Friday Fun: Northanger Abbey Comics

Gentle Readers: Nancy Butler has done it again and written another adaptation of a Jane Austen novel for Marvel Comics. Her first efforts were Pride and Prejudice and  Sense and Sensibility. This year she has concentrated on Northanger Abbey! The first issue came out this summer; the second one can be pre-ordered before December.

Northanger Abbey #1 (of 5)

Written by Nancy Butler, Art by Janet Lee, Cover by Julian TEDESCO Totino

Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland craves the romantic life of a storybook heroine. When a chance to visit Bath beckons, she is sure she will find the hero of her dreams. But the inexperienced Catherine soon falls prey to a conniving sister and brother. Will her common sense eventually rescue her or will Catherine's bad choices prevent her from ever attracting a good man? Critically acclaimed Author Nancy Butler & Eisner Award Winner Janet Lee bring you another beloved Jane Austin classic!

Format: 32pg., LIMITED SERIES
Price: $3.99

Northanger Abbey #2 (of 5)
Written by Nancy Hajeski, Art by Janet K. Lee, Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO

Catherine Morland has not exactly taken Bath by storm, but she HAS acquired two suitors—John, boorish and sporting mad, and Henry, a charming young clergyman. Catherine favors Henry, but her brother and her best friend both urge her toward John. Will she listen to her heart or let peer pressure dash her chance of finding true love? - Jacks4Comics

32 PGS./All Ages …$3.99

Available in December

Interview with Nancy Butler, Writer of the Comic Sense and Sensibility

Last year, Marvel Comics published a number of issues of Pride and Prejudice, which were such a success that it sat on the New York Times Graphic Novel Best Seller list for 13 weeks. Nancy Butler, the brains behind the graphic version of that novel, has adapted Sense and Sensibility for a similar treatment. The first of five S&S comics will be available for purchase at this site on May 10.

Vanetta Rogers of Newsarama interviewed Ms. Butler, who talked about the experience of condensing the book:

Austen tells you that Elinor falls in love with Edward without you reading any of their dialogue until, like, page 300. So she tells you that Mrs. Dashwood observes Elinor and feels that she has formed an attraction to him.

So, since I'm doing this as a comic book, I can't use prose to tell what's going on. I can't just have a comic filled with artwork and captions telling you how the characters are feeling. So I've had to invent – especially in this first issue – I've had to invent scenes that I thought were in keeping with the flow of the story, but do not occur in the book except as an author's description."

• Click here to read the rest of the interview.
• Sense and Sensibility #2 will be in stores on June 3

Sense & Sensibility Comics Available on May 10

Marvel Comics first turned Pride and Prejudice into a comic book, and now it is Sense and Sensibility's turn. Look for the comics arrival on May 10.

For my part, I prefer these looser, softer illustrations by Sonny Liewe (below) over the first set of comics by Hugo Petrus (above).

More on the topic -

• Sketches from the artist
• Marvel Comics - Sense and Sensibility

Thanks to Katherine, I found this image on DeviantArt

Team Bennet Struts the Runway in the new Pride and Prejudice Comic Book

Marvel Comics have given us a sneak peek at five pages from the new comic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice which includes this portrait of the five Bennet daughters. They are so pretty they could pass for supermodels; even Mary Bennet who is not a looker in the original novel but appears to of had quite a makeover! I had a good laugh at this glamification since Jane Austen only described Jane Bennet as a real beauty. Check it out and give us your decided opinion! Don’t miss out on Marvel’s subscription offer of all five of the Pride and Prejudice comics adapted by Nancy Butler and illustrated by Hugo Petrus for a limited time until March 9th. It should be great fun to see our favorite novel transformed into graphic format.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

PRIDE & PREJUDICE Now Available from Marvel Comics

Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice is a comic book! Now available for a limited time, you can purchase all five (5) issues of Marvel’s comic adaptation online and shipped right to your door!

Here's the scoop from Marvel:

Marvel is proud to announce two-time Rita Award-Winner Nancy Butler and fan-favorite Hugo Petras faithful adaptation of the whimsical tale of Lizzy Bennet and her loveable-if-eccentric family, as they navigate through tricky British social circles. All orders must be placed by March 9th, 2009.

Faithfully adapted from the adored Jane Austen classic the whimsical tale of Lizzy Bennet and her loveable-if-eccentric family, as they navigate through tricky British social circles. Will Lizzy's father manage to marry off her five daughters, despite his wife's incessant nagging? And will Lizzy's beautiful sister Jane marry the handsome, wealthy Mr. Bingley, or will his brooding friend Mr. Darcy stand between their happiness?

A note from the writer/adapter Nancy Butler:


This is one of Marvel's first attempts to woo a mostly female readership, and if all goes well, you might be looking forward to more romance-driven Marvel Illustrated books. The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Sheik, Jane Eyre, The Curse of Capistrano (Zorro) and Phantom of the Opera have all been discussed as possibilities. And, of course, other books in the Austen canon, as well. So if you'd like to see more romantic classics done as illustrated comics, please give Pride and Prejudice a try.

It sounds like fun. Hey, doesn’t the Lizzy Bennet on the cover look like a certain actress? We have our opinion, but want to hear yours. Here’s one hint. She was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal her in 2005.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose