Parable: Review
Check out this high quality Christian comic
It’s no secret that I love comics. And it’s no secret that I love Jesus. However, it’s not often that these two loves of mine intersect. When it comes to Christian comics, it’s apparently really hard to punch out a quality product. The Christian stuff can be really good, but the art is boring and uninspired. Or the art can be really good, but in the process really misses the mark and you’re left with something that’s not quite Christian. Worse case scenario? The art is bad and the message is dodgy. What we need are more good Christian comics.
Parable is a really, really good Christian comic.
Edited by Mike Maihack and with contributions from over a dozen creators, Parable is a comic book anthology that you really need to check out. Each story either illustrates a parable from the Bible, usually setting it in a modern day setting, or creates a new parable with a Christian message. A great example of this is Heaven is for Trailer Trash by Dean Rankine, which retells the parable of the great feast from Luke 14:16-24. I want to preach on this parable this Sunday just so I can use his artwork to illustrate the story (Check out Rankine’s work at Holy Cow! There’s plenty more of his Christian work to soak in there). That’s how good this collection is. I want to use it and share it with people. As I finished each story I found it difficult to wipe the smile off my face. And I’m by no means a sentimental person.
One of the biggest problems an anthology faces is building a certain level of quality. Just because you enjoy one story, doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll enjoy the rest. Overall, I found myself overwhelmingly enjoying this collection. Some stories I felt were a bit heavy-handed and could have used a tad more subtlety. Others I may find I enjoy after a second or third read. And make no mistake, this book is getting multiple reads.
Parable deserves checking out. It’s no mean feat producing a full-colour comic with over 200 pages of goodies. And the team behind this book have pulled it off. In the forward, Doug TenNapel (who to me will forever be the genius behind Earthworm Jim) writes “This isn’t good for a religious comic, it’s just plain good.” I couldn’t agree more.
If you want to check out a sample of the book, head on over to the Parable website. If you like what you see, you can order the book here. If you live in a country that’s not listed in their shipping locations, email them. There’s a reason Australia is now listed.
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