Richard Matheson's I Am Legend (Graphic Novel) by Steve Niles, Elman Brown Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend (Graphic Novel)
Book Review: Real legend
Summary: 5 Stars
Find out how he became a real legend; what happens when all the monsters in
the neighbourhood think your the real monster; and where in the world is Ben Cortman's hiding place.
Book Review: Just a rehash of the book
Summary: 1 Stars
As at least one other reviewer has noted, this graphic novel is nothing more than a rewrite with illustrations of Richard Matheson's novel. This would be fine, even great, if the artwork were good. It isn't. Even if you have not read the novel, this illustrated version is disappointing. The artwork is entirely devoid of any inventiveness, energy, inspiration. I've seen first-pass storyboards that were vastly more compelling than the illustration in this book. (Check out the storyboarded alternate ending to 28 Days Later for an example.)
This will be adequately entertaining for fans of graphic novels who are unfamiliar with Matheson. Otherwise, it's a disappointment.
Book Review: Good Story, Okay Comic
Summary: 5 Stars
Well first off i liked to story very much. it is a good story and is also still great to read even if you saw the movie since there are many differences between the two. As well it seems to be a very good adaptation from the original novel.
Now lets get in to picture part of this graphic novel. The art is good and is somewhat reminiscent of the EC comics days; which is great. My only problem is the beginning is very very wordy. you could say it is a to good of an adaptation of the novel. theres some pages where you'll see a small image and the rest of the page is mostly words. now could be great in the fact that non comic readers may find this an easy gateway into the wonderful world of comics. But for a seasoned comic fan it can be a little much. i felt like i might as well have just read the novel. it does eventually even out towards the end with the picture to word ratio.
so all in all its a good story and has nice art so even though i had some problems with the ratio, its still a good book.
Book Review: "I Am Legend" is confidently recommended to the attention of graphic novel enthusiasts, as well as science fiction fans.
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1954 Richard Matheson penned a holocaust survivor novel that was unique in the genre. A devastating epidemic breaks out all over the world. The infected transform into vampire like creatures that must sleep during the day and roam the earth. One lone human survivor, Robert Neville, must live a life of stark loneliness during the day, and absolute peril at night. A powerful science fiction epic, "I Am Legend" first came to the movie screen in a 1964 adaptation was titled 'The Last Man On Earth' that starred veteran horror film actor Vincent Price. It's next film version, 'The Omega man' debuted in 1971 and starred Charlton Heston. Now a new remake, and one whose title uses the original Richard Matheson title, "I Am Legend" and stars Will Smith. The graphic novel just released from IDW Publishing is faithful to this latest film featuring an excellent adaptation by Steve Niles, and features superbly black-and-white illustration by Elman Brown. As superbly crafted a graphic novel as it was originally a ground-breaking science fiction novel, "I Am Legend" is confidently recommended to the attention of graphic novel enthusiasts, as well as science fiction fans.Book Review: Read the book instead
Summary: 2 Stars
The graphic novel is almost a word-for-word match of the book. Passages like "he turned left into the small hallway" gets one panel and drawing, then "and left again into his bedroom" get another panel and drawing. That works in a book, but it is pointless in a graphic novel. And the corresponding illustration shows a dark figure in a dark hallway, with no detail and no imagination. The authors took nearly every sentence in the book and made a corresponding illustration, even if it added nothing. This makes the graphic novel actually longer than the book (240 pages for the graphic novel, 170 pages for the book). It was really boring, and I found I could read the book in less time, and got more out of it.
The drawings are gritty and dark, but not to convey style or atmosphere: It was to hide the fact that no imagination went into it. If the book said the street was dark, the illustrator drew only darkness - no buildings or streetlights or windows or sky or cars... just darkness. I'm impressed that they remained so faithful to the book, but it defeats the purpose of a graphic novel. Stick figures could have conveyed just as much expression.
Lastly, for those who are looking at this to gain insight into the movie: This is a vastly different story. There's no hidden explanations or back-stories or secret musings that would make you understand the movie better.