5 Graphic Novels Based on Literary Classics
5 Graphic Novels Based on Literary Classics
Paul Register
Educational speaker and librarian of 25 years
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Last week, my daughters went to the cinema to see the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights. You know the one. It stars those two Australian actors who are too old (allegedly) to be playing Cathy and Heathcliff, can’t do the Yorkshire accents well (allegedly), and where the director has taken the deliberate choice to use quotation marks in the film’s title so people know it’s not actually a strict adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel but just an adaptation of the filmmaker’s reaction to it when she first read it as a teenager. Anyway, both my daughters said it was rubbish (that’s just their opinion, though, and if you’ve seen the movie and enjoyed it, that’s fine too – your opinion is just as valid as theirs). BUT…do not despair of adaptations of literary classics!
The world of graphic novels publishing has been successfully adapting the classics of English literature (and other cultures) for decades. See below for five of my top picks that will enhance your school library collections.
Wuthering Heights by Sean M. Wilson & John M. Burns
(Classical Comics) ISBN 978-1906332877
Let’s start with the obvious choice! The original Emily Brontë novel is a favourite book of mine, and this adaptation does a wonderful job of staying true to the plot, to the historical setting, and to the general feel of the original. It also looks incredible as every page is beautifully hand painted by John M. Burns, a British artist who died a few years ago but was much loved and respected in the UK comics scene. The ISBN above is for the Original Text version, but Classical Comics also produce a Quick Text version for people who want to experience the story without necessarily wanting Brontë’s 19th-century Yorkshire dialogue. The artwork remains the same in both versions.
King Lear by Richard Appignanesi & ILYA
(SelfMadeHero) ISBN 978-0955816970
Part of SelfMadeHero’s much-loved and enduring Manga Shakespeare line (that was first published between 2007 and 2009, has been reprinted several times, and can still be found in prominent bookshops across the UK today, and even in the gift shops of the Royal Shakespeare Company), King Lear remains my personal favourite.
This might well be down to the bold choices taken in its adaptation by artist ILYA. As discussed above, some adaptations of classics need to make a lot of effort to stay true to the source material. The interpretation of Shakespeare’s plays, however, has had a lot more leeway for many years now. As such, this manga version of King Lear relocates the story and the historical setting into the colonial frontiers of 18th-century America. Lear still has his three daughters, still decides to separate his land/kingdom between them, but is a Native American chieftain here. The tragic themes remain the same despite the lack of the traditional medieval monarchy backdrop. The Manga Shakespeare series also includes the plays that are more often studied in secondary schools, such as Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Macbeth. Check out the SelfMadeHero website.
(It should also be noted that, as these manga books were created and published in the UK, the traditional European/Western reading style of left-to-right applies).
The Hobbit by Charles Dixon & David Wenzel
(Harper Collins) ISBN 978-0008694401
This abridged graphic novel version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s prelude to The Lord of the Rings was originally published in 1990 and has been a bestseller ever since. This ISBN is for the recently Revised and Expanded edition that was released in September last year. The Hobbit graphic novel is considerably more book-accurate than the spread-too-thin trilogy of blockbuster movies that came out in 2012, 2013, and 2014. And, as with the Wuthering Heights graphic novel, every page is lovingly hand painted to create a work that cares about Tolkien and cares about its readership.
Lord of the Flies by Aimée de Jongh
(Faber & Faber) ISBN 978-0571374250
The outright winner of the 2025 Excelsior Award. What does this mean? It means that it was chosen by the schoolchildren of the UK (and beyond) as the best book on the short lists last year and was more popular than graphic novels featuring Superman, Spider-Man, Deadpool, and the Avengers. Not a bad accomplishment for an (admittedly extremely beautiful and well-presented hardback) adaptation of a novel of survival, forgotten civilisation, and fear of the unknown written in 1954! This will be £20 very well spent.
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle & Fred Fordham
(Andersen Press) ISBN 978-1839135620
Speaking of the Excelsior Award, When the Sky Falls currently sits on the shortlist of this year’s Excelsior Award Blue (aimed at students aged 11 to 14) and, at the time of writing, is out there and being read by teenagers up and down the nation. I have no idea yet if it will prove to be one of the winning books or not, as I am frequently and often pleasantly surprised by the results of the Excelsior Award Rating Forms that come back to me every springtime. The original novel was only published in 2021, which means we should really wait another twenty or so years before technically calling it “a classic.” It has already won several book awards in the UK, though, and I know it, and the author, Phil Earle, are big favourites in the school librarian community. And with good reason! When the Sky Falls is a fabulous book, and this adaptation is incredibly gripping and un-put-downable.
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So there you have it! Five recommendations of classics adapted into graphic novels or manga. Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but I hope this blog has inspired you to explore a little more and maybe even discover a new publisher or two.
