Acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama The Road gets new graphic novel adaptation from Abrams (Exclusive)

Cormac McCarthy’s novel The way was the subject of another stellar adaptation, this time By artist Manu Larcenet, whose graphic novel version of ​​the post-apocalyptic father-son tale may finally be the definitive reinterpretation of the legendary author’s source material. First published in France earlier this year to critical and commercial acclaim, Larcenet’s Way The graphic novel is now coming to the US. Courtesy of Abrams ComicArts.

Screen Rant is thrilled to share an exclusive first look at Manu Larcenet The wayWhich seems to have captured the visceral quality of McCarthy’s prose to an incredible degree, even more than the acclaimed 2009 film adaptation of the novel – which, in its own right, did a remarkable job of transposing the story’s essence across mediums.

Before McCarthy’s passing in 2023, the author personally approved the adaptation, after correspondence with Larcenet, which shows that his graphic novel is a product of extreme passion for The way In its original form.

Artist Manu Larcenet’s THE ROAD graphic novel adaptation is a triumphant return to Cormac McCarthy’s work

Available September 17, 2024 from Abrams ComicArts

The preview for Manu Larcenet The way Shows how the artist has expertly translated not only the plot of Cormac McCarthy’s novel, but its feeling. Larcenet’s illustrations carry much of the weight of this, adding a haunting dimension to the story with the tone and hue of the graphic novel’s artistic style. The way is best known for its bleak imagery, and while the 2009 film adaptation of the book was able to evoke this effectively on screen, here, Larcenet uses this comic device to his advantage in order to really capture the unrelenting desperation of McCarthy’s work.

The preview centers around the kind of quiet, heartbreaking moments that The way is full of. The book tells the story of a father and son wandering post-apocalyptic America, facing increasingly desperate circumstances as they try to survive against all odds. In the preview, the son spots another child hiding in the desert landscape, and asks the father to save the child. The father does not want to; While the boy is ready to “Give the little boy half [his] Eat“, the father realizes that is simply not an option.

In other words, the wasteland transmutes the love of the father to his son into cruelty to another boy just like his son. It’s a familiar theme in post-apocalyptic literature, but it’s rarely been explored in as gut-wrenching a way as Cormac McCarthy. The way. Now, Manu Larcenet’s graphic novel adaptation of McCarthy’s unforgettable book has managed to encapsulate the emotional honesty of The way In a way that will be mesmerizing for fans of the original.

Artist Manu Larcenet wrote to Cormac McCarthy to get approval for his adaptation

The wayFirst published in 2006 by Alfred A. Knopf

Manu Larcenet’s illustrations in his graphic novel version of The way Express the kind of creative commitment and confidence that distinguishes good art from great art. Few authors of the 20th century knew this better than Cormac McCarthy, and of course, the author was impressed by the illustrator enough to sanction a second adaptation of his work. Larcenet’s original letter to McCarthy, seeking his approval to work on the project, makes it clear how clearly he saw it The way In his head even before he started.

Larsene wrote:

I loved The way For the atmosphere it creates. Most likely because I enjoy drawing the snow, the chilling winds, the dark clouds, the sizzling rain, tangles and snags, rust, and the damp and the humidity. I draw violence and kindness, wild animals, rough skin, pits and stagnant water. I enjoy the contrast between the characters and their environment, and as silly as it may sound, I feel that I am ready for the task.

As readers of the original French version of Larsenet’s adaptation can testify, and the American public will soon find out, the artist was right: he was very dedicated to the work. In his letter, Manu Larcenet was quick to assure McCarthy that he had no intention of changing historyStating:

If I am so bold as to ask you to draw yours WayIt is not to rewrite anything, or change the feel of the story. I have no other ambitions than to draw your words. The magical part of being an illustrator is finding a quiet line to draw with each word. These lines may support yours without distorting them. At least, that’s the goal if the project is to come to fruition.

Now that his ambition is fully realized, Manu Larsenet’s The way has offered a stunning tribute to the author of the original, Cormac McCarthy.

The road graphic novel is built on the work of the film adaptation

The way – Starring Viggo Mortensen & Kodi Smit-McPhee, directed by John Hillcoat; Released in 2009

The film version of The way was released in 2009, as the culmination of several great years for Cormac McCarthy and his work; In 2007, the novel won the Pulitzer Prize, while the highly acclaimed Coen Brothers adaptation of McCarthy’s previous novel, No country for old people was released in theaters. The way was a successful film in its own right, and it is notable for its fidelity to the source material. That said, there is always something lost in transmission during the adaptation process, especially with prose as dense and deliberately-constructed as McCarthy’s.

Manu Larsenet S The way Graphic novels may not be immune to this cross-media loss entirely, but with that in mind, It manages to capture the desolate quality of McCarthy’s story to an even greater extent than the film. There’s something about the way Larsen manifests the post-apocalyptic landscape on the page that reinforces the civilization-wide trauma the world has gone through, which the story’s characters are forced to endlessly react to. The darkness and brutality of McCarthy’s vision are on display in every frame of the graphic novel, but so is his sadness.

Manu Larsenet consciously avoided evoking the movie version of The Road in his graphic novel

The artist told McCarthy he was “rocking his brain”

In his letter to Cormac McCarthy, Manu Larcenet explained that he was deeply attached to The wayAnd after an exhausting stretch of his own creative career, realized that all he wanted to do now was to adopt it. He wrote:

I come from years of writing that have carried me, and I want nothing more than to draw! For almost six months now, I have been reading your book again and again, almost living in it. I’m starting to see how I can tackle the challenge of following the guidelines you set without feeling trapped by them. On top of that, I’ve been racking my brain to avoid any reference to the movie adaptation.

I usually write my own comics, one of which (Blast) shares common themes with your book. But I didn’t write The way; I really wish I had! I thank you sincerely for allowing me to put my pencil down where your pen went.

Niha, Larcenet also pointed to the film adaptation – at this point over a decade old – and explained that he specifically wanted to distinguish his graphic novel version from The way Of what was done on screen.

In his letter, Manu Larsenet reveals himself first of all as an admirer of McCarthy’s book; For any artist, it is not always easy to admit them”Really wish [they] Had” created someone else’s work. It is, essentially, the greatest compliment they can pay to another creator. Larcenet’s gratitude to be able to even consider adopting The way comes off as incredibly endearing, and makes clear why McCarthy, one of the most legendary figures in the history of 20th-century literature, would be charmed by the artist’s desire to adapt his work into a new medium, for a new era .

Attempting to create an “original” adaptation is a quixotic creative endeavor, but Manu Larsenet has proven as successful as anyone. His graphic novel iteration of The way Should be an inspiration to any artist in a similar way. Considering that Cormac McCarthy gave the artist, and the project, his blessing, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to readers—yet hopefully, when they pick up Larsenet’s. The wayReaders will be pleasantly surprised by how well it captures the spirit of the book, even if they know the story well..

The Road graphic novel adaptation is available now from Abrams ComicArts.