Review: JIM HENSON’S LABYRINTH 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

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JIM HENSON LABYRINTH 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Written by Jonathan Case, Cory Godbey, Ted Naifeh, Adrienne Ambrose, Adam Smith, Gustavo Duarte
Art by Cory Godbey, Kyla Vanderklugt, Gustavo Duarte, Daniel Bayliss
Published by Archaia Entertainment
Release date: August 10, 2016

Super fans of the children’s classic movie, Labyrinth,  will be enthralled with this latest anthology collection. Focusing on Ludo, Hoggle and Sir Didymus, readers are transported to before and after the events of the movie.

The standout creator of the showcase is Cory Godbey. With three solo. stories, and art on a fourth, this creator owns the book. Beautifullay fluid strokes fill-up Godbey’s pages, with watercolor color textures. Shadow and highlight help to create breathtaking detail and dimension in his solo stories. They are filled with humor, playing with the English language, making amusement out of a poor sick Ludo, and of course, showing how Sir Didymus’s language and reality do not always match.

The other half of the anthology continue to highlight the importance of friendship, a key theme from the movie, and quirky side characters. Together they create a book that will have fans grinning and giggling.

For anyone looking for new stories featuring Jareth or Sarah, or even Toby, this is not the book for you. There is a great standalone black and white illustration at the end. However, as with other Labyrinth comics, this anthology focuses on the residents. There are some great insights, like the Adam Smith-Kyla Vanderklugt story which shows you how Ludo came to live in the labyrinth. There is also a very introspective and moral boosting story of the goblin who comes pilot The Humongous Two (you know, that big suit of armor with the axe that nearly kills Sarah and Ludo at the castle gate.)

This  anthology reads more as a novelty and less as an important milestone in the Labyrinth universe. At this point, that was a problem with my own expectations going into the comic. Having read other Archaia Labyrinth comics, it’s not surprising by what was offered. Being the 30th anniversary special, with a $9.99 price point, the awariness, of there not being more, lingered throughout.

If you’re a die hard Labyrinth fan who won’t mind giving up two or three other comics to have this in your collection, it’s an absolute buy. If you are a comics reader who appreciates art, it’s a definite buy. If you are a casual fan or reader who is on the fence, the price point might have you doleful by the end.

The Verdict: 7.5/10

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