Classics Illustrated: All Comics are not Created Equal

Classics Illustrated were comics that were produced from 1941 to 1971 and 169 issues were made. Hamlet, Moby Dick, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers were among the novels they made. Students going through high school in the 1950s and 1960s probably were able to make their way through many English classes and exams by using Classics Illustrated instead of reading the real novels. Forget Cliff Notes, these were on a standard well above them. Should we consider Classics Illustrated on a higher level than comics such as Detective Comics or Superman or consider them to be graphic novels.