Iconic Graphic Novel

[ScottWilliams]

Attachment 3442 Title: Iconic Graphic Novel
Publisher Name: Comic Book Artists Guild
Writer: Various
Art: Various
$9.99, 112 pages, Black & White

Safety Content Label: A - Appropriate for age 9 and up.

Publishers Blurb:
The beauty of comic book creation is that it is a celebration of two worlds: the literary and the artistic. For the better part of a year, the writer and artist members of the Comicbook Artists Guild have been working steadfastly to bring these two worlds together for the purpose of supporting children’s literacy. Iconic, the Guild’s first graphic novel project, is a collection of short stories based on old tales that are taught in schools all over the world, but each one has a twist to it.

Included in Iconic are stories based on mythological characters such as Prometheus, Talos and Cuchulainn. Legendary literary characters such as Ebeneezer Scrooge and Sherlock Holmes appear in slightly varied narrations from their original. The creators of the Guild explore the trials and triumphs of folklore heroes Robin Hood and John Henry. Lastly, the creators failed to forget historical figureheads Mark Twain, St. George and Gustave Whitehead. All of the narrated stories are tied together by a fictional grandfather as he shares the stories with his grandchildren.

Reviewer Comments:
Just reading Gary Cohn's introduction grabbed me and explained the way comic book fans, like myself, feel about comics. They're more than just simple entertainment, although they provide that as well, but they can often be learning tools. Iconic is just that, entertaining and a way to spark the inquisitive minds of children and adults alike.

The book begins with the familiar scene of the grandfather in the movie "The Princess Bride" reading to his grandson, except instead of a sick grandson, he's going to be reading to both his grandson and granddaughter.

The Grandfather first reads the story of Gustave Whitehead and fuels even my curiosity on who actually was first in flight, The Wright Brothers or Gustave Whitehead?

From George & the Monster to the second installment in the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, to a spaghetti western version of Robin Hood, this book is filled with twists in the stories many of us have heard as children and teaches while it entertains.

A collection of writers and artists using different styles for each story, this is a modern day classic that will surely be more than just another comic book, but also a literary piece that will be shelved in school libraries across the U.S. in the not too distant future.

In a day and age where entertainment seems to trump education this book reminds me of the saturday mornings I spent as a kid watching cartoons about tall tales from Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyon. Things may not have happened exactly as they're portrayed in those cartoons or this book, but it kindles the fire inside young minds to delve further and learn things that an Xbox360 or an itunes gift card just won't teach them.