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Alice in Wonderland #1-4
Rod Espinosa's Alice In Wonderland Masterpiece Edition
Get Ready for Rod Espinosa's incredible adaptation of this timeless classic. The Eisner-nominated creator of such critically acclaimed, sweeping epics as Neotopia and Courageous Princess applies his visionary hand to this time-honored tale of an adventurous young girl who is swept into a strange magical fantasyland. Is it real or a dream? Journey down the rabbit hole in this amazing, lavishly illustrated, full color mini-series that is destined to become a new classic!
122 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2007
6 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Rod Espinosa
292 books39 followersEspinosa's work on The Courageous Princess (Antarctic Press) got him on the nomination list for “Promising new talent” and also “Best artist” for the 2000 Ignatz Awards and the 2002 Eisner Award nomination list for “Best Title for Younger Readers”.
As both writer and artist, he has also authored the Neotopia series (4 volumes, 140 pages each), which was published in graphic novel form. In 2006, Novotopia, the German edition of Neotopia, got a nomination for the Max und Moritz Prize in the category 'Bester Comic für Kinder' (best comic book for younger audience).
His past work include the Battle Girlz series, a manga adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, The Alamo and Metadocs. He has also written and conceptualized popular Antarctic Press titles such as I Hunt Monsters, and Herc and Thor. His work is also be featured in a series of American History comic books dealing with the subjects of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Lewis and Clark, The Boston Tea Party, The Alamo, Jackie Robinson, The Underground Railroad, Abraham Lincoln, Patrick Henry, Cesar Chavez, The American Revolution, the Transcontinental Railroad, and Clara Barton. He has also worked on Classics such as: Around the World in Eighty Days, Moby-Dick, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. His latest graphic novel from Antarctic Press, is called Dinowars. He is currently working on an online graphic novel entitled The Prince of Heroes.
(Taken from here.)
As both writer and artist, he has also authored the Neotopia series (4 volumes, 140 pages each), which was published in graphic novel form. In 2006, Novotopia, the German edition of Neotopia, got a nomination for the Max und Moritz Prize in the category 'Bester Comic für Kinder' (best comic book for younger audience).
His past work include the Battle Girlz series, a manga adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, The Alamo and Metadocs. He has also written and conceptualized popular Antarctic Press titles such as I Hunt Monsters, and Herc and Thor. His work is also be featured in a series of American History comic books dealing with the subjects of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Lewis and Clark, The Boston Tea Party, The Alamo, Jackie Robinson, The Underground Railroad, Abraham Lincoln, Patrick Henry, Cesar Chavez, The American Revolution, the Transcontinental Railroad, and Clara Barton. He has also worked on Classics such as: Around the World in Eighty Days, Moby-Dick, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. His latest graphic novel from Antarctic Press, is called Dinowars. He is currently working on an online graphic novel entitled The Prince of Heroes.
(Taken from here.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 3, 2018
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories. It is such a great one. This isn't totally terrible, but I wasn't totally impressed with it either. There were some scenes that felt like they were taken from Disney and some scenes were skipped or added. Twiddle dum and Twiddle Dee were not in the story. It felt a little rushed.
It's a quick read so you can red the story quickly. I guess I needed more from it somehow. I'm sure people will love it, but something missed for me personally.
It's a quick read so you can red the story quickly. I guess I needed more from it somehow. I'm sure people will love it, but something missed for me personally.
October 21, 2017
This is an entertaining graphic novel adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic tale of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
The colorful illustrations are fun and the author's Manga illustrative style is not overwhelming.
He maintains the feel of the original story, as well as creates an Alice and a Wonderland not unlike those brought to life in Fisney's animated film.
Our oldest has been a fan of Alice's Adventures for years and I was excited to find this comic version for her.
Overall, it's a fast, fun read and I will be sure to look for other volumes at our local library.
The colorful illustrations are fun and the author's Manga illustrative style is not overwhelming.
He maintains the feel of the original story, as well as creates an Alice and a Wonderland not unlike those brought to life in Fisney's animated film.
Our oldest has been a fan of Alice's Adventures for years and I was excited to find this comic version for her.
Overall, it's a fast, fun read and I will be sure to look for other volumes at our local library.
December 28, 2012
I've never read many retellings of classics, though I have seen many films of them, so I gave this a chance. I'm glad I did. The art is amazing, even though the story is short and incomplete.
This does not cover the entire story, so I am hoping there will be further volumes.
I did quite like both Alice and the Cheshire cat, but I could not really come to like any of the other characters. As I said, I'm hoping for more volumes, and I'd love to read them and maybe become closer to other characters.
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This was provided to me via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
This does not cover the entire story, so I am hoping there will be further volumes.
I did quite like both Alice and the Cheshire cat, but I could not really come to like any of the other characters. As I said, I'm hoping for more volumes, and I'd love to read them and maybe become closer to other characters.
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This was provided to me via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
November 24, 2014
It was really good! It's only the second graphic novel I've read and I really enjoyed it! The pictures were beautiful and the story was told really well!
January 2, 2013
Have we created more adaptations of Alice in Wonderland than strictly necessary? NEVER. I love the story -- I still mourn the loss of the big fat Alice/Looking Glass combo I owned as a kid -- so I'm always up for a new version.
Espinosa's approach to the story, in graphic novel form, looked promising, and it's cute enough, but I may have expected too much from it. I prefer a little more twist in my Alice adaptations, but this a very straightforward rendering that hits most of the high points of Carroll's story while retaining a clean, easy-to-understand plot that moves forward quickly. It might be too straightforward for some readers, but it doesn't drag or become a jumbled mess, despite many panels that are simply Alice making surprised faces or exclaiming at something or other.
I don't read a lot of manga, and the art isn't the sort I usually dig, but Espinosa's style is charming at times: I love the Cheshire Cat, and the hedgehogs in the croquet scenes were adorable. On the whole, though, the drawings didn't add anything to my enjoyment of the story. I don't think that's Espinosa's fault; it's either an art style you like or it's one that leaves you cold, and it's pretty subjective. Do you like the cover? If so, you'll probably like what's inside the book.
Overall, this variation of Alice in Wonderland didn't do much for me -- too simplistic and drawn in a style that left me meh for the most part -- but I do think that it would be a great way to introduce younger kids to the original story. My eldest is currently on a graphic novel kick and I can easily imagine her loving Espinosa's rendition.
Espinosa's approach to the story, in graphic novel form, looked promising, and it's cute enough, but I may have expected too much from it. I prefer a little more twist in my Alice adaptations, but this a very straightforward rendering that hits most of the high points of Carroll's story while retaining a clean, easy-to-understand plot that moves forward quickly. It might be too straightforward for some readers, but it doesn't drag or become a jumbled mess, despite many panels that are simply Alice making surprised faces or exclaiming at something or other.
I don't read a lot of manga, and the art isn't the sort I usually dig, but Espinosa's style is charming at times: I love the Cheshire Cat, and the hedgehogs in the croquet scenes were adorable. On the whole, though, the drawings didn't add anything to my enjoyment of the story. I don't think that's Espinosa's fault; it's either an art style you like or it's one that leaves you cold, and it's pretty subjective. Do you like the cover? If so, you'll probably like what's inside the book.
Overall, this variation of Alice in Wonderland didn't do much for me -- too simplistic and drawn in a style that left me meh for the most part -- but I do think that it would be a great way to introduce younger kids to the original story. My eldest is currently on a graphic novel kick and I can easily imagine her loving Espinosa's rendition.
February 19, 2013
While Alice in Wonderland is not necessarily my favorite book, I find myself constantly in search of things Alice related. So every time I see a new adaptation or retelling I practically trip all over myself to get it, this was no exception.
The wonderful thing about Espinosa’s adaptation is that it’s fairly straightforward and takes the most memorable moments of the book and illustrates them. Of course if you are like me, you sort of enjoy all the twists and turns Alice is forced into so it was a bit too simple, but this is perfect for younger readers who have an interest in the whimsical classic.
I personally love the art style because of it’s similarity to that of manga art work, especially when Alice makes goofy faces. I ended up getting quite a laugh because of the Mad Hatter who looks eerily similar to a very short Jay Leno. The use of color helps to get the feel and mood across, so if you don’t know the story or the trouble she gets into then it sort of cues the emotions you would get in the full text book.
I’d certainly consider buying this for the middle grade aged readers who are hesitant to read the actual book. It doesn’t pull in all of the story so that they can easily hop into the text and get more than they experienced in this one…it’s also a fairly good companion piece for the book.
I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
The wonderful thing about Espinosa’s adaptation is that it’s fairly straightforward and takes the most memorable moments of the book and illustrates them. Of course if you are like me, you sort of enjoy all the twists and turns Alice is forced into so it was a bit too simple, but this is perfect for younger readers who have an interest in the whimsical classic.
I personally love the art style because of it’s similarity to that of manga art work, especially when Alice makes goofy faces. I ended up getting quite a laugh because of the Mad Hatter who looks eerily similar to a very short Jay Leno. The use of color helps to get the feel and mood across, so if you don’t know the story or the trouble she gets into then it sort of cues the emotions you would get in the full text book.
I’d certainly consider buying this for the middle grade aged readers who are hesitant to read the actual book. It doesn’t pull in all of the story so that they can easily hop into the text and get more than they experienced in this one…it’s also a fairly good companion piece for the book.
I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2013
Initial reaction: Well this was certainly a charming rendition of "Alice in Wonderland". This stays rather faithful to the original tale, and the illustrations are sure to appeal to children/middle grade readers specifically. Cute art style by Rod Espinosa.
Full review:
I'm certainly fond of readaptations of popular classics, and Rod Espinosa's manga style adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" is absolutely adorable. The tale follows Alice in her journey down the rabbithole into Wonderland, and stays faithful to a number of adaptations of the tale - including the Disney version among other hinted references. (As a result of reading this, I'm going to have "We're painting the roses red..." stuck in my head for at least the next 24 hours.)
I thought the designs of many of the familiar characters were cute and were appropriate with the charm they provided through the respective story. I think this is the kind of comic that kids and middle grade readers would certainly enjoy, but it's also appropriate for older audiences who just want to revisit the familiar tale. It's a fairly quick read, my galley version had about 128 pages of full color illustrations, and the dialogue moves seamlessly from scene to scene. It brought a smile to my face, and overall, I certainly found it worth the read.
Overall score: 3.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Diamond Book Distributors.
Full review:
I'm certainly fond of readaptations of popular classics, and Rod Espinosa's manga style adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" is absolutely adorable. The tale follows Alice in her journey down the rabbithole into Wonderland, and stays faithful to a number of adaptations of the tale - including the Disney version among other hinted references. (As a result of reading this, I'm going to have "We're painting the roses red..." stuck in my head for at least the next 24 hours.)
I thought the designs of many of the familiar characters were cute and were appropriate with the charm they provided through the respective story. I think this is the kind of comic that kids and middle grade readers would certainly enjoy, but it's also appropriate for older audiences who just want to revisit the familiar tale. It's a fairly quick read, my galley version had about 128 pages of full color illustrations, and the dialogue moves seamlessly from scene to scene. It brought a smile to my face, and overall, I certainly found it worth the read.
Overall score: 3.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Diamond Book Distributors.
May 10, 2016
Recommended for younger readers, who might be unfamiliar with the story.
As a child, I loved Alice in Wonderland. I recalled enjoying Espinosa's courageous princess years ago and thought I'd try this. It wasn't my favorite. I know the Alice story too well, seeing as it was a favourite growing up. And also, I don't see myself as the demographic for this title.
Personally, Espinosa took some of the famous scenes from the story and hurriedly smushed them together in a fast narrative. He forgot to add the "wonder" to his story. Alice barely has a chance to catch her breath before she's already onto something new. Espinosa is relying too heavily on the reader knowing the story... And, on Alice being incredibly adaptable.
The art is 50/50. Scenes are well expressed. Some of the character design is interesting, if a little over-simplified. But, Alice is a poor attempt at a manga style. Ineffective, expressionless, and distinctly uninspired-"fan" work. It doesn't look like Espinosa has bothered to meld his own style... It's just a poor rehashing.
I might be overly harsh on this comic.
Espinosa is treading into too many territories where I have strong opinions on.
Maybe if this was a retelling of a story I didn't know... in a style of comic that I didn't read daily... I wouldn't be so annoyed by it.
As a child, I loved Alice in Wonderland. I recalled enjoying Espinosa's courageous princess years ago and thought I'd try this. It wasn't my favorite. I know the Alice story too well, seeing as it was a favourite growing up. And also, I don't see myself as the demographic for this title.
Personally, Espinosa took some of the famous scenes from the story and hurriedly smushed them together in a fast narrative. He forgot to add the "wonder" to his story. Alice barely has a chance to catch her breath before she's already onto something new. Espinosa is relying too heavily on the reader knowing the story... And, on Alice being incredibly adaptable.
The art is 50/50. Scenes are well expressed. Some of the character design is interesting, if a little over-simplified. But, Alice is a poor attempt at a manga style. Ineffective, expressionless, and distinctly uninspired-"fan" work. It doesn't look like Espinosa has bothered to meld his own style... It's just a poor rehashing.
I might be overly harsh on this comic.
Espinosa is treading into too many territories where I have strong opinions on.
Maybe if this was a retelling of a story I didn't know... in a style of comic that I didn't read daily... I wouldn't be so annoyed by it.
December 15, 2012
Alice in Wonderland is one of those stories that you can read over and over again, and still enjoy it each time. This edition is done by a very talented artist by the name of Rod Espinosa who re-imagins the very colorful world first created by Lewis Carroll.
The artwork was very beautiful to look at. The color choices were very well thought out, the brighter and lighter scenes had sky blue, a light green, and a good amount of white. While when Alice is exploring some of the darker parts of this strange wonderland our eyes get to rest upon cold grays, purples, blues, and greens. This then helps to change the mood of the story.
Although there are some very interesting page layouts, I would have liked there to have been less white space on the pages between the panels it was very distracting, and interrupted the reading process for myself.
Overall this graphic novel was very well put together, the characters were very fun to look at, there was never a dull moment, and it was a very easy follow. I would recommend this to anyone that likes to read different versions of Alice in Wonderland, and people that enjoy lighter graphic novels. This book will be available February 19, 2013.
The artwork was very beautiful to look at. The color choices were very well thought out, the brighter and lighter scenes had sky blue, a light green, and a good amount of white. While when Alice is exploring some of the darker parts of this strange wonderland our eyes get to rest upon cold grays, purples, blues, and greens. This then helps to change the mood of the story.
Although there are some very interesting page layouts, I would have liked there to have been less white space on the pages between the panels it was very distracting, and interrupted the reading process for myself.
Overall this graphic novel was very well put together, the characters were very fun to look at, there was never a dull moment, and it was a very easy follow. I would recommend this to anyone that likes to read different versions of Alice in Wonderland, and people that enjoy lighter graphic novels. This book will be available February 19, 2013.
April 17, 2013
Find this review and more at The AP Book Club
I am always interested in retellings or reincarnations of classic stories. I find it interesting how modern authors put their spin on older tales. This graphic novel is pretty much an exact retelling of the original Lews Carrol story. The artwork is colorful and fun, but if you are expecting something new this is not that. Espinosa does an excellent job of translating the book into a visual form. Many of the frames are similar to the Disney animated film, although Espinosa kept parts of the original story that were edited out of the Disney cartoon. The Duchess and her pig are present.
The art within the book is the same as the cover. The Mad Hatter looks creepily like Jay Leno. I liked Espinosa's take on the Queen of Hearts.
Overall, this is a comic book version of Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland. Don't expect it to be an interpretation in any way. I give this graphic novel a 3/5.
I am always interested in retellings or reincarnations of classic stories. I find it interesting how modern authors put their spin on older tales. This graphic novel is pretty much an exact retelling of the original Lews Carrol story. The artwork is colorful and fun, but if you are expecting something new this is not that. Espinosa does an excellent job of translating the book into a visual form. Many of the frames are similar to the Disney animated film, although Espinosa kept parts of the original story that were edited out of the Disney cartoon. The Duchess and her pig are present.
The art within the book is the same as the cover. The Mad Hatter looks creepily like Jay Leno. I liked Espinosa's take on the Queen of Hearts.
Overall, this is a comic book version of Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland. Don't expect it to be an interpretation in any way. I give this graphic novel a 3/5.
March 30, 2014
3.5 Stars
A cute adaptation of Alice in Wonderland that is more an amalgamation of the various popular versions than anything else, Rod Espinosa keeps to the original sense of the tale, while making it lighthearted enough for anyone to be able to enjoy. Some might say too lighthearted, but I'd like to think that possibly this version would open doors to readers unfamiliar with the Lewis Carroll original to give it a try.
With his art style firmly grounded in a manga esthetic, Espinosa gives his own twist on each of the characters. While this mostly works, some of them are a little off for me (such as the Mad Hatter being a clear caricature of Jay Leno - why?), while others are wildly original and unique (I love his Queen of Hearts!).
All around, a fun adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and one that I'm sure will appeal to younger audiences.
A cute adaptation of Alice in Wonderland that is more an amalgamation of the various popular versions than anything else, Rod Espinosa keeps to the original sense of the tale, while making it lighthearted enough for anyone to be able to enjoy. Some might say too lighthearted, but I'd like to think that possibly this version would open doors to readers unfamiliar with the Lewis Carroll original to give it a try.
With his art style firmly grounded in a manga esthetic, Espinosa gives his own twist on each of the characters. While this mostly works, some of them are a little off for me (such as the Mad Hatter being a clear caricature of Jay Leno - why?), while others are wildly original and unique (I love his Queen of Hearts!).
All around, a fun adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and one that I'm sure will appeal to younger audiences.
November 30, 2012
Background: The fun loving story of Alice in Wonderland adapted by Rod Espinosa into Graphic Novel form. With all the quarks of the original Lewis Carroll masterpiece, Espinosa does a wonderful job with the tale.
Review: This adaptation takes from both Lewis Carroll's written masterpiece and Disney's animated Alice in Wonderland, but is very similar to both, with only a few minor alteration. It was beautifully drawn and written to highlight the more entertaining parts of the original. Espinosa's rendition was fun to read and easy to follow. If you enjoy Alice in Wonderland, please grab this beautiful adaptation.
Review: This adaptation takes from both Lewis Carroll's written masterpiece and Disney's animated Alice in Wonderland, but is very similar to both, with only a few minor alteration. It was beautifully drawn and written to highlight the more entertaining parts of the original. Espinosa's rendition was fun to read and easy to follow. If you enjoy Alice in Wonderland, please grab this beautiful adaptation.
July 28, 2016
Initially my youngest didn't want me to read this, but I read some anyway. The next day he said no. Then he requested it. He sat on it and decided he did like the story. The artwork in here was fun, the boys thought it looked like Pokemon, yeah, very japanamation. I liked the interpretation and more importantly my kids did, too. I hope it will spark their interest and they will let me read the classic novel to them soon.
January 23, 2013
A somewhat charming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland but sadly excluding some of my more favorite bits. For the most part the art style is lovely and I found this to be an enjoyable read. However some of the characters seem to be cameo appearances. Jay Leno as the Mad Hatter, for instance. I swear I saw Dora the Explorer as well.
I did not hate this book.
I did not hate this book.
March 3, 2014
This is a graphic novel adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic tale. From what I remember of the original, this adaptation more closely resembles the Disney animated cartoon version than the original overall. It is a relatively quick read with colorful illustrations in a Japanese anime style. A nice pick for reluctant readers.
September 21, 2016
Gorgeous book, wonderful imagery. The only thing holding the book back is the source material, since Alice's story is itself sorta shallow. In spite of this, Espinosa did his best to draw out the more important moments and interpret the characters as vividly as imaginable. Happy to own my copy. = )
August 17, 2015
rated for graphics mostly, would have rated lower for the readership though; written in a very similar style to the Disney screen-play, not the original novel obviously (which I expected something more original from the writer as this is graphic comic type adaption.
May 21, 2012
My six year old loved it and I liked it well enough, too. The drawings are nice, the story classic, and given that my child has read it five times now, I'm rather pleased with the purchase.
August 5, 2014
This is a well-done, quick re-telling of the classic chaotic favorite. The illustrations are mange-influenced and will appeal to a wide-variety of ages as well as both boys and girl.
July 24, 2015
This graphic adaptation of Alice in Wonderland has wonderful art and does a nice job of condensing the story.
July 25, 2018
Fun! LOVE the illustrations very much and how well it follows the story. A great interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic. One to definitely add to my personal collection.
June 12, 2016
This was a cute manga to read! When I saw it I knew I had to read it! It's Alice in wonderland and I couldn't refuse it! The illustrations were cute! I enjoyed it very much!
October 13, 2016
Cute adaptation and mixes the storytelling from both the book and Disney's adaptation. There are jumps in the story without proper transitions so it's best you know the story before reading this.
June 21, 2021
Hmm. I would say I enjoyed this, yes, but it didn't really strike me as anything too memorable. I read a lot of Alice adaptations and retellings, because the base story is one of my favorites - so there has to be something in it, either a twist in the tale or a particularly lovely art style or maybe some added humor/depth that strikes a chord, that makes me feel like it was worth it.
I just didn't feel like this one really brought anything to the table for me. The story was very cut-and-paste Alice - all of the best lines and moments are here, practically word-for-word, though everything seems a little rushed and chaotic at times (did I just say that about an Alice adaptation? Goodness.). Some other reviewers mentioned the lack of Tweedle Dee/Dum and the snooty flowers, but those are both from the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, and NOT the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland story. Disney just threw them into their adaptation and generations since have expected them to be present in every proper Alice re-telling. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with re-tellings of the classic Disney film, but a proper adaptation of Carroll's first Alice story shouldn't have them!
All things considered, I DID enjoy the story. I didn't feel it really added anything to my enjoyment of the original story, but it didn't detract anything and it held my interest and kept me amused. There's nothing wrong with it at all. It's quite nice.
And so is the art. I wouldn't say it's amazing... It's rather standard manga-inspired artwork, but it's clean and colorful and it gets the job done. The character designs are all pretty standard, as well. The Queen of Hearts is one of the only character designs here that seems particularly original - the rest are all the same styles based off of Tenniel's artwork and Disney's film. I do think the Queen's design portrays her looming tyranny and madness pretty well, though having one original character amongst a cast of retreads is a little unusual. Also unusual is the artist's choice of casting Jay Leno as the Mad Hatter. I mean, look at him. Look at that chin. Can it BE anyone else??
So ultimately... The story is good; the art is good. Not great, not amazing, maybe not even particularly memorable... but it's all good. If this is the Alice your child grows up on, they will love it forever and insist it's the best of the bunch for it's simplicity and universal appeal. If it's their fiftieth rendition of the tale when they're well into adulthood, they're likely to find it "just okay" and not be too impressed by it, as I am. C'est la vie.
I just didn't feel like this one really brought anything to the table for me. The story was very cut-and-paste Alice - all of the best lines and moments are here, practically word-for-word, though everything seems a little rushed and chaotic at times (did I just say that about an Alice adaptation? Goodness.). Some other reviewers mentioned the lack of Tweedle Dee/Dum and the snooty flowers, but those are both from the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, and NOT the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland story. Disney just threw them into their adaptation and generations since have expected them to be present in every proper Alice re-telling. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with re-tellings of the classic Disney film, but a proper adaptation of Carroll's first Alice story shouldn't have them!
All things considered, I DID enjoy the story. I didn't feel it really added anything to my enjoyment of the original story, but it didn't detract anything and it held my interest and kept me amused. There's nothing wrong with it at all. It's quite nice.
And so is the art. I wouldn't say it's amazing... It's rather standard manga-inspired artwork, but it's clean and colorful and it gets the job done. The character designs are all pretty standard, as well. The Queen of Hearts is one of the only character designs here that seems particularly original - the rest are all the same styles based off of Tenniel's artwork and Disney's film. I do think the Queen's design portrays her looming tyranny and madness pretty well, though having one original character amongst a cast of retreads is a little unusual. Also unusual is the artist's choice of casting Jay Leno as the Mad Hatter. I mean, look at him. Look at that chin. Can it BE anyone else??
So ultimately... The story is good; the art is good. Not great, not amazing, maybe not even particularly memorable... but it's all good. If this is the Alice your child grows up on, they will love it forever and insist it's the best of the bunch for it's simplicity and universal appeal. If it's their fiftieth rendition of the tale when they're well into adulthood, they're likely to find it "just okay" and not be too impressed by it, as I am. C'est la vie.
September 27, 2019
Maybe I’m just not the biggest fan of Alice in Wonderland. It feels kind of trippy, but I guess it is a dream. I gave it two stars because I did enjoy the illustrations and the personal interpretations Rod Espinosa put into this book.
April 24, 2023
A fun retelling of a classic. Not as dear to me as the original, but still enjoyable and entertaining
July 21, 2024
I loved the art. The adaptation summarizes the story well.
December 30, 2012
One flip through this adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale will demonstrate Espinosa’s love of stories. He highlights the essential parts of the story, while staying true to the spirit of the novel. The images will surely be appealing to anyone who enjoys graphic novels as they demonstrate identifiable influences of Japanese manga and Disney cartoons. This is a great way to introduce the younger crowd to this timeless tale—and to graphic novels in general—as the vocabulary is not too difficult and the charming images really help deliver the wonders of Carroll’s story.
Story & Pacing: 9
The beauty of graphic novels, aside from the pictures, is that the story moves very quickly, and this is true of Espinosa’s retelling. The plot remains faithful to Carroll’s original, and the dialogue between the characters captures their personalities very well.
Characters: 9
The characters are nicely drawn, in general. I did find that the white rabbit’s eyes were a little scary as they were devoid of pupils! This is true of a couple of other characters, as well. Aside from this, Espinosa keeps the characters as Carroll wrote them, and they are a charming bunch.
Setting: 8
The setting fluctuates between Alice’s “real” world and her dream world down the rabbit hole. Espinosa draws with excellent attention to details (especially the tea party scene), which makes it very easy to get lost in the story! For fans of the original, it will be nice to see Espinosa’s take on Carroll’s narrative descriptions.
Style & Writing: 8
Espinosa stays true to the spirit of Carroll’s story. The dialogue is easy to understand as vocabulary and sentence structure are simple. He does make changes in terms of characters’ (especially Alice’s) idiomatic expressions, which very often parallel manga dialogue. Interjections, in particular, are much more modern than one would expect of a Carroll tale, but this probably enhances its appeal to today’s readers.
Learnability & Teachability: 8
This is a good book to introduce younger readers to graphic novels as well as to classics without requiring them to read the full original novel. The pictures help deliver the story, capturing and holding the attention of the readers.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Adaptations from novels to graphic novels; transforming classics to make them more appealing to modern readers; capturing the voice of an author and the spirit of a story; identifying the important parts of a story to retain, the parts to translate into images, and the parts to obliterate; providing clues about a character and setting through images and without words; furthering a plot using images; creating storyboards; telling a story without words.
Story & Pacing: 9
The beauty of graphic novels, aside from the pictures, is that the story moves very quickly, and this is true of Espinosa’s retelling. The plot remains faithful to Carroll’s original, and the dialogue between the characters captures their personalities very well.
Characters: 9
The characters are nicely drawn, in general. I did find that the white rabbit’s eyes were a little scary as they were devoid of pupils! This is true of a couple of other characters, as well. Aside from this, Espinosa keeps the characters as Carroll wrote them, and they are a charming bunch.
Setting: 8
The setting fluctuates between Alice’s “real” world and her dream world down the rabbit hole. Espinosa draws with excellent attention to details (especially the tea party scene), which makes it very easy to get lost in the story! For fans of the original, it will be nice to see Espinosa’s take on Carroll’s narrative descriptions.
Style & Writing: 8
Espinosa stays true to the spirit of Carroll’s story. The dialogue is easy to understand as vocabulary and sentence structure are simple. He does make changes in terms of characters’ (especially Alice’s) idiomatic expressions, which very often parallel manga dialogue. Interjections, in particular, are much more modern than one would expect of a Carroll tale, but this probably enhances its appeal to today’s readers.
Learnability & Teachability: 8
This is a good book to introduce younger readers to graphic novels as well as to classics without requiring them to read the full original novel. The pictures help deliver the story, capturing and holding the attention of the readers.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Adaptations from novels to graphic novels; transforming classics to make them more appealing to modern readers; capturing the voice of an author and the spirit of a story; identifying the important parts of a story to retain, the parts to translate into images, and the parts to obliterate; providing clues about a character and setting through images and without words; furthering a plot using images; creating storyboards; telling a story without words.
June 29, 2016
Nice art overall. The first volume is light at only 34 pages, but enjoyable enough for me to read more installments in the series.
August 13, 2020
An interesting graphic novel of Alice in Wonderland. The caterpillar was a bit scary and the mad hatter looks like Jay Leno.
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