Marvel Illustrated: The Jungle Book #1

April 9, 2007

Quick Rating: Good
Title: The Jungle Book
Rating: T+

To launch the new Marvel Illustrated line, Marvel re-presents the legendary Gil Kane’s adaptation of The Jungle Book!

Based on the work of: Rudyard Kipling
Writers: Gil Kane & Mary Jo Duffy
Pencils: Gil Kane
Inks: P. Craig Russell
Colors: Christie Scheele & Petra Goldberg
Letters: Jim Novak
Original Editor: Al Milgrom
Collection Editor: Mark D. Beazley
Cover Art: P. Craig Russell & Lovern Kindzierski
Publisher: Marvel Comics

In a move that I applaud, Marvel Comics is making an effort to resurrect the old Classics Illustrated concept, taking classic literature and presenting it in a comic book format. To kick off the line, they’re giving us this one-shot reprinting four stories from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book as adapted by the immortal Gil Kane.

The work is pretty solid. Kane (along with scripter Mary Jo Duffy for two of the stories) produced these four tales for Marvel Fanfare, and they read just fine as a straightforward adaptation of Kipling’s stories. What’s more, Kane and inker P. Craig Russell produce some truly beautiful adventure strip artwork, and fans of Kane really can’t do without having this book.

Roy Thomas, who helped develop the Jungle Book tales and will spearhead the new Marvel Illustrated line, provides us with an intriguing text piece about both projects. If you’re at all interested or curious about the new line, this book gives you a nice taste of what to expect, including a preview of the first book, The Last of the Mohicans (which features wonderful artwork by Steve Kurth). With so many contemporary novels being adapted (between the Dabel Brothers and The Dark Tower, perhaps the time is ripe to try this again.

Rating: 7/10