Kurt Vonnegut's SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE is Becoming a Graphic Novel at BOOM! Studios
Slaughterhouse-Five is a novel by the late Kurt Vonnegut and now, it’s being adapted into a graphic novel. Recently, BOOM! Studios announced that writer Ryan North, artist Albert Monteys, and colorist Ricard Zaplana were adapting the classic anti-war novel into a new medium.
“Listen: Billy Pilgrim has...
...read Kilgore Trout
...opened a successful optometry business
...built a loving family
...witnessed the firebombing of Dresden
...traveled to the planet Tralfamadore
...met Kurt Vonnegut
...come unstuck in time.
Billy Pilgrim’s journey is at once a farcical look at the horror and tragedy of war where children are placed on the frontlines and die (so it goes), and a moving examination of what it means to be fallibly human.”
North released the following statement about adapting Vonnegut’s work:
“Like most people, Kurt Vonnegut has been one of my favourite writers since I first read his books decades ago, and it’s been such an honour—and challenge—to adapt his most famous work for a new medium. Slaughterhouse-Five is a deeply funny and deeply moving book, and my goal with this project was to keep all of that, while still making something that feels at home in this medium. I picture it as a window into an alternate universe where Kurt (and Kilgore Trout) worked in comics instead of prose. Every medium can do things that others can’t, I’m beyond excited to share this new version of Slaughterhouse-Five with you very soon.”
Monteys added:
“What a challenge, what an opportunity! When I was presented with the chance to collaborate in the graphic novel adaptation of Slaughterhouse-Five my first reaction was ‘this is one of my favorite books and it can’t be adapted.’ That was until I read Ryan North’s script, nodding enthusiastically at every great idea, every moving moment, every scene that made me want to grab my pencil right away. A good adaptation shines new light on the original, I hope we managed to do just that. I think we did, somewhat, in the telegraphic schizophrenic manner of tales of the planet Tralfamadore—which is what comics are, after all.”
Sierra Hahn of BOOM! Shared a statement about the Vonnegut family trusting them with this new take:
“The trust and support shown by the Vonnegut family is gratifying for everyone who poured their hearts into ensuring we could best represent Kurt Vonnegut’s seminal work while creating something new in the graphic novel space. We believe we’ve created a gateway book for new Vonnegut readers and a book any longtime fan will admire and want on their shelves.”
You can read the graphic novel for Slaughterhouse-Five in September.
