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Written by Elizabeth Bolhafner Thursday, 06 September 2007 17:00

No, that's not a typo! Take a trip through the fertile imagination of one of America's greatest writers in this snazzy new graphic novel from Dwight L. MacPherson and Thomas Boatwright.

96 pgs. FC; $9.99

(W: Dwight L. MacPherson, A: Thomas Boatright)

After the death of his wife Virginia, iconic writer Edgar Allen Poe is plunged deeply into grief and depression. When he prays that he no longer be subjected to the world of dreams, his imagination departs from him in a highly unusual form during a trip to the outhouse. The resulting "offspring" resembles a sort of chibi Poe. Dubbed Edgar Allan Poo, the little guy is quickly wrapped up in high adventure in the land of Terra Somnis. Poo's protector Irwin Rat plans to take him to the wise Maghi, but The King of Nightmares has other plans not only for Poo, but also for his "father", the real Edgar Allan Poe.

You may not expect great things from a book with the word "poo" in the title, but newcomers Dwight L. Macpherson and Thomas Boatright's The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allen Poo truly transcends any expectations that may be formed from its title alone. Fast-paced and beautifully illustrated, Poo will grab readers' attention from the start. One of those rare books that correctly represent the term "All Ages", Poo will find fans from grade school to grandparents.

One may expect an all ages comic featuring Edgar Allan Poe to be a Hot Topic friendly, teenybopper affair. Surprisingly, MacPherson's story never strays into the land of cute pop gothiness. It is instead a well-executed fantasy book with hints of horror throughout. Rife with allusions to mythology and literature and jam packed with adventure, even the most discerning fans of Sandman and Bone will find Poo right up their alley.

The world of Edgar Allan Poo is expertly illustrated and brilliantly colored by Boatright. His style is kinetic and versatile, ranging from comical to very dark throughout the story. Boatright's bold washes of color help set the otherworldly tone of the book, drawing the reader in to MacPherson's world of dreams and nightmares.

If there is fault with this book, it is that it ends far too quickly. Coming in at under a hundred pages, The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo is a very quick read. It is listed as being the first volume, so hopefully there will be much more where this came from. However, the ending of this volume seems tacked-on, as if there was more planned but they had to wrap the story up in a matter of a few pages. It leaves readers with lots of unanswered questions and loose ends.

Even so, fantasy fans would do themselves a disservice to pass up this book, as it is a very fun and engrossing read that could be shared with the whole family. Some of the monsters and fights may frighten very young children, but no more than some of the darker Disney animated movies. Short as the book may be, it's gorgeous full-color art make it quite a bargain for the price. Perhaps if enough readers take notice of this outstanding story, a second volume will soon be on its way. | Elizabeth Bolhafner

Originally serialized on the webcomics site Drunk Duck, The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo is moving to The Chemistry Set beginning Monday, September 17th. Watch ChemSet's Poo page here for updates. For a brief preview, please check out the related links below.