21 August 2013

Book Review---Fairy Tale Comics

Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists
Ed. Chris Duffy
FirstSecond
September 2013

I'm sure that you're thinking with so many different fairy tale books out there, why the heck do we need yet another one? Surely there can't be space for this one? But you'd be wrong. FirstSecond has hit the mark with this book that's sure to be an instant classic, much like their 2011 book of Nursery Rhyme comics.

FirstSecond has gathered together 17 of the best artists in the world to put their own unique twists on these classic tales. And these aren't all tales that you've heard of. Sure there's Snow White and Rapunzel, but have you read "The Boy Who Drew Cats" from Japan before? Or "The Prince and The Tortoise" from 1001 nights? I'm betting that there's at least one new tale in this book for everyone. One thing to note is that the artists have toned down some of the original horror and frightening elements that some readers might be familiar with from the original Brother Grimm tales. So if you're familiar with the originals you might find this disappointing, but you might want to keep in mind that this is an all ages book. I however, still found the stories to be quite enjoyable.

The talent in this book include Jamie Hernandez, David Mazzucchelli, Craig Thompson, Raina Telgemeir, and more. Each artists takes the text of a classic fairy tale and adds their own unique spin to it. My favorite has to be Raina's take on "Rapunzel." In Raina's version the story begins with Rapunzel's mother being pregnant and getting cravings for...the Rapunzel planet. Even though her husband has brought her cornichons, stinky cheese, and marshmallow fluff. It's just such a great little twist to the tale. And the art styles in this book are fantastic! Such a wide range of mediums ranging from computer drawn to charcoal to pastels, each works well with the story chosen.

Each story has something for everyone with the artists bringing their own unique talents and styles to these tales. All of them are absolutely fantastic. This is the perfect book for any age and is sure to put a smile on everyone's face. I highly recommend this book as a great addition to any shelf. 4 out 5 stars

ARC provided by Gina at FirstSecond 

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