Whimsical. Lyrical. Poignant. Adapted for the first time from the acclaimed and beloved novel by Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. The unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields his power. Adapted by Peter B. Gillis and lushly illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon.
The Last Unicorn
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Since it was first published in 1968, Beagle's beloved fantasy novel has been made into a stage play and a film—and now this gorgeous, emotive graphic novel adaptation. Set in a fully realized but slightly tongue-in-cheek fantasy world that has inspired everything from The Princess Bride to Stardust, Beagle's story is a romantic fable about a regal unicorn who leaves the forest she has protected since time immemorial to find more of her kin. After a short spell of imprisonment by a witch's traveling circus, she journeys onward with an accident-prone magician, hoping to find the answer to her quest in the land of a coldhearted king and a monstrously fearsome red bull. Along the way, the unicorn and her good-hearted but hapless companion have many encounters, including one with a Robin Hood–esque group of bandits who seem dropped in from a Monty Python skit. Beagle's sumptuously descriptive writing, adapted ably by Gillis, casts a spell throughout, while De Liz's glowing, painterly artwork meshes perfectly with the haunting otherworldly beauty of the story. (Feb.)
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(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
45 of 45 people found the following review helpful
By M. Natisin
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you're contemplating purchasing the comic adaptation of "The Last Unicorn" , chances are that this will not be your first foray into the world created by Peter S. Beagle in his best-known novel. In "The Last Unicorn", a unicorn discovers that she is the last of her kind and sets out on a quest to discover that has become of her kin. If you're like me, you've read the book and watched the movie, and so as a fan you might wonder what this newest incarnation of the story has to offer.
The Last Unicorn comic gathers the 6 separate issues released by IDW publishing into one full color hard-cover volume. From a purely aesthetic standpoint the book design is impeccable, with violet foil lettering on front and back and a classy layout. The six chapters that make up the book are separated by pages that sport the same illustrations that were featured on the covers of the respective single comic issues.
There is immediately something a little more "grown up" about the comic adaptation as opposed to the animated movie. Renae de Liz's style may have much to do with this. Her illustrations tend more toward stylized realism than the far more soft, cartoony style employed in the movie. Ray Dillon's colors are atmospheric and brooding. Characters such as the Harpy Celaeno, Mommy Fortuna, Ruhk and King Haggard are actually frightening to look at in the comic version, while their movie versions are a little more approachable. For those comfortable with the representations of characters such as the unicorn (Lady Amalthea), Schmendrick and Molly Grue shown in the 80's animated movie, the character designs of the comic certainly pay homage to those designs.
What is particularly enjoyable about this adaptation is that plot points and scenes that were in the original novel but omitted from the movie have been included in the comic. There is a magician mentor named Nikos, who turned a male unicorn into a human. As in the novel, Schmendrick is cursed with youth, a side note that never made it into the animated feature. There is a city named Hagsgate again, and Arachne is back in Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival as is "Elli". There is even a single page that alludes to the "blue bird" scene from the novel (in which a pair of married blue birds argue over whether or not the husband bird actually saw a unicorn).
The extras at the end of the book include interviews of both Peters S. Beagle and Peter Gillis, the man who adapted The Last Unicorn into a comic book format. There is a small art gallery in the back that features pieces by guest artists and small thumbnails of the six "alternate" comic book covers done by Frank Stockton. There are also half-page images taken directly from the comic (with the text bubbles removed) so that one may admire the layout of some very beautifully designed pages. These are often too small for my liking, but they are nice "extras".
The comic is *almost* a complete triumph. I say almost because there is one omission that really should have made it into the comic. Once again, King Haggard's four aged men-at-arms are mentioned only in passing dialogue. Much like in the animated movie, the characters are never seen and their small arc and subsequent return to youth is cut from the story. In his interview at the end of the comic, even Peter Gillis laments that these characters were once more cut out of the story due to page restrictions. Truly, it would have made this adaptation even more special to have this rather important plot point addressed in the comic book, even more so because it is left out of the movie. Other slight problems had to do with the panel pacing toward the end and the clunky descriptive text during the battle with the Red Bull. There was an over-use of sentences starting with "And..." that started to feel very redundant. But I feel for the illustrator, who doubtlessly had a challenge shoving as much as possible onto the small amount of additional pages that were added. The page-limit on the comic was reached before the completion of the series. A total of 12 extra pages had to be added... and paid for out-of-pocket--not by IDW.
For fans, the comic is invaluable and does both the novel and the movie justice while offering strengths that are individual to the comic adaptation. It is a generally faithful retelling, obviously drawn and translated from the novel by people who truly cared about the story and the quality of the art. If you are fond of the novel, the movie or both, the graphic novel will be a welcome addition to your collection. Enjoy!
The Last Unicorn comic gathers the 6 separate issues released by IDW publishing into one full color hard-cover volume. From a purely aesthetic standpoint the book design is impeccable, with violet foil lettering on front and back and a classy layout. The six chapters that make up the book are separated by pages that sport the same illustrations that were featured on the covers of the respective single comic issues.
There is immediately something a little more "grown up" about the comic adaptation as opposed to the animated movie. Renae de Liz's style may have much to do with this. Her illustrations tend more toward stylized realism than the far more soft, cartoony style employed in the movie. Ray Dillon's colors are atmospheric and brooding. Characters such as the Harpy Celaeno, Mommy Fortuna, Ruhk and King Haggard are actually frightening to look at in the comic version, while their movie versions are a little more approachable. For those comfortable with the representations of characters such as the unicorn (Lady Amalthea), Schmendrick and Molly Grue shown in the 80's animated movie, the character designs of the comic certainly pay homage to those designs.
What is particularly enjoyable about this adaptation is that plot points and scenes that were in the original novel but omitted from the movie have been included in the comic. There is a magician mentor named Nikos, who turned a male unicorn into a human. As in the novel, Schmendrick is cursed with youth, a side note that never made it into the animated feature. There is a city named Hagsgate again, and Arachne is back in Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival as is "Elli". There is even a single page that alludes to the "blue bird" scene from the novel (in which a pair of married blue birds argue over whether or not the husband bird actually saw a unicorn).
The extras at the end of the book include interviews of both Peters S. Beagle and Peter Gillis, the man who adapted The Last Unicorn into a comic book format. There is a small art gallery in the back that features pieces by guest artists and small thumbnails of the six "alternate" comic book covers done by Frank Stockton. There are also half-page images taken directly from the comic (with the text bubbles removed) so that one may admire the layout of some very beautifully designed pages. These are often too small for my liking, but they are nice "extras".
The comic is *almost* a complete triumph. I say almost because there is one omission that really should have made it into the comic. Once again, King Haggard's four aged men-at-arms are mentioned only in passing dialogue. Much like in the animated movie, the characters are never seen and their small arc and subsequent return to youth is cut from the story. In his interview at the end of the comic, even Peter Gillis laments that these characters were once more cut out of the story due to page restrictions. Truly, it would have made this adaptation even more special to have this rather important plot point addressed in the comic book, even more so because it is left out of the movie. Other slight problems had to do with the panel pacing toward the end and the clunky descriptive text during the battle with the Red Bull. There was an over-use of sentences starting with "And..." that started to feel very redundant. But I feel for the illustrator, who doubtlessly had a challenge shoving as much as possible onto the small amount of additional pages that were added. The page-limit on the comic was reached before the completion of the series. A total of 12 extra pages had to be added... and paid for out-of-pocket--not by IDW.
For fans, the comic is invaluable and does both the novel and the movie justice while offering strengths that are individual to the comic adaptation. It is a generally faithful retelling, obviously drawn and translated from the novel by people who truly cared about the story and the quality of the art. If you are fond of the novel, the movie or both, the graphic novel will be a welcome addition to your collection. Enjoy!
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
By contrariwise
Format:Kindle Edition
For potential buyers, please note that this is the graphic novel version of Peter Beagle's wonderful tale for Kindle. If you are looking for the original book, it is not currently available for Kindle. But if you would like to see reviews and more information about the graphic novel, they can be found here: The Last Unicorn
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I knew it would be a good comic, but I didn't expect it sooooo beautiful. It's incredible, what a good work. A fantastic edition, perfect for collectors. I'm not a big comic fan but this graphic novel is more than words can describe. It's amazing.
The quality of the cover, the paper, the colours, everything is so accurate, so lovely worked... And it's lovely to see the extra pages with drawings and interviews.
I LOVE IT!
The quality of the cover, the paper, the colours, everything is so accurate, so lovely worked... And it's lovely to see the extra pages with drawings and interviews.
I LOVE IT!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bought by accident!
I purchased this by accident, because I thought it was the actual novel, by Peter S. Beagle. The kindle description is not very clear and I didn't read any of the reviews which... Read more
Published 7 days ago by Tiffany J. Free
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Little loves it!!
I remember watching the movie whe I was a child, My daughter loves it now as well, the book is a great print! the artwork is fantastic and she loves reading it! Read more
Published 7 days ago by Craig morrison
5.0 out of 5 stars
The last unicorn
Best book I've ever read in my years of reading. My love for unicorns are great. I have dreamed and hoped to see a real live unicorn since I was three but this book has given me... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Aulbree
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful retelling of the story
The Last Unicorn has been a novel and a movie, but in some ways I like the graphic novel version best of all. It combines stunning visuals with Peter Beagle's text. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Enjolras
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kindle Version
The artwork is spectacular vivid, whimsical, and ethereal. Reminiscent of the animated movie but it certainly had a flair and style of its own. Read more
Published 1 month ago by lupina24
5.0 out of 5 stars
Last Unicorn Graphic Novel
I'll start with a negative, but it turns out that I enjoyed it so much more even taking that into consideration. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jon Spell
3.0 out of 5 stars
Buy the Original First
I wanted to introduce my grandson to The Last Unicorn and thought this would be a good way to do so. I'm back now to buy the original.
Published 2 months ago by GreyMinivanGuy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A well crafted classic
There's nothing not to love. Peter Beagle's classic book is a heart pulling tale of beauty, mixed with sadness and joy, and Renae DeLiz' gorgeous artwork is just the right fit. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Michael J. Vuolo
3.0 out of 5 stars
Read the description very carefully
I was really keen to get a hardback version of this beautiful story for my daughter. I didn't notice (in the tiny fine print) that this is the graphic novel version. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars
Always a good
I have this book I have the movie and now I have the graphic novel. Superbly crafted and designed!! My favourite
Published 4 months ago by A. Glaspie
