Sequential Art

Joseph Smith and the Mormons

Joseph Smith and the Mormons

  • Downloads：1787
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-07-30 13:21:59
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Noah Van Sciver
  • ISBN：141974965X
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Kevin Taylor ，

Not since Robert Crumb's Genesis has the marriage of graphic novel and religious text produced such startling results。 Joseph Smith and the Mormons is an immense tome of over 400 pages and it is not only massive by length but also by volume–it is densely packed with full-color illustrations。 There is， after all， a lot of history to get through and Van Sciver deftly weaves scripture and dialogue with his charming art style。 Regarding art style， I was drawn to the impish characters and the restrai Not since Robert Crumb's Genesis has the marriage of graphic novel and religious text produced such startling results。 Joseph Smith and the Mormons is an immense tome of over 400 pages and it is not only massive by length but also by volume–it is densely packed with full-color illustrations。 There is， after all， a lot of history to get through and Van Sciver deftly weaves scripture and dialogue with his charming art style。 Regarding art style， I was drawn to the impish characters and the restrained color palette， but what I appreciated most was when Van Sciver would dedicate an entire page or several wordless panels to create atmosphere and allow the story to breathe。 In the footnotes， Van Sciver wrote that when creating this book he attempted to approach the source material as objectively as possible–that may have been an impossible task because the nature of adaptation means that one decides what to include and what to excise。 Adaptation of religious work is even more challenging because in terms of tone it will typically lean in one of two opposing directions– the satirical or the reverential。 Joseph Smith and the Mormons skews toward the latter， a refreshing approach since it has become de rigueur to be cynically critical of the Mormon faith。 Whether you approach this book with credulity or skepticism， you will find much to admire in Joseph Smith and the Mormons。 This book was clearly a labor of love for Van Sciver and I was very fortunate to receive an advance copy for review。 。。。more

Christopher Angulo ，

The pictures were great and for more impact full than I expected。 I was disappointed in the lack of objectivity/charity in portraying Joseph。 This was more like an illustrated version of No Man Knows My History （though the prose of this book is nothing compared to No Man） or Mormonim Unveiled， but still well done。

KarnagesMistress ，

I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways。

Russell Fox ，

I was more impressed by the craft of this book than I was by story itself。 That criticism shouldn't be taken too seriously; as a life-long Mormon， and a critically inclined one， I've read SO many versions of the early history of my church and my faith that it was very difficult for me to pick up this profoundly original and obviously very thoughtful attempt to tell the story of Joseph Smith without thinking， on every page， "well， Van Sciver left this out， but he included this; I wonder how that' I was more impressed by the craft of this book than I was by story itself。 That criticism shouldn't be taken too seriously; as a life-long Mormon， and a critically inclined one， I've read SO many versions of the early history of my church and my faith that it was very difficult for me to pick up this profoundly original and obviously very thoughtful attempt to tell the story of Joseph Smith without thinking， on every page， "well， Van Sciver left this out， but he included this; I wonder how that's going to fit into what comes next？" The only part that I found genuinely engaging as a matter of plot was his treatment of John C。 Bennett， the slick con-artist who made his way to the top of the Mormon hierarchy in Nauvoo before his sexual predilections led to his downfall and turning against Smith--through Van Sciver's art， I found myself， not sympathizing with Bennett， but partly understanding him， and that's no small accomplishment。 But no， overall I found myself mostly fascinated by how Van Sciver told the story， rather than getting something out of the story itself。 As a work of comic story-telling， it's a huge accomplishment。 There is no omniscient narrator; every panel is either a stand-alone visual or includes dialogue between characters （most of which， except in a few wonderfully creative instances involving Emma Smith） that are well attested within existing historical records。 So as a story， it's fine; as an artistic accomplishment， this treatment of my church's history deserves a lot of respect。 。。。more

Brigid ，

Long but fascinating account of Joseph Smith's life from his early days as a seer who claimed to help unwitting locals find lost treasure （which never seemed to turn up） through his ascension to the head of the Church of Latter Day Saints。 Van Sciver， who was raised in the church but moved away from it when his parents split up， views the story from the vantage point of someone who understands the nuances but has also researched the history。 He doesn't offer opinions， just presents the facts and Long but fascinating account of Joseph Smith's life from his early days as a seer who claimed to help unwitting locals find lost treasure （which never seemed to turn up） through his ascension to the head of the Church of Latter Day Saints。 Van Sciver， who was raised in the church but moved away from it when his parents split up， views the story from the vantage point of someone who understands the nuances but has also researched the history。 He doesn't offer opinions， just presents the facts and lets the characters do the talking。 The book is long but so is the story， and the constant twists of Smith's real life make for compelling reading。 。。。more