Most people would know Shrek from the 2001 Dreamworks animated film series. The story of the belligerent green ogre and his band of misfits has made an indelible mark in our cultural imagination with its satirical retelling of classic fairytale tropes.
But what some may not know is that the origin of the green ogre goes a little further back. The film series Shrek was based on a fantasy comedy picture book Shrek!, written by William Steig. Published in 1990, the original picture book features illustrations reminiscent of beloved characters by famous cartoonist and children’s writer Quentin Blake.
Film adaptions like Shrek are popular these days. The extensive universes of Marvel and DC comics have spawned film franchises that flood streaming subscriptions and theatres worldwide. Other illustrated book adaptations offer alternative genres that provide a change from the usual superhero plots of saving the world. Riverdale for one, puts a dark twist on the original Archie comics with its murder-mystery storyline while iconic manga series such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell have also been successfully adapted into full-length animated films.