Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - the Graphic Novel

2008. Cover price £6.99.
52 pages. Full colour contents.
Waverley Books Ltd.

Painted cover by Cam Kennedy.

ISBN-13: 978-1-902407-44-9

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED illustration by Cam Kennedy.

 3 Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde w: Alan Grant, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; a: Cam Kennedy, lettering & colouring by Jamie Grant.

43 UNTITLED illustration by Cam Kennedy.

44 Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894) biography by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

illustration r: from Illustrated London News.

46 Alan Grant biography by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photograph by Ian MacNicol.

48 Cam Kennedy biography by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photograph by Ian MacNicol.

50 Indicia; illustration by Cam Kennedy

A respectable London lawyer, John Utterson, is compelled to uncover the strange connection between his old friend, the brilliant scientist Dr Henry Jekyll, and a brooding and dangerous stranger called Edward Hyde. All who lay eyes on Hyde experience a strange and chilling feeling of fear and foreboding, and his reputation is that of a vile and violent individual. To Utterson's dismay he finds Jekyll and Hyde have a mysterious contract between them, the details of which neither will reveal. As Utterson investigates further he uncovers a truly horrifying story of deception.

The second, stunning graphic novel of an RL Stevenson classic from the creative 'dream team' of Cam Kennedy and Alan Grant, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, follows their acclaimed graphic novel adaptation of Kidnapped, which was commissioned by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust.

While I've never taken to Kidnapped, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ranks as one of my favourite novels of all time - so enamoured of the story, I'll happily sit through any of the second-, third- and even fourth-rate knock-offs which turn up from time to time on DVD.

Alan Grant's script suffers from a truncated page-count, and its rush to convey the important narrative elements means that quiet, creepy moments when something is about to occur are set aside in favour of showing scenes of horror. Which, sadly, dilutes the terror, especially when Hyde is presented so grotesquely. There's a thin line between a displeasing countenance, as so often attributed to Hyde, and full-on monstrous inhumanity, which is what we are presented with.

A pivotal scene, and one which has never been presented with an appropriately gruesomeness, is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. Here reduced to a single page, it is an act which ought to be echoed throughout the rest of the story, but is remarkably restrained here. We cannot truly fear the monster that is Hyde without being witness to his most heinous act. With the scene's power diminished, so too is Hyde.

Despite the problems of compressing so complex a story into so few pages, the artwork throughout is exceptional - though some of the colouring is a little too on-the-nose for such a tale. A more muted palette would have enhanced the mood rather than the often over-bright images.

The full-page biographies of Stevenson, Grant, and Kennedy are welcome additions to this title, and, despite an overall lower number of pages, makes this feel a more complete package. It may not be perfect, but this is a far superior adaptation than the Classics Illustrated version.

Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped - the Graphic Novel

Waverley Graphic Novels

Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped - the Graphic Novel

2007. Cover price £8.99.
68 pages. Full colour contents.
Waverley Books Ltd.

Painted cover by Cam Kennedy.

ISBN-13: 978-1-902407-38-8

Contents:

 2 Indicia

 3 Title Page illustrated by Cam Kennedy.

 4 Kidnapped w: Alan Grant, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; a: Cam Kennedy, lettering by Jamie Grant.

67 Robert Louis Stevenson biography by UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

illustration r: from Illustrated London News.

It is 1751, Scotland has suffered a time of uncertainty and rebellion, and young David Balfour is alone and penniless in the world.

He doesn't realise a letter from his dead father is about to launch him on the most frightening, exciting and incredible adventure of his life.

As he sets out to find an uncle he didn't know existed, David has no idea that he will narrowly escape being murdered - that a fortune is rightfully his - that he will be kidnapped and thrown from one escapade to another in the company of the dynamic master-swordsman and fugitive Alan Breck. Together they must make a dramatic and extraordinary journey across Scotland so that David can claim his rightful inheritance.

An epic story of adventure, friendship, murder and revenge!

Edinburgh's UNESCO City of Literature Trust chose Kidnapped as their 'One Book - One Edinburgh' reading project. The background to the title's existence is only briefly explained on the back, and while it is understandable that the work itself be the main focus, a brief two-page outline of what, precisely, the Trust entailed would have been greatly appreciated. An impressive number of groups had a hand in this, as evident by the numerous logos sharing back-cover space: Scottish Arts Council, the City of Edinburgh Council, Third Eye Design, and the University of Edinburgh.

What input, if any, these groups had into fashioning the title is undocumented within the book itself. Small oversights, perhaps, but the creation of a title is often as interesting as the end result, and especially when a classic work is being refashioned for a modern audience.

On a certain morning in the month of June 1751, I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father's house...

and set out to find my fortune in the wide world.

A bold image of a striding David Balfour opens the story, and Kennedy's attention to detail in both setting and clothes is something of a relief. A few pages later, and Ebeneezer Balfour's home is the first of several outstanding images, capturing the crumbling, formerly impressive structure. The depiction of Ebeneezer himself, however, has something of the fantastic about him - as if a trace of some other work was straining to break through. His pointed ears and long face has a slight Vulcan tinge, though this is anything but a logical character.

A dark, in tone and visualisation, sequence, in which David is sent to his death up a crumbling staircase, is slightly too green to convince as being naturally lit, though the art, on the whole, is very impressive.

While I freely admit to not caring much for the original novel, this is a very condensed version of the story - events rush past, scenes tumbling over one another, though always with an eye to clarity. It is remarkable that Alan Grant's script is able to convey so much in the page-count available, and there are no glaring omissions which affect the storytelling. This is a very accomplished telling of the story, and part of its appeal lies with the plot points which Grant and Kennedy bring to light.

By being so ruthless with the story, eliminating anything which would be considered padding, this shines. I'm still largely ambivalent regarding the original story, but it is possible, in this retelling, to see where how longevity of Stevenson's tale has come about.

Waverley Graphic Novels

Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - the Graphic Novel