Customer Reviews

The Raven and Other Poems (Classics Illustrated, Vol. 1)

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With the emphasis so much on his horror writing, the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe is often overlooked. Which is unfortunate, his poetry has many classic lines, and there is no segment better than the opening line of "The Raven."

"One upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,"

The following poems appear in this collection, The Raven, Annabel Lee, Lines on Ale, The City in the Sea, The Sleeper, Eldorado, Alone, The Haunted Place and The Conquerer Worm.
While some traditionalists may decry the "Classics Illustrated" approach to poetry, I have little time for those arguments. Poe is best when served up illustrated, and the illustrations in this book are excellent. My favorites are the caricatures of Poe in his study that accompany `The Raven." The big eyes and oversized cranium give him the appearance of dark despair. In my opinion, anything that presents the classics in a format that will appeal to young people is to be encouraged, which is why I recommend this book.

It's magic. The somber and gothic poems of Edgar Allen Poe and the childlike ghoulishness of Gahan Wilson are almost a perfect match. You can buy this slim volume of poetry for the writing or the illustrations, either one is well worth the cover price. Highly recommended to fans of Poe and/or Wilson.