Adastra in Africa

Rating:
Summary: Now I know what over-illustrated means
Review: Barry Windsor-Smith was one of my favorite comic artists when I used to collect comics in the 1970s and 80s. His sense of detail steeped in Art Nouveau and Symbolism combined with strong storytelling pacing pulled me in another world and lingered with me after I turned each page. His sense of the supernatural was always spellbinding to me.

When I found out that a new book of his was out, I eagerly purchased it without knowing anything about it based on how much I loved his work from before. His storytelling skills and pacing were as keen as ever. Barry Windsor-Smith still knows how to set a mood and sustain it throughout the story.

His drawing is still beautiful. But it was so detailed, that it was very hard to read and see what was going on in some of the panels. There's a couple panels where he uses a solid black background with a beautifully detailed face in front. These were my favorite panels. I could focus on the excellently rendered facial expressions. In a lot of the full size panels without any solid blacks to counter all the ornate pen and ink detail, it was hard to absorb what was going on. I may be wrong, but I get the impression this is a reprint from a comic. Perhaps the original was colored with a simple color scheme to help distinguish figures from foreground and background.

Aside from that, the story was okay. I don't know Adastra's background and wished an introduction was provided. There is an "interview" in the back, as well as some "outtakes", but I thought they were silly and destroyed the wonderful mood that was set up in the graphic novel. If this graphic novel was created only for those who know the background of the original comics, then it probably succeded. But it doesn't stand on its own.

Rating:
Summary: No other way to tell the tale
Review: I have to detract from the previous reviews which focus on the the art and the story's original place as part of the over-burdened pantheon that is Marvel's X-Men comics' continuity. Instead I want to focus on the eloquence of a story that pits miracles againt hope and reality. Miracles may save a life, a village, a world but it cannot be counted upon. People have to sacrifice in order to get what they want. That's the universal truth that brings conflict to the relationship between a well meaning goddess and those who depend upon her good works to solve their real world problems. That's all that needs to be said about this classic reminder that people have to make their own miracles rather than depend on the omnipotent powers of gods.As an aside; this story was indeed part of an X-Men story involving a mutant named Storm. Marvel's editor at the time this was meant to see print almost 20 years ago was squeamish about presenting a story that he believed endorsed suicide as a viable option to an entire village's death. In fact it's a story about real faith and moving beyond your fear and false assurances.As for the art, well Barry did extensive re-drawing to make this work in a black and white. Color would have doubled the cost and the price of this beautiful book. Barry did more work to keep this book available instead of making minor changes and keeping the book so expensive that most would not have bought it. I guess that's the thanks he gets for his efforts.As for over-drawn, again the reviewer would prefer Barry did less? Barry drew this book in a style used by great illustrators like Edward Burne-Jones and Howard Pyle. I can find no fault with well rendered images and luscious line work.To each his own.I've given this book as a gift on three occasions and the recipients all wanted to know where there was more work by Barry Windsor-Smith? I happily passed on the information.

Rating:
Summary: No other way to tell the tale
Review: I have to detract from the previous reviews which focus on the the art and the story's original place as part of the over-burdened pantheon that is Marvel's X-Men comics' continuity. Instead I want to focus on the eloquence of a story that pits miracles againt hope and reality. Miracles may save a life, a village, a world but it cannot be counted upon. People have to sacrifice in order to get what they want. That's the universal truth that brings conflict to the relationship between a well meaning goddess and those who depend upon her good works to solve their real world problems. That's all that needs to be said about this classic reminder that people have to make their own miracles rather than depend on the omnipotent powers of gods.As an aside; this story was indeed part of an X-Men story involving a mutant named Storm. Marvel's editor at the time this was meant to see print almost 20 years ago was squeamish about presenting a story that he believed endorsed suicide as a viable option to an entire village's death. In fact it's a story about real faith and moving beyond your fear and false assurances.As for the art, well Barry did extensive re-drawing to make this work in a black and white. Color would have doubled the cost and the price of this beautiful book. Barry did more work to keep this book available instead of making minor changes and keeping the book so expensive that most would not have bought it. I guess that's the thanks he gets for his efforts.As for over-drawn, again the reviewer would prefer Barry did less? Barry drew this book in a style used by great illustrators like Edward Burne-Jones and Howard Pyle. I can find no fault with well rendered images and luscious line work.To each his own.I've given this book as a gift on three occasions and the recipients all wanted to know where there was more work by Barry Windsor-Smith? I happily passed on the information.

Rating:
Summary: Revised Story Really Misses Color and Original Character
Review: This story was originally created by Barry Windsor-Smith over a decade ago as the third and final installment of the "Lifedeath" issues of Marvel Comics' The Uncanny X-Men. Marvel's editors declined to publish the story and Windsor-Smith revised the story to be an episode from the earlier life of Princess Adastra, one of the members of the Young Gods serial presented in the STORYTELLER series.

Consequently there are two important things to realize. First, the heroine was originally intended to be Storm and the tale is obviously a better fit for her character than for Adastra. Second, the artwork was originally intended to be presented in color. Taken in combination these two points explain why this work is not as satisfying as it might be. If you compare these black and white pages to the two X-Men comics you will easily see how these overly detailed drawings of people in the rain forest was supposed to look and how much more effective they would be in color. One of the hallmarks of Windsor-Smith's later work is that color is as much a part of his illustration as the finely detailed artwork. If you look at some of his posters you can see what he can do focusing on dominant colors (e.g., the blue in "Mitras," the reds and browns in "Sybll," or the lilac in "Psyche"). The artwork in "Ad Astra in Africa" is intended to emphasize a blending of colors and can not truly be appreciated in black and white.

Ultimately this volume is of interest to those who not only admire Windsor-Smith's illustration style but those who remember the original "Lifedeath" series. The "interview" with the main character, which includes a couple of very tongue in cheek "outtakes" from the story are certainly in keeping with the Young Gods serial, but they also seriously undercut the serious nature of the original X-Men story, which is almost as serious a concern as the absence of color in this volume.

Rating:
Summary: Revised Story Really Misses Color and Original Character
Review: This story was originally created by Barry Windsor-Smith over a decade ago as the third and final installment of the "Lifedeath" issues of Marvel Comics' The Uncanny X-Men. Marvel's editors declined to publish the story and Windsor-Smith revised the story to be an episode from the earlier life of Princess Adastra, one of the members of the Young Gods serial presented in the STORYTELLER series.

Consequently there are two important things to realize. First, the heroine was originally intended to be Storm and the tale is obviously a better fit for her character than for Adastra. Second, the artwork was originally intended to be presented in color. Taken in combination these two points explain why this work is not as satisfying as it might be. If you compare these black and white pages to the two X-Men comics you will easily see how these overly detailed drawings of people in the rain forest was supposed to look and how much more effective they would be in color. One of the hallmarks of Windsor-Smith's later work is that color is as much a part of his illustration as the finely detailed artwork. If you look at some of his posters you can see what he can do focusing on dominant colors (e.g., the blue in "Mitras," the reds and browns in "Sybll," or the lilac in "Psyche"). The artwork in "Ad Astra in Africa" is intended to emphasize a blending of colors and can not truly be appreciated in black and white.

Ultimately this volume is of interest to those who not only admire Windsor-Smith's illustration style but those who remember the original "Lifedeath" series. The "interview" with the main character, which includes a couple of very tongue in cheek "outtakes" from the story are certainly in keeping with the Young Gods serial, but they also seriously undercut the serious nature of the original X-Men story, which is almost as serious a concern as the absence of color in this volume.