Writer: Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel
Art: Niko Henrichon
Letters: Nicolas Sénégas
Publisher: Image Comics
Purchase: http://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/noah-hc
If people could put aside their religious hang-ups, they would notice that the Bible is rife with morally complex stories worthy of their attention and focus. There is a reason that these stories have been shared for centuries. From Adam and Eve, to Cain and Abel, these are stories that people know and love. It is unfortunate though that over the centuries, the purity of the Bible and its tales have been corrupted and misconstrued by selfishness. Luckily for us, we live in a world where people like Darren Aronofsky exist.
The visionary director behind The Fountain and Black Swan has his eyes set on the Biblical epic genre of yesteryear with the springs Noah. Following in the footsteps of Ben Hur, Noah stars Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly and there’s no doubt that Aronofsky’s unique vision will spell a winning box office formula. However, like 2006’s The Fountain, Aronofsky is extending his reach once again in the realm of graphic novels.
Partnering up with Image Comics, the Noah graphic novel is an adaptation of Aronofsky’s first draft of his Noah script. The story follows our titular character and his family as they prepare for the upcoming flood at the hands of a very vengeful God. This is the story you know, but with some fantastical changes that help fill the tale with humanity, mythology, and epic set pieces that will leave readers floored.
Sometimes the subtleties of a script can be lost in translation, specifically when adapting a film to comic format. The two mediums are different and often times the pacing of the comic can be off. Noah on the other hand does not fall victim to these trappings. Aronofsky, with help from his writing partner Ari Handel, are comic fans who share a mutual respect for the medium. The work presented here flows like rains from the heavens as the two balance the moral complexities of Noah’s responsibilities with the wonder and passion of a time long forgotten.
A large part of what makes the story work is the fantastical world that Noah inhabits brought to life by the talented Niko Henrichon. By sidestepping the confines of reality and wholly embracing the fantastical side of their imaginations, Noah’s world is brought stunningly to life in a way one would never imagine. The pages are filled with wondrous creatures and beings that fit into the epic nature of the story.
Henrichon is a confident artist who has taken extreme care to ensure that Noah is more than a tie-in. It is a work of art, featuring images that will be etched in the mind of readers for years. From the arrivals of the birds to the rain soaked battle between the last of humanity and Noah’s family, there is not a line misspent. Even if the movie fails to live up to expectations, Aronfsky’s vision may already have a definitive version in its graphic novel adaptation.
If you have any trepidation towards an adaptation of a biblical story, one glance at Noah should quell any of those thoughts. Noah is a complex tale told in a stunning and confident manner that will no doubt be discussed for years to come.
-Sean