Customer Reviews

The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo (Bk. 1)

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With the publication of The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo this creative team has redefined humor literature, while retaining all the much loved characteristics of a vintage comic book!

From the opening scene, the reader is treated to a visually stimulating array of high gloss, celestial dream-scape styled illustrations that captivate the senses and bring the dialogue to life. Dwight MacPherson has masterfully threaded details of Poe's life and writings into the very fabric of this tale. Capturing the essence of Poe's tormented spirit with an imaginative story that would leave the master himself spellbound. The narrative is both intelligent and highly creative, utilizing the many aspects of Poe, MacPherson has etched his characters with surgical precision.

The story opens with Edgar in, of all places, an outhouse. In the aftermath of his wife's tragic death and the failure of his last book Mr. Poe's creativity has split...literally--becoming Edgar Allan Poo. We follow the absolutely adorable Poo as he makes his way through Terra Somnium, guided by Irving the Rat. Exploring mysterious places like Incubi and Spindle Town in search of the Maghi, the duo face an assortment of creatures and monsters. As bad guys begin crossing into reality, Poo and Poe must fight an epic battle of survival.

From conception to publication, this has been a labour of love for MacPherson and it shows! The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo is a one of a kind literary tale and without it, no collection could be considered complete. This brilliant concept will bewitch and beguile graphic and literature lovers alike, it has something for everyone...and it's a heck-of-a-lot of fun!

Happy Reading!
RJ

The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo
Image Comics - $9.99
Website: http://www.imagecomics.com, http://www.chemsetcomics.com/

Written by: Dwight MacPherson
Art by: Thomas Boatwright

Rating: 4 stars (of 4) - INDY TRADE OF THE MONTH!

When I first saw Edgar Allan Poo it was on the `recently updated' list over at the web comic website Drunk Duck. At first I thought the spelling was a typo so I clicked over to the page only to see the logo did actually say Poo. Then I snickered because, well, it actually did say `poo' and I have the sense of humor of a five year old. I then brought the archive all the way back to the beginning and started reading.

It was because of Thomas Boatwright's extraordinary artwork that sucked me right in. It was art that was so good that I wasn't even quite sure why a comic looking like this was on the web and not in print. Was it because the art was amazing but the writing sucked? It could be but as I started reading I was quickly sucked into the story.

The plot? The story follows the very real author Edgar Allan Poe's creativity, which assumes a form called Edgar Allan Poo and leaves the author for the mysterious dream land called Terra Somnium. From the second Poo arrives it is an Alice In Wonderland like adventure that finds himself teamed with a rat and seemingly running for his life. Poo being in this dream world is not signs of a good thing and there are those out there who wish to do poor cute lil Poo harm. Back on Earth? There is also the regular Poe, whose wife has committed suicide, seen his latest book bomb, and now all his creativity is gone as well. When the evil forces that inhabit Terra Somnium begin to crossover, both Poe and Poo find themselves thrust into a battle never thought possible.

Edgar Allan Poo is a sort of fairytale of old that is simply put to visual form. It's a book that draws in any comic reader from page one, yet it is something you could read to your kids as a bedtime story. MacPherson shines here on his labor-of-love, something that paid off when Shadowline picked up the book to print it in one volume. This means that fans of the online column can read leagues beyond what is already on the web and new readers can latch on right away. For me I was amazed at the book in print, if possible it looks even better on the page then it did online. Quite simply the book quickly earns the title `Indy Trade of the Month' and is a trade that is a must-own. Hopefully some Eisner Awards are in this book's future.

(article originally appeared on friday, September 28th, 2007 at http://www.comicbloc.com)

Over the course of this column's history, I've had the privilege of reading some great material. Every once in a while though, you come across something that surprises you and entertains you in an unexpected but fun way. This book really fits that description

No one has ever done any kind of riff on Edgar Allan Poe quite like this, and I'm fortunate enough to have a chance to read it.

The Book

The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo
Created and Written by: Dwight L. MacPherson
Art by: Thomas Boatwright
Lettered By: Thomas Mauer
Publisher: Image Comics

Overview

Edgar Allan Poo begins ironically enough, in the john. The imagination of Edgar Allan Poe is separated from Poe and is in the great danger from the King of Nightmares who wants to kill Poo for his own reasons. Poo is rescued by a mouse named Irving from Incubi and taken to Spindle Town.

From there, Irving decides to take Poo to see the Maghi. This is where Poo's journey begins. To make it to the Maghi, Poo and Irving have to go across the sea with another mouse named Titus. It is here that Poo and company face monsters and gods and creatures of all kinds. Will Poo survive the confrontations with the various obstacles throughout the journey? If so, how can the Maghi help him? What does the Nightmare King really want? You have to read on and find out.

Creator Dwight L. MacPherson tells a nice paced story filled with fun and adventure that is really enhanced with Boatwright's pencils. They feel a bit murky and dreamlike, much like how imaginations seems to work. I'm reminded of children's stories such as the Tale of Despereux when I see the pages which really gives the book a nice fairy tale feel.

Tom Mauer's contributions cannot be understated either. From the introduction pages with each chapter to the background signs like "ye olde ferry" Mauer really adds to the ambiance of the story. He enhances the feel of Poo without drawing too much attention on himself, which is what every letterer should do.

All in all, this is a fantastic graphic novel. I was really surprised with how fun and enjoyable it was to go through it. If it's not my favorite story this year, it's a close second. It's a great read and a fun ride.

The "It" Factor

There's a ton of things to like about this. Personally though, I have to admit a little envy for Dwight as the idea for this kind of take on any aspect of Poe is something I wished I had come up with. This is a fantastic idea and is a lot of fun.

Not only that, but this is something anyone can read. I haven't read an all-ages book this good in comics since Lions, Tigers, and Bears. It's simply fantastic stuff.

Reads Like...

Fans of Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Neil Gaiman's Sandman, The Dreamland Chronicles and 9th Elsewhere would get a kick out of this. Edgar Allan Poo is a fun, imaginative ride that has ties and themes similar to each of these. Give it a shot if you are looking for a good read. The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo is available now at your local comic shop. Read it. I guarantee you'll be as impressed as I was.