Stephen King's N.

King, S. (Author), & Guggenheim, M. (Adapter). (2010). Stephen King's N. New York, NY: Marvel Worldwide. ISBN: 978-0-7851-3453-4

Author: Stephen King
Website: www.stephenking.com/

Adapted By: Marc Guggenheim
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Guggenheim

Illustrated By:
Alex Maleev (art) http://www.maleev.com/
Chris Eliopoulos (lettering) http://www.desperatetimes.com/
Media Used: Full color illustrations done in a classic comic book style.  Dark shadows, dusty colors, and backgrounds mimicking the sunset fit this tale of horror.

Summary: In a rural field in Maine where a circle of stone pillars stand, something evil watches and waits for release.  N. discovered the stone's secret and died rather then allow its escape. Now others follow the clues left he behind.

Personal Reaction: First I read 30 Days of Night, and now this book by the King of horror.  I am starting to appreciate graphic novels as the perfect vehicle for horror stories.  I've never been a fan of horror movies - finding them unbelievable, too gruesome/bloody, or victims of bad effects/makeup.  Horror novels were a little more suspenseful but can sometimes drag depending on the author's ability to set a proper mood.  Graphic novels on the other hand provide direct images which convey the tone, suspense, and setting of the story wonderfully which allows the reader to focus more on the story itself.  It is no wonder that King is a master at providing suspense - Rose Red, Carrie, Children of the Corn anyone? King and Guggenheim wrote this tale with the intent of it being made first into a series of twenty-five 1.5 minute webisodes which would then be created into a graphic novel.

Use of Symbol: The circle of stones symbolize a doorway between our reality and another dark reality of gruesome monters.  The stone gate also represent a gate in our minds which separates of sanity from insanity.  Odd numbers in the story represent the door opening, while even numbers represent the door closing.