Graphic Classics

Ambrose Bierce

Eureka Productions 2008

Web: http://www.graphicclassics.com/

Ambrose Bierce (June 24, 1842 – 1913 ?) was an American journalist, short-story writer and satirist. While he is best known for his cynical and snide work, The Devil’s Dictionary, he also produced many short stories which could be classified as horror and fantasy. All of his writings are infused with a darkly realistic view of human nature, indeed he wrote with such cynicism that he became known as “Bitter Bierce”. He was also respected and feared as a critic with a truly insightful yet fearless editorial style which always courted controversy, at various times during his career his various employers had to fight off complaints and possible legal action due to vehement commentary.

His literary output was prodigious, his collected works come to some twelve volumes including some of the best 19^th century short stories and tales. Bierce was dedicated to the refined use of the English language and was noted for his mastery of wit, irony and style.

One of the greatest mysteries is how he died. He has travelled to Mexico and joined Pancho Villa's army as an observer, it is recorded that he travelled as far as Chihuahua. Yet after a letter to a friend dated December 26, 1913, he vanished without a trace.

The Graphic Classics edition offers selections of Bierce’s works and is in a word stunning. I have always been impressed with the production values and artistic styles used in Graphic Classics, but in this volume they have excelled themselves. Bierce’s work really suits a comic style as it includes horror and fantasy as well as dark sense of humour. This work is a little unusual for Graphic Classics as it includes a lot more text than other volumes. The selections from the Devil’s Dictionary are superbly done, we have nice excerpts accompanied by rather marvellous if not a little surreal full page illustrations. There is also a great selection of Bierce’s fables, all illustrated in different styles by different artists.

This is one of the things that always impresses me about Graphic Classics, there is such a breadth of graphic style in every issue, different stories are interpreted in unique ways and illustrated according to the styles of each artist. This offers a great visual as well as literary experience and in my mind this is exceptionally well represented in the current volume.

There are lots of other tales besides the dictionary and fables even including a rather fun examination of all the rumours about Bierce’s death !

Graphic Classics Ambrose Bierce is a second edition with some 70 extra pages, it is 144 pages with lovely colour covers and black and white high quality graphic art throughout.