“The Red Badge of Courage” is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane, first published on October 3, 1895. Set during the American Civil War, the story follows Henry Fleming, a young private in the Union Army who flees the battlefield out of fear. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound—a “red badge of courage”—to redeem what he sees as his cowardice. During his regiment’s next encounter with the enemy, Henry takes on the role of flag-bearer, proudly carrying the regimental colors into battle.
“Written by Crane when he was just 24, The Red Badge of Courage is a Civil War story that captured the imaginations of readers worldwide and made its author an overnight literary icon. Now, artist Steve Cuzor and Abrams ComicArts are publishing a powerful graphic novel adaptation of the classic and genre-defining war novel. Cuzor’s stark yet detailed artwork in “The Red Badge of Courage” perfectly captures the realistic prose of the original novel, presenting a lushly illustrated, unflinching depiction of war through the eyes of a young, inexperienced soldier.”
Artist Steve Cuzor
“In the novel, Stephen Crane spends a lot of time describing the soldier’s feelings, his anxieties, his anger at the officers, but he never describes the battle plan in a tactical, strategic way. It’s not essential for Crane to describe war; it’s not his aim. Unlike novels, graphic novels are made with images. We have to show things. In parallel with the staging of the story, I had to surround myself with documentation and filmed reports on the Civil War to understand troop movements at that time. The way officers gave orders, etc. And I put myself in the shoes of an officer to write and draw the sequences.”
Now, thanks to the folks at Abrams ComicArts and Artist Steve Cuzor, we are proud to present this exclusive preview of their adaptation of Crane’s Classic “The Red Badge of Courage.”
Oni Press “The Red Badge of Courage” graphic novel adaptation by Steve Cuzor will be available in bookstores on Tuesday, May 13th and in comic shops on Wednesday, May 14th, 2025.”
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
