A.V. Pull List: The Road is getting a graphic novel adaptation
Cormac McCarthy’s haunting post-apocalyptic novel “The Road” is getting a graphic novel adaptation for the first time, thanks to the talented French comic book creator Manu Larcenet. This isn’t just a rushed release; it’s a carefully crafted piece that aims to honor the original work with every panel.
Rodolphe Lachat, vice president and publisher of Abrams Comic Arts, described Larcenet's dedication to the project: “Manu Larcenet spent months and months reading and rereading each line of the novel to grasp all the subtleties and to perfectly understand the atmosphere that made The Road such a peculiar and unique text. The result is one of the strongest comics I have ever read, where each panel, each shot, each situation grips the reader in a way few graphic novels can do. This book is not only the graphic adaptation of a masterpiece, it is a masterpiece in itself.”
Larcenet himself reflected on the daunting task of bringing McCarthy’s vision to life: “Drawing is a different language, but I believe I have been completely faithful to the novel and its author. I wrote to Cormac McCarthy, he saw my first boards, but unfortunately, he passed away before the end of the album. I hope I understood his novel as he would have wanted. I am convinced that I share much of his vision, and I hope that my album will be received as a tribute to an immense writer.”
This adaptation promises to be a meticulously crafted work that was approved by McCarthy and his estate before his death, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the project. The graphic novel will be published this September, and it’s already available for pre-order on Amazon.
For those unfamiliar with “The Road” novel, published in 2006, it’s set in a grim, post-apocalyptic world where a father and his young son struggle to survive amidst the ruins of civilization. Lawless, desperate men stalk the roads, and the only protection the pair has is a pistol with two bullets. It won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was adapted into a 2009 film directed by John Hillcoat, starring Viggo Mortensen.
This graphic novel adaptation is significant not only because it brings McCarthy’s work to the comic book medium for the first time but also because it has the potential to introduce his writing to a whole new audience. As a fan of both McCarthy’s work and graphic novels, I would love to see more of his novels adapted into this format. “Blood Meridian” comes to mind—a brutal, complex book often deemed “unfilmable.” While it would undoubtedly be a daunting task, it would be incredible to see someone try to capture its violent beauty in graphic form.
This adaptation of “The Road” caught my eye, and I’ve already secured my copy. If you’re as excited as I am to see McCarthy’s world come alive through Larcenet’s art, you might want to grab yours too. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of McCarthy’s work being adapted into stunning, gripping visual narratives that do justice to his unique, powerful voice.
-Brad McBoom