The Hobbit: A Graphic Novel (Revised and Expanded): A Graphic Novel Edition of Tolkien's Masterful Fantasy Novel

by J.R.R. Tolkien, David Wenzel (illustrator)

Genres: Graphic Novels

192 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien: writer, artist, scholar, linguist. Known to millions around the world as the author of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien spent most of his life teaching at the University of Oxford where he was a distinguished academic in the fields of Old and Middle English and Old Norse. His creativity, confined to his spare time, found its outlet in fantasy works, stories for children, poetry, illustration and invented languages and alphabets.

Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.

Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.

Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life.

Reviews

[Makenzey Murr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adaptation of The Hobbit was great! Nothing important was left out, the artwork was beautiful, and I had such a fun time reading this.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t have asked for a nicer read to start off 2026!

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This revised edition of The Hobbit graphic novel was a delight to read. The illustrations are vibrant, richly coloured, and full of careful detail that makes each character distinct. The story of The Hobbit is, of course, wonderful in its own right, and the creators of this adaptation have done an impressive job condensing its many events into roughly 150 pages. At times, the compression works beautifully, with whole sequences from the original novel distilled into a single page or frame. At other moments, the pacing becomes a little harder to follow (though that may be partly because it’s been a long time since I last read the original book).

Even so, the experience was thoroughly enjoyable. I especially appreciated the section at the back, which outlines the process of creating the graphic novel and traces how it has evolved since its first publication in 1989. Would recommend to Tolkien fans and beginners alike.

[Alex Baines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful read. The artwork done provides a wonderful view into Tolkien’s world more so than the movies.

The only reason for it being 4 out of 5 stars is me being a puritan of sorts and loving the original story so much that those little moments and nuances feel a little lost here.

Overall this is a visually enjoyable read for any fan of Tolkien.

[Benoitcesoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is no mere graphic novel. This is J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit revised and expanded in graphic novel form by David Wenzel (illustrator) and Charles Dixon (adapted). You owe this book your readership!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so beautiful. When I picked it up in the library I didn’t know it was based on the movies, and I loved that it was. I finished it today and dropped it back in for someone else to enjoy.

If you love the Tolkienverse I highly recommend checking this out, the artwork was fantastic. 🥰

[Karelys Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely graphic adaptation.

[Adam Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect reading start to 2026. I love reading and watching anything Tolkien over the holiday break. Now, it’s off to watch the classic animated version from the 70’s.

[Ryan Cawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hobbit is absolutely fantastic, however this version could use another round of editing. The artwork looks amazing.

[Genesis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf p.80

[GOLDEN KIWI · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book and gorgeous illustrations.