TREASURE ISLAND

Classic Comics return in this uninspired adaptation of Stevenson’s rollicking pirate tale. The storyline is faithful—perhaps too faithful—to the original text; presented mostly in dull boxes of first-person narration, it plods glacially for a full third of the work, until young Jim Hawkins finally boards the Hispaniola. His subsequent terrifying adventure certainly speeds up the pace, but the black-and-white artwork, while realistic and finely detailed, remains frustratingly static; moody and atmospheric, it seems better suited to Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The shipboard details and contemporary accoutrements appear accurate and painstakingly researched, but the characters are sketchy and hard to distinguish behind the inky noir shadows and strained perspectives. Occasional images of startling beauty and subtle power testify to Hamilton’s talent; it’s a pity he didn’t trust them to carry the story. (Graphic novel. 8+)