Comic Critique Saturday :: Pride and Prejudice
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
We all know the story, In a remote Hertfordshire village, far off the good coach roads of George III’s England, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet — a country squire of no great means and his scatterbrained wife — must marry off their five vivacious daughters. At the heart of this all-consuming enterprise are the headstrong second daughter Elizabeth and her aristocratic suitor Fitzwilliam Darcy, two lovers in whom pride and prejudice must be overcome before love can bring the novel to its magnificent conclusion.
Pride and Prejudice was First published on 28 January 1813 by Jane Austen. It was Austen’s second published novel. Its manuscript was initially written between 1796 and 1797 called First Impressions, it was never published under that title, and in following revisions it was retitled Pride and Prejudice.
Remakes Run Ramped
It is such a good book that it has been remade time and time again. It has been made into films, television series, Bollywood edition, with Zombies and now a Comic and Graphic Novel versions.
- Pride and Prejudice (2003) Film
- Pride and Prejudice (1938) TV
- Pride and Prejudice (1940) Film
- Pride and Prejudice” (1952) TV mini-series
- Pride and Prejudice” (1958) TV series
- Pride and Prejudice” (1967) TV series
- Pride and Prejudice” (1980) TV mini-series
- Pride and Prejudice” (1995) TV mini-series
- Bride & Prejudice (2004) Bollywood Film
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) Film
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2011) Film – Graphic Novel Adaptation
Now it is not a Neil Gaiman dark & dreary adaptation nor a Manga conversion of the Classic “Pride and Preduice” (I wish). This Marvel comic book is created by Two-time Rita Award-Winner Nancy Butler, with pencils by Hugo Petrus as they stay faithful in adapting Pride and Prejudice into a comic book.
“This project has been like a dream come true for me as a writer and as a former graphic designerâ”not only am I adapting a book I love, I am doing it in the one forum, comics, where words and pictures carry equal weight,” remarked Nancy Butler.
Cover Makes the Grab
COVER BY: Karl Kerschl
The cover the cover is “Blush Magazine” (Just Shoot Me) in comic form. It is a real treat to see a cover that not only using the tongue in cheek of comic book fun but it modernizes the storyline into tabloidese style. Fun, entertaining and one that deserves a second look.
Who is Mr. Darcy? Got to read to find out!
The use of tabloidese headlines is fun. The ever changing sans font weight, height, and layout makes this stand out. It belongs on the magazine rack next to Oprah, Cosmo and National Inquirer.
Story Stays the Same
WRITER: Nancy Hajeski
Pride and Prejudice in comic book form will open this up to readers who would have passed the book – avoiding the classic shelf in stores and library.
“I’ve tried to keep the flavor and sly humor of the story, and modernized the language only for better understanding,” explains Butler. “Wherever space allowed, I’ve used Jane Austen’s own words. This is your grandmother’s Pride and Prejudice, and your mother’s and your own.”
Innocence Gone to Soft Porn
PENCILS: Hugo Petrus
The only problem Marvel’s Pride and Prejudice is the drawing of the daughters of the Bennet’s, it doesn’t match their literary description:
- Jane – The oldest at 22 yrs old is “Considered the prettiest of the five Bennet daughters”.
- Elizabeth - Her family calls her “Lizzy” and is described by her Mother, “”is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia”.
- Mary – “The only plain one in the family”
- Lydia – Is described as “a flirt in the worst and meanest degree of flirtation… — Vain, ignorant, idle, and absolutely uncontrolled!”.
- Kitty – Is described as being less headstrong in contract to Lydia, and marries a Pastor.
Did I miss something? Or is this looking too much like a print commercial of 1-900 lonely sex number? Did Petrus read the book? It seems that he spends too much time watching porn. Or maybe he doesn’t understand the look of innocence, especailly in the late 1700′s.
Here are the television/film photos of the Bennet girls:
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The drawings of the Bennet girls look too much like they are ready to pose in front of Mustangs for the “Hot Rod Magazine”
Bottom Line
Get it if you are fan of Pride and Prejudice. It is a wonderful adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. It opens the world of comic books to those who would have never stepped foot in a comic book store. Can you imagine your mom or grandmother reading comic books? That would be awesome.
The story is being told over 5 comic books and there is talk of converting into graphic novel. Either way keep the classics coming. I would love to see more like this . . . except the please make the women of the 1700′s 1800′s or 1900′s look less like “Girls Gone Wild”
Get ‘em Here
Pride and Prejudice #1 $3.99 |
 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies $11.95 320 Pages |