Graphic Classics, Volume 2: Arthur Conan Doyle » (2nd Edition)

This second edition is completely revised, with over a hundred pages of new material. New to this edition are comics adaptations of Sherlock Holmes in "The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb" by Rod Lott and Simon Gane, and Brigadier Gerard in "The Castle of Gloom" by Antonella Caputo and Nick Miller. Plus Doyle's fearsome pirate "Captain Sharkey", illustrated by John W. Pierard, "The Ghosts of Goresthorpe Grange" by Peter Gullerud, and "The Great Brown-Pericord Motor" by Milton Knight. Returning from the first edition are Sherlock Holmes in "The Copper Beeches" by Rick Geary, and stories illustrated by Roger Langridge and J.B. Bonivert. With a new cover by Kent Steine.

Teresa Copeland - VOYA

When most people think of Arthur Conan Doyle's work, they probably only consider the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle wrote a number of other excellent and entertaining stories, however, including other series such as the adventures of Brigadier Gerard. This volume of the Graphics Classics series features two Sherlock Holmes stories, The Engineer's Thumb and The Copper Beeches, and six other stories, including one of the Brigadier Gerard stories in which the colorful French Brigadier relates how he once defeated an evil Baron. The tales range from ghost stories to pirate tales, and of course, mysteries, and vary in length from more than twenty pages to just one. Also included are brief notes about each author and illustrator. Each black-and-white story has a different artist and adaptor, so the art varies wildly, and some are noticeably better than others. Rick Geary's excellent art for The Copper Beeches mystery matches the text wonderfully. Peter Gullerud's art for The Ghosts of Goresthorpe Grange fits the convoluted narrative well but is so cluttered and twisted that the text is hard to read in places. Overall the art and adaptations serve the original text well, and it is quite fun to read. Teens are certainly drawn to anything in a graphic format, and by including some of Doyle's lesser-known writing, perhaps this book will lead them to seek out more of his work. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S G (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Graphic Novel Format). 2005, Eureka Productions, 144p., Trade pb. Ages 12 to 18.