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Mouse Guard: Free Comic Book Day #2014
Mouse Guard, Labyrinth and Other Stories
In 2012, Archaia published the first-ever Free Comic Book Day hardcover to widespread critical acclaim.
Now, experience some of the most original voices in sequential storytelling as Archaia proudly presents the second volume of its Free Comic Book Day original graphic novella hardcover anthology series.
Featuring all-new, never-before-seen stories from the worlds of David Petersen's Mouse Guard, Roysen Lepp's Rust, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, Sean Rubin's Bolivar, and Tom Hammock and Megan Hutchison's Will O'The Wisp.
Can be read for free here: http://issuu.com/richjohnston/docs/ar...
Now, experience some of the most original voices in sequential storytelling as Archaia proudly presents the second volume of its Free Comic Book Day original graphic novella hardcover anthology series.
Featuring all-new, never-before-seen stories from the worlds of David Petersen's Mouse Guard, Roysen Lepp's Rust, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, Sean Rubin's Bolivar, and Tom Hammock and Megan Hutchison's Will O'The Wisp.
Can be read for free here: http://issuu.com/richjohnston/docs/ar...
48 pages, Hardcover
Published May 5, 2014
1 person is currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Taylor
21 booksRebecca "Tay" Taylor has over twelve years experience as a graphic novel and comic book editor. her career has covered a diverse array of genres, formats, and publishers, including Archaia, BOOM! Studios, Vault Comics, and DC Comics. She's worked with a range of talented storytellers on all stages of development, from pitching to publishing.
She is currently the Editorial Director of Global Pop Comics at Penguin Random House. She acquires and edits manga, manhua, manhwa, and webcomics from around the world in the adult, new adult, and YA spaces. Her job is to serve as an ambassador between the imaginations of ger creators and their readers.
She is currently the Editorial Director of Global Pop Comics at Penguin Random House. She acquires and edits manga, manhua, manhwa, and webcomics from around the world in the adult, new adult, and YA spaces. Her job is to serve as an ambassador between the imaginations of ger creators and their readers.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 8, 2017
Another helping of Archaia's stories in a free hardcover from FCBD!
Really though, this freebie could use a whole lot more of Mouse Guard. The stories are good, intriguing even, but this reader needs more Mouse Guard. This is still the best buy, two years since its release. One can't argue much with a hardcover graphic novel given for free.
Really though, this freebie could use a whole lot more of Mouse Guard. The stories are good, intriguing even, but this reader needs more Mouse Guard. This is still the best buy, two years since its release. One can't argue much with a hardcover graphic novel given for free.
October 4, 2022
Free Comic Book Day 2014! Mouse Guard "The Tale of the Axe Trio" Spring 1132. Here a young mouse is seeking advice from his father about which profession he should choose and we learn about how the Black Axe's 3 daughters all played their own role in taking up his mantel.
May 27, 2014
Gotta hand it to Archaia. They know how to do Free Comic Book Day right. This is a beautiful full-color hardcover anthology, and yes, it's a freebie.
This book has six stories, some complete short graphic stories and others just teasers. Archaia's deal with the Jim Henson Company is represented with stories set in the world's of Labyrinth and Farscape. The rest of the stories represent Archaia's stable of original creations.
First up is "The Tale of the Axe Trio", an absolutely wonderful Mouse Guard short that tells the tale of three sisters who inherited the fabled Black Axe together, and wielded it as a team. This is a really fun bit of lore for the Mouse Guard universe, and it's the most complete story here.
I also enjoyed the Labyrinth piece, although I must admit to not having seen Labyrinth since, well, probably since the 80s.
Rust was a visual treat, although just a tease in terms of story, and Bolivar was a fun quirky bit of surrealism.
The remaining two stories, Farscape and Will O' The Whisp, got a bit bogged down in the complexity of their respective universes, and these felt more like standard Free Comic Book Day preview fare.
Still, this blows away anything that I've seen any other publishers doing for FCBD, and I found it to be worth a read just for the Mouse Guard story.
This book has six stories, some complete short graphic stories and others just teasers. Archaia's deal with the Jim Henson Company is represented with stories set in the world's of Labyrinth and Farscape. The rest of the stories represent Archaia's stable of original creations.
First up is "The Tale of the Axe Trio", an absolutely wonderful Mouse Guard short that tells the tale of three sisters who inherited the fabled Black Axe together, and wielded it as a team. This is a really fun bit of lore for the Mouse Guard universe, and it's the most complete story here.
I also enjoyed the Labyrinth piece, although I must admit to not having seen Labyrinth since, well, probably since the 80s.
Rust was a visual treat, although just a tease in terms of story, and Bolivar was a fun quirky bit of surrealism.
The remaining two stories, Farscape and Will O' The Whisp, got a bit bogged down in the complexity of their respective universes, and these felt more like standard Free Comic Book Day preview fare.
Still, this blows away anything that I've seen any other publishers doing for FCBD, and I found it to be worth a read just for the Mouse Guard story.
February 10, 2017
At first I wasn't going to review, or even add, this to my read list but I really like most of the short comics and art work. I especially liked "Mouse Guard" and the "Labyrinth." I have no idea what "Will O' the Wisp" is and I'll probably not investigate. My only real problem was the Farscape piece. I love the show, it's in my top three series. The comic, however, leaves much to be desired. I know its a short, but the art is too stylized and the writing is just poor. All in all though I'm glad I got this little collection.
March 23, 2025
Orren was the fourth wielder of the axe, but his time with it was cut short. He drowned while trying to evacuate the last residents in the second flood of Nettledown. It is unusual for the axe wielder to have a family at all, let alone three identical daughters.
The orphans explored the cavernous banks of the river to recover him and the Black Axe after his tragic altruistic death. Instead of the axe passing in its traditional means, there were five seasons where the role was taken by the daughters together. Three acting as one.
Going into this collection of stories, I had assumed that they would all be Mouse Guard related. The way the cover is laid out, it gives the impression that the book is "Mouse Guard" and that the titular story is called "Labyrinth". That is very much not the case.
The first story is indeed from the realms of the Mouse Guard, delving further into the history of the Black Axe, but the other stories are a collection of one-shots that were also released for Free Comic Book Day in 2014. They include tales from Jim Henson's Labyrinth featuring fan favourite Ludo, the epic sci-fi Farscape, Vol. 1: The Beginning of the End of the Beginning, and Rust Vol. 1: Visitor in the Field, to name but a few.
It is still a worthy addition to my Mouse Guard collection which has inspired me to check out some other series. It has to get a full 5 stars.
The orphans explored the cavernous banks of the river to recover him and the Black Axe after his tragic altruistic death. Instead of the axe passing in its traditional means, there were five seasons where the role was taken by the daughters together. Three acting as one.
Going into this collection of stories, I had assumed that they would all be Mouse Guard related. The way the cover is laid out, it gives the impression that the book is "Mouse Guard" and that the titular story is called "Labyrinth". That is very much not the case.
The first story is indeed from the realms of the Mouse Guard, delving further into the history of the Black Axe, but the other stories are a collection of one-shots that were also released for Free Comic Book Day in 2014. They include tales from Jim Henson's Labyrinth featuring fan favourite Ludo, the epic sci-fi Farscape, Vol. 1: The Beginning of the End of the Beginning, and Rust Vol. 1: Visitor in the Field, to name but a few.
It is still a worthy addition to my Mouse Guard collection which has inspired me to check out some other series. It has to get a full 5 stars.
June 16, 2018
V roce 2014 vydavatelstvi Archaia ukazalo, jak se dela poradnej giveaway na Free Comic Book Day! Antologie nekolika kratkejch pribehu z jejich serii, kterym vevodi Mouse Guard, se vazne povedla a diky luxusnimu provedeni (na FCBD standard) nebude delat ostudu v zadny knihovne.
January 12, 2022
Love free comic book day. Definitely will be checking out a few of these titles after reading this collection.
December 4, 2023
4.5 stars for this one
6 short stories
My favourite by far was the labyrinth one the characters were depicted perfectly
Fast paced read for when you want something shorter to read
6 short stories
My favourite by far was the labyrinth one the characters were depicted perfectly
Fast paced read for when you want something shorter to read
October 7, 2017
A collection of various short stories from the Mouse Guard, Rust, Labyrinth, Bolivar, Will O'the Wisp, and Farscape graphic nove/comic series.
I picked this up thinking it was just a Mouse Guard story, but it is actually a collection of several different graphic novel series that was put together for Free Comic Book Day 2014. Each story is only a few pages long.
Mouse Guard: The Tale of the Axe Trio
****
A story of three sisters who all wielded the axe and worked as a team to defend the realm.
Review: Typical good Mouse Guard story. You can probably go into this without reading Mouse Guard and get the full gist of it pretty well.
Rust: Day 23
***
Jet must trust his creator that the rocket will turn on after he jumps from a high wall.
Review: Having read some Rust before definitely helped me understand what was going on here beyond just the face value. Those unfamiliar with Rust may want to skip this.
Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Rock Solid Friendship
****
Ludo, a monster, gets sucked into the Labyrinth and must find his way out. Thankfully, he finds some unexpected friends inside.
Review: I saw the movie a long time ago and have never picked up the new Labyrinth graphic novels yet. I liked this so I may have to hunt this series down. It seems to be lighthearted fantasy fair.
Bolivar: the Golden Door
****
A girl and her friend look at Ellis Island from the Statue of Liberty and talk about the friend's parents going through Ellis Island as immigrants.
Review: There's a fun punch line to this one as you figure out what the friend of the girl is.
Will O' the Wisp: Missy's Night Out
**
A raccoon makes the rounds in the New Orleans neighborhood eating up the attention of multiple people.
Review: I've never read or even heard of this graphic novel series and felt a little at sea not knowing the characters.
Farscape: Backyard Barbecue
****
As per normal for the Farscape gang, they find themselves caught between two species who want to torture and kill them for various reasons. Thankfully, they manage to find a way out without dying or too many booboos.
Review: Ok, if you've never seen the Farscape show or read the comics, you will be pretty much lost reading this one except for the basic conflict going on. It definitely came in handy that I've seen several Farscape episodes so I could understand why this was happening and who these people are. (P.S. I had no idea there was a comic adaptation of this series.) Oh, and in case you didn't catch it, this story involves some violence.
I picked this up thinking it was just a Mouse Guard story, but it is actually a collection of several different graphic novel series that was put together for Free Comic Book Day 2014. Each story is only a few pages long.
Mouse Guard: The Tale of the Axe Trio
****
A story of three sisters who all wielded the axe and worked as a team to defend the realm.
Review: Typical good Mouse Guard story. You can probably go into this without reading Mouse Guard and get the full gist of it pretty well.
Rust: Day 23
***
Jet must trust his creator that the rocket will turn on after he jumps from a high wall.
Review: Having read some Rust before definitely helped me understand what was going on here beyond just the face value. Those unfamiliar with Rust may want to skip this.
Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Rock Solid Friendship
****
Ludo, a monster, gets sucked into the Labyrinth and must find his way out. Thankfully, he finds some unexpected friends inside.
Review: I saw the movie a long time ago and have never picked up the new Labyrinth graphic novels yet. I liked this so I may have to hunt this series down. It seems to be lighthearted fantasy fair.
Bolivar: the Golden Door
****
A girl and her friend look at Ellis Island from the Statue of Liberty and talk about the friend's parents going through Ellis Island as immigrants.
Review: There's a fun punch line to this one as you figure out what the friend of the girl is.
Will O' the Wisp: Missy's Night Out
**
A raccoon makes the rounds in the New Orleans neighborhood eating up the attention of multiple people.
Review: I've never read or even heard of this graphic novel series and felt a little at sea not knowing the characters.
Farscape: Backyard Barbecue
****
As per normal for the Farscape gang, they find themselves caught between two species who want to torture and kill them for various reasons. Thankfully, they manage to find a way out without dying or too many booboos.
Review: Ok, if you've never seen the Farscape show or read the comics, you will be pretty much lost reading this one except for the basic conflict going on. It definitely came in handy that I've seen several Farscape episodes so I could understand why this was happening and who these people are. (P.S. I had no idea there was a comic adaptation of this series.) Oh, and in case you didn't catch it, this story involves some violence.
November 15, 2020
This is without a doubt the best Free Comic Book Day offering I ever was lucky enough to pick up. Not surprisingly, the Mouse Guard story was my favorite, but the Labyrinth one was fun, as well. Wasn't particularly interested in the other stories, though they weren't all that bad. Just one of them seemed to rely too heavily on the context of the main series it hailed from; I couldn't understand what the point of the story was even when I went over it a second time.
June 4, 2020
Fast enough read. Mouse Guard will always get my attention, as will Labyrinth stuff. Of the other samples, I think the Aurora Grimeon one stood out best.
January 22, 2021
Great tales
Great tales - Mouse Guard leads it off, and the other tales are great as well.
I highly recommend it!
Great tales - Mouse Guard leads it off, and the other tales are great as well.
I highly recommend it!
Want to read
June 24, 2022
November 4, 2022
I have never read Mouse Guard but now I want to read Mouse Guard.
I have seen Farscape and had no idea what was going on.
I have seen Farscape and had no idea what was going on.
November 17, 2022
I liked the Mouse Guard story. The others were okay. The Farscape one seemed out of place. I don't know much about Labyrinth but enjoyed the art for that story and the lost creature.
November 2, 2016
Synopsis: "In 2012, Archaia published the first-ever Free Comic Book Day hardcover to widespread critical acclaim.
Now, experience some of the most original voices in sequential storytelling as Archaia proudly presents the second volume of its Free Comic Book Day original graphic novella hardcover anthology series.
Featuring all-new, never-before-seen stories from the worlds of David Petersen's Mouse Guard, Roysen Lepp's Rust, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, Sean Rubin's Bolivar, and Tom Hammock and Megan Hutchison's Will O'The Wisp."
My Review: Another one I really had to track down and wait to get my hands on, but so worth it. I am a big fan of Mouse Guard and was not disappointed in the story in this collection. I loved the tone it set for Rand in the story of the three sisters. It also sets up nicely for me to start reading the Black Axe books. I was a little disappointed with the other stories in the collection, they weren't quite as fitting as in the 2012 collection. I did still enjoy the Rust and Labyrinth stories.
Now, experience some of the most original voices in sequential storytelling as Archaia proudly presents the second volume of its Free Comic Book Day original graphic novella hardcover anthology series.
Featuring all-new, never-before-seen stories from the worlds of David Petersen's Mouse Guard, Roysen Lepp's Rust, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, Sean Rubin's Bolivar, and Tom Hammock and Megan Hutchison's Will O'The Wisp."
My Review: Another one I really had to track down and wait to get my hands on, but so worth it. I am a big fan of Mouse Guard and was not disappointed in the story in this collection. I loved the tone it set for Rand in the story of the three sisters. It also sets up nicely for me to start reading the Black Axe books. I was a little disappointed with the other stories in the collection, they weren't quite as fitting as in the 2012 collection. I did still enjoy the Rust and Labyrinth stories.
October 1, 2015
I have to hand it to Archaia for producing a hardcover issue for free comic book day. Yes, free.
I picked this up last year in San Francisco when I was over on that side of the globe on student exchange, and squeezed time out to visit a friend in SF coincidentally on free comic book day. Do you care.
Anyway, this little anthology gives you a taste test of six comic series - Mouse Guard, Rust, Labyrinth, Farscape, Bolivar and Will O' The Wisp. I personally really liked what I got of Mouse Guard and Labyrinth, and would definitely check out the series when I get the chance.
Again, props to you Archaia!
I picked this up last year in San Francisco when I was over on that side of the globe on student exchange, and squeezed time out to visit a friend in SF coincidentally on free comic book day. Do you care.
Anyway, this little anthology gives you a taste test of six comic series - Mouse Guard, Rust, Labyrinth, Farscape, Bolivar and Will O' The Wisp. I personally really liked what I got of Mouse Guard and Labyrinth, and would definitely check out the series when I get the chance.
Again, props to you Archaia!
May 11, 2014
Just fantastic! Archaia has again delivered a joyful Free Comic Book Day offering. Containing six stories offering a wonderful selection for readers of all ages. Each story while being short in stature is delightfully entertaining. Especially the Farscape offering..it just makes you remember why that show was so special.
May 6, 2014
This is a nice collection of mini-stories and achieves what I can only assume is it's intended effect. I want to read more. I particularly loved the Mouse Guard mini story. The rest I wasn't really a fan of but the story and the artistry of Mouse Guard was right up my alley.
March 1, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyable, and made much more so by its price.
July 27, 2014
Cute lot of stories to get you interested in what Archaia has to offer.
The labyrinth story is a particular favourite of mine. Because Ludo is friend.
The labyrinth story is a particular favourite of mine. Because Ludo is friend.
June 1, 2015
Really excellent selection, and such a nice hardcover! Archaia knows how to do Free Comics.
May 8, 2014
This book was adorable and left me wanting more. I'm also amazed that it's hardcover.
May 21, 2014
Great introduction to interest me into reading Mouse Guard and Rust. Thanks Archaia!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews