Advertisement

I'm a huge comic book fan and only recently took to reading novelizations of comics. I've found it to be a pretty good experience. Now, how do you put a comic book turned novel into an audiobook? Well let me tell you, get Graphic Audio to do the production. Reading a comic book, you get to look at all the cool graphics and, while reading the text, your eyes are treated to some visual storytelling. When a comic is then turned into a novel, you lose the visual stimulation, and the author has to completely tell the story with words. Alan Grant wrote Justice League of America - Batman: The Stone King novel and told a great story. Now that GraphicAudio has produced the book into a "Movie for Your Mind," comic book lovers can hear the novel and fully experience the action. Not a single detail is missed.

The use of a multicast is pretty much needed and is extremely well done. The voices of all the superheroes (Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, The Green Lantern and, of course, Batman) are very well cast and sound exactly like you would expect and want them to sound like. The sound effects and music create a great atmosphere for great listening. When GraphicAudio says they produce a "Movie for your Mind," they aren't kidding. In one scene in the book Wonder Woman is attacked by zombies arising from a nearby cemetery and the sounds of the bones crushing and zombies digging themselves out of the grave are so realistic that you would swear the special effects person actually made the undead rise from the grave and fight each other just so the sounds could be recorded. Unreal realism in the sounds.

The story behind Justice League of America - Batman: The Stone King is this; a dam near Gotham City is about to burst and Batman has determined the dam cannot be saved but the citizens of Gotham city must be protected. Batman calls for the help from Justice League members to create a "safe dam break." After the turmoil when all the Justice League members are getting their breath and looking over the destruction created by the rushing waters, The Green Lantern notices a strange object. Uncovered by the erosion of the sudden rushing waters is a pyramid, not unlike those in Egypt. Soon an archaeology team takes over and the Justice League go their separate ways.

The pyramid is found to be aligned with all the other sacred sites around the globe (the Pyramids in Giza, Stonehenge, Easter Island, et. al.) and the home of The Stone King. The Stone King is awakened and come Halloween night will destroy the world and rule over the remnants of humanity. When the Justice League tries to battle the Stone King, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and The Green Lantern are trapped within stone and it is up to Batman to save them and the Earth.

The story is one of constant excitement and with the extra oomph of GraphicAudio's sound effects, music and expert voice casting, the excitement is even higher. And as is true with all good comic books, there is some great comic relief moments so you can ease up the tension, such as when The Flash goes to save Batman after the Dark Knight is thrown by the Stone King, he puts himself into position to ease the impact of Batman. After Batman lands on him The Flash he'll will never do that again. Now in the audiobook the acting is so realistic that you feel the impact and the wry humor intended by this statement.

Get ready for some great entertainment and some impressive comic to novel action in Justice League of America - Batman: The Stone King. I will warn you, if you listen to this audiobook in a public place or where people can see you make sure you explain why you are white-knuckled or cheering on an unseen hero. GraphicAudio really puts you into the middle of the action.

Listen to the audiobook review podcast of Justice League of America - Batman: The Stone King.

Gil T. has spent a quarter of a century working in radio and has lots of spare time on his hands and reading or listening to books takes up all that time. Check out his blog to find out what he's up to at any given moment.