Graphic Novel Adaptations of Classical Literature

Definition

The terms “graphic story” and “graphic novel” were first used by American comics critic and magazine publisher Richard Kyle to describe the growing number of stories that included narrative artwork. Such publications offered an alternative to comic books printed on poor-quality paper and with limited storylines. The Gilberton Company published the Classic Comics series, later known as Classics Illustrated, in graphic novel format to introduce school-age children to classic literature.

Introduction

Between 1941 and 1971, the Gilberton Company coupled narrative artwork with classic literature in the series Classic Comics, later renamed Classics Illustrated. The founder of the company, Albert Lewis Kanter, designed the series to expose school-age children to literary classics such as Alexandre Dumas’s Les Trois Mousquetaires (1844; The Three Musketeers, 1846) and Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick (1851). To provide faithful adaptations of the original works, each issue averaged sixty pages, a substantial increase over the average comic book size. Many of the classics selected for publication were action-oriented to appeal to the series’ young audience. The publications were purchased primarily by parents hoping to provide a literary base for their children.

Because of the series’ content, Classics Illustrated issues were exempt from the Comics Code Authority (CCA) regulations. This regulatory commission oversaw the appropriateness of content in comic books. This was partly because Kanter refused to declare that the series needed monitoring. In addition to this uncommon exemption, Gilberton was ahead of its time in the publishing field in that its staff included a Black American scriptwriter and artist as well as female artists and scriptwriters.

One criticism of the series was that students used the abbreviated scripts as substitutes for reading the literary works. Additionally, the series received criticism for subpar artwork, particularly in the earliest issues. In the late 1940s, Gilberton hired artist Jerry Iger and his comics studio, which employed well-known artists such as Robert Webb and Matt Baker to provide the drawings. The affiliation with these artists ended in the mid-1950s, at which time Kanter sought freelance workers.

In 1962, Kanter’s son, William, supervised the publication of thirteen new issues of Classics Illustrated in England, but none of these titles was issued in the United States. Ultimately, the series was overtaken by technological advancements and the rise of young adult paperback classics. However, by the release of the final issue, the titles were published in twenty-six languages and thirty-six countries. The series also inspired many spin-off publications, including Classics Illustrated Junior, Picture Progress, Classics Illustrated Special Issues, and The World Around Us—Classics Illustrated.

In 1989, First Comics, Berkley Books, and Classics Media Group published a new Classics Illustrated series in trade paperback. These publications included adaptations of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations (1860-1861), Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (1850), and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883). Contributors to the artwork in this series included Bill Sienkiewicz, Kyle Baker, Dan Spiegle, Rick Geary, and Gahan Wilson. The series ended in 1991. In Canada, Jack Lake Productions revived Classics Illustrated Junior briefly in 2003. They published new editions of some titles, although the selection was limited.

Albert Kanter: Creator of Classic Comics/Classics Illustrated

Kanter was the eldest son of a family that fled from Russia to Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1904. When his father became ill in 1913, Kanter quit high school to help support his family by working as a door-to-door salesperson. Kanter moved around frequently to improve his life. While in Savannah, Georgia, he married Rose Ehrenrich, with whom he had three children, Henry, William, and Saralea.

Because of the Great Depression, Kanter and his family moved to New York, where he worked as a publisher’s representative for Colonial Press and, subsequently, Elliott Publishing Company. While there, he worked selling remaindered comic books in bulk lots. Combining his growing admiration for comics with his ever-present love of literature, Kanter formulated the idea of introducing classic literary works to young audiences through comic books.

Meyer Levy, an acquaintance of Kanter’s friend Raymond Haas, partnered with Kanter on the Classic Comics/Classics Illustrated endeavor. They contracted the Jacquet Shop to illustrate the first issues of the series, published between 1941 and 1944. The first issue, published in October 1941, was an adaptation of The Three Musketeers. The 250,000-copy print run cost $8,000 to produce.

The Jacquet Shop

The Jacquet Shop, led by Lloyd Jacquet of Funnies, Inc., was the team of artists that illustrated the earliest issues of Classic Comics. These initial issues are generally considered to have the most inferior artwork in the series, partly because Gilberton could not pay the premium fees needed to contract first-rate illustrators.

Malcolm Kildale, a member of the Jacquet Shop, adapted and illustrated the first issue of the series. Although considered competent in his field, his illustrations lacked the sophistication and polish needed for critics to look favorably on his work. Kildale’s general technique was criticized, but he was credited with energetic character drawings, each contributing to a successful narration. The villains were appropriately portrayed, and the comic held true to the spirit of the original work. This was a significant accomplishment, as many subsequent comics did not accurately reflect the original works.

Kildale was also the art director and editor of the second comic, the adaptation of Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe (1819), which was published in December 1941. Although Kildale was credited with the cover artwork, Edd Ashe and Ray Ramsey drew the panels. This comic was criticized for its lack of detail in the panel backgrounds and for its lack of strong character personalities. The original plotline, however, was generally adhered to, and the battle scenes were a strong point.

The third comic, Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, 1844-1846; English translation, 1846), was published in March 1942 and is generally considered to be the worst of the first three titles. In particular, the adapted script was a mass of scattered subplots that did not adhere to the storyline of the original text. The illustrations were considered weak, though the cover art created by Ramsey was deemed enthralling.

Ramsey contributed to the fourth comic, an adaptation of James Fennimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans (1826), published in August 1942. This comic's character depictions and cover art were considered better than those of the previous books. This adaptation was the last in the series with artwork created by the Jacquet Shop.

Other Artists

Twenty-two issues of the Classic Comics/Classics Illustrated series were produced in the first three years of the series’ run. Critics view these issues as subpar in comparison to comic book industry standards and the subsequent issues in the series. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, artists such as Jack Kirby, Reed Crandall, George Evans, Joe Orlando, and Al Williamson provided higher-quality artwork that improved the series' reputation.

Louis Zansky, whose use of fluid lines and expansiveness greatly improved the series’ art, began contributing to the series with the fifth issue, the adaptation of Moby-Dick (1851); he also adapted the novel for this comic. Zansky’s use of heavy brush strokes in his artwork for some of the Sherlock Holmes comics lends the issues a more whimsical style, and his contribution to the adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote (Don Quixote de la Mancha, 1605, 1615; English translation, 1612-1620) displays an impressionistic flair that confirms his ability to portray different artistic styles. Zansky worked for Gilberton Company until 1944 but continued to contribute to comics later in the series.

Another notable artistic contributor was Stanley Maxwell Zuckerberg, who used heavily accented foregrounds and characters in his panels. Zuckerberg’s wife, Lillian Chestney, was also an artist for Gilberton. Her artwork displayed an ornate style that included twinkling stars and bejeweled clothing, offering a childlike quality to the comics. Many other notable artists contributed to the Classic Comics/Classics Illustrated series, including Jack Hearne, Rudy Palais, and Norman Nodel.

Impact

For decades, comics were widely known for their violence and sexual content. In 1948, Time magazine reported that juvenile comic book readers copied the crimes they were reading about in print. In a series of hearings, the US government attempted to determine if comic books contributed to the delinquency of minors. Although no action was taken due to the case, the CCA was created to monitor the appropriateness of comics.

Kanter did not want to work under CCA scrutiny and maintained that his company’s literary comics did not need such inspection. Classics Illustrated was criticized for its violent cover art for the adaptations of Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) and Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre-Dame de Paris, 1831; English translation, 1833); however, Kanter’s series demonstrated comic books could have educational value. By providing children with the basic storylines of classics, the comics encouraged their appreciation for the stories to grow, allowing them to foster a love of literature.

In the twenty-first century, comic books and graphic novel versions of classic literature continue to be produced. Classical Comic, a company based in the United Kingdom, produced a catalog of comic book adaptations of classical literature, including the works of Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare. Other authors have reimagined Greek myths, medieval stories, and cultural folk tales in graphic novel format. 

Bibliography

"Graphic Novels 2024." Classical Comics, 2024, www.classicalcomics.com/collections/graphic-novels. Accessed 25 July 2024.

Gravett, Paul. Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know. New York: HarperCollins, 2005.

Jones, William B. Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, with Illustrations. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2002.

Parker, Thayer Preece. “10 Exciting New Graphic Novels From 2024 (So Far).” CBR, 6 June 2024, www.cbr.com/best-new-graphic-novels-2024. Accessed 25 July 2024.

Sabin, Roger. Comics, Comix, and Graphic Novels: A History of Comic Art. New York: Phaidon, 1996.