ebookreview | Entries tagged with illustrator: fiona staples

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.

Current Mood: annoyed
Current Location: The Underworld

katara

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #3
Author: Simon Spurrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Mattia Di Meo (Illustrator), Dan Jackson (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.75/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: September 13, 2018
Book Summary: A young woman journeys deeper into the mysterious Labyrinth and faces trials the likes of which she could never have imagined. Still, she is determined that nothing will stop her from saving her son!
Book Review: I thought I had this one already reviewed but I found that it had not been. I feel horrible because now I have a piece of the story that helped make sense to the next issue in line for it. I will probably have to read the 4th issue later on before I head into the next one after but for now, I am content with having this piece added.

In this issue, we find Jareth still watching the progress Sarah is making. He is waiting, even hoping, for the moment that Sarah will give up and allow him his moment of triumph. While he waits for it, he continues on with his story.

The scene changes to Maria whom is seated and crying in frustration at her situation. At her side, Sir Skubbin of the Garderobe. Moments ago, he saved her from being from a mermaid whom thought she would be a tasty meal to her young. Only afterward did he rob her. Despite all of this, Maria's determination to be reunited with her child keeps her motivated to continue her journey. She runs into the knight again and confronts him, only to learn that he was cursed with a heart. Of course this makes him one of the worst Goblin according to the Goblin standard. He tells her that he robbed her only to prove his worthiness to the Bandit Hordes.

The two part ways as friends and Maria allows Skubbin to keep the chalk she was carrying with her. Skubbin, in return, gives Maria a red ring as a symbol of their friendship and also to be used as passage to the Gondolier to help her get to the castle. Before the two part from each other, Maria shows Skubbin the way out of the Labyrinth before she heads leaves to gain back her son. As Maria makes her way toward her ride, she is stopped by a goblin whom asks her if she is Bundarghast the Invincible. Maria tells the goblin that she isn't the one he seeks. Continuing on her way, Maria has a revelation that the goblin is burning the bridges behind her.

Maria confronts the goblin whom tells her that these bridges are called Burning Bridges. These are meant for those whom tend to those who don't look back until it is too late. The goblin asks Maria again if she is Bundarghast the Invincible. Maria tells him that she is and the goblin suddenly announces she is under arrest and carries her up into the air carrying her away.

The scene changes to the Owl King in his chamber. Alongside him are Beetleglum and Baby Jareth. We also find the mysterious Septimus, whom was the one who stole Jareth from Maria. They are watching Maria get arrested. The Owl King, then, orders Septimus to kill Maria.

This series continues to be great. I have enjoyed reading the origin of Jareth becoming the Goblin King but my heart feels sorry and heavy for Maria. Here is a woman whom had her son taken from her and she is doing everything possible to gain him back by going into a world totally foreign to her. It has been hard for her. Every turn she has taken has become a roadblock on her way to gain back her son but Maria refuses to let it halt her in her pursuit. I find Maria to be quite a strong and enjoyable character. Along the way, she has come across some of the weirdest and strange creatures but each one has continued to make their presence known even after they are long gone from the pages and this is what a secondary character should feel like.

I am excited to find out how all of this ends up tying up and I am hoping that there will be more Labyrinth to come in the future.

Current Mood: lethargic
Current Location: Aboveground

katara

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #2 (Labyrinth Coronation)
Author: Simon Spurrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.95/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: April 5, 2018
Book Summary: The Goblin King’s mother enters the Labyrinth, discovering a strange and marvelous world unlike anything she could imagine and one much different than what Sarah will encounter years later.
Book Review: This issue pretty much picks up where the last issue left off.

Jareth is in the midst of continuing his tale of his parents.

We find that his mother is still furious with his father for allowing the Goblins to take away their child but at the same time, she has come to believe his tale. She too has seen the Goblins.

His father tells her of the time he had a fever and the Goblins came to him, telling him of their ancient and dying king in need of an heir. If the king did not leave behind an heir, then the Goblin Kingdom would be at war. It is at this moment that Maria finally understands that behind all that poetry was a story he was trying to tell.

Still Maria wants her son and she will go to great lengths to get him even as far as to claim that Albert is the devil himself to those on the wharf. She uses the chalk that the Goblins have left her and draws the Goblins on the ship. As she crumbles to the ground, she begs the Goblin King/.

As the scene returns once again to Jareth, we find him believing that the old King was more impressed with Maria's determination than that of her not saying the right words to enter the Labyrinth.

We are drawn back to Maria and the Goblin King overlooking the Goblin Kingdom. He tells her to beg him again but she refuses. He goes on to explain that there are rules that have to be followed but he has stretched the rules just a bit to allow her to enter the realm. Unfortunately Maria really isn't interested in listening to what he has to say and prefers to know where her son is. The King tells her that she has thirteen hours in order to solve the labyrinth before her son becomes his heir and she his servant.

Despite the warnings she receives at the opening of the maze, Maria heads into the labyrinth determined to reach the end and gain back her son but she is halted by the first thing she sees - a mermaid. As she gets close and talks to the mermaid, she learns that the old king has found his heir and is preparing for a coronation. Reaching out to help the mermaid, Maria is grabbed and pulled down into the water and through a tunnel. The old hag of a water creature has brought her to feed her young. Maria tries to gain sympathy from the mother but she is rescued from the creature's clutches by a knight. As Maria collapses and tries to wrap her mind around the whole labyrinth, we are pulled back once again to Jareth as he is prepared to go out and stop Sarah from going further into the labyrinth.

I must say I am quite thrilled with this tellings. Finally we are going to see how Jareth came to the Goblin Throne and his origins. I found his mother to be strong and determined while his father a cunning coward whom seemed to put himself first before his own son. We already know how it turns out - Maria won't be in time to save Jareth but at least we will get see how the past played out and whether or not his mother got to stay with her son while he grew up. I am hoping for this. I mean she loves her son so much but the Goblin King is also someone or something we don't know what he is capable of.

I cannot wait for the next issue!

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Location: Aboveground

katara

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #1
Author: Simon Spurrier (Illustrator), Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.85/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: February 28, 2018
Book Summary: Simon Spurrier (Godshaper, The Power of the Dark Crystal) and Daniel Bayliss (Jim Henson's Storyteller: Dragons, Kennel Block Blues) present a magical look into the world of Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Before Sarah braved the Labyrinth to save her brother, another young woman sought to save a young boy named Jareth from the clutches of the Goblins. Set in 18th-century Venice, Italy, Jim Henson's Labyrinth is a striking look into the history of the Labyrinth itself, and what happens to the little boys who don't get rescued. This is the untold history of the Goblin King.
Book Review: Oh my!

What can I say?

This issue was amazing to read. We are finally going to get to see how Jareth actually became the Goblin King!

In this issue, we are drawn back to a time when Sarah has wished away her brother and is currently running the Labyrinth in order to get him back. During this, Jareth is watching her as she is in the oubliette. He has sent Hoggle to take her back to the beginning.

His moment of triumph is rather interrupted by a goblin who believing it was time for a sing-along. It is about this time that Jareth picks up Toby to begin a storytime about a couple in 18th Century Venice. The couple are in love and seemed to be quite happy named Albert and Maria. Unfortunately there seems to have been some trouble that happened prior to their arrival here in Venice. It is not entirely known what it is or what it had been but Albert seems to be haunted by the goblins that want to make him there king. Maria seems to be the only thing that keeps the goblins away for Albert but things take a dark turn and we find that the young couple are living a lie. One that has resulted in a child and certainly this is a cause for some problems especially since it appears they are running from Albert's father. The two argue and she grabs their child and runs. Albert calls for her to be grabbed but Maria is already out the door and sprinting with her son in her arms. Unfortunately as the goblins begin to surround him wanting to make him their king, Albert uses this moment to wish them to take his son, sending Maria and their son into the waters.

We find that when Maria resurfaces, she does not have their son. So what does this mean for Maria? I believe she will be the one to run the labyrinth and ultimately fail in getting her son's freedom. This series will be a twelve-issue series and I am quite sure with many twists and turns that will take us on an adventure we may never recover from.

I have to admit I really like this issue. I am excited. Not because of Jareth but because we are finally getting an origin series on him. There have always been stories and rumors of who exactly Jareth is and now we are about to find out how he came about the throne of the Goblin King. This series is promising and exciting and for once I cannot wait for the next issue to come out.

If you are a fan of the Labyrinth, then this issue will definitely be for you. :D

Current Mood: down with the flu
Current Location: Underworld