The Picture of Dorian Gray: A Graphic Novel2008

“If it was I who was to be forever young and the picture that was to grow old! There is nothing in the world I would not give – I would give my soul for that”  Oscar Wilde’s classic The Picture of Dorian Gray, reinvented in this striking graphic novel, is the story of a man who, exhilarated by his own beauty, pledges his very soul in a desperate bid for eternal youth. His wish is magically granted: a portrait of Dorian, painted by his friend Basil, begins to age in his place. Dorian’s naivety soon turns into narcissism and a dangerous sense of invulnerability. Influenced by the decadent aristocrat Lord Henry, he embarks upon a career of selfish hedonism and depravity, ruining several lives on the way. Ultimately, Dorian learns that, although you can try to escape your conscience, it always catches up with you in the end. In this dark tale, writer Ian Edginton and artist I.N.J. Culbard skilfully adapt Oscar Wilde’s morally ambiguous take on the Gothic thriller, with artistic flair.