Just read the following review in this week's Newsweek:

He didn't do it for the most Christian of reasons. Unmoved by Mel Gibson's "whitewashed" telling of Jesus' life in "The Passion of the Christ," New York artist and Episcopalian Steve Ross embarked on a graphic novel based on the Gospel of Mark to shake up the evangelicals who flocked to the flick. "I said, here's my chance to finally get even with all the right-wing, neocon, fundamentalist, holy-rolling, snake-handling crazies who I feel have co-opted Christianity."

True to it's mission, "Marked" restores the inherent weirdness of the story by messing with conventions: a clean-shaven Jesus performs violent exorcisms, the angel at the tomb wears a clown costume, and the Devil tempts Jesus from a limo. ("Simply perfect. Not too white, not too ethnic. Young. Strong. Male though slightly androgynous ... Have your people call my people.") But a funny thing happened on the way to the publisher. As Ross explored the themes of passion and murder, love and law, he started to inject a reverence to his irreverence. In the end, "the book became about loving those who are marginalized," he says. And yes, that can even include right-wing fundamentalists.

--Elise Soukup

While I'm not a fan of graphic novels, this is one I'll be adding to my XMas wish list.

Cher