In the days of big summer blockbusters rife with explosions and eye-popping CGI, it is hard to believe that simple puppetry and make up were once able to captivate audiences with the same fervor.
But that is just what Muppets creator Jim Henson did when he created his 1982 film, the Dark Crystal. Set in the fantasy world of Thra, the Dark Crystal featured many magical characters and creatures inhabiting a dark world of adventure, sorcery and war. And to make things more unconventional, almost the entire cast was portrayed by puppets.
Although critically acclaimed and successful overseas, the film initially had trouble attracting an audience due to its bizarre and sometimes dark subject matter.
Nevertheless, it has remained quite a cult classic, captivating audiences with its imaginative and incredibly detailed world.
Few one-shot films such as this rarely get the opportunity to expand their narratives this long after their initial release, but Dark Crystal recently became one of the lucky few.
In conjunction with the Jim Henson Company, Archaia Entertainment has enlisted the film’s concept artist Brian Froud, along with writer Brian Holgun and a team of artists, to expand on the mythology of the film in a series of three graphic novels.
Volume one of the series, titled “the Dark Crystal: Creation Myths,” focuses on one of the characters of the film, Aughra (performed in the film by Frank Oz) and her creation in the world of Thra, as well as some of the other races seen in the original narrative.
“Creation Myths” major strength is that it expands the mythology of the film in a satisfying manner, while also managing to stand on its own. New readers will not have to have seen “the Dark Crystal” to enjoy this book, though longtime fans will no doubt have a greater appreciation.
The artwork by Alex Sheikman and Lizzy John is richly detailed and atmospheric; wonderfully capturing the details and personalities of Jim Henson’s various creations.
The layout of the artwork also differs from typical comic books. While many comics break the story down into various panels, the illustrations here flow together. Visually, it is evocative of an illustrated children’s novel mixed with a comic.
Much like the film it is based on, “Creation Myths” deals with a dark fantasy story. At this point in the series, there are no depictions of nudity, gore or adult language, but it is nevertheless mature. Children can certainly read it, but many of the themes can be enjoyed by older audiences.
The first volume of “the Dark Crystal: Creation Myths” is a solid introduction (or re-introduction) to a world that was only touched upon the films. Time will tell if the next two installments will live up to the first.
For more graphic novels such as this one, check out the selection offered by Modern Myths comic shop, located at 34 Bridge Street 4, Northampton, MA 01060.
You can also visit their website at modern-myths.com.
