Nick Fury's Howling Commandos: Howling Mad Tpb [ペーパーバック]

I've bought both Odyssey graphic novels, this and Garith Hinds, and the Marvel Troy graphic novel (also recommended).

The visuals are better in the marvel book. The Hinds' version has slightly preferred text, but the illustrations bring it down a notch below this version. The dialogue style is stilted and tries to keep to the more traditional translations. I am past that and prefer a more conversational and contemporary style, but, alas, that was not to be.

Good choice, loved both, love this one a little more. Get the Troy book as well.

I've always enjoyed the various comic adaptations of classic literature from Classics Illustrated and Pendulum Press, as well as Marvel and DC, but these adaptations suffered due to page limitations. It's understandable, as cost and time have to be considered, but it's apparent that with the majority of these, the reader only gets the bare bones of the plot. If MARVEL ILLUSTRATED: THE ODYSSEY is any indication, there is a desire to do these adaptations in a better way. This is a paperback collection of the 8-issue series from 2008 written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Greg Tocchini. It's a very detailed and accurate adaptation of Homer's epic poem, and it's really no surprise, considering that Thomas was involved. He's the perfect choice to adapt this story, as he is quite the scholar, and he has dealt with more than his share of swords and sorcery during his association with Conan the Barbarian. What really stands out about this adaptation is how Thomas tells the story in its original non-linear fashion, where the others I've read generally begin with the start of Odysseus' return to Ithaca following the 10-year siege of Troy. Thomas sticks to the poem and begins more towards the middle of the story, as well as including the parallel quest of Odysseus' son, Telemachus. His attention to detail is outstanding, and he clearly didn't just slap this together. As for Tocchini, he's been involved with what I consider low- to medium-profile projects in the past, but his work on THE ODYSSEY brings him into the major leagues. His art is astounding, with depth, detail, and creativity contributing to excellent interpretations of the various characters and monsters. He truly makes everything look larger than life... and not just the Cyclopes.

The two editions of this book have their pros and cons. The hardcover uses a thin glossy paper, but the softcover uses a thicker flat paper that really makes the art and colors stand out. On the other hand, while the hardcover is standard size, the soft cover is a smaller digest size. Ultimately, I chose the softcover for its better art reproduction and lower price. The same goes for The Iliad and Trojan War, the other two volumes in this "set".

I'd love to see more adaptations of this sort by Marvel. Beowulf, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Aeneid seem like prime candidates for this sort of treatment - even more so if Thomas were involved. I would never push a comic adaptation over the actual source material, but the Marvel Illustrated line does make for an entertaining way to pass the time. In fact, a well-executed comic adaptation such as this could serve to give curious readers the extra nudge they need to dive into the source. Marvel should promote this line more aggressively.