Horror Classics: Graphic Classics Volume Ten

This slim volume was a great find at my local used book store. I have a thing for reading classic stories adapted into my favorite media. I was doubly excited because the cover promises stories by Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, three of my favorites in one volume and in graphic format.

Stories adapted in this book include: "The Mummy" by Ambrose Bierce; "The Thing on the Doorstep", Lovecraft; "Some Words with a Mummy" by Poe; "In a Far-Off World" Olive Shreiner; "The Thing at Ghent" Honore de Balzac; "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs; "The Open Window" Saki; "A Day-Dream" by Fitz-James O'Brien; "Keesh, Son of Keesh" by Jack London; "Professor Jonkin's Cannibal Plant" by Howard R. Garis; "The Beast of Averoigne" by Clark Ashton Smith; "Selina Sedila" by Bret Harte.

A short bio is included of each author and artist. All of the art is black and white and while I had some stories that I enjoyed the art in more then others, or at least I felt the art fit the stories better in some then in others (for instance Michael Manning does an excellent job of drawing H.P.L.'s "The Thing on the Doorstep"and I encourage you to check out Mr. Manning's art here), I wouldn't consider any of the art here poor or jarring/mismatched. John W. Pierard's illustrations for "The Monkey's Paw" were also memorable for me and I was happy to learn that he has work in Graphic Classics: H.G. Wells and Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker, two books that I am eager to get my hands on.

The stories by Poe, Lovecraft, CAS, Jack London and W.W. Jacobs I know for certain I have read before (in written word format). Some of these stories I am sure I have encountered before, but do not remember them, I am sure there were a few I've read in this book for the first time. I know that I had read "The Monkey's Paw" before, but it was vague in my memory. After re-discovering it here, I have decided that I must chase down some more W.W. Jacobs.

My favorites: "The Beast of Averoigne", "The Thing on the Doorstep", " The Monkey's Paw" and "In a Far-Off World".

A quick look at Graphic Classics website shows that they have several more volumes in print, and based upon the strength of Horror Classics I will be seeking out many of these for my bookshelf. One upcoming project of their's I am particularly excited about is Western Classics which includes an adaption of Robert E. Howard's "Knife River Prodigal".

Seek this out. Read it. Enjoy it.