The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

by Manu Larcenet (Illustrator), Cormac McCarthy (Original Work)

The first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize–winning postapocalyptic classic, The Road, approved and authorized by McCarthy and illustrated by acclaimed cartoonist Manu Larcenet "Superb. A suitably dark graphic treatment of McCarthy’s postapocalyptic masterpiece." (Kirkus) The story of a nameless father and son trying to survive with their humanity intact in a postapocalyptic wasteland where Earth’s natural resources have been diminished, and some survivors are left to raise others for meat, The Road is one of Cormac McCarthy’s bleakest and most prescient novels. Dedicated to his son, John Francis McCarthy, McCarthy’s The Road is one of his most personal novels. Ranked 17th on The Guardian’s 100 Best Novels of the 21st century, it was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for literature, and the James Tait Black Memorial Award, the Believer Award, and it was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. This first official graphic novel adaptation of McCarthy’s work is illustrated by acclaimed French cartoonist Manu Larcenet, who ably transforms the world depicted by McCarthy’s spare and brutal prose into stark ink drawings that add an additional layer to this haunting tale of family love and human perseverance. Cormac McCarthy personally approved the making of this book before his death, and the adaptation bears the approval of the McCarthy estate.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Bande Dessinée, Fiction, Horror, Dystopia, Science Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2024

About the author

Manu Larcenet (full name: Emmanuel Larcenet) is a French comics writer and artist. He has been working with Fluide Glacial magazine since 1994 and with Spirou magazine since 1997.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [mental health hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camping with your dad has never been this bad. Can it be said this is A Goofy Movie but with cannibalism instead of Powerline concerts? Not unless I want to get canceled I guess, but in all seriousness Cormac McCarthy’s The Road has long haunted me since I first read it curled up in a corner in college nervously flipping pages as the hours inched towards dawn. It felt as if the act of me reading was keeping them alive and had I put down the book I couldn’t be sure they’d be there when I picked it back up again, only pausing at the key scene where they felt safe. Nearly 20 years later I was able to recreate the same single sitting of unnerved reading with French artist Manu Larcenet’s graphic novel adaptation of McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning work. Quietly ferocious, this unforgettable story of a father and son navigating the horrific aftermath of society as they search for food, avoid roving gangs who enslave others and eat them and try to press on down the road in hopes of warmer climate to the south is gorgeously rendered in all its grotesqueries. While it may cut a few key moments—I was rather dismayed the memorable line ‘carry the fire’ was nowhere to be found—Larcenet wonderfully captures McCarthy’s vision of the small mercies and kindness that may point towards redemption in a world where hope is but a distant memory. While it can’t ever replace the novel itself, this was a heartfelt tribute to the original work that made for a moving read.

Does anyone else get vibes of the art in Alvin Schwartz’ Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or is it just me?

‘I believe in redemption through beauty, Larcenet has said, ‘for those who create it, and for those who know how to see it.’ Such a belief makes him an ideal artist to tackle McCarthy’s harrowing novel about hope in a time of unrelenting hopelessness. Larcenet’s visuals plunges us into the brutality and baren bleakness of McCarhty’s post-apocalyptic wasteland, yet even while depicting ashen valleys, ruined cities littered with corpses, or violent sects of roving men long beyond the death of morality, there is a sense of dark beauty in his art. Mostly done in black and white, though sepia tones or an orange glow occasionally warm the tale or capture the threatening anxieties. And there is a lot to be frightened of here…

The art provides the necessary grittiness that truly harnesses the spirit of The Road and Larcenet’s framework and pacing masterfully imbue the sense of desolation and dread into the graphic novel, showing the empty loneliness and hopelessness as blank days pile up without the book being overcome by lethargy or boredom. It helps that each page contains something utterly chilling amidst the general sense of depravity and agonizing over survival or potentially having to kill your own child to spare them from greater horrors.

While imperfect, it is still a great read. It is missing some moments such as the trees falling around them in the darkness and the old man on the road they encounter really truncates the dialogue that was such an emotional and thematic centerpiece to the novel, yet this still conveys the necessary resonance from McCarthy’s original. And there are some great moments.

I quite enjoyed this. I would argue too that it is a more faithful and fulfilling adaptation than the film, though I don’t have any particularly negative thoughts on that either. The bond between the father and son, and the father's need for his son in order to survive emotionally being just as great as the son's need for his father to survive physically, is amazingly rendered here. This is chilling at every page but so emotionally compelling as well. It is a successful adaptation for fans, though I do wonder how this work for those approaching the story for the first time with no context. It does have some great moments though and makes for a wonderful collectors piece as well as riveting read. Carry the fire, friends.

4/5

‘I will not send you into the darkness alone.’

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, depressing, bleak, desolate, gut wrenching, and horrifying. This graphic adaptation brings forth all of the emotions I felt the first time I read this story.

The heart of the story is a father’s love for his son. The illustrations perfectly portray the depths of human depravity, especially in the face of starvation and fear, yet also highlights fleeting moments of joy, glimmers of hope that give Papa and his son the strength to carry on.

There's a scene where Papa pushes his son down a gentle hill, and the boy lifts his arms with a wide grin, those are the moments we cherish. A spark of light in the darkness, the strength of human resilience.

What would you do if I died?

If you died, I would want to die too

So you could be with me?

Yes.

The depth of love still brings me to tears, even years after reading the original story. Not recommended unless you’ve loved this story and can handle the darkness.

Cormac McCarthy personally approved the making of this book before his death.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for anyone who has anything whatsoever to do with operating or approving the use of the Nuclear Deterrent – and there must be many many such people who get up in the morning and go to work and as part of their work contemplate the apocalypse – imagine that….

This fantastic graphic novel can be read in under an hour for maximum impact, so that maybe – maybe – it will flash through these person’s brains if ever there comes a time when for the tiniest nanosecond the possibility of serious consideration of the actual real world not a test use of tactical nuclear weapons becomes an actual thing….an actual thing….

Also essential :



Available on youtube. If The Road doesn’t do the trick, Threads should.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot of hype surrounding this book, and you know what? It's 100% justified.

It's only April but there is already a clear contender for "Book of the Year" when it comes to graphic novel. It'll be difficult to top this one.

Manu Larcenet brings us another masterpiece that will stay in hall of fame of best graphic ever.

The art in here is absolutely crazy. In a time where we talk so much about the impact of AI in the graphic sector, I doubt there is a machine that could have done, today, this quality of art. Maybe now it can copy it, but not before Larcenet has created it.

Like I said, masterpiece, I couldn't stop reading it once I started. I got pulled into this story and followed a man and his son trying to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. I felt what they felt. I suffered when they suffered. I saw the horrors they saw and felt the joy of the few moments of relief.

It doesn't feel like fantasy. It feels like a very real possible future.

It's difficult to put into words how good this book is. Just go read it. It's definitely a must.

Score: 100%

Perfection.

[Oleh Bilinkevych · Rating 4 out of 5]

Офігезна графічна алаптація роману Кормака Маккарті, в якій автор трохи розгубив глибину книги, але збіса прекрасно передав атмосферу оригінального тексту.
Щиро рекомендую і з нетерпінням буду очікувати на український переклад. Таке нам треба👌🏻

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork of a ground-breaking book.

[Hosein · Rating 5 out of 5]

کمیک اقتباسی "جاده" که از روی کتاب کورمک مک‌کارتی نوشته شده احتمالا هایپ‌ شده‌ترین کمیک مستقل امساله که بیشتر از یک ساله تبلیغش همه جا هست. خوش‌بختانه کمیک حتی از چیزی که تبلیغ شده بود هم بهتره و اصلا ناامیدم نکرد. خیلی مایل نیستم در مورد داستانش صحبت کنم، چون حدس می‌زنم فیلمی که از روی این کتاب سال ۲۰۰۹ ساخته شده رو بیشتر مردم دیدن. بهترین فیلم ویگو مورتنسن نبود ولی کار آبرومندانه‌ایه.

ولی باید بگم بین آثار آخرالزمانی‌ای که خوندم، اتمسفرِ "جاده" با اختلاف زیادی سنگین‌ترینه. اینقدری تاریکه که Last of Us (که از همین کتاب الهام گرفته)‌ رو شبیه یه ظهر جمعه‌ی دلپذیر می‌کنه. اون سرما و ناامیدی‌ای که توی کتاب و فیلم هست بعضی وقتا غیرقابل تحمل می‌شه. ولی برای من کمیک حتی از اون دوتا هم سنگین‌تر بود، چون توی فیلم و کتابش ما آخرش چند لحظه آرامش رو داشتیم ولی اینجا توی ۱۵۰ صفحه بی‌وقفه صحنه‌های خشن از مرگ، قحطی و آدمخواری داره. تمرکز کامل روی بخش‌های اذیت‌کننده‌شه.

به عنوان کسی که تمام اقتباس‌هایی که از کارهای کورمک مک‌کارتی شده رو دیده می‌تونم کمیک "جاده" رو بذار یک رتبه پایین‌ترین از فیلم No Country for Old Men به عنوان بهترین اقتباس.

[tomoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

nadal nie trawię tej opowieści, ale muszę przyznać, że adaptacja jest świetna. klimatyczna, mroczna. niekiedy z wieloma detalami, niekiedy tylko zarysowana. i mam wrażenie, że bardziej niż w książce jest uwypuklone nastawienie małego.

[Dagio_maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ci dimentichiamo le cose che vorremmo ricordare e ricordiamo quelle che vorremmo dimenticare."


Un padre ed un figlio che camminano in un mondo desolato.
Tutto è morto.
La vita non è altro che una ripetitiva battaglia quotidiana per sopravvivere.

Camminare, muoversi, mai stare in un posto: questo uno degli insegnamenti che il Padre deve impartire.


Poi ci sono gli Altri, i cattivi che si cibano di altri esseri umani e quindi la seconda lezione è non fidarsi di niente e nessuno..

Tavole grigie e nere che ben rappresentano l’angoscia di questa storia.
Un’ottima rielaborazione del romanzo cult di Cormac Mc Carthy forse ancora più “incattivita”..

[Juan Naranjo]

Una adaptación brillante de una novela perfecta. Larcenet es capaz de condensar el universo y el imaginario de McCarthy y elevarlo a nuevas cotas de oscuridad. Los personajes y los paisajes están retratados a la perfección y el cómic, tan oscuro y siniestro como la novela, consigue despertar un gran abanico de emociones en el público lector. Maravilloso.

[Mirnes Alispahić · Rating 4 out of 5]

McCarthy's The Road is a harrowing novel, that lingers in your mind for long after you read it, yet it's a beautiful story about a father's love for a son. The movie adaptation is a bleak masterpiece worthy of original material. Just when you think it can't get any better comes Manu Larcenet with his graphic novel adaptation of "The Road".
I didn't think it would impact me as the book or movie did, yet Manu manages to do that. Each panel is so alive you can taste the ash of the dying world in your mouth and smell those rotten bodies lying around. Manu omits certain parts as is not to refer to the movie adaptation, which is ok, but he omits significant parts, such as dialogue with an old man or carrying flame talk. Still, he decided to keep most of the novel's gruesome scenes (cellar, infant) and he doesn't shy away from violence, maybe even a bit too much when his vision of "The Road" looks like a Mad Max wasteland with all those hanging heads and people.
Still, it's a great piece of art. No doubt about it.

[Wendy Jonson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fantastic graphic novel! It is portrayed in black and white which is appropriate for a post apocalyptic, burned down world. The drawings are excellent, detailed and fine. Everything is cold, dreary, wet and full of ash. There is lots of devastation and death. However, the love and determination of the father and son are grand. I have not read the actual book, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, but now I plan to pick it up.

[Lucille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas lu le roman ni vu le film donc je juge surtout la bd en elle-même. À la fois horrible car on rencontre tellement de détresse et de douleur aux côtés de ce père et son fils mais en même temps la bonté du jeune garçon malgré tout ça reste si belle à voir. Le style colle parfaitement au sujet. J’ai toujours peur que les adaptations soient trop remplies de textes mais ici c’est l’image qui parle donc une réussite je trouve

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A masterful, somber adaptation of a tense and dark novel. The spare text and gloriously gloomy art really capture the spirit and tone of the source material.

[Cosimo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solastalgia

Padre e figlio viaggiano per sopravvivere verso il mare. Il mare è illusione, il figlio è destinato a un sentiero solitario, senza nemmeno la consapevolezza dell'esistenza dell'altro, ormai unica compagna una voce interiore. Tutto è rovine, tutto è stato stravolto, il sopra è sotto, il dentro è fuori, cenere stracci detriti e sabbia. Gli esseri umani si cibano di altri esseri umani. Nemmeno gli oggetti possono raccontare altro che non sia orrore e morte. Il mondo esterno rispecchia l'ambiente interiore, entrambe le realtà non sono più abitabili, sempre in agguato il nemico che ogni giorno colpisce, ferisce, riduce allo stremo, annichilisce. Speranza?

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel is visually stunning, with stark monochrome artwork that does a great job of immersing the reader in the brutal world of the story. If you don’t know that story, it’s simple but deep. A man and his son struggling to both survive and cling onto their humanity.
Beyond capturing that supremely bleak atmosphere , this adaptation also does a great job of hitting the emotional high (or more often low) points of the story. It’s heartrendingly moving at times.
Where things don’t work quite so well is in the pacing. The source novel isn’t long, but McCarthy’s prose has a quality that really immerses you in the world and the story. The artwork here manages to do that to an extent, but the slim plot and the minimal dialogue means that it all moves a bit too quickly. I found the speed with which I read a it sapped at least some of the power from the tale, although there is at least one repeated image which I think will stay stuck in my brain for some time.

[Javier RC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark as midnight on a moonless night 🫣

[Igel :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wichtig am Anfang: Ich kenne die Buchvorlage nicht. Ich kann hier also keine Vergleiche zum Roman ziehen. 🤷‍♀️

Okay , fangen wir mal mit dem offensichtlichen an :
Die Zeichnungen sind der Hammer. Ich hab leider immernoch nicht herausgefunden wie man Bilder auf Goodreads postet, deswegen kann ich hier nur sagen , so wie das Cover aussieht so sieht der ganze Graphic Novel aus .
Unfassbar detaillierte Zeichnungen (stellenweise auch sehr brutale) und man sieht einfach wie viel Mühe sich hierbei geben wurde. Allein für das optische lohnt es sich diese Graphic Novel zu lesen.


Die Story war echt traurig und kam durch die Zeichnungen richtig gut zur Geltung. Es passiert nicht viel, aber das muss es auch gar nicht. Ich möchte hier jetzt nichts spoilern, deswegen sage ich erstmal nicht mehr dazu. Es ist glaub ich einfach etwas, dass man besser selbst erlebt und wo man unvoreingenommen reingeht.

[João Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Li em 2018 A Estrada de Cormac MaCarthy. Apesar de não ter escrito nenhum comentário na altura, fiquei com a ideia de ter gostado bastante desse romance. Também já tinha visto anteriormente o filme A Estrada (2009) e de ter achado a história cativante. A ideia de desolação causada por um inexplicado apocalipse deixou-me preso à história, que acaba por ser uma espécie de reflexão contemplativa sobre o que faz o ser humano não desistir face às maiores adversidades.
Esta adaptação está extremamente bem feita. Não é o primeiro livro de Manu Larcenet que leio, mas creio que neste a sua arte gráfica está fantástica, e muito em consonância com o tom cinza que a história requer.
Este é um livro que tem tudo e que está muito bem executado.

[Jeroen Decuyper · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Denk na over wat je in je hoofd steekt,
want het blijft daar voor altijd zitten."

Sinds de vorig jaar overleden Cormac McCarthy in 2006 zijn inktzwarte en bijzonder sombere The Road op de wereld losgelaten heeft, maakt het verhaal van een vader en zijn zoon die een weg afwandelen richting het zuiden deel uit van het collectieve geheugen. Nog veel meer dan in andere post-apocalyptische verhalen krijg je het einde van onze beschaving of samenleving te zien, maar zonder enige context noch uitleg over het hoe, wanneer en waarom. Zelfs over het verleden van de vader en zijn zoon - beiden naamloos - krijg je geen enkele duiding. Absolute anonimiteit, maar daarom heeft het verhaal niet minder impact, integendeel.

Deze graphic novel is een uitgepuurde en toch heel gedetailleerde versie van het originele verhaal van de oorspronkelijke roman, waarmee de Amerikaanse schrijver de Pulitzer in de wacht sleepte. Een paar jaar na het verschijnen van de roman heb ik de film gezien van regisseur John Hillcoat, met Viggo Mortensen in de vaderrol. (Nogal wat sleutelscènes uit de film komen expliciet terug in de graphic novel en zijn heel herkenbaar.)

Ik herinner me nog de beklemming die ik voelde toen ik de cinema uitwandelde en dat is exact hetzelfde gevoel dat ik ervaarde bij het lezen van dit beeldverhaal: hopeloosheid en een bijzonder beklemmende gevoel bij het zien van de confrontatie tussen de naïviteit en onschuld van een jong kind, geconfronteerd met de horror van de apocalyps die hem omringt, in combinatie met de vader die hem willens nillens wil beschermen tegen het onherroepelijke. Hartverscheurend.

De kracht van het verhaal ligt in deze confrontatie en in wat de titel is van dit verhaal: de weg leidt naar het zuiden, maar als lezer heb je vrij snel door dat de enige overlevingskans van het duo ligt in het blijven bewegen. Zelfs al vinden ze ergens proviand voor jaren, toch kunnen ze het niet riskeren om ter plaatse te blijven trappelen. Elke andere overlevende is immers eveneens in beweging en heeft niet altijd even nobele bedoelingen. Zo lopen ze weg van een gewisse dood, op de vlucht voor gewapende bendes en kannibalen en zonder ooit om te kijken, maar tegelijk zonder enig toekomstperspectief. In die zin is dit verhaal massaal veel donkerder dan bijvoorbeeld The Last of Us, de serie waar altijd wel een sprankeltje hoop om de hoek komt loeren en waar het decor hyper gestileerd is in vergelijking met het gitzwarte en sombere universum dat Larcenet uit zijn tekenpen schudt.

In nauwelijks 176 pagina’s met heel weinig tekst, zorgt de tekenaar ervoor dat je van bij aanvang in het verhaal gezogen wordt en de assen die non-stop uit de hemel dwarrelen haast proeft. Je wordt niet vrolijk van deze lectuur, en dat hoeft niet altijd, zeker met de boodschap en de thematiek van dit verhaal in het achterhoofd. Het is een huzarenstukje wat Larcenet heeft gedaan met zijn adaptatie van de instant klassieker van McCarthy, daar bestaat geen twijfel over.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was excellent!

I wasn't a big fan of the book, and found the movie quite boring. So I wasn't expecting to get much from this, but I'm a comic book guy and this was easily my favourite version of the story.

Fantastic artwork. I really like the choppy black lines used on the clothing. The starving characters are terrifying to look at and really sell the reality of the world.

The story starts off feeling like every other post apocalyptic story ever told, with the addition of a Lone Wolf and Cub style duo pushing a cart. It benefits from never going too far with the craziness like most stories would with zombies etc.

[Vivek KuRa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the read the book and also watched the movie. But this graphic version of the book is another level in evoking and bring the dark somber mood to the reader. The fantastic illustrations help tell this enthralling dark story and is a visual treat. Highly recommend this book even if you have already read the book or watched the movie.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrator of this graphic novel did an incredible job of recreating the bleak landscape and desolation of McCarthy's post-apocalyptic world. Expectedly, the drama of the original work is curtailed by the format, but not to a detrimental degree as emotional impact still runs high. The images are so atmospheric that they evoked the same dread and suffocation I remember feeling when I first read the novel - to a point that I actually experienced tightening in my chest. I'm not sure if my strong reaction was to the graphic novel itself or if it was some sort of reverb - but in any case, this is a worthwhile interpretation, especially if you were moved by the original work.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good adaptation of The Road. Tone, setting and the spirit of the story are perfectly captured in this graphic retelling. The art was superb, haunting, horrific but there was beauty too, especially when it showed the bond between father and son. While it dealt with many of the themes that The Road touched upon, in particular, who’s good, who’s bad, it didn’t have some key scenes that for me, were integral to the book and my love for it. Nonetheless, this was excellent and has me considering rereading the book, though maybe not during the Christmas season 😁

[°⋆.°Frédérique Boucher°❀•° . · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆
(J'ai vraiment aimé)

Une histoire déchirante racontée par des images autant magnifiques que bouleversantes. J'ai littéralement été plongée dans la réalité des personnages dès la première case. On arrive presque à entendre le son tellement les images sont justes.

🦴👣🌬🌫🛒

[Conceição Puga · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Estrada” de Manu Larcenet — tal como o romance original de Cormac McCarthy — é uma obra extremamente dura, sombria e emocionalmente devastadora.

A arte de Larcenet acentua o desespero e a fragilidade dos personagens, criando uma atmosfera claustrofóbica e emocionalmente impactante.

É um excelente complemento ao romance de Cormac McCarthy.

[Przemysław Skoczyński · Rating 4 out of 5]

Znam literacki pierwowzór, więc w temacie fabuły zaskoczenia nie było, za to Larcenet pięknie rozpracował „Drogę” w kwestii dialogów, które ograniczył do minimum, potęgując grozę i przerażającą ciszę bijącą z kadrów. Ciszę, która nie zwiastuje spokoju i symbiozy z otoczeniem, stanowi raczej główny element nerwowego oczekiwania na kolejną katastrofę. To znamienne, że „Droga”, która u nas wychodzi po mocno naładowanej tekstem „Terapii grupowej”, tak oszczędnie operuje słowem. W obu przypadkach wybór strategii opowiadania ma decydujące wpływ na odbiór.

Ten album uderza rysunkiem i na stronę wizualną kładzie największy nacisk. Manu balansuje między realizmem z wielością detali, a impresją genialnie oddającą grozę otoczenia, z jego mglistym, pełnym pyłu i brudu krajobrazem. Często są to zaledwie cienie sylwetek w deszczowej, śnieżnej czy smogowej aurze. Jako czytelnik lubujący się raczej w tym co karykaturalne, brzydkie i dziwne, muszę jednak przyznać, że w swojej kategorii twórca „Codziennej walki” jest arcymistrzem. W mojej wersji dodatkowe wrażenie robią kolory, bazujące na delikatnych odcieniach beżu i szarości, co w tym przypadku dało kapitalny efekt.

Nie chcę używać wielkich słów, ale ta adaptacja okazała się lepsza, niż oczekiwałem, mimo że możliwości Larceneta znam bardzo dobrze. Myślę, że bez zbędnej przesady można stwierdzić, że ten gość „znowu to zrobił”

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comme disait mon collègue, c'est bien mais ça te flingue ta journée

[Blair Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine visual adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road.

“You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.”
-Cormac McCarthy

[Momotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je n'avais ni lu le roman ni vu le film avant de lire cette adaptation BD. C'est horrible et super badant. Manu Larcenet a ce talent de rendre les récits d'autant plus poignants grâce à son trait et la composition de ses planches.