Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head is the first graphic novel I have read in the Graphic Universe series. After reading and enjoying the book, I wanted to write a review about the Perseus graphic novel to give Greek myth fans my opinions about it.
Graphic Universe has a collection of nine graphic novels based on Greek Myths and Legends. One of those books is Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head.
Perseus was very impressive, so I hope more graphic novels in the Graphic Universe series are as good as this one.
In the future, I look forward to reading more Greek Myths and Legends books. One book I am especially keen to read is the graphic novel about Psyche and Eros: The Lady And The Monster. Wow, the book cover makes it look pretty awesome!
I recently read Jason: Quest For The Golden Fleece in the Graphic Universe series straight after Perseus. However, I thought the Perseus book was way better than the Jason book. Even so, I still found the Jason graphic novel fascinating. It even taught me how the name Hellespont in ancient Greece came about.
Every Greek myth fan knows who Perseus is. No, he isn’t Percy Jackson or the father of Percy Jackson. Perseus is the famous ancient Greek hero — the son of Zeus and Danae.
Okay, you may not have known that his mother was Danae, but now you do.
Greek hero Perseus was destined to cut off Medusa’s head. He was also fated to marry beautiful Andromeda after he saved her from being sacrificed to a fearsome sea monster.
Perseus and Andromeda now belong in a constellation among the stars, but how did it all begin, and what is the legendary Perseus myth all about?
You can find out by reading Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head because it takes you back to the birth of Perseus and covers a lot of ground.
For this reason, the graphic novel title is probably a bit misleading because Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head is much more than just a tale about Medusa.
Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head Review
After reading this review about Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head, I highly recommend reading the graphic novel. I personally think Greek mythology fans will love it.
If you like what you see in this Perseus graphic novel review, get yourself a copy of Graphic Universe’s Perseus.
Graphic Universe is behind the book, and from what I can tell, they have also released eight more graphic novels with Greek mythology themes.
For example, they have books on other legendary Greek heroes, including Odysseus and Hercules. They even have a book on the lesser-known Greek mythological figure of Atalanta.
You will see all of the Graphic Universe covers for the Greek Myths and Legends books further down in the review.
Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head Storyline
The Perseus storyline doesn’t follow a strict straight timeline formula. That’s because the story bounces back to the past at one point to explain the birth of Perseus.
In this Perseus graphic novel review, I’ll place things in order of when events occurred.
Danae: the mother of Perseus
It all began when an Oracle told a king his daughter’s son would end up causing his death.
The king was terrified, so he decided to lock up his daughter in a tall tower. That way, she would never be able to fall pregnant, so he thought.
The God Zeus soon found out about it. He knew Danae was beautiful, so the God of Gods wanted to visit the lonely lady.
No one could have guessed what would end up happening to Danae. What the king hoped would never happen did happen as Danae got pregnant!
After the birth of Perseus, her cruel father thought the smartest thing to do was to put Danae and the young child inside a chest. He planned to let it float out to sea.
By then, the king knew that Zeus was the child’s father. So he thought that by letting fate decide what to do with Danae and Perseus, he could escape punishment from the Gods.
A fisherman found the chest and couldn’t believe his eyes when he opened it.
After that, the years went by and Perseus grew into a strong and intelligent man. This caused a new king to fear Perseus, which led to an unreal request.
Perseus was asked to bring back the head of Medusa. No one thought he could do it.
Perseus and Goddess Athena
Perseus was the son of Zeus, so the Goddess of wisdom, Athena, assisted him on his quest after he agreed to do it.
Athena gave Perseus much-needed advice, mighty gear, and a weapon to help him obtain Medusa’s head.
Perseus was sure he would succeed.
Perseus and the Graeae (Three Sisters)
The first thing Perseus had to do was find out where Medusa and the Gorgons lived.
The Graeae could tell Perseus the location of Medusa, but they wouldn’t unless he had something over them.
Perseus seeking the head of Medusa
After Perseus knew of Medusa’s whereabouts, all he had to do then was cut off her repulsive snake-haired head that had the power to turn men into stone.
He planned to do it with the aid of his shield as any direct gaze onto her face would cause him to turn to stone, but by looking at the shield’s reflection, he’d be safe.
One of the biggest problems Perseus would face was Medusa’s sisters, who happened to be immortal.
How could Perseus hope to escape if he cut off Medusa’a head when they found out? With the assistance of the helmet of Hades since it had the power to turn the wearer invisible.
The two immortal Gorgons were outraged when Perseus escaped.
Andromeda and the Kraken
After surviving the Gorgons, Perseus flew past the beautiful Andromeda. It was love at first sight for Perseus.
At the time, Andromeda was about to be sacrificed to a sea monster — the Kraken.
Perseus knew he had to save her and used this to his advantage. If he saved Andromeda, he wanted the beauty to agree to marry him and her parents to bless the marriage.
There is so much more to the Perseus and Andromeda storyline. You need to read the book because it is very well done.
As you can see, this Perseus graphic novel is awesome!
The 48-page graphic novel is a beautiful work of art and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Graphic Universe Series: Greek Myths and Legends
Graphic Universe has a fantastic selection of graphic novels based on Greek Myths and Legends.
I am aware of nine Graphic Universe books with Greek mythology themes.
They include the Greek myths of Odysseus, Perseus, Jason, Psyche and Eros, Atalanta, Theseus, Hercules, Demeter & Persephone.
There is even a book about the Trojan Horse, which played a crucial role in the Trojan War outcome.
Here are the Greek Myths and Legends series books by Graphic Universe.
Graphic Novels in the Graphic Universe series include:
- Odysseus: Escaping Poseidon’s Curse
- Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head
- Jason: Quest For The Golden Fleece
- Trojan Horse: The Fall Of Troy
- Psyche and Eros: The Lady And The Monster
- Atalanta: The Race Against Destiny
- Theseus: Battling the Minotaur
- Hercules: The Twelve Labors
- Demeter & Persephone: Spring Held Hostage
Graphic Universe Recommendations
I must say I would love to read Psyche and Eros. This is one of the best Greek myth love stories and I think it would be a great read from what I have seen in the Perseus graphic novel.
Graphic Universe also has comics based on other fascinating stories, including King Arthur and several more famous mythical figures.
You would know I am a big King Arthur fan if you’ve read The Legend of King Arthur (Greek Mythology).
So a couple of other graphic novels I would also like to read in the Graphic Universe series include King Arthur: Excalibur Unsheathed and Arthur & Lancelot: The Fight for Camelot.
I have a copy of the graphic novel Trojan Horse, so after I read this book, I’ll be sure to leave a comment here.
Best Perseus Graphic Novel
Who knows, is it possible that I somehow got lucky and the best Graphic Universe book is Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head? I suppose it’s a one out of nine chance.
This book about the adventure of Perseus may even be the best Perseus graphic novel in existence. I’ll have to read more graphic novels to find out for sure.
About the Author and the Illustrator of Perseus
The graphic novel Perseus by Paul D. Storrie and Thomas Yeates, the guy behind the pencils and inks, is excellent reading.
The Greek myth illustrations are superbly done, and the storyline is beautifully told, so I consider Perseus a top graphic novel.
About Paul D. Storrie (the Author)
Here’s what AI (Artificial Intelligence) says about Paul D. Storrie.
Paul D. Storrie is an American comic book writer, playwright, and educator. He has written over 200 comics, graphic novels, and books for young adults and children. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Education. Storrie is considered a prominent figure in the comic book industry and has worked with publishers such as Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and IDW Publishing.
Some of Storrie’s most notable works include:
- Captain America: Red Glare – Storrie’s take on Captain America is a spy thriller that takes place during the Cold War.
- Gotham Girls – A comic book series featuring DC Comics’ female superheroes and villains, including Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Batgirl.
- Robyn Hood – Storrie writes the story of Robyn Hood as a 21st-century feminist icon and portrays her as a heroine who stands up against corruption and greed.
- Hercules: The Twelve Labors – Storrie delves into Greek mythology and retells the story of Hercules and the twelve labors through a comic book series.
- The Princess of Atlantis – Storrie provides a fresh perspective to the story of Atlantis and its mythical princess in this graphic novel.
Overall, Paul D. Storrie is a versatile writer who has contributed immensely to different genres in the comic book industry.
About Thomas Yeates (the Illustrator)
Here’s what AI (Artificial Intelligence) says about Thomas Yeates.
Thomas Yeates is an American comic book artist and writer born in California in 1955. He has illustrated for many comic book publishers such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse Comics. Yeates is known for his impressive attention to detail, dynamic compositions, and vivid depiction of landscapes and nature, making him a perfect fit for Western and adventure-themed comics.
Some of Yeates’s notable works include:
- Prince Valiant – Yeates worked on the Prince Valiant comic strip for over a decade, starting in 2004. He was praised for his unique style, which combined classic comic book artwork with some more modern touches.
- Swamp Thing – Yeates contributed to the legendary DC Comics character Swamp Thing throughout the 1980s. His illustrations highlighted the character’s connections to nature, giving his work a mystical and eerie aura.
- Zorro – Yeates has worked on several Zorro comics over the years, bringing his talent for action-packed Western storytelling to this beloved character.
- Conan – Yeates has also illustrated for Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian series.
- Breathtaker – Yeates both wrote and illustrated the Dark Horse Comics graphic novel Breathtaker. This work showcases Yeates’s natural talents with both storytelling and illustrating, as he creates a story that blends genres of science fiction and superhero comics.
Overall, Thomas Yeates is a skilled and versatile artist with a deep appreciation of the Western tradition, which shows in his work. Whether he is portraying epic battles or serene landscapes, his illustrations are always dynamic and beautiful to behold.
Perseus Review Conclusion
If I were to offer a minor criticism, I’d say there should have been more of a fight before Perseus chopped off Medusa’s head.
It seemed to occur too quickly and easily, so I think another page in the graphic novel would have made it much better.
There was no dialogue between Perseus and Medusa, so I would have loved something unexpected to have taken place. The way Perseus chopped off Medusa’s head seemed very different from what we usually enjoy seeing in movies like Clash of the Titans (1981).
Also, seeing a clear front-on-view of Medusa’s hideous face would have been great. A full page of Medusa’s snake-haired head should have been included.
You would think that an illustration of Medusa’s head that clearly shows the snakes on her head would be a killer comic scene in the graphic novel. It wasn’t shown in this Graphic Universe book for some unholy reason, which disappointed me.
One thing I did enjoy seeing was Medusa’s two sisters chasing after Perseus. It was pretty unexpected and I suppose in some way, Medusa’s two immortal Gorgon sisters elevated the story after the Medusa letdown.
Another thing that I’ll bring up is this. Why do many illustrators portray Zeus as an old man? When you think about it, it doesn’t make sense. He’s an immortal Greek God. If you were a God, wouldn’t you want to appear in peak physical shape?
Perseus Graphic Novel Rating
I give Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head an 8 out of 10.
If you are a fan of Greek mythology, I’m sure you will think highly of Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head, so check it out!
Perseus: The Hunt of Medusa’s Head (A Greek Myth) Amazon Reviews
The Amazon customer review for this book had a rating of 4.5 out of 5. That came from 97 reviews when I looked at it, which is excellent! Sixty-five percent of these reviewers gave the Perseus graphic novel five stars.
One customer on Amazon stated that they also enjoyed Beowulf, Odysseus, and Atalanta.
Someone did state that some of the facts were wrong and that Perseus was the son of Poseidon, not the son of Zeus. I think the person may have confused the character with Percy Jackson. Perseus is the son of Zeus and Danae, so the book is correct.
Most of the Amazon reviewers had high praise for the illustrations.
Buy Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head (Sale)
Hopefully, you can find the Perseus graphic novel by Graphic Universe in the link below.
Check availability and pricing: Perseus: The Hunt For Medusa’s Head
The book’s recommended reading age is 9-14 years of age. However, I consider this classic graphic novel highly suitable for anyone with a strong interest in Greek mythology, no matter the reader’s age.
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