The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde and Ian Edington

“Only shallow people do not judge by appearances.” –Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s only published novel finally hits the graphic novel genre, bringing along its notorious drama, wit, and shameless hedonism. Edington’s adaptation into the comic form captures the book’s gothic tone with thickly inked grayscale pages, coupled with simply drawn and heavily outlined characters. The art reflects the comic’s overall impression: dark, emotional, and stark. As Dorian falls deeper into his hedonistic world, I’m left wondering at the intricacies of his personality that would cause such a shift, seeing as before his wish of eternal youth is granted he is an upstanding, kind man. The comic is an enjoyable read, but only gives the reader a taste (as comic adaptations can only do) of the original novel; it left me wanting to read Wilde’s classic, which is excellent—after all the point of classic comics is to introduce readers to the world of literature and encourage them to continue exploring on their own. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a great visual romp through literature.

This comic is recommended for Teen readers, ages 13 and up.

Posted in Bowler Hat News, Have You Read ... ?.
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