Classics Illustrated: The War of the Worlds (2008)

Classics Illustrated: The War of the Worlds (2008)

Author: H.G. Wells | Adaptation: Harry Miller | Illustrator: Lou Cameron | Page Count: 49

'There being no further movements from the pit, horror gave way to an uncontrollable curiosity and I began moving closer.'

For thirty years (1941-71) the Classics Illustrated comic books adapted literary classics into the comic book medium for a younger audience to enjoy. (It can be more accurately thought of as 'Classics Adapted, Illustrated and Abridged', but that's not a catchy title.)

Originally issue #124, H.G. Wells' science fiction novel The War of the Worlds (1897) was chosen to be the first issue in a digitally recoloured reprint for a modern audience. I'm not an advocate of recolouring artists' works, but if it helps younger readers discover the stories of yesteryear, then I'll roll with it as best I can.

I won't be attempting a traditional story synopsis, but will share some thoughts on the book, in general.

While it's been quite a few years since I last read the original text, from what I can remember about it the adaptation seems to be largely faithful. In some cases the language has been changed a little, but crucially retains its 19th Century charm.

The text boxes are in first-person, as they ought to be, and fans of the original will perhaps be pleased to hear that both the narrator and his wife remain unnamed. Ogilvy, the artillery man (referred to as the 'soldier') and the curate all feature, but the red weed has been excised.

As you'd expect, given the short page count, the important subtexts have been compromised, but the commentary on notions of superiority (and the treatment of animals) stands out still, and the ending has an admirable level of the original's self-reflective, thought-provoking power.

The art is big and bold, comparable to a Golden Age DC title. The recolouring seems to be done with care, not hurried, while the better paper stock ultimately works in its favour. I liked that it ended with an encouragement for the reader to seek out the full text for 'added enjoyment'.

The story itself finishes on Page 45, followed by a few pages of text, including a short but welcome exploration of the book's themes and a biopic of Wells.

The book contains the single volume The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, originally published as Classics Illustrated issue #124, on 1st October, 1954.