Rating: 
Summary: Very expensive printing and lots of drivel
Review: I was drawn to In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe by the nice cover art and nice printing. These held out, and the entire book is very nicely manufactured and printed. And for me the very nice manufacturing (and hefty price to match) was the only thing I got from this book.
The story concerns a scholar who has been loaned a memoir which may or may not have been written by Poe just prior to his death. This memoir starts with Poe agreeing with several demons that they may accompany him through his life. From there on Poe's talents and relationships are stolen or corrupted and destroyed by the demons. He starts off talented in his own right but ends up drinking and not doing much else. Really, the story could be about a fictitious author of the past. It isn't about Poe, so why title it Poe except to drop a name.
The graphics inside were very nicely printed. Pictures were photographed and models were named in the credits section similar to a movie. The art itself didn't appeal to me. It was more of the same when I turned a page and not breath taking. Nothing really grabbed me, and art matters in a graphic novel. The photography thing is more a conceptual thing that could work than something that works here.
I wouldn't recommend buying this or even reading it. High quality printing would be better used on just about any other type of graphics - from art boks to a different comic book - and the high quality printing is the only memorable thing about this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Totally hip
Review: Okay, if you want to see the demise of intelligence in America, the sectional thinking, the special interests with their idiotic little hyper-concerns, read some of the reviews below. Just some. I mean, a few people seem to think that this is actually supposed to be a scholarly bio on Poe. Come on! They seem to think that the diary that's been found is somehow real and that the authors are doing Poe a great injustice, that they're arguing that Poe's enemy of the time probably cranked the thing out. So I have to ask, "What's going on in your heads?" This is a graphic novel boys and girls. It's a piece of fiction. Don't go writing your masters disertation and rely on this story, because you'll look foolish. And if you do, fellas, you should.
So here's my take. This is a full-throttle bit of fantasy writing combined with great, cinemagraphic art (manipulated photography that is absolutely cool) that is a miraculous little bundle of creepiness, literary deevolution, and gripping story telling, and you should buy it for no other reason than that. Don't go getting it if what you're looking for is a history text, buy it for the entertainment value. Don't go getting it and feel like it's some sideways dig at Poe and Poe's ability, because you'll look foolish. Get it cause it's good and entertaining as all get out. Don't go special-intresting this thing with your little nitch-Poe-hobby. You're missing the point. Instead, let Fuqua's perfect-pitch writing entertain, Phillips' photography work blow your mind, and Parke's magic rope it all together. Enjoy the thing in an easy chair with a lot of cushion. You'll read to the end and back again.
Rating:
Summary: An insightful look into troubled genius.
Review: This work takes the graphic novel genre to greater heights. The use of Stephen Phillips' lovely quirky photography and Steven Parke's endlessly creative artistic expression to enhance Jon Fuqua's quietly insightful tale of what was really going on with Poe is a dark and blissful marriage, as bothersomely beautiful as Poe's own to cousin Virginia. Edgar, Auntie Maria, and cuz Virginia brought worlds of new meaning to the concept of menage a trois. This story unflinchingly examines and displays the seamiest aspects of Poe's morally equivocal, but endlessly fascinating and brilliant life. Fans of PREACHER, HELLBLAZER, and Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN will find much to love here as well. This belongs in every public library collection for young adults and in any collection of American literary history. The best part is that the demons who plague Poe are portrayed in such a way as the reader still can never be quite sure if they are real and separate beings or just Poe's absinthe-soaked delusions. Masterfully rendered.
Rating: 
Summary: In the Shadow of Rufus W. Griswold...
Review: Though beautifully done in many ways, I feel that this book should have been entitled: IN THE SHADOW OF RUFUS W. GRISWOLD. Just two days after Poe's death, Griswold, his bitter rival, wrote his "Obituary", and later "Memoir", in his edition of Poe's works, in 1850. "His abusive and slanderous characterization of Poe became the unofficial biographical record for the 19th Century"...(Poe Encyclopedia, 1997). It is obvious that it still seems to be continued in the defamation of Poe's character to this day, as is, I feel portrayed by the storyline in this book.Having been a Poe scholar for years, I'm disappointed that the effort used to create this book didn't focus more on his creative abilities, showing his tremendous talent. He gave us the detective genre. He was a fierce, but truthful critic and editor. Just check out a chronology of his works. It's obvious that he did more in his 40 years, than just sit around getting drunk, and seducing his aunt. His gentle side is, of course, spoken of in the countless letters, memoirs and testimonies written by his friends and loved ones during his life, and especially after his death, when his defenders tried to dispel Griswold's lies. I am very impressed with the graphics, art work and photography that was created in this book. My only objection is the inaccurate information regarding his life. I hate misrepresentation. (Think of how YOU would feel...) There is so much research information available which, I feel could have been used to DISPEL the worn out, recycled lies that have plagued him for over 150 years. Those of us who admire and respect him will continue to defend his reputation and honor his memory.
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