Finally, a more entertaining way to not read The Great Gatsby than CliffsNotes is coming. Scribner Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, is set to publish a graphic novel adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s iconic novel this summer. The Great Gatsby: The Graphic Novel will be illustrated by Aya Morton, with the text being adapted by Fred Fordham.

Morton and Fordham are well-suited for this particular adaptation. Morton’s previous book, His Dream of the Skyland (with writer Anne Opotowsky), is also set in the 1920s, albeit in Hong Kong. The book was published by Oni Press in 2018. Fordham has previously adapted Harper Lee‘s To Kill a Mockingbird into a graphic novel, which he also illustrated. Fordham also illustrated His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman‘s first graphic novel, The Adventures of John Black: Mystery of the Ghost Ship.

The Great Gatsby has had graphic adaptations in the past. Nicki Greenberg previously adapted the book in 2008, though her adaptation turned the characters into anthropomorphic animals and other creatures. The Great Gatsby: The Graphic Novel appears to be the first authorized straightforward adaptation of the novel (unless you count Kate Beaton‘s take on it, which, you really should). The copyright for Gatsby is up next year, so don’t be surprised if more adaptations and spin-offs start popping up once the novel and characters enter the public domain.

It’s been many, many years since I read The Great Gatsby, in one sitting during a college all-nighter (I don’t know how I got through high school without reading it). Mostly I remember being enthralled by the characters and the imagery of Fitzgerald’s writing. It lends itself well to a graphic adaptation. Check out the cover to forthcoming graphic novel, as well as the official solicit text, below. The Great Gatsby: The Graphic Novel is due in stores at the beginning of June.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third novel, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers and is now reimagined as a gorgeous graphic novel. Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, Tom, East and West Egg are all captured in lush, romantic illustrations by artist Aya Morton, and the crystalline text was adapted by Fred Fordham. Lifetime Gatsby fans and new readers alike will be enchanted by the nostalgic beauty of this special edition. Available in softcover and hardcover editions.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I remember a comic book guy, years ago, reading “Gatsby” and complaining that it was boring because the characters didn’t have super powers.

  2. The depth, charm and glamour of “The Great Gatsby” reside in its language; I fear this graphic novel may be as flat as the films based on Fitzgerald’s story. If you love something to the point of almost reverence, it is hard to tolerate a re-incarnation. I’ve watched movies of this book and “Moby-Dick” and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Those works still sit on the shelf above, smiling tolerantly, so I suppose “The Great Gatsby” can co-exist with a graphic novel. My hope is that it sends people to the original rather than replaces it.

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