Classics Illustrated were exactly what they sound like, short illustrated versions of classic novels in comic book form, so they were very easy to understand for kids. I really like these and read certain of them over and over again.
I've read the "real" versions of most of them, but I can still see the comic book versions in my mind so easily! I did a quick search for covers and these immediately jumped out at me and took me back:
And speaking of Wuthering Heights, there have been a ton of film versions of course and I do enjoy watching them. When I was young I thought Heathcliff was so romantic, now of course I think he's a psychopath (but that's another blog post). When it comes to his death scene, I don't really see the film's death scene, what overplays the film is what's in my mind's eye, which is the panel from the Classics Illustrated version I grew up reading which is this:
Why look, it's dead Heathcliff.
Dead Heathcliff!
AHH DEAD HEATHCLIFF!!!!
OMG anonymous Classics Illustrated illustrator, did you have any idea what an impact you'd have on a small child seeing this? It's the stuff of nightmares!!!!
But soul-crushing dead psychopaths who kill themselves to be with their objects of obsession aside, my absolute favorite Classics Illustrated is one that isn't well known today - it's a Mark Twain story: Pudd'nhead Wilson!
Where has this story been all these years? It's got drama, murder, baby-switching, blackmail, Italian noblemen, early use of forensics, everything you could ask for! Much better than Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn lololol. I'd tell you about it, but I don't want to ruin it for you!
So anyway, thanks for sharing your Classics Illustrated with me Dad, I really really enjoyed them, and NEVER would have heard of Pudd'nhead Wilson without them!
