Herman Melville’s classic nautical saga of obsession and revenge is brought boldly to life in this thrilling, full-color graphic novel edition. It was an obsession that would destroy them all... When the young sailor Ishmael signs up for a whaling expedition aboard a ship known as the Pequod, little does he know he is about to embark on the greatest adventure of his life. Just before leaving, he is approached by a man dressed in rags who warns him that if he sails under the command of Captain Ahab, he may never come back. Undaunted, Ishmael sets off for the high seas anyway. For the crew of the Pequod, their voyage is one of monetary gain. For Captain Ahab, however, Ishmael quickly learns it is a mission driven by hatred, revenge, and his growing obsession with the greatest creature of the sea. This graphic novel adaptation of Melville’s epic whaling adventure will enchant readers old and new. Packed with exclusive bonus content, including an illustrated cast of characters and supplemental historical context on whaling ships and sperm whales, it provides an accessible entry point for readers 8 and up into one of American literature’s greatest stories. This edition is one of more than 85 titles Campfire Graphic Novels has published since their introduction to North America in 2010. Featuring gorgeous, sophisticated artwork and lush production values, Campfire Graphic Novels publishes a wide array of distinctive stories ranging from innovative renditions of Western literature’s most beloved classics to vibrant and gripping histories. “Can you pitch a harpoon down a live whale’s throat and then jump in after it?” Ishmael is asked upon a request to join the crew of the whaling ship Pequod. The dark pit that Ishmael hurls himself into is not Moby Dick, as readers of Melville’s classic know, but rather the fixation of Captain Ahab, who is driven to find the whale that took his leg and with it the rest of his life. As the question put to Ishmael masks an unexpected answer, so does literature’s greatest maritime adventure mask a story that is mainly a character study about a man willing to destroy himself and his crew in pursuit of his obsession. One of Campfire’s new line of classic adaptations, this graphic novel unobtrusively modernizes wording and renders visuals with a gorgeous, painterly care as it presents what is essentially a static tale of narration and dialogue (save the climactic battle) that will take many first-time readers expecting a more dynamic story quite by surprise with its penchant for psychological insight. Grades 7-10. --Jesse Karp In this slender graphic adaptation of Melville’s magnum opus, Ishmael, Queequeg and the rest of the uniformly burly, steely-eyed whalers are strong presences in Singh’s art — at least until their pale, gargantuan nemesis shows up to scatter them and their ship as flotsam across the waves. . . . The biographical introduction and closing pages on whaling ships and sperm whales provide a nice veneer of historical context. — Kirkus Reviews "I  highly recommend  Campfire’s comics. They do what they are intended to do and do it in  a way that excites kids about classic literature." — Chris Wilson, The Graphic Classroom (a resource for teachers and librarians)  "Stahlberg and Singh understand that the kids of today don't want to be talked down to. . . . The comic reads as a full story; there isn't really much that seems as if it's missing.  Lalit Kumar Singh can stand up to any artist working in the Big Two today. He has a style reminiscent of Andy Kubert, or even, dare I say, early Marc Silvestri. The angular, realistic style expertly captures the dark nature of the story without going so dark as to possibly turn off younger readers. . . . If you have a kid whom you'd like to get into reading comics, and if you have a kid whom you'd like to get into classic literature,  Moby Dick comes highly recommended ." — The Comics Cube ! "Campfire Graphics has condensed [Melville's original work] to a mere 88 richly illustrated pages. And done quite a decent job too.... [Condensing] helps the action packed story move along at a brisk pace." —  Emma, No Flying No Tights Born on 1st August 1819 in New York City, USA, Herman Melville was a novelist, poet, and short story writer. From an early age, Melville was fascinated with words and stories. Even though a bout of scarlet fever left him with impaired eyesight, he continued to be a voracious reader and writer throughout his life. Melville's life was certainly just as full of drama and excitement as his novels. In 1847, he joined a mutiny on a ship where the crew were arguing with the owners over their share of the profits. For this, Melville was thrown into a jail in Tahiti. He escaped from the prison without too much difficulty and was later able to use the experience to write the novel entitled Omoo . In his later years, Melville suffered due to ill-health and the loss of two sons, he died in April 1891.