The Strange Tale of Panorama Island

     The Strange Tale of Panorama Island was originally written by Edogawa Rampo, the godfather of Japanese detective stories, and is here adapted into a comic by autuer of jigoku manga, Suehiro Maruo. The story, set in 1920’s Japan, is about a man who steals the fortune and identity from a recently deceased, incredibly wealthy industrialist and the events that unfold afterwards.


     With 8 chapters worth of this book, The Strange Tale of Panorama Island is a short read. I spent more time taking in the visuals more than I did reading speech bubbles. With that said, compared to other novels that have gotten the comics treatment, this is definitely one of the better ones that I have ever come across. The story is pulpy but enjoyable, its pretty standard fare for what is expected for pulp fiction. The art by Suehiro Maruo is incredible, the details in his work are breathtaking. The real selling point of this book is definitely  the stunning illustrations.


The Strange Tale of Panorama Island is a dazzling, perverse work of art.