Adapted by Scott Rockwell, illustrated by Steven Ross (Corgi)
ISBN: 0-552-13945-9
This oddity is a regrettably mediocre adaptation of the very first Discworld novel which originally appeared as a four issue miniseries from Innovation Comics, a publisher that cornered the market on novel-to-strip adaptations as well as other licensed properties in the early 1990s.
In an infinite cosmos how unlikely is it that there’s a world which is flat, held up by four giant elephants standing on the shell of humongous Turtle swimming through the cold depths of space? Well there is, and on it magic works, Gods exist and meddle in the affairs of men, and humans themselves are the annoying lead-footed clods and tossers they are here.
Rincewind is a failed Wizard with a terrible secret and a costermonger’s soul who inadvertently links up with the Discworld’s first tourist for a series of sword-and-sorcery pastiches very much in the manner of Douglas Adams’s comedy masterpiece The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Much of the dry wit and acerbic slapstick of Pratchett’s original novel is lost in this slavish and leaden adaptation and the art is frankly substandard and stylistically inappropriate, but even that can’t stifle the intrinsic charm of the concept. If you’re a fantasy fan with a sense of humour, there’s entertainment to be had here, but I’d still advise the book over the graphic novel. What would be best, of course, is an all-new adaptation by a British artist better suited to dry comedy and English nuances. Steve Parkhouse, Terry Wiley, where are you?
Although not even Pratchett’s best work by a long chalk, The Colour of Magic (ISBN 13: 978-0-055212-475-1 if you’re tempted) eventually sparked a world phenomenon. His later Discworld books (36 now and still counting) are some of the funniest fantasies or most fantastic comedies and satires – depending on your stance – in the English language. They’re equally successful in many other media, including animation, musicals, film and even cartography! A second graphic novel adaptation Mort, infinitely superior in all respects to this was also completed, and I’ll get to that another time…
© 1983 Terry Pratchett. This edition © 1991 Terry & Lyn Pratchett Inc. Art and adaptation © 1991 by Innovation Corporation.