A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #12
Author: Simon Spurrier, Ryan Ferrier, Fiona Staples (Cover Art), Daniel Bayliss (Artist), Dan Jackson (Colorist)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.25/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: April 4, 2019
Book Summary: The final chapter of the origin of the Goblin King, and the mother who risked everything to save her boy.
Book Review: We have come to the finale of this series and we will know exactly what fate Maria will have.

Our issue opens shortly after Sarah has beaten Jareth and has returned home with Toby in tow. We find Beetleglum sitting on the throne when an owl enters the room. It is Jareth and he is not at all pleased with Beetleglum. In his storytelling, Jareth has come to realize that it is Beetleglum is behind allowing the Outsiders into his kingdom and he is also the reason for the downfall his kingdom has suffered. The question is: why though?

Beetleglum answers simply: he didn't know how Maria's story ended and wanted to hear the rest of it. The thing is Beetleglum was there and had been part of Maria's story since the beginning. So how was it he did not know? That was a interesting question.

Once more we find ourselves back in the past. Maria has unseemingly lost and is being dragged by Septimus toward the portal. It is at this point that Maria realizes that it is not her chalk that has given her power but it is herself. She attacks Septimus and manages to get free of him. She heads toward the Owl King's device and starts to change it. The others attack Septimus in order to keep him busy as the Owl King disappears and baby Jareth is saved. It is at this moment, Beetleglum steps in. Maria has saved her son and wants to go back home to live normally once again but she has come to realize that all of that is too late. The clock has struck thirteen and Maria as well as her son are now permanently stuck as the Labyrinth is tied to both she and her son. All of this is now starting to have an affect the real world. Seeing this, Maria takes her son and says goodbye to all of her friends before stepping into the portal.

We return again to Beetlglum and Jareth. Beetleglum wants to know more. Of course there were some happy endings. Maria's friends each got one. Cible became famous. Tangle got all the hugs and affection that once eluded him. Skubbin has gone off on adventures. And Jareth, well he came out of all it a fully formed adult. Jareth offers Beetleglum several different scenarios as to this reason of appearing to be grown up. Beetleglum, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care. All he cared about was making sure Jareth had a good life.

As we come to the end. We find Jareth heading to a Goblin's ball. There is a pair waiting for him to arrive. He informs them that Sarah will not be joining them. It is then we find that it is Maria and a reconstructed Albert, whom are waiting for him. She is happy there.

We have come to the end of the series and I must say that although I was somewhat happy with the ending, I also felt like the ending was a bit flat for me. I suppose I had a bigger higher hope for the ending with it being a bit more dramatic but in truth, it wasn't. It seemed like the writers were just tired of the story and just wanted to finally end it. So it was like, "Here we go. Maria gets to live her life in the Labyrinth with her son. That should make the fans happy." Still it was a nice read and a bit of a nice finish to the series. I do hope this means we will be having more of Jareth and maybe even Sarah reunion in the future.

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #10 (Labyrinth Coronation)
Author: Simon Spurrier, Ryan Ferrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Dan Jackson (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.9/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: February 6, 2019
Book Summary: The battle for the heart of the Labyrinth is underway as the goblin rebellion storms the Owl King’s castle, with Maria and her companions right at the heart of it.
Book Review: We are coming to the part of this series where the movie and the comic book begins to run parallel to each other.

Meaning: both our heroines are about to front the Goblin King in order to retrieve the child that was taken from them.

We find Jareth taking Toby out of the arms of Beetleglum. He orders the guards to capture Sarah and gives Toby to another goblin. As Beetleglum tries to take Toby back, Jareth stops him and tells him that he no longer trusts Beetleglum.

The story once more shifts back to Maria. Here the group has come across a mob of goblins waiting for them. At this moment, Maria looks at each of her friends and tells them how much she has come to love and appreciate them each.

From Maria to the Owl King. We find the Owl King impatient. He has two hours left on the clock before he can siphon Jareth's life away. He orders Beetleglum to send a message to his generals that they need to keep their focus sorely on Maria. After all, she is the threat to him moreso than those whom are threatening to rebel against him. Beetleglum has become fond of both Jareth and his mother and wants to find some way to help Maria. Although the Owl King rules over this domain, he also has to observe the same rules everyone else in his domain do. Unfortunately baby Jareth offers him a slight solution when he moves the clock's hand down to one hour for Maria.

Beetleglum writes a message to the goblin general but tells him to leave the girl alone. Unfortunately Septimus has seen what he has done and threatens to chase him down.

The battle between Maria's group and the goblins doesn't seem to be making any sort of leeway. Maria seizes on this moment to hold up Cible, whom offers an observation about the goblins. She tries to bring the entire group of imposing sides together by telling the goblins of how they are always doing what the Owl King wants and never what they want. She goes on to tell them the king is not as powerful as they think he is. Unfortunately her speech does nothing to unite the goblins to their cause. Instead the only agreement they can come to is that goblins should have fun.

Our story returns to Sarah whom is working her way through the castle and has come upon Beetleglum, whom is sitting between two identical doors. For a moment, the two talk a bit and then Sarah asks him for his help in finding Toby. It is then Beetleglum gestures to one of the doors.


This series is getting close to its climatic end but we still have roughly two issues left before it ends. We are seeing parallel imagery between Maria's story and that of Sarah's. We already know how the latter ends entirely but what about Maria. She seems to have done something much more than Sarah accomplished in the Labyrinth - she united many of residents within and has helped take their cause to the front door of the Owl King's castle. So exactly what will happen to Maria afterwards when she does possibly lose?

That unfortunately remains to be seen.

As for this issue, there was more dialogue than action. We see Maria offering encouraging words and affection to each of her friends whom have helped her through this ordeal. I am going to assume that at some point in the next two issues, she is going to be separated from her friends and made to face the Owl King alone just as Sarah had to do with Jareth. So I am wondering if Maria has given this any thought. I am pretty sure some sort of thought has entered her head and whether she is ready or not will remain to be seen.

This was a great issue imo. I really enjoyed the affection Maria feels for each of her friends. It felt genuine and I am hoping that none of them ever forget her. I think she has made quite an impact on all those around her and I am looking forward to seeing how this ends.

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #8
Author: Simon Spurrier, Ryan Ferrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Irene Flores (Illustrator), Dan Jackson (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.9/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: November 15, 2018
Book Summary: While Maria and her companions seek refuge among the Goblin rebellion, the Owl King’s plan takes a dangerous step forward bringing the second arc to a stunning conclusion.
Book Review: This story opens with Maria and her ragtag group coming down a ladder as Cible is surrounded by members of the rebellion. Cible has announced that Bunderghast the Invincible is here! This gains the goblins attention but also sends them to murmur rumors amongst themselves. Maria boosts the little catepillar up and Cible claims that it is she that is Bunderghast. Unfortunately this does not seem to impress any of the goblins. Realizing that hasn't worked, Cible makes the claim that Maria is a wizard. Maria makes a crevasse with her chalk which seems to impress the goblins immensely before they decide now is the time for some ale. Add in Tangle for some hugs and you have a bit of a chaos.

Cible has a quiet moment of disappointment. She tried to get the revolution started but it seems to have stalled at this point. Maria admits the same thing...admitting that she done the same thing in the past. She goes on to advise that have to know who you are before you allow yourself to become someone else.

Skubbin, on the other hand, has wandered off. He doesn't want to betray Maria as she has been a wonderful friend to him. A mosaic face appears and taunts Skubbin about his duties and that he cannot avoid them. It is then that Maria finds him and tells him of how she misses her old life of wealth and privilege but nothing like the feeling she has of missing her son.

We return to Jareth where we are given a brief glimpse of what Sarah is up to and apparently she has eaten the forbidden fruit of the peach. He is thrilled that he is about to ruin Sarah as he lays Toby back down in what looks like

The scene changes to Beetleglum showing up and warning that the King is coming. First Septimus appears and chaos begins. Cible urges an attack against him, which in turn caused confusion allowing both Skubbin and Maria to leave.

Maria sees a bright light up ahead of them but Skubbin tells her that it is a trap. He urges her back into the water where the gondolier awaits them. Skubbin pays for her passage just as the Owl King shows up and announces what a good son he has.

Maria sees this as a betrayal and runs into the light.....and right into a drawing room. She is finely dressed and surrounded by the wealthy. And Albert appears with a mask in hand and tells her that feels horrible for the way he has treated her...and that here they are together forever.


This story is now picking up steam as we are coming close to the final chapters of this series. Currently it seems that Maria is in the same sort of position that Sarah is in at the moment. Both are about to face a part of this game that will either make or break them. We know how Sarah's story turns out but not really anything of Maria's. Of course this is a dream. Maria spoke briefly of how much she has missed her life previously filled with wealth and power, something had not had growing up.

So how will all this lead to Maria's failure? This has yet to be seen but we know that Skubbin will have to do a lot to make up for what she has seen as a betrayal. This again seems to echo what Hoggle has done to Sarah when he gifted her the peach. So there is much parallel between Maria and Sarah with the exception of Sarah being jealous of her brother and Albert pretty much selling his son to the Owl King.

This story really is starting to shape up and I am quite looking forward to seeing how this all tidies up.