Staff Picks (October): Jim Henson’s The Storyteller — Dragons #1

The Storyteller was Jim Henson’s answer to the anthology television series.  Where Tales from the Darkside, Amazing Stories, or other 80s shows of the kind went for the creep factor or a science fiction spin, The Storyteller was pure fantasy, more light-hearted, and a regular vehicle for Henson’s unique brand of creature design and world-building.  Using the comic book medium to bring new life to Jim Henson’s originality and vision, this series begins a new arc this December that dives into the mythology of dragons. 

With every new issue, Daniel Bayliss and Fabian Rangel Jr. offer us fables from cultures across the world, as told by The Storyteller to his beloved dog, and the art style shifts to reflect the time and place in which each are set.  From medieval Europe, to the Far East, the diverse blend of art and writing used to imagine these folktales takes us places a short-lived TV show in the 80s never could have dreamed.

Part fairy tale, part parable, and part fireside yarn-spinning, The Storyteller finds that unique formula that transports you back to your childhood while still being fun to revisit as an adult.  Better still, fans of the original show will be hard-pressed to read these books without the voice of John Hurt ringing in their ears. 

—Trevor Richardson

Publisher: BOOM! Studios/Archaia Item Code: OCT151197 Release Date: 12/2/15 SRP: $3.99