In Time for Christmas: The Action Bible

Ever try to read the entire Bible from beginning to end? It can be overwhelming. The sheer length of the Biblical text alone is intimidating. In fact, it may take about a year to complete if reading it consistently.

Now there is a way to make reading the scriptures a little easier. A completely new graphic Bible, published by David C. Cook and drawn in popular comic book style is now available. The Action Bible is a blast and easy to read.

Being the comic book fan that I am, The Action Bible was something that I thought would easily make a good addition to my collection. I finished the whole book after reading a portion a day for nearly a week and a half.
The hardcover graphic novel was skillfully illustrated by Brazilian artist Sergio Cariello who has drawn for both Marvel and DC Comics. Cariello’s pages are full of vibrant color and vivid detail. He handled the pencils, inks and colors for all 744 pages of art – no simple task.

In a myriad of story accounts, distinct faces and features are given to famous Biblical names - King David is portrayed as a red head. The Bible in graphic format makes clear the chronological events from creation to the crucifixion of Christ up to the Acts of the Apostles. Clear narration guides the reader from beginning to end and straight forward dialogue makes the book easy to get through.

The Old Testament contains all the popular stories concerning Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Ruth, and the prophets. The sequential flow of Israelite history is easy to understand through creative storytelling. Much of the Old Testament reads as a soap opera complete with cruel betrayals and interweaving plots.

The New Testament story line brings together the life of Christ based on an amalgamation of the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. After that, the reader witnesses Paul’s conversion story and how the disciples spread the news of Christ’s resurrection throughout the lands.

Revelation, the last book of The Action Bible, is a bit too short for my taste. I would rather have seen a longer interpretation of the symbolic imagery and end time scenario. But as a whole, the purchase of the book was well worth it.

Basic Judeo-Christian theology can be derived from the graphic summarizations of the Biblical accounts, but exegesis of specific doctrines and deeper theological insight can't be. But that's all right; I don't believe it was intended to. the purpose, it seems, is simply to tell Bible stories in an easy and entertaining way, which is pulled off nicely.

You don't have to be a believer to enjoy The Action Bible. It's for anyone whois interested in Biblical stories or likes graphic novels. An unabridged audio version is also available. To see the short, live action trailer and view some of Sergio Cariello's artwork visit www.theactionbible.com.