Apocrypha Now

by Mark Russell, Shannon Wheeler (Illustrator)

Overview

Mark Russell & Shannon Wheeler’s faithful-yet-irreverent approach to the Bible made their book GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU a modern cult classic. Now, by popular demand, they turn their attention to the best parts left out of the canonical Bible, including the Midrash, the Apocrypha, Gnostic Gospels, and more! And if you thought the BIBLE had some weird stuff in it...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603093699
Publisher:	IDW Publishing
Publication date:	05/31/2016
Edition description:	Mature Readers (ages 16 and up)
Pages:	196
Sales rank:	1,041,854
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

Editorial Reviews

05/09/2016
Russell and Wheeler (God Is Disappointed in You) team up again for this humorous take on the “DVD extras” of the Bible: the Midrash, Apocrypha, and Gnostic Gospels. There’s nothing musty or highfalutin about these sacred stories; instead, Russell careens brashly from joke to joke, gleefully retelling the cryptic stories in contemporary lingo. The Midrash—oral traditions that inspired or supplemented the Torah—adds nuance to familiar Old Testament stories. Readers meet Lilith, Adam’s other wife; learn about iconoclastic Abram’s disgust with his father’s “Idol Threats” emporium; and hear an ant queen discuss Solomon’s ego and lust problems. One of Wheeler’s New Yorker–ready cartoons wittily skewers many biblical characters’ central dilemma: “On one hand it will make God mad. On the other hand, I’ll get laid.” The title is perhaps misleading given that the Apocrypha section, which contains some of the most bizarre stories, only comprises 40 pages. Russell is not writing for the overly pious: Susanna is “slut-shamed,” Daniel resembles a “Jewish Perry Mason,” and Thecla’s jilted fiancé is “cock-blocked.” For the uninitiated, Russell’s cheeky history will shed light on sainthood traditions such as Thomas’s journey to India and Peter’s upside-down crucifixion. Accurate yet rib-tickling, these scriptural riffs are perfect for fans of Monty Python’s Life of Brian. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Accurate yet rib-tickling, these scriptural riffs are perfect for fans of Monty Python’s Life of Brian.” — Publishers Weekly

"Pairing Russell’s irreverent prose interpretations of Biblical legend with Wheeler’s droll single-panel cartoons... it’s a jam-packed read that turns these ancient texts into engaging, accessible narratives, with a strong sense of humor." — The AV Club

"Apocrypha Now isn’t a fraction as disrespectful as it might appear, though much of the source material was deemed heretical when it was stricken from the Good Book hundreds of years ago. But it is completely enjoyable, accessible and educational." — Paste

"Apocrypha Now is everything you never knew you always wanted from the Bible." — Daily Kos

"If you have ever heard of the Gnostic Gospels or Nag Hammadi, and wondered what was up with that, Apocrypha Now is an excellent primer….Fascinating.” — Ink 19

From the Publisher