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Emma Cover
Title: Emma
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: PG13
Tags: regency historical straight graphic novel adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

Marvel continues its bestselling graphic novel adaptations of Jane Austen's classics! Award-winning author Nancy Butler, adapter of Marvel's best-selling adaptations Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, brings you another Jane Austen classic! Joined with the beautiful illustrations of Janet Lee, Butler brings to life Austen's most precocious heroine, Emma Woodhouse. Discover what has made this story so enduring, as its re-told in the Mighty Marvel manner!


Jane Cover
Title: Jane
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: straight adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Buy it at your local comic/book store!

Synopsis from the Creator:

A powerful modern day reimagining of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel Jane Eyre. Jane learns that in the world of New York's elite, secrets are the greatest extravagance and she must decide if she should trust the man she loves or do whatever it takes to protect her best friend from the consequences of his deception.

Love In Panels' Review:

When an older, problematic book is modernized, I have a habit of hoping for the best. I should have learned better by now, though. Despite being adapted by a writer I adore, I still couldn't like the story.

A large part of the problem is that I don't much care for JANE EYRE. I hate Mr. Rochester, and have never been able to understand why Jane Eyre would return to him after his heinous actions are revealed. He's a jerk, and she's gotten away from him. I'd like the story to end there. It never does. Logically, it would follow that I wouldn't like JANE, a modernized adaptation of the classic. I suspect that readers who are fans of Brontë's original will enjoy this version far more than I did.

On to the objective part of this review! The art is similar to gothic classics or the romance comics of the 70's, full of painted scenes with bold brushstrokes and evocative color choices. Panel size and placement is varied throughout, with curious closeups and several two page splash spreads. The writing is fine, but as with most comics, the art carries the emotional weight of the story. The panels leading up to a kiss are tinted red and orange, with closeups that are a bit blurred and hard to decipher, illustrating the chaotic swirl of emotion between the pair.

All of this said, I still hate Rochester, regardless of the pretty art and updated Happily Ever After. Your mileage may vary.


Norroway, Book 1 Cover
Title: Norroway, Book 1
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: folktale fairytale Scottish retelling adaptation character of color first in series fantasy
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indies

Buy it at your Local Comic Shop!

Synopsis from the Creator:

Sibylla always wanted adventure, but she didn't know it would come in the form of a giant, magical bull. Is he a man or a monster? And who knew a prophecy could be so literal?

The first title in a new series co-created by sibling writer/artist team CAT SEATON and KIT SEATON, begins the adventure of a lifetime.


Persephone Cover
Title: Persephone
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: mythology graphic novel adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Available in eBook and Print via Hiveworks Comics.

Synopsis from the Creator:

In his ancient hymns, Homer tells us of the unyielding Lord of the Dead who kidnapped the innocent daughter of Demeter. He tells us quite a bit, in fact, for someone who wasn’t there.

Persephone is no tragic victim, but a kind young woman held in place by her overbearing mother. A failed scheme by Apollo leads her to a chance encounter with the humorless Hades, who is struck by love’s arrow. Now he must wrestle with his aching heart before he loses control entirely....

Not that the infatuated Persephone has any complaints regarding Hades' plight.  As desire blooms between the secluded goddess of the harvest and the ruler of the underworld, the world changes both above and below.

The book is a 164-page softcover comic intended for an adult audience. This one volume contains the entire story.

**Book contains implied sexual activity and nudity**

Love In Panels' Review:

Allison Shaw's PERSEPHONE is beautiful, but lacks the depth that would have pushed it to the next level. The story progresses at a rapid pace, with some characters seeming to act without clear motivation. Readers who aren't familiar with the Greek pantheon might find themselves a bit adrift.

As a series of illustrations, it's quite lovely. The line work is spare but fluid. Panels burst with white flowers and flowing garments. The color palette plays Persephone's white and red against Hades' black, highlighting the opposites-attract aspects of the story.

Symbolism, artistic flourishes, and a deep love of love make this story enjoyable despite the general feeling of "wait, that's it?" Our verdict is that it's well worth the $5 for a digital copy.


Pride and Prejudice Cover
Title: Pride and Prejudice
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: PG13
Tags: regency historical straight adaptation graphic novel
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife...

Tailored from the adored Jane Austen classic, Marvel Comics is proud to present PRIDE AND PREJUDICE! Two-time Rita Award-Winner Nancy Butler and fan-favorite Hugo Petras faithfully adapt the whimsical tale of Lizzy Bennet and her loveable-if-eccentric family, as they navigate through tricky British social circles. Will Lizzy's father manage to marry off her five daughters, despite his wife's incessant nagging? And will Lizzy's beautiful sister Jane marry the handsome, wealthy Mr. Bingley, or will his brooding friend Mr. Darcy stand between their happiness?


Sense and Sensibility Cover
Title: Sense and Sensibility
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: PG13
Tags: regency historical straight graphic novel adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

Award-winning writer Nancy Butler, adapter of Marvel's best-selling adaptation of PRIDE & PREJUDICE, returns to Marvel with another Jane Austen classic: SENSE & SENSIBILITY! Alongside incredible artist Sonny Liew (My Faith in Frankie, Wonderland), Butler brings to life the world of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two daughters without parents or means, forced to experience hardship, romance, and heartbreak, all in the hopes of achieving love and lasting happiness.


Teleny and Camille Cover
Title: Teleny and Camille
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Black and White
Heat: NSFW
Tags: gay victorian adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Northwest Press

Synopsis from the Creator:

Jon Macy, longtime contributor to gay comics publications such as Gay Comics and Boy Trouble, has adapted a moving and erotic gay love story from Oscar Wilde’s classic Teleny: Or the Reverse of the Medal.

Camille, a wealthy young gentleman in Victorian London, falls in love with the handsome and mesmerizing pianist Teleny. While Teleny performs on stage, the two star-crossed lovers discover they share a psychic link in the form of an erotic vision. While Camille struggles to resist his homosexuality Teleny is being pursued by others. After telepathically witnessing the erotic encounters Teleny has with both sexes, Camille attempts suicide. Teleny rescues Camille physically and emotionally with his rapturous love forsaking all others. In this newfound happiness Camille tries to forget that Teleny owes much of his success to the generosity of the women who desire him.

Fans of gay comics and gay love stories will devour this sensual tome.


Verona Cover
Title: Verona
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: graphic novel assassins straight character of color adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Emet Comics

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

Written by director and screenwriter Emily Dell, Verona is a story of violence, passion, and young love. Set in modern-day Verona, the Montoyas and Capulets are warring assassin clans, serving contracts for Henrys, Hamlets, and MacBeths. When Jo Capulet and Roman Montoya are thrown together after a mission gone wrong, they see in each other a chance for a new life, even if it means destroying everyone in their path.

Love In Panels' Review:

VERONA is a modern-day, diverse retelling of Romeo & Juliet. Juliet Onishi Capulet is from a powerful family that produces munitions and assassinates people. Roman Montoya is from a more obviously criminal family of drug dealers and assassins. (One thread running throughout the book is the idea that sometimes the legal business owners are actually far shadier.) Anyway, both of them are assassins and they're pitted against each other so... of course they fall in love.

The book is 168 pages, which is enough to lay a great foundation for the story, but I would have loved more character development and a slower build for the central romance. That said, the original was pretty much insta-love, so this is a definite improvement!

This book is a lot of fun, with something for everyone. Explosions! Romance! Bad guys getting what they deserve! Best of all, Roman and Juliet don't die. There's enough here to give you that R&J feel, (Tybalt and other family members, poison/drugs, an apothecary-type person, etc.) but it feels fresh and original. The supporting cast alone makes this worth a read.


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