I think it’s accurate to suggest that we all could use some laughs right now, and these humorous versions of classics grant readers the opportunity to meet new characters while revisiting comfortingly familiar narratives. We don’t need to worry how things will end up for them, because the basics of the story is already well-known.
I did notice, while researching this, that there isn’t that much out there in this sub-genre starring LGBTQ+ characters, and that is kind of disappointing. Though Frankissstein has a trans character, that novel is less of a romantic comedy and more of an absurdist satire of humanity. Like, can’t someone write a lesbian Great Gatsby-meets-screwball-romantic-comedy? Then again, I have a lot of free time right now so maybe I should just do that? Something to think about.
Humorous retellings of classics are really being embraced by authors of color, and I think it’s with POC that these stories make the most sense in a modern context. It’s interesting because western society probably isn’t super bothered by most scandals and rumors anymore, so a lot of the tension of these novels are better captured by the lives of people who are trying to live within cultural expectations that they don’t fully relate to (a là Re Jane’s Korean American protagonist). All of this to say, I want more of these and I want them to capture a wider range of experiences.
For this list, I’ve split these comical classic retellings into two sections, one for funny fictional remakes of classics, and one for compilation books that feature literary characters in short comic strips.
Fundarism 