Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic tale of good
and evil, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr
Hyde, is brought bang up to date in a new r.- novel version. Allan Radcliffe talks to Scottish comic book writer Alan Grant and graphic artist Cam Kennedy about the challenges they faced in
updating and adapting a classic
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tevenson’s Strange (use (if Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has spawned countless adaptations since its publication in 1885. The stage play ran for 20 years and there have been
', numerous film versions. with stars 1as diverse as l’redric March.
Spencer Tracy and Michael (‘aine
:3 portraying the two-laced physician.
Only last year. the six—part BBC
'f drama Jekyll cast James Nesbitt as
(a)
Tom Jackman. whose sadistic alter ego terrorises modern-day London. The myth that has grown up
around Stevenson‘s ‘f'ine bogey
tale‘ has virtually eclipsed the original novella. Now. lidinburgh residents are being given the chance to revisit the classic text as the UNESCO (‘ity of Literature Trust unleashes its second One Book — One City citywide reading campaign.
The initiative aims to encourage the capital's citizens to read Stevenson's enduring thriller. whether independently or through libraries. schools and book groups.
18 THE LIST 1.148 Fer 3:35
As with last year‘s Kidnapped campaign. l().()()() free copies ol a new paperback edition of the book. featuring sketches by world- renowned graphic artist ('am Kennedy and an introduction by author Ian Rankin. will be given away in schools and libraries around the city.
Meanwhile. Kennedy and his frequent collaborator. comic book writer Alan (irant. the ‘dream team‘ behind last year's warmly received Kidnapped graphic novel. have created four new graphic novel
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At first glance. Jekyll and Hyde would appear to contain all the ingredients for a compelling graphic novel: it‘s shorter in length than Kidnapped and features a number of visceral set pieces. from the sickening opening scene in which llyde tramples on a small child in the street. to the shocking transl‘ormation sequence. Yet. as Alan (irant explains. there are certain aspects ol Steycnson's tale that don‘t lend themscl\cs quite as easily to the comic book format.
‘Kidnapped was a tnuch more linear story.‘ he says. './eAy// and Hyde hops around here and there between different points ol \ iew. Also. Stevenson‘s endings aren't really as dramatic as we would expect now; storytelling was a bit different in those day s.‘
(irant stresses that. while he may hay e pared down the world—famotIs test to its essential components. he has not rewritten the lto\cl1 '.\ly brief~ was to be as faithful to Steyenson's original as I possibly could. so I didn't want to muck around with it by shifting the order oi the tried to SIC\'Clisotl\ words as far as possible — I‘d say 99‘} of the words in both Kidnapped and Jekyll and Hyde are the author's ow it.‘
But a graphic novel is only partly about words. and ('am Kennedy‘s chunky. hard-edged figures and energetic illustrations bring Stevenson's portrayal of the duality of human nature to gritty. y i\ id life. Surprisingly. how ey er. the writer and artist. whose le-year working relationship has included collaborations on such classics of the genre as ZUUIMI). ()areasis and Batman. did not even meet to discuss the project.
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'The \yol'tls came l‘il'std says Kennedy. ':\lan did a gootl joh ol~ adapting the script. and managed to slip in a few scenes of movement. splitting up long scenes oi two people talking into. say. five frames. I work as far as the eye is concerned. lt's down to me to open tip the text so that people will say: "This looks interesting". That has