Richard Matheson's I Am Legend adapted by Steve Niles and illustrated by Elman Brown (1991)
Matheson's I Am Legend certainly is not a Forgotten Book. It has gone through many printings and three movies (or two movies and one atrocity or one movie and two atrocities, depending on your point of view) since its original release as a Gold Medal paperback in 1954. Like much of Matheson's work, it has imbedded itself into the American consciousness. The simple tale of Robert Neville, the last man in a world of vampires, and his struggle to survive. It's been over fifty years since I read the novel but much of it remains in my mind.
Anyway, my Forgotten Book for this Friday is the graphic novel version of I Am Legend. Unlike many graphic novel adaptations, this one is a full-blown ambitious work with 240 pages of tightly written prose and intricate art. Both Niles and Brown capture the claustrophobic nature of the story perfectly. Brown's artwork and intricate cross-hatching emphasizes the dark greyness of Neville's world. Niles' script reads like a novel in itself. Together they have achieved an almost prefect complement to Matheson's book.
Graphic novel fans and Matheson fans shouldn't miss this one!
I AM LEGEND is one of my favorite Richard Matheson stories. I'll have to track down this graphic novel version. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteNeat. I've read the novel three times. I'd like to get a look at the graphic novel version.
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