King Lear (Graphic Shakespeare) (Graphic Shakespeare Library) [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author), Ian Pollack (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Graphic Shakespeare Library | Publication Date: August 31, 2006

Shakespeare has been called the greatest writer in the English language—but his language and settings can seem remote and forbidding. Welcome to Black Dog’s Graphic Shakespeare Library, where each play comes to life in a new way, panel after illustrated panel.

King Lear is a story of kingship, honor, and bloody revenge. Graphic Shakespeare brings all of the action to vivid life while retaining every word of the original play. King Lear is illustrated in full color by Ian Pollack and includes a synopsis of the play, and an illustrated character list. It’s a marvelous way to experience Shakespeare for the first time—or the tenth—and is sure to be attractive to students and theatre fans alike.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) wrote 37 plays. King Lear and Macbeth are widely considered his finest and most popular. They are, perhaps, the most frequently produced works on the planet.

Ian Pollack has contributed illustrations to virtually every English magazine, and in the United States to Esquire, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and more. Mr. Pollack spent a full year on the art for King Lear.

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (August 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579126170
• ISBN-13: 978-1579126179
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #680,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A stellar work, March 21, 2007

By 

Phillip T. Brettschneider "Phillip, Extraordi... (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear (Graphic Shakespeare) (Graphic Shakespeare Library) (Paperback)

First off, King Lear has always been my favorite play, followed closely by Othello and After The Fall. I like comic books, but I'm skeptical of the "Illustrated Classics" approach. So I was a bit leery buying this (pun unintended, but not bad).

It's fantastic. The art is lovely and has a timeless, surreal quality. The stylizations only enhance it. Especially watch the Fool: he's always been one of the best of Shakespeare's characters, and the capering, size-changing, conjuring presence Ian Pollock has granted him lifts him above and beyond. This artist knows what he's doing and is worth watching.

As for the writer: well, I know he's got name-recognition, but people often wonder if he's any good. But this Shakespeare guy, I think he's got potential. I mean, the slant rhyme and Jedi syntax bugs me sometimes, but otherwise, he has skills worthy of his art.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars huzzah!, October 28, 2008

By 

M. H. Hull - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear (Graphic Shakespeare) (Graphic Shakespeare Library) (Paperback)

Fantastic illustrated Lear! Pollack captures the intensity, tragedy, AND the humor of Shakespeare's masterpiece.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars King lear,however its written the story captured the mind so well done in painting ,lovely ,enchanting for the whole family., May 26, 2008

By 

Wafa E. Alfaris "dream light" (Kuwait) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear (Graphic Shakespeare) (Graphic Shakespeare Library) (Paperback)

graphic shakespear,its a rare apportunity to find such life in some way playfull play .lovely.