Comic Bulgakov

Early in the life of this blog I looked at the numerous covers for the numerous editions of Mikhail Bulgakov's wonderful and bizarre The Master and Margarita, as well as his other books.

I've just discovered that this book has inspired a number of comics artists to attempt their own adaptations. This makes sense, given the vivid and sometimes hallucinatory effect of Bulgakov's prose.

Here is the cover to the newest version, by Andzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal.


I've not read this, so I can't comment on its fidelity, nor can I find any examples of the interior art online. I'll be interested to have a look once it appears in the shops.

Another version, three-quarters of which is available online, has been done by Russian cartoonist Rodion Tanaev. First printed in 1997, and now quite rare, you can find it here (the final quarter is due to come online soon).

Here's the cover, and some of the interior pages. Click for more detail.





Finally, there's Askold Akishine and Misha Zaslavsky, also Russian, whose adaptation has been published in French. Again, I haven't seen this one, but one review describes this version as lacking Bulgakov's narrative skills.

The only interior art I could find find online from this edition is a single panel.