Graphic Classics, Volume 7: Bram Stoker

Graphic Classics #7

by Tom Pomplun (Editor), Gerry Alanguilan, John Pierard

Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker is the seventh in a series of books which present great literature in comics and heavily illustrated format by some of the best artists working today in the fields of comics, book illustration, and fine arts. The book includes comics adaptations of "The Lair of the White Worm", an excerpt from Dracula, plus six other great stories by the great writer, Bram Stoker.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Anthologies, Graphic Novels Comics, Classics

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9⭐

Graphic Classics is a comic book anthology series which features adaptations of literary classics by authors such as Bram Stoker in Volume 7 featuring The Lair of the White Worm and five other Stoker stories; plus, two excerpts from Dracula and a Dracula gallery illustrated by 15 artists. I am not one for graphic novels or comic books per se, but I really liked this one.


Introduction / by Mort Castle 4⭐
Lair of the White Worm / adapted by Tom Pomplun & illustrated by Rico Schacherl 4⭐
Torture Tower / adapted (from Stoker's "The Squaw") & illustrated by Onsmith Jeremi 3.5⭐
The Wondrous Child / edited by Tom Pomplun & illustrated by Evert Geradts 3⭐
The Funeral Party / illustrated by Richard Sala 3⭐
Dracula's Voyage / adapted & illustrated by John W. Pierard 4.25⭐
The Dracula Gallery / illustrated by Brandon Ragnar Johnson [and others] 4⭐
Professor Abraham Van Helsing's The Vampire Hunter's Guide / adapted by Tom Pomplun & illustrated by Hunt Emerson 4.5⭐
The Dualists or The Death-Doom of The Double-Born / edited by Tom Pomplun & illustrated by Lesley Reppeteaux 4⭐
The Judge's House / adapted & illustrated by Gerry Alanguilan 4⭐
The Bridal of Death /edited by Tom Pomplun & adapted & illustrated by J.B. Bonivert 4.5⭐

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how much I liked this. Some of the stories are rather disturbing, even by today's standards. Some of them have interesting Twilight Zone-like twists. Overall, they were okay. I guess I understand why Dracula stands out as Stoker's seminal work, and you don't hear much about his other stories.

[Edmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it.

I love the stories and the illustrations done by various artists. This is a great way to get into Dracula and Stoker's other various works.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: I'm working on reading the complete series.

I had to ILL this volume and was a little disappointed to see I received the 1st edition (now out of print) as a more recent 2nd edition has been updated. But beggars cant be choosers and I'm just appreciate of my library system that they are able to get hold of about 95% of the books and movies I request through them.

The publisher's website describes the changes in the second edition so I'm able to know how this one differs. First off, I have read Dracula twice and while I don't recall, I must have read a short story of 2 of Stoker's in the numerous anthologies I've read over the years. That said only one story in this book was familiar to me "The Judge's House".

This book has some fun with Dracula, starting with an introductory letter to Mr. Stoker entreating him to put his book into ballet form (which it has been). Then there is a graphic adaption of Dracula's voyage across the sea, this was not very impressive, a Dracula Gallery consisting of art illustrating a quote from the book. Lovely art but again not so impressive and finally a supposed Vampire's Guide written by Van Helsing, comic and cute. These Dracula parts of vol. 1 have been removed, except the Vampire Guide, and replaced in vol. 2 by a full graphic adaptation of the novel. For this reason if I came across the second edition, I would read it for this alone. The rest of the two books are the same minus two small items. Lair of the White Worm, Torture Tower, The Judge's House and The Bridal of Death have all been graphically adapted. I absolutely adored Lair of the White Worm and The Judges House. Torture Tower was good, quite Poe-esque but The Bridal of Death was strange. The Wondrous Child has been presented differently, as an edited short story with several illustrations. I don't mind reading a book of illustrated short stories but I'm not impressed with editing them and it really had no place here in a graphic novel, besides they kept this story, while deleting The Funeral Party and The Duelists also written as a short story, and I would have rather have had them keep the much more sinister and creepy Duelists.

I enjoyed all the artwork. Done in black and white it suits the macabre nature of the stories. There are many artistic styles presented but they are not so far apart that they mesh together nicely, coming together in a nice cohesive. I didn't even mind J.B. Bonivert's artwork this time, though I still don't care for it! Otherwise well-done and I am now a big fan of Stoker and must make sure I read more of him. His short stories are comparable to Poe.

[Melle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling introduction to and interpretation of Bram Stoker. The negative stereotypical portrayals of the African in "Lair of the White Worm" and of Apaches and the vulgar language used in reference to Indigenous Americans in "Torture Tower" warrant concern when taken in conjunction with the heavy "white person" focus in illustrations, excepting Evert Geradts' beautiful and whimsical artwork for "The Wondrous Child."

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upside to this book: Many different artists worked on it.
Downside to this book: Many different artists worked on it.
:) Seriously though, what could be more dreadful, in the best way, than a collection of graphic Bram Stoker stories? The stories lacked unity, and I liked some artistic styles more than others, but I walked away from this book significantly creeped out, which is enough of a review.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of a fun read. not usually a graphic novel girl but it never hurts to try something new.

This was made into a bunch of short stories mostly out of Stoker's Dracula as well as some of his other works. It was interesting.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The highlight in here was "The Lair of the White Worm."

[Jeremy Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories such as Lair of the White Worm were too abridged for my liking. I did like some of the tongue-in-cheek silliness of some of the segments such as Van Helsings guide to vampires.

[Edmond Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

They should let other artists a chance to illuminate a journal entry or a chapter in Dracula. Other than that, the graphic novel was great.