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A review by thoroughlymodernreviewer
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
A really solid adaptation of Gaiman’s original text. Nine issues feels about right in terms of pacing. Things move briskly enough that you’re never bored without moving at such breakneck speed that you feel like you’re missing important plot points or character development. Sure, it’s nowhere near as in depth as the novel is, but it’s a deeply enjoyable read in its own right. I only wish Carey had done more with the decision to have Richard narrate the story. Perhaps Neverwhere isn’t the kind of story you could tell squarely from one point-of-view, but it would have made for an intriguing experiment had the comic tried to do so.
As far as the artwork goes, I’m of two opinions. On the one hand, the world Fabry creates is exactly as fantastical and otherworldly as one could hope for. It very much feels like this twisted, funhouse mirror reflection of the “real world”, London Above. But the character designs are where the book loses me a bit - particularly Door and the Marquis’. Your mileage may vary there, but I just wasn’t really a fan of the direction Fabry went with their designs.
On the whole, this adaptation of Neverwhere is a quick, enjoyable retelling of Gaiman’s original novel. It hits all the main plot points while fully embracing the uniqueness of being a comic book. It’s not a replacement for the novel, or for the original TV series. But as a companion piece, it’s absolutely delightful.
As far as the artwork goes, I’m of two opinions. On the one hand, the world Fabry creates is exactly as fantastical and otherworldly as one could hope for. It very much feels like this twisted, funhouse mirror reflection of the “real world”, London Above. But the character designs are where the book loses me a bit - particularly Door and the Marquis’. Your mileage may vary there, but I just wasn’t really a fan of the direction Fabry went with their designs.
On the whole, this adaptation of Neverwhere is a quick, enjoyable retelling of Gaiman’s original novel. It hits all the main plot points while fully embracing the uniqueness of being a comic book. It’s not a replacement for the novel, or for the original TV series. But as a companion piece, it’s absolutely delightful.