Jim Henson’s The Storyteller

In 1987 television was graced with something unique from Jim Henson, a collection of myths and legends retold using a mixture of live action and some Jim Henson’s Creature Shop magic. Jim Henson’s The StoryTeller had 8 half hour episodes that ran either a specials, a regular show, or as part of The Jim Henson Hour. It even spawned 4 more episodes as The StoryTeller: Greek Myths. The show was amazing. Someone at Archaia Comics felt the same way, because this December they released The StoryTeller graphic hardcover.

The book is good, really good. If you have fond memories of the show, this is a must buy. If you like reading myths and legends, this is a must buy. If you just enjoy a well told story and beautiful art to go along with it, this is a must buy. If you’re tired of all the shakeups in your current superhero comics, buy this book. Do you see where I’m going with all this?

Inside the book there 9 stories from all sorts of sources from Japanese folktales, Aesop fables, all the way to Appalachian folktales. The most exciting is adapted from an unused screenplay from Anthony Minghella, He was credited with the final script on every episode of the StoryTeller, it is incredibly cool to be reading what might have been another episode.

I haven’t really talked about the talented group they found to work on the book. The list of writers and artists are amazing. I just want to toss out a couple of names. When you think Muppet comics you have to think of Roger Langridge and thankfully his story opens the book. Tom Fowler does beautiful work, as does Evan Shaner. Plus you get work by people like Ron Marz, Craig Rousseau, and Katie Cook. I’m leaving out so many talented people that you need to see this for yourself. Seriously, at 20 dollars this book is a steal.  I honestly hope there is already a second book in the works, because I'd like to have a new one every Christmas.