Django Unchained isn’t just an Oscar nominated movie, it’s also being released as a six issue mini-series from Vertigo. The comic book adaptation is based off the original screenplay, not just an adaptation of the movie. That means it includes scenes that didn’t make it into the theatrical cut.

For those that don’t know the story of Django Unchained is the story of a slave “freed” by a German bounty hunter and they team up to rescue Django’s wife from a ruthless plantation owner.

I saw the movie, and for me, part of the interest is to see the differences between the two. There’s differences so far, but they’re very subtle. There’s also just a fascinating aspect as to how a touchy subject and some very sensitive language is reacted to based upon how you consume the material.

There’s the violence, that to me actually seems toned down in the comic. What’s interesting to me is the words, especially one word in particular. You know the word I’m talking about. Listening to it on the screen, I counted around 127 instances of it being said and that had me cringe at times. Reading it is interesting and I find myself actually debating the use of that word while reading the first two issues.

If you’ve seen the movie, there’s not much different here, so far subtle differences. What’s amazing is how the reaction to the same story can differ between how we consume that media. I loved the movie, of course I’m enjoying the comic. It’s Tarantino, kind of hard for it to be bad.

Story: Quentin Tarantino Adapted: Reggie Hudin Art: R.M. Guera and Jason Latour

Story: 8 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Buy

Vertigo and DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review