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Love. War. Witches. Magic spells. Deadly duels.

Are we talking classic lit or comic books?

A little bit of both. Gareth Hinds gives Shakespeare the graphic novel treatment in 

 If you think that means the Scottish king now wears a neon cape, give your comic book stereotypes a big "KA-POW!"

The classic play comes alive on full-color pages with exquisite illustrations and haunting detail. (There are just a few more bulging biceps than you might remember from the original.) Hinds sticks closely to Shakespeare's original script, except where the constraints of the speech bubble call for slight edits.

It's not Hinds' first time bulking up The Bard: He has already adapted and illustrated "King Lear" and "Romeo and Juliet." Graphic novel adaptations like these are part of a growing trend. While some literature lovers resist the "cartooning" of classics, many of the adaptations go nearly word-for-word with their source material.

When comic artists turn their pens on classics

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes basically invented the idea of the sidekick, something comic books have made good use of. 

https://twitter.com/Robgog/status/278132789541486593/

It's only fitting that Cervantes' Don Quixote and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, get the graphic novel treatment. The two set out for adventure, battle foes — and, of course, wax philosophical, in Rob Davis' lively 

"Pride & Prejudice" by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petras

Everyone knows Marvel Comics' cast of characters: Spiderman, The Hulk, Captain America, Elizabeth Bennett... 

Yes, that's right: Lizzy Bennett, of "Pride and Prejudice," gets the star treatment in 

. The adaptation sticks very close to Austen's original text, but adds a bit of illustrated whimsy to the tale. 

The Sherlock Holmes series by Ian Edginton and I.N.J. Culbard

Sherlock Holmes may just be the most-portrayed pop culture character of all time. Add I.N.J. Culbard's illustrated interpretation of the fabled detective to the canon. 

Culbard's retro illustrations and Ian Edginton's adapted text show Sherlock for what he's always been: soggy London's own superhero. To date, they've tackled some of Sherlock's trickiest cases: 

 "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and more.

"Crime and Punishment" by David Zane Mairowitz and Alain Korkos

Fyodor Dostoevksy's classic tome clocks in at 576 pages. Not exactly light reading. 

 by David Zane Mairowitz and French artist Alain Korkos trims the riveting tale and moves the action to modern day Russia. The stylistic interpretation is packed with "an almost Hitchcockian flair," according to Booklist.

Literary classics go graphic

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