The Lion King

adapted by Bobbi J. G. Weiss

Here's a little confession: I always did like The Lion King. So when I was idly browsing through the junior-fiction graphic novel shelf at the library, I picked this one up, just to see what it was like. I was pleasantly surprised. I was afraid the book would just have still shots of images from the movie, but instead it was all drawn by artists Sparky Moore and Jo Meugniot- and very well done. The style felt true to the film but also had its own character which I liked very much. Except for the hyenas. They felt just a bit too cartoony and gangly to me. The storyline follows the original very close; it's been years since I actually saw it so I don't recall all the details, but not much felt left out. Except for the parts where the mandrill marks the lion cub in a ceremony, it was just alluded to, not really part of the story and might not make sense if you hadn't seen the original version. But who hasn't seen The Lion King?

In reading all these books I've come to realize quite quickly that each graphic novel has its own character, its own style and feel. I don't quite know how to describe it, or if there are terminology for these styles. Something about this one reminded me very much of the Prince Valiant comics I used to see in the sunday papers (but never read- it was one of the very few comics I found boring). Well, if you like the movie, I'd recommed this one for a quick, enjoyable little read. Even better, looking around online I stumbled across this graphic novel about lions that escape from a zoo in wartime- it looks fantastic and my library has a copy! I'm so excited to read that one next.

rating: 3/5 ........ 48 pages, 2007