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Kidnapped (Modern Text) [Graphic Novel]

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Kidnappit is the Scots version of the exciting new graphic novelization of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, a dramatic and epic adventure story about a seventeen-year-old desperate to secure hi, s inheritence, culminating in a chase from the islands in the west of Scotland to Edinburgh.

Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy's graphic novel in English has been a big success and, to add to the mix, Matthew Fitt and James Robertson have translated Alan Grant's take on Stevenson's classic into Scots. Kidnappit, the Scots version, will cast a new light on the telling of this famous tale and is sure to capture the imagination of readers young and old.

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2007

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About the author

Alan Grant

1,714 books144 followers
Alan Grant was a Scottish comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Batman titles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the creator of the character Anarky.

Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.

The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.

By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.

Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac

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5 stars
11 (11%)
4 stars
34 (36%)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Jason Pierce.
848 reviews102 followers
July 11, 2016
Dammit. Now I need to get another book, and I already have 100 on my to-read list.

A friend gave this to me, and now I'm inspired to read the original. This graphic novel version reminiscent of the Classics Illustrated series provided breadth for the story, and now I want the depth. I've read Treasure Island and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", and enjoy Stevenson's style, so I'm looking forward to it, though I probably won't get to it until the middle of next year at the earliest.

Sigh... So much to read, so little time.

Merovingian Take Time photo merovingian-1.jpg

"Yes, of course. Who has time? Who has time? But then if we never take time, how can we have time?"

Beat it, Merv. I'm in no mood for your BS tonight.

Also, this is adapted by Alan Grant, whose work I enjoyed in the Batman comics of the 1990s when I was reading them. I couldn't tell that it was Grant who was doing anything in this because it wasn't his original work, but it's still nice to see a familiar name, and I'm glad to know he's still working.
2 reviews
August 28, 2024
Do not subject yourself to the torturous experience that is this graphic novel.
Profile Image for Ezma.
313 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2024
Not familiar with Stevenson's original novel at all, but this is a fun little adventure. Cam Kennedy's art is real nice, especially the coloring of the majestic Scotland hills.
Profile Image for Phillip.
Author 2 books68 followers
April 8, 2017
As a graphic novel, this definitely condenses the story of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, presenting many things in passing that the novel elaborates more upon. One thing that strikes me is that the bulk of the graphic novel is devoted to David's experience in the House of Shaws and on the Covenant, whereas the portions in the Highlands and islands of Scotland are dealt with very quickly and without as much detail as Stevenson gives them (though as I recall Stevenson spends longer than I would have thought necessary on the uncle and the ship).
1,030 reviews2 followers
May 12, 2014
3 1/2* Graphic novels of classics - who'd'a thunk?! Brilliant for reluctant readers, and gives a chance to discuss other things happening - like the Scottish Rebellion and the Battle of Culloden. So why not 5*? The VERY last page, the very last picture... HUH??!! I didn't understand it, the kid I'm reading with certainly didn't, so I'll have to find a copy of the 'real' Kidnapped and figure out what happened. Very odd.
Profile Image for Bracken.
375 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2012
I read this directly after reading Stevenson's novel Kidnapped and, in the wake of Kidnapped, it this was the perfect pace for the novel, which seemed to me to be in slow motion. This isn't the most interesting story in the world, but the graphic novel is much more interesting than the original upon which it is based.
Profile Image for Katie.
11 reviews
March 12, 2015
Enjoyed reading this book, was given to me by my school as a leaving gift as we moved on to high school - very interesting to read.
Profile Image for Ellen.
274 reviews3 followers
February 20, 2016
Although it misses a lot out from the original this book is still very good, with lovely pictures, and would be good for children, slow readers or anyone who doesn't want to read the full version.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 12 reviews

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