Raymond Chandler's Marlowe: The Authorized Philip Marlowe Graphic Novel »

Nobody but Chandler could have created a private eye hero as cool as Philip Marlowe, but writers have been trying ever since the author's precedent-setting '40s crime novels were published. Along with Dashiell Hammett, Chandler is revered as a noir father figure; his creation of a romantic L.A. full of dangerous women and crooked characters is so woven into modern consciousness that it's easy to forget that it was fictional.

Elegantly designed and packaged in a mix of full color and black and white comics, this trio of graphic novels includes Chandler's classic final Marlowe adventure, "The Pencil," adapted from the Raymond Chandler story by award-winning mystery novelist Jerome Charyn and Marvel/DC comics illustrator David Lloyd; "Goldfish," adapted by top British designer Ryan Hughes and "Trouble is My Business" illustrated by Lee Moyer, Alfredo Alcala in a style reminiscent of 30s illustrator J.C. Leyendecker. None of this work has ever been published before and represents the first adaptations of these Chandler stories into comics.

Lisa Martincik - VOYA

Three teams have adapted into comic book format three of Raymond Chandler's short stories about quintessential private eye Philip Marlowe. Tom DeHaven and Rian Hughes present Goldfish, the only color entry in this volume, in which Marlowe races a hard woman to find stolen pearls. For The Pencil, crime fiction author Jerome Charyn and veteran comic book artist David Lloyd adapt a tale of mob double-crosses. And James Rose, Lee Moyer, and Alfredo Alcala interpret the story of murder and inheritance titled Trouble is My Business. Until recently, the graphic novel format was perhaps the only one unvisited by Raymond Chandler's detective. The transition to this medium is not always entirely successful, as some scenes prove a bit more difficult to follow than they might in prose or film. Overall, however, the endeavor is a successful one. Although different, all three art styles capture well the flavor of the noir detective. As with their source material, each story is told in first person, doubtless making for a more difficult adaptation but preserving Marlowe's distinctive personality. Here the added visuals may actually help, as Marlowe's parlance is not one commonly encountered and might confound a new (or young) reader. The efforts of the contributors pay off in a polished, lovely package likely to delight Chandler buffs and crime fiction aficionados, and providing an accessible gateway into this genre for interested new readers. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P S A/YA G (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults; Graphic Novel Format). 2003, ibooks (Dist. by Simon and Schuster),144p., Trade pb. Ages 15 to Adult.