The Colour of Magic (The Graphic Novel)
The Color of Magic (Graphic Novel)
| Editor: | David Campiti |
| Writer: | Terry Pratchett |
| Artist: | Steven Ross |
| Adaption: | Scott Rockwell |
The Colour of Magic (yes, Colour, it's a British story) was the first Terry Pratchett Discworld novel. I remember laughing my sorry ass off reading it. I laughed no less at the sequel, "The Light Fantastic". I'm going to risk far-reaching condemnation by suggesting that the following thirty-odd novels in the sequence weren't actually very funny at all. But hey, live on the edge, that's my motto.
Be that as it may, when Pratchett headed into my local town (he travels very well), I didn't happen to have my copy at hand. Rather than buy a second copy, I decided to buy the graphic novel for him to autograph. And that's how I ended up owning this book. I should mention that as he signed it, I said, "Thanks for all the laughs". He dutifully replied "Thanks for all the money". Heh, he really is quite a funny guy.
But what of the graphic novel, you ask? Well, it's illustrated by Steve Ross, following an adaptation by Scott Rockwell that keeps quite faithful to the source. The illustrations look like they're made in colored pencil; Ross has quite a distinctive style, which is rather pleasant. The adaptation is good, the illustrations are good, and the final result is a very entertaining read.
Sure, I didn't laugh as much as when I read the text version. I'm not sure if that's because it was the second read, or perhaps because there's just more material in a text book. Or maybe text is just intrinsically a better medium for conveying humour? No, Calvin & Hobbes kills that idea!
Either way, I still enjoyed this book. If you're a Pratchett fan, then you may well want to think about adding this to your collection. If you've never read the Colour of Magic before... then what the heck is wrong with you?!? Text or graphic novel, this book is a true classic.