Hamlet: Classics Illustrated

by William Shakespeare, Alex A. Blum (Illustrator)

Overview

After encountering the ghost of his father on the castle parapet, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is convinced that his father's death was part of a foul plot to take the throne. It is up to Hamlet to decide whether his father must be avenged, and if so, should it be he who commits the act?

Classics Illustrated tells this wonderful tale in colorful comic strip form, offering an excellent introduction for younger readers. This edition also includes theme discussions and study questions, which can be used both in the classroom or at home to further engage the reader in the story.

The Classics Illustrated comic book series began life in 1941 with its first issue, Alexandre Dumas’ "The Three Musketeers", and has since included over 200 classic tales released around the world. This new edition is specifically tailored to engage and educate young readers with some of the greatest works ever written, while still thrilling older readers who have loving memories of this series of old. Each book contains dedicated theme discussions and study questions to further develop the reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the work at hand.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781906814663
Publisher:	Classics Illustrated Comics
Publication date:	01/19/2016
Series:	Classics Illustrated , #39
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 11 Years

About the Author

William Shakespeare (c. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, renowned by many as the world's greatest writer in the English Language. Among his plays are "Romeo and Juliet", "Hamlet", "Macbeth" to name but a few.

After his family moved from Hungary to the USA, ALEX BLUM studied at the National Academy of Design in New York. He eventually joined the Eisner-Iger shop, and in 1939, he started illustrating 'Samson' and 'Eagle' for Fox. In 1940 he illustrated 'Purple Trio', 'Neon' and 'Strange Twins' for Quality Comics. In the same year, Blum started contributing to Fiction House, illustrating 'Red Comet', 'Kaanga', 'Midnight' and 'Greasemonkey Griffin' among others. He was presumably also the artist behind the pseudonym Armand Budd, that also drew for Fiction House.

Alex Blum was a top artist for the Classics Illustrated series from the early issues. He illustrated over 25 Classics and stood out for his use of theatrical dramatics, which is probably why he illustrated three of the five Shakespeare Classics. Alex Anthony Blum retired in 1961 and died in 1969.

Date of Death:

2018

Place of Birth:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Place of Death:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Read an Excerpt

Act 1 Scene 1 running scene 1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Hamlet"
by .
Copyright © 2011 William Shakespeare.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Hamlet - William Shakespeare - Edited by Sylvan Barnet Samuel Taylor Coleridge: From The Lectures of 1811- 1812, Lecture XII
A. C. Bradley: From Shakespearean Tragedy
Maynard Mack: The World of Hamlet
Robert Ornstein: From The Moral Vision of Jacobean Tragedy

NEWLY ADDED ESSAYS:
Catherine Belsey: From The Subject of Tragedy
Carolyn Heilbrun: The Character of Hamlet's Mother
Sylvan Barnet: 'Hamlet' on the Stage and Screen

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Jonathan Bate is a passionate advocate of Shakespeare and his introductions are full of striking and convincing observations ... footnotes at the bottom of each page gloss unfamiliar items of vocabulary, paraphrase tricky meanings and uncover bawdy puns. There is a universe to be found in these annotations: the Renaissance world of power and fate, sex and death, language and philosophy.' – Times Educational Supplement

Editorial Reviews

Praise for William Shakespeare: Complete Works:“A feast of literary and historical information.” -The Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

★ 01/01/2014
For individual plays, these editions are appealing in their presentation of easy-to-read text with footnotes on alternate pages, next to the text, instead of buried in small print at the bottom of every page. The notes are precise and often feature contemporary illustrations. Supplemental essays convey modern perspectives on the plays, which are likely to be of interest to students.

Library Journal

2019-07-13
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

The timeless tale of the young and disaffected Danish prince who is pushed to avenge his father's untimely murder at the hands of his brother unfolds with straightforward briskness. Shakespeare's text has been liberally but judiciously cut, staying true to the thematic meaning while dispensing with longer speeches (with the notable exception of the renowned "to be or not to be" soliloquy) and intermediary dialogues. Some of the more obscure language has been modernized, with a glossary of terms provided at the end; despite these efforts, readers wholly unfamiliar with the story might struggle with independent interpretation. Where this adaptation mainly excels is in its art, especially as the play builds to its tensely wrought final act. Illustrator Kumar (World War Two, 2015, etc.) pairs richly detailed interiors and exteriors with painstakingly rendered characters, each easily distinguished from their fellows through costume, hairstyle, and bearing. Human figures are generally depicted in bust or three-quarter shots, making the larger panels of full figures all the more striking. Heavily scored lines of ink form shadows, lending the otherwise bright pages a gritty air. All characters are white.

A solid introduction for budding lovers of the Bard. (biography of Shakespeare, dramatis personae, glossary) (Graphic novel. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews