Illustrator Kumar ( World War Two, 2015, etc.) pairs richly detailed interiors and exteriors with painstakingly rendered characters, each easily distinguished from their fellows through costume, hairstyle, and bearing. Where this adaptation mainly excels is in its art, especially as the play builds to its tensely wrought final act. Some of the more obscure language has been modernized, with a glossary of terms provided at the end despite these efforts, readers wholly unfamiliar with the story might struggle with independent interpretation. Shakespeare’s text has been liberally but judiciously cut, staying true to the thematic meaning while dispensing with longer speeches (with the notable exception of the renowned “to be or not to be” soliloquy) and intermediary dialogues. The timeless tale of the young and disaffected Danish prince who is pushed to avenge his father’s untimely murder at the hands of his brother unfolds with straightforward briskness. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. The “Backstage Access” section shows original sketches and gallery art.

The cast, with the exception of “the Persian,” presents White. The panels switch from rectangular to jagged and jarring, incorporating different color schemes and styles to distinguish memories (rendered in a bright, soft glow) from horrific sequences (rendered in chilling sepia tones). The Ghost’s glowing red eyes, a few times hidden in small background details, pierce through the fourth wall to gaze at the reader. More Stephen Gammell than Andrew Lloyd Webber, Hungarian artist Tomi casts an eerie light on the horror in this ghostly romance. Her childhood friend and love interest, Raoul, tries to intervene. The Ghost’s obsession with Christine only grows, and he seeks to possess her as his bride. Later, the Ghost appears in the flesh to threaten the opera’s new management if they don’t keep his box seat open and let Christine sing again. Above the tragedy, prima donna Christine Daaé brings the opera hall to a standing ovation as she debuts in the role of Margarita. A stagehand is subsequently found hanging dead in the third-floor cellar. Young ballet dancers fret and gossip about seeing the fabled Opera Ghost. This faithful adaption begins as Gaston Leroux’s novel does. The classic gothic romance gets its latest graphic novel treatment.

The phantom of the opera book review