Paul, the Apostle
Summary
Paul: The Apostle by Mario DeMatteo is a graphic story Bible that covers the life of Paul (formerly Saul), from the New Testament. This takes the story of his life — both the good and the bad — and faithfully recreates it in a futuristic, sci-fi setting.
Assessment
Overall, this is one of the best and most detailed graphic story Bibles on the market. The writing stays true and faithful to the original scripture — usually quoting it word for word — and the art is fun and unique without taking away from the core of the message. It brings a fun and memorable element to the story that kids should find both appealing and easy to understand.
There are one or two things included in the story that were not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, however, these were things that could either be inferred or extrapolated, depending on which translation is used. They are also fairly minor and don’t have much of an impact on the overall purpose of the story and how God’s word is presented.
Light-o-Meter
Artwork: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Writing: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age-Appropriateness: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: 7 out of 7 Little Lights
Overall: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
Biblical recreations and retellings are no easy feat for the Christian creative; you either have to distance yourself enough from the source material to make it “inspired by” or you have to get it dead on to avoid accidentally adding to or taking away from God’s intended message. This is especially tricky when it comes to kids’ media, since the inclination — and sometimes the necessity — is to make the Bible both easier to understand and entertaining.
Paul: The Apostle balances this perfectly. The artwork is fantastic and riveting, I loved looking at the little alien designs, they were all incredibly creative and adorable! Additionally, Paul’s life story was organized in a way that made storytelling sense, but stayed true to the source material, combining the book of Acts and Paul’s letters into one, cohesive timeline.
I appreciate how dense it was in terms of the dialog and storytelling aspects. It gives parents, mentors, and church leaders and opportunity to actively work with kids that might be a little stuck. I also love the entire concept of this graphic novel from a ministry standpoint. Stories are one of the most important tools we have for spreading the gospel; from testimonies to parables to Christ-uplifting fiction, stories are a form of communication that has the ability to break down complex information and present it in an easier-to-understand fashion. This graphic novel succeeds in breaking down the gospel by presenting a fun, visual world for kids to enjoy but doesn’t detract an iota from Paul’s Christ-filled message and life story.
Wrap-up
The graphic Bible Paul: The Apostle takes the life of the New Testament’s most prolific writer and presents it — without stripping it of its substance — in a futuristic scifi setting. With detailed (and often adorable) art, this graphic Bible has appeal to audiences of all ages.
Where to Enjoy
Amazon: Paul the Apostle: Graphic Story Bible (Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble: Paul the Apostle: Graphic Story Bible
Bear Truth Books: Paul the Apostle: Graphic Story Bible (Hardcover)
Christian Book: Paul, the Apostle: Graphic Story Bible
Disclaimer: This review is for this specific product and this product alone. In no way, shape, or form is this review meant to be an endorsement of the private lives, individual choices, lifestyles, or behaviors of those company(ies), publisher(s), creator(s), producer(s), author(s), artist(s), etc. associated with this product. It is God's sole providence alone to judge, and we make no claim to this right. With our reviews, we're simply looking at the value and merits of this specific product alone through the content and perspective of a Christian worldview. We pray you find it helpful and useful.
