Wilde commented that his fairy tales weren’t suitable for children, nor for the British, and ‘The Young King’ raises uncomfortable social inequality barely aired at the time of the massive British Empire, a theme repeated in The Happy Prince. This is a genuine admiration for craft and beauty after his previous life, but when the cost is revealed to him he’s appalled. ‘The Young King’ is a morality tale about a boy plucked from poverty to inherit the throne becoming obsessed with the trappings of the wealthy. Russell’s art has a perpetual decorative essence, and it’s difficult to conceive a better choice of artist to depict the required trimmings of finery. “Beauty, like wisdom, loves the lonely worshipper”, is one of many fine examples, yet Wilde twists the story to provide the cost of beauty. ‘The Young King’ contains some wonderful lines, recognised by Russell as he adapts the opening portion with virtually no dialogue, freeing the descriptive wonder of one his era’s greatest social commentators. Craig Russell has always pursued a very individual path when selecting his graphic novel projects, and every few years dips back into Wilde’s catalogue to supply further adaptations. The value of Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales has been downplayed for over a century, yet their durability despite lack of fashionable recognition is in itself a form of recommendation.
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