Edgar Allan Poe’s Spirits of the Dead

This is the complete collection of Edgar Allan Poe classics adapted by master horror comics artist and Eisner Hall of Fame inductee Richard Corben.Collects all DHP stories, The Conqueror Worm, The Fall of the House of Usher #1–#2, The Raven and the Red Death, Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgue and more.

Like many people can probably say, I was pretty intrigued by everything to do with Edgar Allan Poe.  Everything I ever read from him drew me in and had me lost in every dark and terrible tale.  These kinds of stories are practically made for being translated into comic form.  Now, for those who haven't experienced them before, Edgar Allan Poe’s Spirits of the Dead collects all the impressive adaptations by Richard Corben.

I have to be completely honest in how ashamed I am to have never read any of the individual retellings that Richard Corben did.  Fortunately, I've now had the chance to read them all in one sitting, and although I wish I had done so before, it was worth being late to the party.  This book collects all of his absolutely brilliant treatments of the Poe classics, and shows us why Corben is a master at his craft.  As they say in the intro, Edgar Allan Poe had he been around today would have seen a soul mate in Corben, and that is proven throughout this book.

If for whatever reason you've never read Poe, then this is a really good way to introduce you to his world.  Corben does so much justice to all the original short stories with his own new vision of them.  It's been a long time since I read the originals, and every single one in this book brought me back to my youth with renewed appreciation.

Along with the amazing writing in each story, Corben does an insanely good job with all the art.  There's a particular kind of look that Poe tales needs to possess, and Corben does a flawless job giving them that appearance.  Each and every morbid frame of all the stories in this collection is purposeful and intense, and is the perfect partner to complete the book.

If you enjoy Poe, then you need this book.  If you enjoy Corben, then you need this book.  If you appreciate good writing and art, or just need a good book to fill an empty spot in your shelf, you need this book.  What I'm getting at, is that you pretty much need this book and should get it as soon as possible.

For more information on Edgar Allan Poe’s Spirits of the Dead or other Dark Horse books, check out Dark Horse Comics.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Edgar Allen Poe's The Conqueror Worm

Edgar Allen Poe’s The Conqueror Worm

Review by Reece Morris-Jones

A horrifying adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic by comics legend, Richard Corben. A betrayed man hunts down his wife and her lover only to stumble upon a gruesome puppet show based on his life.

Writer:

Richard Corben

Artist:

Richard Corben

Lettering:

Nate Piekos

Publisher:

Dark Horse

Price:

USD$3.50

Though many of his ideas have become part of cultural iconography and I’ve read a lot of H.P. Lovecroft’s work, Poe has eluded me. So, it’s nice to read this interpretation of one of his short poems, which itself appears at the end of the comic. A man in the American Wild West pursues his wife and lover, his brother, before coming across a bizarre menagerie of indigenous people, who promise to perform him and his family a play.

First, the good. The art matches the tone of the piece perfectly, managing to invoke a sense of dread throughout the entire comic. Particularly well done I felt were the indigenous people which, thanks to a smart design process, seemed otherworldly and were something unique. The story itself doesn’t quite hold up though. Adapting any piece from something in another medium is hard, especially when turning verse into a straight comic, so I certainly can’t criticise it too much. It’s just that for a period comic, the occasional use of modern turn of phrase (or at least ones I associate with modern times) threw me out of the piece. Whilst at times a bit flabby round the edges, it was otherwise very good.

In the end, there’s not much to say about this comic as it’s a one shot and very self contained. However, if you like your horror shots, this offers a refreshing change to most of the fare that is out there at the moment. The artwork by far makes up for any slight letdowns in the narrative.

The Conqueror Worm is available now from Dark Horse. In the oft chance you haven’t heard of Richard Corben, you owe it to yourself to visit his site.

Reece writes for quite a few places on the net, mostly on the subject of comics. Yes, he does think it's weird writing about himself in the third person. Regardless, you can talk to him on Twitter @reecemjones. 

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.