work for this graphic novel. It was dark and eerie and fit Poe's works perfectly. I loved the pacing. It was a fairly quick read. As for the storyline, I really enjoyed the idea of Poe acting as a detective and using the knowledge he gained from writing his stories to help solve the case. I also enjoyed the magical elements and I really appreciated the nods to his work. Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel and I look forward to reading more of Mitchell and Kotz's works.

[Genna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read about Edgar Allen Poe helping his detective brother solve a murder mystery with strange paranormal and fantasy elements throughout. It had a little bit of horror, murder and a bit of thrill to the story. I love this art work, however some of the hand gestures and facial expressions during scared moments were a bit odd to see. I loved the references of opening and ending the book with Poe's poem Annabel Lee. There is a raven that follows him throughout, which is a great reference to his poem the Raven. It also mentions one of Poe's short stories that I hope to read soon, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. It was a fun read for the spooky season!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poe is known as the father of the modern mystery story. So it's only fitting he solves a mystery in this comic. It's in the days after he has lost his wife when he goes to a murder with his brother who is a police officer. They discover someone is murdering people for 5 rare coins. I'm not sure how much I liked the supernatural bent of the story. I did really enjoy all of the allusions to various Poe stories. The only thing I wish they'd been clearer about is if at this point the stories were all supposed to still be in Poe's head and this is where he got his ideas or if he was being plagued by elements from stories he'd already written.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Graphic Novel simply titled Poe, is an entertaining, if historically inaccurate, supernatural detective story.

The story stars the famed author as he solves a serial murder spree that has elements similar to his own macabre stories.

But it's still vastly different from The Raven motion picture.

I really loved this homage to the creator of detective fiction. It's a great fictional story, but just don't take it for fact.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. It made Poe accessible and action driven— telling the story of an ill Poe taken in by his brother the constable. Together, the two work to solve a crime with dark magic elements.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but quite predictable and nothing really original. I suppose I was looking for more of a twist somewhere along the line. Decent enough story and some good artwork, but if you are an Edgar Allan Poe fan nothing noteworthy.

[Ann.mizengmail.com · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel, the first one of this genre that I've read. The book belongs to Jonas and he loaned it to his Pops thinking he might enjoy it as he knows that Jim has expressed an interest in Poe's work. I was able to read it in less than an hour and did not particularly enjoy this format.

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very great book! Always on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was next

[Redwan Orittro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly a story written by Poe, but lots of elements inspired by Poe has been used in the book.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy

[Davis Smith]

Amazing

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A supernatural mystery/adventure starring E. A. Poe. It was good

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting blending of genres. I feel I should probably reread some of Poe's detective fiction (he did originate that type of story). The fantasy/horror elements were drawn from Poe's own works, the implication being that this adventure inspired many of his most famous works. It takes enough liberties that I feel it can be described as an alternate history. It wasn't great, but it was a good, solid story that kept me hunting for Easter eggs all the way through.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the benefits of becoming interested in the "Steampunk" genre is the discovery of new types of literature. I have not been that interested in "graphic novels", not since I was a teenager reading comic books.

Poe is a graphic novel with text by J. Barton Mitchell and art by Dean Kotz with assistance from others. The story is shows Poe and his brother William, a constable with the Baltimore police department, attempting to solve a series of murders that seem to revolve around some Roman coins that date back to the time of Jesus. The adventure that Poe and his brother go through create allusions to Poe's most famous writings.

I have not read enough graphic novels to be a proper judge of them. But the art work and graphics impressed me with their dark hues and active imagery. The story line was engaging. Given the supernatural premise of the plot, the characters seemed plausible and well motivated.

I would recommend this story for middle school students as a way to introduce them to Edgar Allen Poe, as well as for those interested in the graphic novel genre.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edgar Allen Poe is the central character for J. Barton Mitchell's titular Poe series from Boom Studios. Haunted by his wife's passing, Poe is battling visions of the dead. His early release from the mental hospital draws him into his brother's examination of a crime scene - one that has the trappings of the supernatural. As the brothers delve into a murder mystery and confront the otherworldly, the macabre writer encounters the very things that will become his greatest stories. Mitchell attempts to provide a basis for Poe's eerie tales, having the Baltimore native meet a raven, the masked Red Death, bottles of amontillado, a pit and pendulum, and other "influences." Sadly, the juxtaposition feels excessively forced, as if Mitchel wanted to work a reference to every Poe work into the volume. The muddied art from Dean Kotz only strikes a positive chord when showing the unreal; the "factual" characters and settings are bland and without definition. Poe fans who wish to see a send-up of their favorite author's works will enjoy this book. I, however, will read this again nevermore.

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the past few years I've become a big fan of the graphic novel. It can be such an amazing way to read the adaptation of a novel and get the gist of the original novel. When I saw Poe at our school book fair, I thought the summary on the back cover made is sound intriguing, and there's rarely a book's graphics I do not like as I have no artistic abilities to begin with.

Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of this novel and I keep asking myself why. I felt that the story did not flow together very well, at least not when compared to other graphic novel's I've read. The graphics were still amazing, and I was quite shocked when a couple pages in you get to view a woman hang herself. I felt compassion for what Poe was going through - I could not imagine the pain of losing your wife. I liked the references to the Fall of the House of Usher, the Raven, and Annabel Lee. Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with Poe the author to appreciate this graphic novel completely.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was "Ok," nothing all that unique or memorable. If you're a Edgar Allan Poe fan, I think you can find it some what enjoyable. The artwork is nice, but the storytelling is really lazy, very predictable and a bit absurd. A simple predictable story isn't really so much what works against this graphic novel.

I really disliked how incompetent Edgar's brother, William, is in his profession as a detective. There's a dead body on the streets with several clues dismissed which seems very unrealistic in detective work, but incompetence is allowed to let Edgar shine. When William states he could be striped from his rank for failing to close the case he very well deserves it; this profession is not in his best interest.

Not the most compelling murder mystery but I do like that the murder cases were used to help Edgar achieve closure for the death of his wife Virginia.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albeit a little ham-fisted in its execution, Poe is an interesting (and sensationally fictionalized) mish-mash of Edgar Allan Poe's (fictional) life and inspiration with Sherlock Holmes. In fact, I'm pretty convinced that Edgar Allan Poe in Poe is a new embodiment of Holmes, because much of the dialogue is written in a similar fashion.

Topping it off - to squeeze in more inspiration for Poe's macabre literature, of course - is a heap of madness with a big dollop of the supernatural. Ghosts and golems, oh my!

This isn't to its detriment, though. It was a fun, quick read. Recommended if you're looking for a neat mystery to lose yourself in for an evening, with some great art.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poe is a fun but macabre bit of historical fiction centered around Edgar Allen Poe in the clutches of insanity after the loss of his wife and his brother William who is a police officer. Together, the two solve a series of murders but not without getting themselves wrapped up deeply into the murderer's plans. In the end, Edgar learns to let go of his wife and move on, getting his "words" back. While Edgar's character is distinct and interesting like a melancholy Sherlock, William is utterly one dimensional as is every other character is this short series of comics. However, this is still a fun little romp of a comic mystery mixed with horror and fantasy.

[Mr. Kovach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful little graphic novel. It depicts Edgar Allan Poe as a crime detective in his native Baltimore, solving a murder mystery alongside his brother, who is a constable. There are elements of Poe's real life here - Baltimore, his wife and brother, his tormented thoughts. Poe was the originator of the crime detective novel, so the story is fitting, especially as it weaves in elements of Poe's famous stories. The illustrations are dark and scary and marvelous. I enjoyed this book from first to last page.

[Kay Mcgriff · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I wasn’t sure how to take this fictional biography of Poe, but the further I got into it, the more I liked it. The story line of Poe’s supposed life is as dark and twisted as his short stories and poems. He’s haunted by a Raven and sees visions of gruesome death’s. As Poe helps his police detective (a word Poe creates in this story) brother, they escape one bizarre event after another. The most fun for me was recognizing elements from Poe’s stories in their adventures. The dark artwork lends even more doom to the mood.