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Word For Word Bible Comic

This document provides a review of "The Word for Word Bible Comic – The Gospel of Matthew illustrated by Simon Amadeus Pillario". The reviewer initially approached it with skepticism but was pleased to find it was a well-executed comic presentation of the entire Gospel of Matthew. Though the text is dense by including every word, the drawings are professionally done and help convey the drama and message of Jesus' life and ministry. The comic presents an "uncomfortable Jesus" and may challenge some readers, but it is a contemporary way to share the Gospel message with current generations.

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678 views1 page

Word For Word Bible Comic

This document provides a review of "The Word for Word Bible Comic – The Gospel of Matthew illustrated by Simon Amadeus Pillario". The reviewer initially approached it with skepticism but was pleased to find it was a well-executed comic presentation of the entire Gospel of Matthew. Though the text is dense by including every word, the drawings are professionally done and help convey the drama and message of Jesus' life and ministry. The comic presents an "uncomfortable Jesus" and may challenge some readers, but it is a contemporary way to share the Gospel message with current generations.

Uploaded by

Vsa S
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Word for Word Bible Comic – The Gospel of Matthew illustrated

by Simon Amadeus Pillario

With a dislike of graphic novels and being of a certain generation


whose interpretation of a ‘comic’ lies in the pages of Eagle, Tiger and
the wonderful, yet short-lived, Cor!!, I approached the Word for Word
Bible Comic with, I admit, a degree of scepticism. I am glad to equally
admit I was wrong to do so.

This is the sixth in the Word for Word series, and it’s clear that
converting the whole of Matthew’s Gospel, word for word, in to a
comic presentation is an enormous undertaking for which the
illustrator and his team are to be thanked.

Inevitably, by adopting an unabridged approach, the text is dense at


times but the drawings are professional, high class and convey both
the drama and the message of Jesus’ life and ministry. Colour is used to convey particular themes (pink
hues for parables, for example) but the predominance of greys and browns make it uneasy on the eye at
times. There is humour in the drawings though – the baby Jesus eating a rusk biscuit, for example – and it’s
good to see there are more than three wise men. Maps are also included and they provide helpful context.

A crowd-funded, self-published book, at over 240 pages it’s a long read – but there again so is Matthew’s
Gospel. The book includes a factual section about Matthew, other key figures and the writing and purpose
of Gospels.

Passolini’s film, The Gospel of St Matthew paints a picture of the ‘uncomfortable Jesus’: a man who would
have been difficult to live with. The Word for Word Bible Comic takes a similar approach and with its
graphic images and 12+ content rating that does make it an uncomfortable read – but that in itself
highlights how the Gospel message has often been sanitised.

This is a publication which will appeal to lovers of graphic novels but will require a well-grounded faith to
take the challenges the images present. That said, it is a contemporary and thought-provoking way of
conveying the Gospel message to the current generation.

Adopting earlier versions of the saying, Banksy once said ‘Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the
comfortable.’ The Word for Word Bible Comic certainly does that.

The Word for Word Bible Comic – The Gospel of Matthew is published by Word for Word Bible Comics
and available to order. Price £15.99 (digital versions also available).

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