The Iliad

One of my favorite graphic novel adaptations is Gareth Hinds's The Odyssey, which is colorful, vibrant, and captures so much of the spirit of the epic poem. Here, he did things a little in reverse and adapted that work's predecessor, The Iliad, which chronicles the tenth year of the Trojan War. Personally, I prefer the poem The Odyssey to the poem The Iliad, mostly because the latter has a lot more battle scenes that read more as info dumps. I was curious how this poem would read as a graphic novel, because of those sections, but I feel that Hinds has made the whole enterprise work. Certainly, the moments where the days' casualties are noted and listed stand somewhat in contrast to the rest of the soldier/leader/gods drama, but Hinds does the work to make them feel integrated into the whole narrative. Also, their deaths are intimately tied into the machinations of others.

Of course, the banner plot of the book involves the conflict between King Agamemnon and Achilles, his best fighter, over Briseis, a concubine who is treated as a spoil of war. And there is much interaction between the gods and goddesses, with Athena and Hera (and by extension Zeus) on one side and Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, and Artemis on the other. Clearly, there are many characters, plots, and moving parts, but I feel that Hinds weaves them all into a cohesive, artful whole. I love how he uses symbols and color to differentiate characters that might otherwise be confused, and also how he grounds the tale in reality through maps and front-pieces identifying the characters.

Although I must admit it was not as enjoyable as The Odyssey to me, it was not for lack of effort or craft. I just like the one story better. Both graphic novels are masterpieces that stand well together.

Hinds is no stranger as an adapter of classic works into graphic novels. Already he has created a number of them like The Merchant of Venice, Beowulf, and King Lear. He speaks more about the process of creating his adaptation of The Iliad here and in this interview. He speaks about his work in general in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review that concluded, "Hinds’s relatively plain language retains just enough meter to hint at the cadences of the work, and, together with the dynamic art, creates an accessible entrée to an enduring classic." Dominic Umile called it "magnificently realized." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "An expertly crafted rendition and a welcome invitation to younger readers to immerse themselves in the ancient past."

The Iliad was published by Candlewick Press, and they offer a preview and more here.

The publisher provided a preview copy.