Graphic version of the entire Bible to be published

 
Graphic version of the entire Bible to be published
Series will run to 2,000 pages in 12 volumes and aims to establish '"Marvel" of the faith market'

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'Sizzling art' ... Samson as envisioned by the Kingstone Graphic Bible
From the creation of the world and the great flood to the Book of Revelation, a 12-volume, 2,000-page comic-book version of the entire Bible is in the works in America – "the most complete graphic adaptation of the Bible ever done", according to its Christian publisher Kingstone.

'An evergreen product in the marketplace' ... the cover for the Revelation volume of the Kingstone Bible
The comic version, said Kingstone, is intended to "teach and explain the major stories and themes in the Bible in a historical and chronological manner". TheFlorida-based publisher will launch the first four volumes of its Bible adaptation this year, covering the Old Testament up until the book of Judges, with the remaining eight graphic novels– which will cover the New Testament as well as concluding the Old – to be published next year. Chief executive Art Ayris says the company's aim is to become "the 'Marvel' of the faith market", with the Kingstone Bible to be "a centrepiece for us in our offerings".

"The Bible is continually the best-selling book of all time. The Bible series on the History Channel was just the top-rated cable programme ever. We suspect The Kingstone Bible … will be an evergreen product in the marketplace," said Ayris.

Ayris hopes the new version will help readers to better understand the Bible. "I am continually stunned at the Bible illiteracy I see in the general culture and even church goers. I felt there needed to be both a graphic bridge and a chronological structure to help (especially the younger ones) to grasp and understand the major themes of the Bible. Most of our artists have worked with Marvel and DC so when these kids get hold of this sizzling art it assists in bringing life and understanding to the Biblical text," he said.

"Also, boys are sometimes reluctant readers. We are a pretty testosterone-driven publishing company so these comics and graphic novels are pretty adept at catching their attention and drawing them into the story … Comics are pretty transcultural so they can help people in making sense of the text."

Sometimes, said Ayris, readers "try to push on me a bit about what Bible version we use"; to combat this, the publisher will list Bible verses at the bottom of each page of its graphic adaptation, so that readers can "refer to whatever version they prefer".

Kingstone's adaptation is not the first graphic version of the Bible. In 1975 DC adapted the early chapters of Genesis, from the Garden of Eden to Sodom and Gomorrah, the former Judge Dredd artist Siku published a manga version in 2008, while the cult US cartoonist Robert Crumb took on the Book of Genesis in 2009 in what his publisher called a "scandalous satire".

According to Ayris, Kingstone's 12-volume version will be "the most complete graphic adaptation of the Bible ever done".


http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jun/28/graphic-version-entire-bible-marvel