Adastra in Africa [Hardcover]

Barry Windsor-Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

A complete, beautifully rendered graphic story featuring the most popular member, Princess Adastra, of the Young Gods, from BWS' ground-breaking Storyteller series.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barry Windsor-Smith, 2008 Eisner Award Hall of Fame Inductee, has been creating extraordinary comics art and stories since 1967, introducing diverse artistic influences to graphic storytelling, and developing a distinctive, naturalistic narrative style. Conan the Barbarian, X-Men, Weapon X, Archer & Armstrong, RUNE, and Barry Windsor-Smith: STORYTELLER are among the many works of his 30+ year career. Windsor-Smith is also an acclaimed painter of Romantic fantasy, co-founder of The STUDIO, and author of BWS:OPUS, a series of art books collecting his paintings and drawings. The text of the series, called Time Rise, is an anecdotal, sometimes humorous, memoir of his paranormal experiences. He lives in Kingston, NY.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books; 1st Edn. edition (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560973579
• ISBN-13: 978-1560973577
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,753,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Now I know what over-illustrated means, March 6, 2000

By 

"bjorn-toby-wilde" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adastra in Africa (Hardcover)

Barry Windsor-Smith was one of my favorite comic artists when I used to collect comics in the 1970s and 80s. His sense of detail steeped in Art Nouveau and Symbolism combined with strong storytelling pacing pulled me in another world and lingered with me after I turned each page. His sense of the supernatural was always spellbinding to me.

When I found out that a new book of his was out, I eagerly purchased it without knowing anything about it based on how much I loved his work from before. His storytelling skills and pacing were as keen as ever. Barry Windsor-Smith still knows how to set a mood and sustain it throughout the story.

His drawing is still beautiful. But it was so detailed, that it was very hard to read and see what was going on in some of the panels. There's a couple panels where he uses a solid black background with a beautifully detailed face in front. These were my favorite panels. I could focus on the excellently rendered facial expressions. In a lot of the full size panels without any solid blacks to counter all the ornate pen and ink detail, it was hard to absorb what was going on. I may be wrong, but I get the impression this is a reprint from a comic. Perhaps the original was colored with a simple color scheme to help distinguish figures from foreground and background.

Aside from that, the story was okay. I don't know Adastra's background and wished an introduction was provided. There is an "interview" in the back, as well as some "outtakes", but I thought they were silly and destroyed the wonderful mood that was set up in the graphic novel. If this graphic novel was created only for those who know the background of the original comics, then it probably succeded. But it doesn't stand on its own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Ad Astra" means "To the stars", August 3, 2007

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Adastra in Africa (Hardcover)

-- but I don't know the Latin for "From the stars," the original home of this alien princess.

As with any good art, this story leaves a tumult of feelings behind it. The first, for a reader sensitive to women's beauty, is beauty. Adastra captures all that the cover picture promises: youth, strength, and that strength unique to women's bodies. Given that vital beginning, the story seems to miscarry. Children and adults both suffer, but in different ways, and Our Heroine's attempts at Heroism land with a thud.

But, despite herself, Adastra's attempts to save the unsavable evoke something greater - the thing that, perhaps, she meant to imitate in the first place.

Then, under all this, there's a parable for the technological world, about offering only the help that can survive on its own. (Remember the "green revolution" that fizzled for that reason?) Then ... well, a lot more. It's pretty clear why Marvel turned this story down way back when. They had a formula, and wanted only Super Heroes In Tights (S-H-I-nevermind) that fit the formula. Adastra does not conform to formulas, she creates them.

Like her or don't. That's your choice. But, if you wholly like her or wholly don't, you probably missed what mattered.

-- wiredweird

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No other way to tell the tale, March 11, 2004

By 

Richard A. Tucker "Tucker at large" (Pembroke Pines, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adastra in Africa (Hardcover)

I have to detract from the previous reviews which focus on the the art and the story's original place as part of the over-burdened pantheon that is Marvel's X-Men comics' continuity. Instead I want to focus on the eloquence of a story that pits miracles againt hope and reality. Miracles may save a life, a village, a world but it cannot be counted upon. People have to sacrifice in order to get what they want. That's the universal truth that brings conflict to the relationship between a well meaning goddess and those who depend upon her good works to solve their real world problems. That's all that needs to be said about this classic reminder that people have to make their own miracles rather than depend on the omnipotent powers of gods.As an aside; this story was indeed part of an X-Men story involving a mutant named Storm. Marvel's editor at the time this was meant to see print almost 20 years ago was squeamish about presenting a story that he believed endorsed suicide as a viable option to an entire village's death. In fact it's a story about real faith and moving beyond your fear and false assurances.As for the art, well Barry did extensive re-drawing to make this work in a black and white. Color would have doubled the cost and the price of this beautiful book. Barry did more work to keep this book available instead of making minor changes and keeping the book so expensive that most would not have bought it. I guess that's the thanks he gets for his efforts.As for over-drawn, again the reviewer would prefer Barry did less? Barry drew this book in a style used by great illustrators like Edward Burne-Jones and Howard Pyle. I can find no fault with well rendered images and luscious line work.To each his own.I've given this book as a gift on three occasions and the recipients all wanted to know where there was more work by Barry Windsor-Smith? I happily passed on the information.