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From Michael Strogoff to Tigers and Traitors ― The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne in Classics Illustrated

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William B Jones
William B Jones
William B Jones
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Abstract

From 1941 to 1971, the Classics Illustrated series of comic-book adaptations of works by Shakespeare, Hugo, Dickens, Twain, and others provided a gateway to great literature for millions of young readers. Jules Verne was the most popular author in the Classics catalog, with ten titles in circulation. The first of these to be adapted, Michael Strogoff (June 1946), was the favorite of the Russian-born series founder, Albert L. Kanter. The last to be included, Tigers and Traitors (May 1962), indicated how far among the Extraordinary Voyages the editorial selections could range. This article explores the Classics Illustrated pictorial abridgments of such well-known novels as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days and more esoteric selections such as Off on a Comet and Robur the Conqueror. Attention is given to both the adaptations and the artwork, generously represented, that first drew many readers to Jules Verne. Click on images to view in full size.

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Charles Proteus Steinmetz, The Wizard of Electricity"; "Coming Next" illus. by Henry C. Kiefer. Last Classic Comics issue. First and only CC LDC printing
  • Feb 1947
  • American Indians
American Indians: "The Siouan (Sioux) Family"; Pioneers of Science: "Charles Proteus Steinmetz, The Wizard of Electricity"; "Coming Next" illus. by Henry C. Kiefer. Last Classic Comics issue. First and only CC LDC printing February 1947 [HRN 35, 56 pages, 10¢];
Painted cover (balloon) unattributed, original interior art; first CI PC printing
  • Jun 1949
  • C I First
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First CI LDC printing April-June 1949 [HRN 60, 48 pages]; subsequent CI LDC printings August 1949 [HRN 62, 48 pages], May 1950 [HRN 71], December 1950 [HRN 78, 15¢], February 1952 [HRN 92], March 1954 [HRN 117]. Painted cover (balloon) unattributed, original interior art; first CI PC printing September 1957 [HRN 140, 15¢]; subsequent CI LDC printings May 1960 [HRN 156], October 1963 [HRN 167], May 1964 [HRN 167], June 1966 [HRN 167], 1968 [HRN 166, 25¢]. Thirteen printings (one CC LDC, six CI LDC, six CI PC).
Smoky, The Quick Thinking Dog"; Pioneers of Science
  • Dog Heroes
Dog Heroes: "Smoky, The Quick Thinking Dog"; Pioneers of Science: "Thomas Wedgwood, Inventor of the Camera";
An Incident in the Life of Andrew Johnson
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American Presidents: "An Incident in the Life of Andrew Johnson" (Alex A. Blum);
Off On a Comet by Jules Verne. First painted cover (man gripping rocky surface, black background) unattributed, interior art by Gerald McCann
  • Mar 1953
"Coming Next" illus. by Alex A. Blum. First PC printing March 1953 [HRN 106, 48 pages, 15¢]; subsequent PC printings April 1954 [HRN 118], May 1956 [HRN 132], November 1957 [HRN 141], September 1958 [HRN 146], May 1960 [HRN 156], Spring-Summer 1963 [HRN 167], May 1964 [HRN 167], May 1965 [HRN 167], October 1967 (two variants, one with inserted Grit ad) [HRN 166], Summer 1969 [HRN 169, stiff cover, 25¢], Spring 1971 [HRN 169, stiff cover]. Twelve printings. 138. A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Painted cover (mortal combat between Ichthyosaurus and Plesiosaurus) by Norman B. Saunders, interior art by Norman Nodel; Verne biography (Alex A. Blum); "The Story of Great Britain, Part 12: Great Britain Today" (Lou Cameron); "Cave Exploring [spelunking]" (no illus.); "Coming Next" illus. (cover variant) by Alex A. Blum. First PC printing May 1957 [HRN 136, 48 pages, 15¢]; subsequent PC printings September 1958 [HRN 146], May 1960 [HRN 156], Fall 1960 [HRN 158], Spring-Summer 1963 [HRN 167], June 1964 [HRN 167], April 1966 [HRN 167], 1968 [HRN 166, 25¢]. Eight printings. 149. Off On a Comet by Jules Verne. First painted cover (man gripping rocky surface, black background) unattributed, interior art by Gerald McCann; Verne biography; "The Dwarf and the Giant [Mercury and Jupiter]"; "Heavenly Heroes [Callisto, Orion, Pleiades, Ariadne]";
-book device); interior art by Don Perlin, adaptation by Alfred Sundel; Verne biography
  • May 1961
  • Casey Jones
Casey Jones (final issue with number and price in open-book device); interior art by Don Perlin, adaptation by Alfred Sundel; Verne biography; "Who Knows?" (Part I) by Guy de Maupassant; "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" (Part I) by Stephen Crane; Men of Action: "Joshua," art by Sidney Miller (?); "Coming Next" illus. (cover variant showing lower-right panel, p. 34, No. 162) by Don Perlin. First PC printing May 1961 [HRN 162, 48 pages, 15¢];
Three printings. 166. Tigers and Traitors (the second part of The Steam House, a work that also contains The Demon of Cawnpore) by Jules Verne. Painted cover (mechanical elephant) unattributed, interior art by Norman Nodel, adaptation by Alfred Sundel; Verne biography
  • Jul 1961
subsequent PC printings July 1964 [HRN 167], August 1967 [HRN 166]. Three printings. 163. Master of the World by Jules Verne. Painted cover (Terror struck by lightening) unattributed (first issue with number and price in yellow rectangle); interior art by Gray Morrow; adaptation by Alfred Sundel; Verne biography; "Who Knows?" (Part II) by Guy de Maupassant; "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" (Part II) by Stephen Crane; Men of Action: "Socrates," art by Sidney Miller (?); "Coming Next" illus. unattributed. First PC printing July 1961 [HRN 163, 48 pages, 15¢]; subsequent printings January 1965 [HRN 167], 1968 [HRN 166, 25¢]. Three printings. 166. Tigers and Traitors (the second part of The Steam House, a work that also contains The Demon of Cawnpore) by Jules Verne. Painted cover (mechanical elephant) unattributed, interior art by Norman Nodel, adaptation by Alfred Sundel; Verne biography; "Who Knows? (Part V) by Guy de Maupassant; "The Sepoy Revolt"; Men of Action: "Frederick Barbarossa," art by Norman Nodel; "Coming Next" illus. (cover variant) by Norman Nodel. First PC printing May 1962 [HRN 165, 48 pages, 15¢]; subsequent PC printings February 1964 [HRN 167], November 1966 [HRN 167]. Three printings. (On a 1961 reorder list showing planned titles, Tigers and Traitors was listed as No. 168, which would have made it a May 1962 release, as indeed it turned out to be, despite Gilberton's erratic 1961-1962 publication cycle.)
Reissue of 1955 PC1 (Ned Land and shark), original interior art
  • Jan 2008
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. Reissue of 1955 PC1 (Ned Land and shark), original interior art (Henry C. Kiefer); scanned edition. Introduction by William B. Jones, Jr. First printing 2008 [HRN 170, 48 pages, $9.99].
The Complete Guide to Classics Collectibles, Volume One: The U.S. Series of Classics Illustrated and Related Collectibles
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Dan Malan, The Complete Guide to Classics Collectibles, Volume One: The U.S. Series of Classics Illustrated and Related Collectibles (St. Louis: Malan Classical Enterprises, 1991), p. 22.
Malan Classical Enterprises, 1993, rev. 1996), pp. 8, 10. Because the Verne titles that appeared in foreign series were reprints or translations of the U.S. editions, they will not be discussed here, except incidentally; they are, however, well worth researching, and Malan's guide
  • Dan Malan
Dan Malan, The Complete Guide to Classics Illustrated, Volume Two: Foreign Series and Related Collectibles (St. Louis: Malan Classical Enterprises, 1993, rev. 1996), pp. 8, 10. Because the Verne titles that appeared in foreign series were reprints or translations of the U.S. editions, they will not be discussed here, except incidentally; they are, however, well worth researching, and Malan's guide, intended for collectors rather than a general audience, is the best starting place.
Forty-Eight Pages and Speech Balloons: Robert Louis Stevenson in Classics Illustrated
  • Jan 2003
  • 229
  • William B Jones
  • Jr William
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William B. Jones, Jr., "Forty-Eight Pages and Speech Balloons: Robert Louis Stevenson in Classics Illustrated," in William B. Jones, Jr., ed., Robert Louis Stevenson Reconsidered: New Critical Perspectives (Jefferson, N.C., and London: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2003), p. 229.
Interview with author
  • Jul 1997
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Madeleine Robins, Interview with author, 23 July 1997.
Jules Verne's Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
  • Jan 2009
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Gary Gianni, Jules Verne's Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Santa Cruz, Calif.: Flesk Publications, 2009).
Since 2003, he has written introductions or author biographies for each of the reissued titles in Jack Lake Productions' revived Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior series
  • Jan 2011
  • William B Jones
William B. Jones, Jr. (wbj514@sbcglobal.net) is the author of Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, Second Edition (McFarland, 2011). Since 2003, he has written introductions or author biographies for each of the reissued titles in Jack Lake Productions' revived Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior series. Jones has also edited Robert Louis Stevenson Reconsidered: New Critical Perspectives (McFarland, 2003), and has contributed to the Journal of Stevenson Studies and the James Fenimore Cooper Society Newsletter.