Graphic Version of LOTR - Why Not?

[Falathrim]

I like Tolkien for what he wrote. If I ever have kids, I'll make sure they like what Tolkien wrote, and not Mr. McBobbyton's summary of what Tolkien wrote, thank you very much. And if Ted Nasmith does the illustrations, I'll buy it for that. Not for the LotR summary it came with.  

[Menegil]

Falathrim

I like Tolkien for what he wrote. If I ever have kids, I'll make sure they like what Tolkien wrote, and not Mr. McBobbyton's summary of what Tolkien wrote, thank you very much. And if Ted Nasmith does the illustrations, I'll buy it for that. Not for the LotR summary it came with.

...no, it may very well be the full work of Tolkien, with no changes, only completely illustrated. In case they are summaries, you can have even more fun by clarifying your curious and thirsty-for-knowledge son/daughter. Then, after some time, shove the REAL books up their noses, and yell "Read this in three days, or else...!" 3nodding xd  

[Falathrim]

Full work of Tolkien, except fully illustrated? Do you have any idea how much that would cost? How huge the thing would be?

I read The Hobbit when I was maybe 10, and I didn't need any damn illustrations. razz

Except the map, but that's because I liked maps, not because I was unable to read the thing without it.  

[Menegil]

Falathrim

Full work of Tolkien, except fully illustrated? Do you have any idea how much that would cost? How huge the thing would be?

Of course I do! But not the entire parts, just the authentical book separation, you know... Fellowship of the Ring parted into the two original books, The Two Towers parted into the two original books, yada yada yada. Six illustrated books, in total, full work of Tolkien in image, all illustrated by Ted Nasmith. Imagine.

Th Silmarillion, aye, that one would be huge. eek  

[Elainya]

Falathrim

Full work of Tolkien, except fully illustrated? Do you have any idea how much that would cost? How huge the thing would be?

I read The Hobbit when I was maybe 10, and I didn't need any damn illustrations. razz

Except the map, but that's because I liked maps, not because I was unable to read the thing without it.

My Illustrated Hobbit is awesome! It was a Christmas present from some idiot ex boyfriend, proving they're not all bad...It's got pictures from all over the world, some from cover art, others are just illustrations. I think though, that if you did Lord of the Rings like that, not with a full sized picture on every reverse page, but small illustrations in the margins, it would work out well. Oh, and my Illustrated Hobbit has maps too.  

[Onoj]

Meh I have never learned with pictures. Like Falathrim said I loved the Maps and I still do. I can't get enough of them. But as for the pictures they never helped me as a child. I loved making up the places and characters in my mind and the second someone draws it out I was like wow, that is not what I thought at all then feel like a moron.  

[Khorkalba]

Yeah, it's much better having your own image of what things look like, rather than being told; except for the maps.
I think that's why the books have, and always will have that edge over the movies.  

[treythea]

Onoj

Meh I have never learned with pictures. Like Falathrim said I loved the Maps and I still do. I can't get enough of them. But as for the pictures they never helped me as a child. I loved making up the places and characters in my mind and the second someone draws it out I was like wow, that is not what I thought at all then feel like a moron.

I don't like maps much.. they confuse me a bit. But then, the geography of England still confuses me. eek

An illustrated summary would be ok, depending on who summarized it... I'd buy it for the illustrations, if they're good.

And if anyone's been wondering where I've been, (I doubt it, but anyhow) my computer's died. razz  

[Thaxul]

Russandol

And if anyone's been wondering where I've been, (I doubt it, but anyhow) my computer's died. razz

I wasnt actually wondering, until I saw you had the last post in this thread. 3nodding

back to topic: I think that the illustrated trilogy would be good, for getting infants into tolkiens work, when they are like 4 or 5. I would buy it for my future children. And if this book was for children, a summary would be better than the full version, as they would not be able to understand most of the text. and there wouldnt be much point if they couldnt.  

[EmmaDeLauro]

I would have been miserable if someone had drawn the LOTR for me instead of allowing myself to imagine them. Also, younger kids are smarter then many people give them credit for. Sure, I'm not expecting a three year old to be able to understand Tolkien, but with a good dictionary and some help, any grade schooler could get through the volumes.  

[MalikTous]

LOTR illustrated by Shirow Masamune, or maybe by Wendy and Richard Pini or Frank Miller, would be an interesting extension to the original. An illustrated abridged version might get young readers interested sooner; it will never replace the complete text of the original.  

[Kirjava]

It's an interesting idea, and I think it could help to get children interested, but as others have said, it would really limit their imaginations. A big problem now is that anyone, adult or child, who watched the movies before they read the books is picturing Frodo as Elijah Wood, Legolas as Orlando Bloom, etc. Seeing a picture can often be irreversible, especially when that's the first thing someone sees.

We all like picture books as children, it's true, but I myself only liked them to a point. In Dr Seuss books it was nice, and in other little kid stories that take maybe ten minutes to read at the maximum. LoTR is a big undertaking, especially for a child, and to show them a fully-illustrated LoTR with illustrations by anyone but Tolkien himself would be giving them incorrect impressions, and stop them from developing the entire world in their heads.

I used to watch the animated The Hobbit all the time as a child, and I absolutely adored it. I recently re-read the book, and realized that I was picturing the characters and settings as almost exactly what was shown in the movies, anorexic green elf-imps and all. It was quite saddening when I realized that, as I pride myself on the vivid pictures I form when I read stories. I felt like a part of me had almost sold out on my creativity and my love of the written word. I would hate for that to be done to a child before they even got a chance to appreciate the books for the words, and not some pretty pictures an artist made.  

[Morien Alexander]

As an artist, I think I'd like to see a manga/graphic novel version of either The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings... but really only for the sake of seeing someone else's vision of things. And because I support art stuff. But honestly, I would not get into it. I think the words of Tolkien are 78% of the charm of the books.

Much agreed with the other people who said it's not fun to mess up the visions of the reader, too. I am going to forbid my child/ren from seeing the movies until they have read the books. Though they might go through the disappointment that I did seeing the movies and having them not match up to my ideals of twelve odd years. Ah well. Better that then feeding them images.  

[SYFFER]

Being a Manga fan I think it's a good idea. Too bad I didn't think of it stressed Oh well I guess I'm going to have to find another way to portray LOTR sweatdrop Maybe through song! xp  

[Morien Alexander]

SYFFER

Being a Manga fan I think it's a good idea. Too bad I didn't think of it stressed Oh well I guess I'm going to have to find another way to portray LOTR sweatdrop Maybe through song! xp

Oooo... like "The Hobbit" the musical!

Bilbo: (dancing outside) La la la!
Gandalf: (walking in, also dancing)
Oh ho my little friend
With your furry feet
It's time to break into song!
And...

something something, I can't write songs, but all I can picture is thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard all prancing around and singing.

Or better yet... Just put Tolkien's words to music. That would definitely perk up interest. Like a Tolkien band. Maybe call them "The Bards of Gondor" or something...