Classics Illustrated: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol & Notes

This 1997 edition of Classics Illustrated Study Guides reprints the original 1948 released, featuring the artwork by Henry Kiefer. Unfortunately, the artwork has been digitally retouched to the point that all of Kiefer's original nuisances have been destroyed. I was able to find several original pages of artwork from Classics Illustrated #53 and let me tell you that whomever at Colorgraphix recolored this reprint should have been arrested for desecrating artwork. Everything looks so flat and bland. There's no depth as the original shading has been all but erased. If you ever get a chance to read this book in its original form, I ask that you not judge Kiefer's art based on this edition. This volume is just not up to his masterful standards!

This was a fine retelling of the classic that basically gave birth to much of our modern Christmas traditions. There's also a large article at the end of this book that deep dives into the intricacies of A Christmas Carol. The story's life on stage and screen, a life history of Dickens, even a study of the importance of Christmas pudding are topics examined in that study guide. I only wish that essayist Debra Doyle would have explained why Dickens called this story A Christmas Carol when there's no music or lyrics to be found. That''s a tidbit I'd love to learn about. 

Including a list of study questions, this book is like the Clif Notes of Graphic Novels. While this version is much more economical to my wallet, I'm not sure if the retouched artwork is worth the savings.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.