Book Review: Rod Espinosa’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Author Washington Irving

ROD ESPINOSA’S THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW – ISSUE#1 (COMIC)
Writer: Washington Irving
Artist: Rod Espinosa
Editors: Doug Dlin, Wes Hartman
Publisher: Antarctic Press
Publication Date: 2009
Format: Full Color – 28 pages
Price: $3.99

“Gather ’round, all! Antarctic’s master storyteller, Rod Espinosa (Courageous Princess, Neotopia, Dracula, Tell-Tale Heart), will put a pleasant chill in your veins this Halloween as with his own special spin on the classic, all-American scary-tale by Washington Irving! All is quiet in a pleasant little New York village in Sleepy Hollow until the new schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, arrives. Everyone’s all impressed with his education and intelligence, and he’s all too happy to take advantage of it. But when he sets his sights on the village beauty, someone decides to teach the schoolmaster a lesson, one that leaves Crane fleeing for his very life from the Headless Horseman!“

Artwork: 3.7 out of 5
Here’s my only downside to the interiors on this issue. Brom Bones looks like Yao Ming. Otherwise the issue has a nice Anime style look to it, which makes it unique. I would have like smaller panels that way the story could have gone into more detail as well, but with what was presented it all worked out nicely.

Story: 4.2 out of 5
So just to get it out there, this is one of my favorite short stories of all time. I have been a fan for as long as I can recall. So what is better than taking the words from Washington Irving himself. Don’t grab this issue looking to get a new twist on the concept. Grab it because you love what the creator meant it to be. The only thing I would have enjoyed a bit more was more of the original story presented, but the way it was pieced together worked out great.

Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
This story is a classic. While I thought that I might get a new take on it, I was very pleased not to. I really feel that this issue as a whole is a nice condensed version that leaves nothing out. The artwork is unique to it too, as I wouldn’t expect his style to fit, but it does. While I think that people who love Washington’s stories will enjoy this one more, I think that it is a classic horror tale that can live on for many years to come.

If you would like to buy Rod Esponosa’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow you can get it at your local comic shop. To find out more about Antarctic Press please go to http://www.antarctic-press.com/