Classical Comics

{{Infobox publisher

| name = Classical Comics Enterprises

| image =

| caption =

| parent =

| status =

| traded_as =

| predecessor =

| founded = 2007

| founder = Clive Bryant

| successor =

| country = United Kingdom

| headquarters = Birmingham

| distribution = Combined Book Services (UK)
Publishers Group West (US)
Cengage (Australia)

| keypeople = Gary Bryant

| publications = Graphic novels

| topics =

| genre = literary adaptations

| imprints =

| revenue =

| owner =

| numemployees = 240

| website = {{official website|http://www.classicalcomics.com}}

}}

Classical Comics is a British publisher of graphic novel adaptations of the great works of literature, including Shakespeare, Charlotte Brontë and Dickens.

Overview

All of the volumes will be published as graphic novels. Art is being provided by British artists, most of whom have a long history of working in British comics. Some of the releases, in particular the Shakespeare, will come in three different versions: the original text, plain text and quick text, designed to allow readers with different needs to pick the version that bests suits them.[http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=135709 Clive Bryant on Classical Comics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224104409/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=135709 |date=2009-02-24 }}, Newsarama, November 8, 2007

Classical Comics chairman, Clive Bryant has stated "We want to make Shakespeare as energetic and colourful as Spider-man"[http://www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2421734 Then lend the eye an easy aspect] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209143630/http://www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2421734 |date=2007-12-09 }}, Times Educational Supplement, August 17, 2007 The aim is not just to aid in English literature classes but also in other areas: Karen Wenborn, the managing director, has said "We, and the teachers we’ve consulted, can visualize huge benefits within the education process using the books, not only for literacy and literature, but also drama, art and history."[http://www.nate.org.uk/site/index.php?NewsID=000110 Classics as graphic novels? Have your say!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802141445/http://www.nate.org.uk/site/index.php?NewsID=000110 |date=2007-08-02 }}, National Association for the Teaching of English, June 29, 2007

In April 2008 Classical Comics signed a distribution deal with [http://www.bookandvolume.com.au book&volume] to cover Australia and New Zealand. In June 2008 they announced two further distributions deals. Publishers Group West will be releasing British English and American English versions of Classical Comics' titles in the US and Canada[http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/15234 Classical Comics To Launch In The USA And Canada With Pgw] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612164238/http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/15234 |date=2008-06-12 }}, Booktrade.info, June 11, 2008 and Ittosha are going to be translating the books into Japanese.[http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/15387 Classical Comics Reverses The Flow! Graphic Novels To Be Published In Japanese] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627005807/http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/15387 |date=2008-06-27 }}, Booktrade.info, June 23, 2008

Classical Comics are also adapting their comics into other media and have turned their Macbeth graphic novel into an interactive motion comic with actors like Derek Jacobi and Juliet Stevenson voicing the roles.{{cite news |first=Alison |last=Flood |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/mar/01/schools-test-interactive-graphic-novel-macbeth |title=Schools test 'interactive graphic novel' version of Macbeth |work=The Guardian |date=March 1, 2010 |accessdate=March 4, 2010 }} Jon Haward, the artist on Macbeth and The Tempest, moved into the role of art direction for the Hamlet adaptation, providing character designs and rough page outlines for pencilled David Lorenzo to work with.{{cite web |first=Melanie C. |last=Jordan |url=http://imaginedaily.com/jon-haward/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818102110/http://imaginedaily.com/jon-haward/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 18, 2011 |title=Jon Haward |publisher=Imagine Daily |accessdate=March 4, 2010 }}

Reception

The National Association for the Teaching of English is supporting the project. "This is a fun way of getting into the stories", the director Ian McNeilly said. "Plays are not meant to be read, but to be seen. The illustrations in these books are an easy way of following what is going on".[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070902/spectrum/book9.htm To be or not to be dumb], The Sunday Tribune, September 2, 2007 Wenborn has also reported that focus groups were "incredibly enthusiastic"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6647927.stm Shakespeare gets comic treatment], BBC, May 11, 2007 and The Guardian, who examined the version of MacBeth, has suggested that "it will also, surely, suck some more young readers into the brilliant darkness of this play."[http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2259730,00.html Something wicked this way comes], The Guardian, February 25, 2008

Titles

Henry V (by William Shakespeare and adapted by John McDonald, with pencils by Neill Cameron and inks by Bambos, 144 pages, November 2007, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-00-6}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/henryv.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2007-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818110109/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/henryv.html |archive-date=2007-08-18 |url-status=dead }}
Macbeth (by William Shakespeare and adapted by John McDonald with artwork by Jon Haward, 144 pages, February 2008, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-03-7}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/macbeth.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2007-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820095932/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/macbeth.html |archive-date=2007-08-20 |url-status=dead }}
Romeo and Juliet (by William Shakespeare and adapted by John McDonald with artwork by Will Volley and Jim Devlin, 160 pages, September 2009, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-19-8}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/romeoandjuliet.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2009-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028131946/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/romeoandjuliet.html |archive-date=2009-10-28 |url-status=dead }}
The Tempest (by William Shakespeare and adapted by John McDonald with artwork by Jon Haward, 144 pages, September 2009 Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-29-7}}[http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/thetempest.html Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
A Midsummer Night's Dream (by William Shakespeare and adapted by John McDonald with artwork by Jason Cardy & Kat Nicholson, 144 pages, September 2010 Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-89-1}})[http://www.classicalcomics.com/titles/a-midsummer-night-s-dream.html Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life]
Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Brontë and adapted by Amy Corzine with artwork by John Burns, 144 pages, Spring 2008, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-06-8}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/janeeyre.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2007-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818233340/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/janeeyre.html |archive-date=2007-08-18 |url-status=dead }}
Frankenstein (by Mary Shelley and adapted by Jason Cobley with artwork by Declan Shalvey,[http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/122720538458371.htm Talking Classical Comics with Declan Shalvey] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216101128/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/122720538458371.htm |date=2008-12-16 }}, Comics Bulletin, November 20, 2008 144 pages, September 2008 Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-15-0}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/frankenstein.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522130858/http://classicalcomics.com/books/frankenstein.html |archive-date=2008-05-22 |url-status=dead }}
A Christmas Carol (by Charles Dickens and adapted by Sean Michael Wilson, with pencils by Mike Collins and inks by David Roach, 160 pages, October 2008, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-17-4}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/christmascarol.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2009-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124074059/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/christmascarol.html |archive-date=2009-11-24 |url-status=dead }}
Great Expectations (by Charles Dickens and adapted by Jen Green and artwork by John Stokes, 160 pages, March 2009, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-09-9}}){{Cite web |url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/greatexpectations.html |title=Classical Comics - Bringing classics to life |access-date=2007-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070627025011/http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/greatexpectations.html |archive-date=2007-06-27 |url-status=dead }}
The Canterville Ghost (by Oscar Wilde and adapted by Sean Michael Wilson, with art by Steve Bryant and Jason Millet, 136 pages, February 2010, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-27-3}})
Sweeney Todd (by anonymous and adapted by Sean Michael Wilson, with art by Declan Shalvey, 168 pages, November 2010, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-79-2}})
Wuthering Heights (by Emily Brontë and adapted by Sean Michael Wilson, with art by John M. Burns, 160 pages, August 2010, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-87-7}})
Dracula (by Bram Stoker and adapted by Jason Cobley with artwork by Staz Johnson, colours by James Offredi and lettering by Jim Campbell,{{Cite web|url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/titles/dracula.html|title = Dracula - Graphic Novel (Paperback)}} 152 pages, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-25-9}})
An Inspector Calls (by J. B. Priestley and adapted by Jason Cobley with artwork by Will Volley, colours by Alejandro Sanchez and lettering by Jim Campbell,{{Cite web|url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/titles/an-inspector-calls.html|title = An Inspector Calls - Graphic Novel (Paperback)}} 144 pages, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-32-7}})
The Importance of Being Earnest (by Oscar Wilde. Script adaptation, characters and artwork by John Stokes,{{Cite web|url=http://www.classicalcomics.com/titles/the-importance-of-being-earnest.html|title = The Importance of Being Earnest - Graphic Novel (Paperback)}} 144 pages, Original Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-92-1}}, Quick Text, {{ISBN|978-1-906332-93-8}})

Awards

2008:
Won the Silver Medal "Graphic Novel/Drawn Book – Drama/Documentary" Independent Publisher Book Award, for Henry V.[http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1231&urltitle=Announcing%202008%20Independent%20Publisher%20Book%20Awards%20Results Announcing 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results]
2009:
Won the Bronze Medal "Graphic Novel/Drawn Book – Drama/Documentary" Independent Publisher Book Award, for Macbeth.[http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1298&urltitle=Announcing%202009%20IPPY%20Awards%20National%20and%20Regional%20Results Announcing 2009 IPPY Awards National and Regional Results]
Association of Educational Publishers 2009 Winner - Distinguished Achievement Award in grades 9-12 'Frankenstein'
2010
Romeo & Juliet graphic novels win "Distinguished Achievement Award" for Curriculum, Reading and Language Arts, grades 9-12.
2012:
'Wuthering Heights' by Scottish writer Sean Michael Wilson,Sean Michael Wilson and hand painted by comic book veteran artist John M Burns, received a nomination for the Stan Lee Excelsior Awards, 2012 voted for by pupils from 170 schools across the UK.
Finalist in the Education Resources Awards 2012 for Best Secondary Resource or Equipment - involving ICT Macbeth Interactive Motion Comichttp://www.besa.org.uk/library/press-release-education-resources-awards-2012-shortlist{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}