It’s probably because of my two young kids, but over the last few years, I’ve had such an itching to re-experience the fantasy, science fiction and important pop culture touchstones of my youth.
I especially want my children, seven and five years of age, to experience these same things and, hopefully, have them leave an indelible lifetime mark, just as they did for me long, long ago.
A few years back the kids and I started watching the Star Blazers cartoon. A personal favourite. Maybe I overshot the offering. They couldn’t follow the long-form story. “But when does it end?” they’d ask. “When do they save earth?” I could only reply with an “It’s coming. See the countdown? They’ve got a year – and about twenty-six episodes.” My son tuned away, put out, and went to his Hot Wheels track. My daughter soon followed.
I put on the first episode of the original 1964 Hanna-Barbera Productions version of Jonny Quest, an all-time high watermark in adventure cartoon storytelling. The scuba diver dressed in a lizard-themed outfit during the very first scene scared my son and made him leave the room. My daughter put the blanket over her head. The music, surely, didn’t help. Another failure.
Maybe they just needed to be a wee bit older.
Last Christmas I put on the The Goonies, an exciting romp for kids. Both the Fratelli’s and the moaning sounds of Sloth echoing from the cabin basement terrified both kids stiff. “This is for teenagers, Dad.”
Teen year? Nah, I’m just too excited to share these crazy and amazing pop culture offerings. I can’t wait that long!
Maybe comic books can help. And maybe today’s release (or re-release) of a fantastic 80s touchstone coming-of-age film in comic book form is the perfect elixir for what I – and my kids – are in need of. Today sees the release of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Ed. #1.
If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember 1986’s Labyrinth fantasy film starring David Bowie as Jareth, The Goblin King and a young and beautiful Jennifer Connelly as Sarah, tasked to search out and find her stolen baby brother. Based on a story by Jim Henson, famous creator of The Muppets, and Canadian poet, Dennis Lee, and a movie script by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame, Labyrinth became a cult classic and an immensely influential cornerstone in fantasy pop culture circles. Of course, in 1986, there was also a comic book adaptation of the movie, courtesy of Marvel Comics.
Today, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Ed. #1 revives that original publication, via Boom! Studios, and presents the film to an entirely new generation of readers – and their getting long-in-the-tooth older friends and family who may have experienced it for the first time nearly four decades ago!
Originally adapted by Sid Jacobson and illustrated by comic book legend, John Buscema, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Ed. #1 is the first of a three-issue miniseries that brings an archive-worthy comic book version of the original back in our hands. It tells the story of 16 year-old Sarah, who must rescue her baby brother from the clutches of the Goblin King who has stolen him away, intent on turning the babe into one of his goblin monsters.
The story and visuals are a nod to all of the great fantasy tales you already know like Cinderella and Alice In Wonderland, but it also has Henson’s unrivalled shine and allure – a childlike dream of a story with an underlying adult drama.
Of course, Bowie is front and centre, too, so how could anyone go wrong with such an offering?
Revisit your wonderous youth or broaden your fantastical experiences! Traverse the maze of the town or city you live in and make the run to your comic book shop to pick up Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Ed. #1 today!
You can catch the trailer for Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Ed. #1 directly below:
