Batman meets “Crime and Punishment”

Posted Oct 28, 2009 by Kevin Walker

Updated Oct 28, 2009 at 03:28 PM

R. Sikoryak, bless his twisted head, is some sort of genius. His “Masterpiece Comics” — some of which are reprinted here in a beautiful coffee table book — offer example after example of how he has seamlessly mashed up famous comic characters with classic literature.
The book features a half dozen short comics, in which Sikoryak gives a well-known comic character the lead role in a work of classic literature. He also manages to mimic the art style of those who created the comics, from Charles Schultz (of “Peanuts” fame) to Bob Kane (“Batman”). In short, dude has mad drawing skills, mixed with a twisted sense of humor and great taste in books.
For those who know the literature, it’s hilarious. If you’ve never read the classics, these comics actually give you a quick glimpse at the some of the novel’s key points.
Russian literature lovers, I dare you not to smile at Dostoyevsky Comics, in which Batman is cast in the role of Raskolnikov from “Crime and Punishment,” a man who struggles with his conscious after committing a senseless murder. His companion is a transvestite who looks quite a bit like Robin and the woman he murders comes back to haunt him, laughing at his anguish, Joker-style.
Or there’s Action Camus, in which a, ah, super man goes all existential, playing the role of Meursault in Albert Camus’ “The Stranger.” Sikoryak puts Camus’ famous line from “The Stranger” in Superman’s mouth. When a woman (Lois Lane?) asks, “Do you love me?”, he responds: “Well, it’s a meaningless question, but I suppose not.”
Sikoryak doesn’t save his mash ups for just costumed superheroes. He uses Blonde and Dagwood to tell the story of Adam and Eve, and uses Charlie Brown and the “Peanuts” gang for Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” in ways I even won’t attempt to describe.
It’s original, daring and breathes life into both comics and classics. How could a book lover not love Sikoryak for that?