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Graphic Classics #6
Graphic Classics Volume 6: Ambrose Bierce
This volume is the sixth in a series of books which present great literature in comics and heavily illustrated formats, by some of the best artists working today in the fields of comics, book illustration, and fine arts. The book includes war stories, horror, satire, and comedy. Featured are "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," "The Devil's Dictionary," and "Bierce's Fables."
Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
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58 people want to read
About the author
Ambrose Bierce
2,389 books1,297 followersdied perhaps 1914
Caustic wit and a strong sense of horror mark works, including In the Midst of Life (1891-1892) and The Devil's Dictionary (1906), of American writer Ambrose Gwinett Bierce.
People today best know this editorialist, journalist, and fabulist for his short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and his lexicon.
The informative sardonic view of human nature alongside his vehemence as a critic with his motto, "nothing matters," earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."
People knew Bierce despite his reputation as a searing critic, however, to encourage younger poet George Sterling and fiction author W.C. Morrow.
Bierce employed a distinctive style especially in his stories. This style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, the theme of war, and impossible events.
Bierce disappeared in December 1913 at the age of 71 years. People think that he traveled to Mexico to gain a firsthand perspective on ongoing revolution of that country.
Theories abound on a mystery, ultimate fate of Bierce. He in one of his final letters stated: "Good-bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico--ah, that is euthanasia!"
Caustic wit and a strong sense of horror mark works, including In the Midst of Life (1891-1892) and The Devil's Dictionary (1906), of American writer Ambrose Gwinett Bierce.
People today best know this editorialist, journalist, and fabulist for his short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and his lexicon.
The informative sardonic view of human nature alongside his vehemence as a critic with his motto, "nothing matters," earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."
People knew Bierce despite his reputation as a searing critic, however, to encourage younger poet George Sterling and fiction author W.C. Morrow.
Bierce employed a distinctive style especially in his stories. This style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, the theme of war, and impossible events.
Bierce disappeared in December 1913 at the age of 71 years. People think that he traveled to Mexico to gain a firsthand perspective on ongoing revolution of that country.
Theories abound on a mystery, ultimate fate of Bierce. He in one of his final letters stated: "Good-bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico--ah, that is euthanasia!"
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 25, 2025
I've been hot and cold on the Ambrose Bierce short stories I've read. My reaction to this collection of comics adaptations of his work is consistent with that. In fact, I was mostly negative on it. He's a bitter and cynical writer, which is usually not to my taste.
But every once in a while he creates something that I connect to like "The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter". It's a short story that I've read and loved for its ghastly warning about justifying selfish, prideful activity in the name of trying to help someone. And especially about doing that in the name of religion and getting one's own will confused with God's. The inclusion of that story in this volume (moodily adapted by Antonella Caputo and Carlo Vergara) makes this a volume worth holding onto.
But every once in a while he creates something that I connect to like "The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter". It's a short story that I've read and loved for its ghastly warning about justifying selfish, prideful activity in the name of trying to help someone. And especially about doing that in the name of religion and getting one's own will confused with God's. The inclusion of that story in this volume (moodily adapted by Antonella Caputo and Carlo Vergara) makes this a volume worth holding onto.
May 12, 2012
ALIBI.COM
Review by Kane S. Latranz
In his introduction, S.T. Joshi points out that Ambrose Bierce, "was censured, even in his own lifetime, as a cynic or misanthrope."
Bierce's life is encapsulated in a two-page cartoon written by Mort Castle with the illustrations of Dan E. Burr. Taking sort of a *Mad Magazine* approach to the events, the strip depicts what undoubtedly contributed to much of Bierce's bitterness; his stint as a Union soldier for nearly the entire duration of The Civil War, in which he survived no less than a gunshot wound to the head.
The strip concludes with the fact that the satirist eventually set off on horseback for Mexico never to be heard from again, leading to such sensationalistic theories about his ultimate fate as alien abduction.
John Coulthart provides an amazing comic book adaptation of what may be Bierce's most famous subtly supernatural drama, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." Coulthart's photo-like illustrations seem to have been rendered on a computer. The artist does incredible things with lighting and shadow, angle, and perspective, to great dramatic, and very cinematic, effect.
An incomplete homage to another infamous Bierce creation is "The Devil's Dictionary". "Dance: To leap about to the sound of tittering music, preferably with your arms about your neighbor's wife or daughter." And, of course, "Distance: The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs, and keep." There are many, peppered with original cartoons in the same spirit by Leslie Murray. They are, if certainly cynical, as habit-forming as peanuts.
The complex familial lunacy of Bierce's "An Imperfect Conflagration," is nicely adapted into comic book form, and illustrated, by Rick Geary. "Conflagration" begins with the line "Early one June morning in 1872, I murdered my father--an act which made a deep impression on me at the time."
"The Stranger" is a ghost tale told by a mysterious wanderer who approaches a high plains campfire in the dead of night in the old west, nicely dramatized through the pen and ink drawings of Mark A. Nelson. There's also an ironic yarn about body thieves in a graveyard, "One Summer Night," very stylishly depicted, underground comic-style, by Francesca Ghermandi, while a one-page bit, "The Conservative Employer," takes a crack at power moguls, an old story of haves and have-nots, its timeless core demonstrated by the fact that illustrator, Mike Konopacki, has drawn it in a contemporary setting, (Including one character who looks remarkably like George W. Bush.), without missing a beat.
I don't care for cynics, generally, but getting back to S.T. Joshi's informative introduction, we learn that H.L. Mencken posthumously categorized Bierce as "one of the most idealistic men that his generation produced in America." Add this to what is borne out in his work, and it becomes clear that if he was disgusted with Homo Sapiens, it was disgust born of the realization of what human beings could, and should be, as opposed to what they so often allow themselves to stoop to. (Ya bastids!)
Review by Kane S. Latranz
In his introduction, S.T. Joshi points out that Ambrose Bierce, "was censured, even in his own lifetime, as a cynic or misanthrope."
Bierce's life is encapsulated in a two-page cartoon written by Mort Castle with the illustrations of Dan E. Burr. Taking sort of a *Mad Magazine* approach to the events, the strip depicts what undoubtedly contributed to much of Bierce's bitterness; his stint as a Union soldier for nearly the entire duration of The Civil War, in which he survived no less than a gunshot wound to the head.
The strip concludes with the fact that the satirist eventually set off on horseback for Mexico never to be heard from again, leading to such sensationalistic theories about his ultimate fate as alien abduction.
John Coulthart provides an amazing comic book adaptation of what may be Bierce's most famous subtly supernatural drama, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." Coulthart's photo-like illustrations seem to have been rendered on a computer. The artist does incredible things with lighting and shadow, angle, and perspective, to great dramatic, and very cinematic, effect.
An incomplete homage to another infamous Bierce creation is "The Devil's Dictionary". "Dance: To leap about to the sound of tittering music, preferably with your arms about your neighbor's wife or daughter." And, of course, "Distance: The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs, and keep." There are many, peppered with original cartoons in the same spirit by Leslie Murray. They are, if certainly cynical, as habit-forming as peanuts.
The complex familial lunacy of Bierce's "An Imperfect Conflagration," is nicely adapted into comic book form, and illustrated, by Rick Geary. "Conflagration" begins with the line "Early one June morning in 1872, I murdered my father--an act which made a deep impression on me at the time."
"The Stranger" is a ghost tale told by a mysterious wanderer who approaches a high plains campfire in the dead of night in the old west, nicely dramatized through the pen and ink drawings of Mark A. Nelson. There's also an ironic yarn about body thieves in a graveyard, "One Summer Night," very stylishly depicted, underground comic-style, by Francesca Ghermandi, while a one-page bit, "The Conservative Employer," takes a crack at power moguls, an old story of haves and have-nots, its timeless core demonstrated by the fact that illustrator, Mike Konopacki, has drawn it in a contemporary setting, (Including one character who looks remarkably like George W. Bush.), without missing a beat.
I don't care for cynics, generally, but getting back to S.T. Joshi's informative introduction, we learn that H.L. Mencken posthumously categorized Bierce as "one of the most idealistic men that his generation produced in America." Add this to what is borne out in his work, and it becomes clear that if he was disgusted with Homo Sapiens, it was disgust born of the realization of what human beings could, and should be, as opposed to what they so often allow themselves to stoop to. (Ya bastids!)
December 31, 2013
I had never heard of Bierce until I saw his name in the list of titles in this series. Since then I've come across a couple of his short stories in various collections and his macabre and dark humour stories interest me. I found this a good collection of stories from a wide variety of genres across which Bierce has written. The b/w artwork is comparable to other books in this series, especially the early volumes. I loved Rick Geary's contribution. My review is of the first edition; there is now a newer second edition with revisions which I haven't seen. If this book were to be revised again it would be a good candidate for adding colour. I love the b/w art in this series so it something for me to say this, but Bierce's stories seem to cry out to be represented in colour.
June 23, 2014
I will forever be grateful to Gang Control for using a hilarious soundclip that led me to From Dusk Till Dawn 3, which in turn introduced me to Ambrose Bierce. I very, very highly recommend searching out his works and reading everything you can.
The stories themselves earn a hearty 5 stars from me, the artwork a 3.
The stories themselves earn a hearty 5 stars from me, the artwork a 3.
November 6, 2016
Ambrose Bierce is just a little bit off.
He makes Edgar Allen Poe seem positively normal.
Sometimes funny, always cynical, these stories were a bit hit and miss.
But they were interesting!
If messed up.
He makes Edgar Allen Poe seem positively normal.
Sometimes funny, always cynical, these stories were a bit hit and miss.
But they were interesting!
If messed up.
August 16, 2008
A good way to introduce reluctant readers to the already-short works of Ambrose Bierce.
May 2, 2011
This is a comic collection of the author's strange little fables, ironic stories, horror, and so forth.
August 28, 2013
Very well done interpretation of some Ambrose Bierce stories. I enjoyed them, but I still think the book forms are creepier.
July 1, 2015
Good collection of stories and pictures. Only skipped a handful stories.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews