Karl-May-Filmfotoromane

A German publisher's niche experiment, Karl-May-Filmfotoromane (2017–present) from Karl-May-Verlag is a single-issue comic that adapts the classic Western adventures of Old Shatterhand and Winnetou using still photographs from the popular 1960s film adaptations. Rather than traditional comic art, this unique hybrid presents a photoroman-style narrative, blending the visual language of cinema with the paneled storytelling of comics. While its run is brief, it stands as a curious artifact of how European publishers have continued to reinterpret Karl May's enduring frontier tales for new formats.