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Robert Shepherd
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Joined: 30 March 2014
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| Posted: 24 January 2015 at 3:05pm | IP Logged | 1
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So I was wondering: I haven't seen many Illustrated novels over the years, so I assume there must is not a market for those...BUT....
I wanted the forum's opinion. If you found a story you liked (at least as much as you like a decent graphic novel) would you buy an Illustrated novel?
To define, we all know what a graphic novel is, and the illustrated novel is certainly word-based with a scattering of illustrations, usually of critical turning points of the story.
A second question: Why do you think illustrated novels are so rare?
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Stephen Churay
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| Posted: 25 January 2015 at 1:29am | IP Logged | 2
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Absolutely I'd buy an illustrated novel.
Bernie Wrightson's illustrations for Frankenstein, IMO, make it the
greastest example of who the marriage can work at it's best. I also
enjoy Mark Schultz's work for the Conan novels and Michael Kaluta's
for Metropolis.
As to why they are rare? Well, despite the examples above, I find that
in most cases, they dont really seem to add anything to the reading
experience.
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Eric Jansen
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| Posted: 25 January 2015 at 2:59am | IP Logged | 3
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Having owned a version many years ago, I've been looking for a complete and ILLUSTRATED "Sherlock Holmes"--and finally found one! For only $20 at a used book store!
Having owned it once, every time I saw an edition without the illustrations, it seemed so lacking.
I am convinced SHERLOCK HOLMES would not have been the worldwide phenomenon it was/is without those fantastic Sidney Paget illustrations making the stories come alive and cementing in readers' minds what Sherlock and his world looked like.
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Robert Shepherd
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| Posted: 25 January 2015 at 3:43pm | IP Logged | 4
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You both have indirectly reinforced a theory I have, that illustrated novels might only work with word-class illustrators.
We might be more forgiving with a comic or graphic novel, but an illustrated novel might be perceived as a higher standard?
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Carmen Bernardo
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| Posted: 26 January 2015 at 5:27am | IP Logged | 5
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I'm with Robert. While it seems like a good idea, the illustrator had better be top-notch. Otherwise, you get distracted from the impact of the writer's story by a plate of rather haphazard art that might not fit with the part being described.
Also, I think that most people who read prose fiction would rather imagine the characters and their settings inside of their minds. Having a color page depicting a scene with the characters in it kind of detracts from the experience.
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Eric Ladd
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| Posted: 26 January 2015 at 5:44am | IP Logged | 6
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Illustrated novels are niche. Check out rare edition publisher Subterranean Press. The make illustrated editions.
I love their work and have six of their books.
Edited by Eric Ladd on 26 January 2015 at 5:45am
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Stephen Churay
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| Posted: 26 January 2015 at 8:17am | IP Logged | 7
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Also, I think that most people who read prose fiction would rather
imagine the characters and their settings inside of their minds. Having
a color page depicting a scene with the characters in it kind of
detracts from the experience.
======
Carmen, I think this is the crux of whether it works or not. It's not so
much a case of needing a top notch illustrator, although that never
hurts. It's whether or not an illustrator can capture the readers mental
image of what they're reading, or make it even better. That's when it
works.
Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein work, takes what you read, makes it
horrific and beautiful at the same time. If Bernie had seen the monster
much like Branagh's film, I don't think we'd be talking about it today.
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Greg Tigges
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| Posted: 26 January 2015 at 9:04am | IP Logged | 8
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J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter novels are to be republished as fully illustrated editions with art by Jim Kay. I am not sure if this will be an illustration every few pages or every chapter but they expect to release a new illustrated book annually. There were some advanced illustrations released and some characters look like their movie counterparts (Harry) and some don't (Ron Weasley). Should be interesting to see how Potter fans react.
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Stephen Churay
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| Posted: 27 January 2015 at 3:53am | IP Logged | 9
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J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter novels are to be republished as fully
illustrated editions with art by Jim Kay. I am not sure if this will be an
illustration every few pages or every chapter but they expect to release
a new illustrated book annually. There were some advanced
illustrations released and some characters look like their movie
counterparts (Harry) and some don't (Ron Weasley). Should be
interesting to see how Potter fans react.
============
Movies adapted from books are a double edged sword. It can be great
seeing them on screen, but once an actor has made the role their's, it
can destroy the minds eye. It's really bad when a film is poorly cast.
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Brian J Nelson
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| Posted: 27 January 2015 at 4:44am | IP Logged | 10
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I don't think the audience particularly demands illustrated novels, but I don't think they choose to avoid them either. My instinctual belief is that the only reason we don't see more of them is the cost it adds to the publishing. I imagine that a book would have to be completed before the illustration process could really begin. It would likely be quite frustrating to have created several illustrations and then have he author go back and edit earlier portions so that an illustration is no longer applicable. Its my speculation that this is why the illustrated books I do see tend to be much older books.
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