Peter Pan graphic novels

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about The Wendy Project, a graphic novel based on Peter Pan, with a modern setting. One of the reasons that book stands apart from other slipstream Peter Pan literature is because of the graphic novel format. It got me thinking about what other Peter Pan graphic novels might be out there, so I decided to inter-library loan a sampling of some:

I wasn't really impressed with the quality of the illustrations in this book from the Graphic Classics series. It looks like a teenage Sailor Moon Star fan drew it. It basically sticks to Barrie's original story, but obviously it's very abridged.

 

                                                                                           Tinkerbell looks a little demonic.  .  .

So, this interpretation of Peter Pan is perhaps the most graphic I've ever read. I'm not referring to the format; I am referring to the language, and to the illustrations. Words like "bitch", "shit" and even the C Word are peppered throughout the text. And there are a few panels which contain mature sexual scenarios.  .  .I'm not talking about mermaids drawn sans seashells.  .  .I'm talking about Peter's mother telling him to bring her back a bottle of booze, but since he doesn't have any money, he is forced to make another kind of payment.  .  . I actually did a double take, and flipped back to the book's cover so that I could be sure it was titled Peter Pan. There IS a Mature rating on the book cover cover, but I guess I didn't notice it. Apart from the very adult themes, Loisel's interpretation does have some interesting points to it: he changed the time period from 1904 (when Barrie's play was first performed) to 1887. I'm not yet sure why he turned the clock back, but maybe I will find out later. Also, although Peter is a boy from London, there is also the mythical god Pan as a character. Lastly, the mermaids seem to have their own storyline involving a treasure, which functions as Captain Hook's prime motivation thus far. This is actually a welcome addition, because there is always much discussion about gender roles and a lack of female agency in the Peter Pan mythos. This is just the first volume, so I guess I'll have to do some more reading.

Peter Panzerfaust is a historical fiction reimagining of Barrie's story. Peter is a an American boy who adopts a troupe of French orphans during World War II, fighting the growing German presence and a particular SS officer who searches for them. I wasn't really drawn into the story, and quickly found myself just glossing over most of it, searching for specific references to Peter Pan. I guess I'm not one for war stories. It's an interesting idea, and there are a few allusions to the text (a boy named Peter, he searched for someone named Belle, meets a brother and sister named Michael and Wendy, etc.) but it seems like the story could have stood well on its own and didn't really need the Peter Pan references.

There will be many more Peter Pan-related posts coming, because I've been reading alot of adaptations and also watching the films lately.