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Jim Henson's The Power of the Dark Crystal #3
Jim Henson's The Power of the Dark Crystal, Vol. 3
Volume 3 of an official sequel to Jim Henson’s cult classic fantasy film The Dark Crystal.
After the arduous journey across the strange lands of Thra, Thurma has returned to her homeworld of Mithra. Just as when she began her journey, she is now alone, having betrayed her only ally. But as Thurma attempts to cast aside her guilt and affection for Kensho to complete her mission, the two are reunited. Kensho has not given up hope that their worlds might both be saved. If Thra and Mithra are to coexist, these unlikely heroes will have to reconcile their differences and uncover the secret that connects their two worlds.
Written by Simon Spurrier (The Spire, X-Men Legacy) and Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Aquaman, Warlords of Appalachia) and lushly illustrated by Kelly and Nichole Matthews (Toil & Trouble), The Power of the Dark Crystal Volume 3 concludes Kensho and Thurma’s journey to the uncharted realm of Mithra.
After the arduous journey across the strange lands of Thra, Thurma has returned to her homeworld of Mithra. Just as when she began her journey, she is now alone, having betrayed her only ally. But as Thurma attempts to cast aside her guilt and affection for Kensho to complete her mission, the two are reunited. Kensho has not given up hope that their worlds might both be saved. If Thra and Mithra are to coexist, these unlikely heroes will have to reconcile their differences and uncover the secret that connects their two worlds.
Written by Simon Spurrier (The Spire, X-Men Legacy) and Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Aquaman, Warlords of Appalachia) and lushly illustrated by Kelly and Nichole Matthews (Toil & Trouble), The Power of the Dark Crystal Volume 3 concludes Kensho and Thurma’s journey to the uncharted realm of Mithra.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 31, 2019
Ahhhhh. What a wonderful end to this series. It was almost a shame to close the pages. Our heroes found the secret of the Dark Crystal and helped bring unity to both their people. I loved everything about this series and think it’s a shame the movie never came together. There is a spin-off series called Beneath the Dark Crystal. I guess I will now have to go pick that up.
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October 22, 2020
4.5 stars.
See review for first volume, which covers the series.
See review for first volume, which covers the series.
October 5, 2020
Characters learn stuff. Worlds destroyed and remade. Prophecies misunderstood. And so forth. This series has not been very compelling for me. I presume that if they’d made this into a sequel movie (as was the original plan), the story would have developed a lot more and become something better.
The graphic novel artwork has been fine throughout this series, very colorful, but for me, the Dark Crystal world is totally connected to the puppets. A story in that world but without that physicality, that weight...it’s just not quite the same.
The graphic novel artwork has been fine throughout this series, very colorful, but for me, the Dark Crystal world is totally connected to the puppets. A story in that world but without that physicality, that weight...it’s just not quite the same.
February 1, 2020
I just, really loved this whole thing. Oh, boy.
The main characters where lovable and flawed, and you can't not root for them. The skeksis are despicable, of course, though less fleshed out tan in other instances of this franchise, but that's alright, since they're not meant to have much protagonism, that's part of the point. We're offered more development of Aughra, Jen and Kira post-Great Conjunction, and I really can't complain. urSol the Chanter is a sneaky boy and I loved him.
The plot unfolds somewhat slowly for this volumen, but the pace is still fast, always something happening, keeping you on your toes.
I'll say this a hundred times: I loved the art and the coloring.
The main characters where lovable and flawed, and you can't not root for them. The skeksis are despicable, of course, though less fleshed out tan in other instances of this franchise, but that's alright, since they're not meant to have much protagonism, that's part of the point. We're offered more development of Aughra, Jen and Kira post-Great Conjunction, and I really can't complain. urSol the Chanter is a sneaky boy and I loved him.
The plot unfolds somewhat slowly for this volumen, but the pace is still fast, always something happening, keeping you on your toes.
I'll say this a hundred times: I loved the art and the coloring.
August 29, 2020
خیلی خوب بود!
August 27, 2023
A very satisfying ending to this series.
Good lessons with some twists and turns at the end.
The most bright and beautiful art of the series.
Good lessons with some twists and turns at the end.
The most bright and beautiful art of the series.
August 30, 2019
The climatic end of the series, The Power of the Dark Crystal: Volume Three is an action-packed adventure into the heart of Thra. As Thurma journeys deep into the planet’s core, pursued by the Skeksis Chamberlain, Kira and Jen fortify the Crystal Castle chamber and fend off attacking Skeksis forces. Picking up immediately after Volume Two, the first chapter can be a little disorienting if the reader doesn’t remember where the story left off. Yet there really isn’t a lot of plot, and the book heavily relies on visual storytelling; featuring minimum dialog/narration and a number of fully page panels. And it can get a little confusing to follow. Still, there’s some good action and the writers do an effective job at building tension and suspense (especially in lead up to the climax). The Power of the Dark Crystal: Volume Three wraps up the series rather nicely and delivers a thrilling journey into this wondrous fantasy world.
November 1, 2019
(Review is for all 3 volumes)
What BOOM Studios has done with this comic is something very special. They took a movie that never made it out of pre-production, and was doomed to never be filmed, and they made it into a reality. I would love to see more things like this in the future.
THE STORY: Above-average for comics. It's clear the original script made it pretty far into the pre-production process. The main characters Kensho and Thurma are far more interesting than Jen and Kira ever were, and overall it just works. There's a small amount of sequelitis in the return of certain characters, but the story gets over it quickly and rightly shifts the focus to Kensho/Thurma.
THE ART: Is absolutely gorgeous. Every page is brimming with color and life. This is one you're going to want to have on your shelf. The pacing of the panels is great, and there are some intentionally artistic moments where the art is used to tell multiple stories on the same page.
OVERALL: This is a triumph in graphic novel achievements. I expected a retread cash-in, and instead got a sequel to the original movie that stands on its own two feet.
What BOOM Studios has done with this comic is something very special. They took a movie that never made it out of pre-production, and was doomed to never be filmed, and they made it into a reality. I would love to see more things like this in the future.
THE STORY: Above-average for comics. It's clear the original script made it pretty far into the pre-production process. The main characters Kensho and Thurma are far more interesting than Jen and Kira ever were, and overall it just works. There's a small amount of sequelitis in the return of certain characters, but the story gets over it quickly and rightly shifts the focus to Kensho/Thurma.
THE ART: Is absolutely gorgeous. Every page is brimming with color and life. This is one you're going to want to have on your shelf. The pacing of the panels is great, and there are some intentionally artistic moments where the art is used to tell multiple stories on the same page.
OVERALL: This is a triumph in graphic novel achievements. I expected a retread cash-in, and instead got a sequel to the original movie that stands on its own two feet.
September 22, 2018
I was very let down with the finale of this series. Without giving anything away, I will just say the ending rendered the journey almost pointless. It was a tired fantasy trope that was born of lack of imagination and an inability to write itself out of a corner, not to mention that some character names were not very creative. This has bothered me since the beginning. Thurma? Really? Might was well call her Tempra or Heatra or Flamera or whatever banal rule fantasy writers use to name their characters.
I will say this. The art is absolutely fantastic. It's very well drawn and colored. It maintains the aesthetic of Jim Henson's beloved classic while also creating it's own world. The book was put together very well and feels great in the hands. It's just a shame this volume had to be such a letdown. Maybe the upcoming Labyrinth books will be better....
I will say this. The art is absolutely fantastic. It's very well drawn and colored. It maintains the aesthetic of Jim Henson's beloved classic while also creating it's own world. The book was put together very well and feels great in the hands. It's just a shame this volume had to be such a letdown. Maybe the upcoming Labyrinth books will be better....
August 15, 2023
Goodreads says I've read this before but I certainly don't recall doing so. Maybe I did to prep for the Age of Resistance show but if so i've totally forgotten- though I didn't watch the original film until quarantine so perhaps that's a mistake. Either way, this is why I'm content with a lower reading challenge number- easier to recall what I've read.
Overall, a bit of a hoge-podge. I like a lot of the themes and ideas. I lost quite a bit of interest when the Skeksis arrived for seemingly no good reason but there prescence was fairly minimal. I appreciated it playing with the concepts of duality from the film but it felt very much like several rough drafts. Who knows if it'd have been smoothed out in an actual sequel.
Overall, a bit of a hoge-podge. I like a lot of the themes and ideas. I lost quite a bit of interest when the Skeksis arrived for seemingly no good reason but there prescence was fairly minimal. I appreciated it playing with the concepts of duality from the film but it felt very much like several rough drafts. Who knows if it'd have been smoothed out in an actual sequel.
May 30, 2023
Nice!
The story really came together in the end and felt like a Dark Crystal story. Supposedly this was meant to be made into a movie back in the day, but never happened. Glad to see it was published in some form, but would love to see Thurma and Kensho become “real” as well as see Kira and Jen on screen again as their older versions (aside from that one image we have).
Really looking forward to the next comic series now, “Beneath the Dark Crystal” to see more of the next age of Thra.
The story really came together in the end and felt like a Dark Crystal story. Supposedly this was meant to be made into a movie back in the day, but never happened. Glad to see it was published in some form, but would love to see Thurma and Kensho become “real” as well as see Kira and Jen on screen again as their older versions (aside from that one image we have).
Really looking forward to the next comic series now, “Beneath the Dark Crystal” to see more of the next age of Thra.
March 3, 2024
Дуже гарна історія про переродження, зцілення і єднання двох світів 💎
July 11, 2019
This is the third volume in the continued adventures of Kensho and his friend Thurma who are trying to save both of their worlds while Jen and Kira are also trying to best to save their beloved land from the evil Skeksis though have become quite weakened due to advanced age.
Thurma and Kensho are on a race against time to hopefully save their worlds from disappearing and keeping the Skeksis from taking over which would be a very terrible thing
Tumby the Turtle is just as endearing as Fizzgig, both of whom are very loyal, smart and just lovable in their own way. I love how two creatures who don't appear to be much for contributors turn out to be two of the most loyal companions to those they care for!
A prophesy will soon come to pass that will change the way many citizens of Thra and Mithra have come to think of their homes. Sometimes the best advice is to truly listen to your heart and believe in the power of good while also being determined to fight back the forces of evil even with unlikely people who may not be so different after all.
The artwork in this volume was just as amazing as the rest. I love how colorful each page is and much of the story is told in quite an interesting way without the need for a lot of dialogue. The artists really outdid themselves.
Full of surprises, the power of friendship, love, fascinating creatures and the power of trying to do what's right, I highly recommend this book particularly if you have enjoyed the Dark Crystal movie like I did. I'm looking forward to reading other books in the Dark Crystal world soon!
Thurma and Kensho are on a race against time to hopefully save their worlds from disappearing and keeping the Skeksis from taking over which would be a very terrible thing
Tumby the Turtle is just as endearing as Fizzgig, both of whom are very loyal, smart and just lovable in their own way. I love how two creatures who don't appear to be much for contributors turn out to be two of the most loyal companions to those they care for!
A prophesy will soon come to pass that will change the way many citizens of Thra and Mithra have come to think of their homes. Sometimes the best advice is to truly listen to your heart and believe in the power of good while also being determined to fight back the forces of evil even with unlikely people who may not be so different after all.
The artwork in this volume was just as amazing as the rest. I love how colorful each page is and much of the story is told in quite an interesting way without the need for a lot of dialogue. The artists really outdid themselves.
Full of surprises, the power of friendship, love, fascinating creatures and the power of trying to do what's right, I highly recommend this book particularly if you have enjoyed the Dark Crystal movie like I did. I'm looking forward to reading other books in the Dark Crystal world soon!
April 24, 2019
Full disclaimer, The Dark Crystal was my absolute favorite movie when I was a little kid. So I'm coming at this three volume sequel as a superfan who has seen the original movie too many times to count. It's always hard to see a modern day sequel to something that you loved as a kid. That said, this three volume sequel series is actually a really well done sequel to the original movie.
"The Power of the Dark Crystal" takes place roughly a century after the original movie, at a time when Gelfling society seems to be stagnating a bit. Our aging former protagonists, Jen and Kira, spend much of their time these days dreaming instead of paying attention to the details of the kingdom. As the story begins we are introduced to two new heroes, a young gelfling, and girl who lives far beneath the surface of Thra in a kingdom made of fire. The fire kingdom is dying, and a prophecy seems to indicate that the only way to save it is to once again shatter the crystal and bring a shard back to the depths.
I thought that this was a very well set up sequel. It happens long enough after the first so that it avoids the trap of just immediately dispensing with our previous happy ending, but is still close enough that some of the former characters are able to contribute. The plot is original and well paced, and the art is lovely. Overall this is a satisfying series and I would have been happy to see it as a full cinematic production.
"The Power of the Dark Crystal" takes place roughly a century after the original movie, at a time when Gelfling society seems to be stagnating a bit. Our aging former protagonists, Jen and Kira, spend much of their time these days dreaming instead of paying attention to the details of the kingdom. As the story begins we are introduced to two new heroes, a young gelfling, and girl who lives far beneath the surface of Thra in a kingdom made of fire. The fire kingdom is dying, and a prophecy seems to indicate that the only way to save it is to once again shatter the crystal and bring a shard back to the depths.
I thought that this was a very well set up sequel. It happens long enough after the first so that it avoids the trap of just immediately dispensing with our previous happy ending, but is still close enough that some of the former characters are able to contribute. The plot is original and well paced, and the art is lovely. Overall this is a satisfying series and I would have been happy to see it as a full cinematic production.
January 25, 2024
The artwork, while beautiful, simply does not match the grit of The Dark Crystal (1982) or The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019). It’s a shame that the Matthews were matched to this project, as in many different IPs I am confident I would greatly enjoy their illustrations, but for The Dark Crystal I would have preferred something more akin to Fables (2002-). Mark Buckingham was already attached to the project as cover artist, but I would have loved to see his take on the characters of Thra.
Unfortunately, I also find the story lacking. From what I can gather this is the storyline The Jim Henson Company considered for the sequel to the original movie, but the narrative just falls flat. All recurring characters appear to have been shoe-horned in to a narrative that does not have to be set in the world of Thra. The whole issue of someone just feel forced.
Spurrier struggles to catch the mannerisms of the recurring characters, and that means that while you as the reader are expecting to see characters like Aughra again, the excitement sours when the character simply doesn’t act or speak like Aughra.
The ending is the only redeeming quality of the comics, as it at least ties up the grander narrative
Unfortunately, I also find the story lacking. From what I can gather this is the storyline The Jim Henson Company considered for the sequel to the original movie, but the narrative just falls flat. All recurring characters appear to have been shoe-horned in to a narrative that does not have to be set in the world of Thra. The whole issue of someone just feel forced.
Spurrier struggles to catch the mannerisms of the recurring characters, and that means that while you as the reader are expecting to see characters like Aughra again, the excitement sours when the character simply doesn’t act or speak like Aughra.
The ending is the only redeeming quality of the comics, as it at least ties up the grander narrative
June 5, 2020
This volume finishes off this arc of Dark Crystal comics. Having seen the Netflix series since reading the earlier volumes, it is interesting to see this book reference some things from that show, so that is interesting. This is a sequel, rather than a prequel, to the film, so it's kind of nice that it just takes cues from other Dark Crystal works, and I knew the comics were a source for the show. This wraps up the story with some interesting twists along the way, and some thematic, prophetic verse that matches the meter from the film, which I appreciated. This series is a little bit more... impressionistic than some other series. It covers important events, but skips over a fair amount in between. If you can deal with that, it's a rewarding story that is of a piece with the film, and an enjoyable journey (and, I believe, matches up reasonably well with the recent film that failed to get made, based on what I have heard).
January 5, 2022
There were parts of the story I really liked, and as always the artwork is beautiful. However, once again I felt some of the writing was lacking. For example, why was Chamberlain able to descend I to the fire realm with no effects of the heat, while it was killing Kensho until he entered the pool of tears? That doesn’t make sense. Then again it showed the superior beings made of the skeksis and mystics joined (as I said in my review of volume 1, that was the end of the original story rather than the skeksis being “trapped” in the crystal). It seemed like a repetitive ending. Also why did Kira and Jen have to “go into the light” but not Fizgig? That makes no sense. Overall I enjoyed reading the books but they all had several flaws.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2025
An outstanding conclusion to the graphic novel adaptation of the sequel to Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal.
The deeper resounding message that the creative team concocted radiates Jim's ultimate message across all his works: We are all interconnected to the greater world around us, and to find and maintain that harmony is true happiness. The lessons learned by the turmoil faced by Thurma and Kensho usher Thra into a new age.
I HIGHLY recommend this three-part adaptation to anyone who is a fan of the original film, the greater lore of the Dark Crystal universe, lovers of fantasy, Muppets fans, and everyone else.
The deeper resounding message that the creative team concocted radiates Jim's ultimate message across all his works: We are all interconnected to the greater world around us, and to find and maintain that harmony is true happiness. The lessons learned by the turmoil faced by Thurma and Kensho usher Thra into a new age.
I HIGHLY recommend this three-part adaptation to anyone who is a fan of the original film, the greater lore of the Dark Crystal universe, lovers of fantasy, Muppets fans, and everyone else.
July 11, 2023
2.5 stars
this was a great ending for this series.
However this was my least favorite of the Dark crystal universe comic series
I just found a few plot wholes or at least i felt like after reading the other series and learning about the lore of the world , this one was missing some lore to make some of the choices make more sense.
This series takes place 100 years after the original movie and i felt like we didn't need this , the ending of the movie was enough.
this was a great ending for this series.
However this was my least favorite of the Dark crystal universe comic series
I just found a few plot wholes or at least i felt like after reading the other series and learning about the lore of the world , this one was missing some lore to make some of the choices make more sense.
This series takes place 100 years after the original movie and i felt like we didn't need this , the ending of the movie was enough.
September 3, 2019
Some of the action looks very confusing. At one point, I wasn't really sure what had happened to the Chamberlain. The ending feels very "Been there, done that," feeling to similar to The Lord of the Rings and the film (which, to be fair, was already like The Lord of the Rings in some way). At least the background art is good.
September 26, 2019
I liked this better than Vol. 2. Again, the artwork was beautiful, but even though I struggled with reading some of the panes on a few pages, I enjoyed the ending and I really liked the true meaning of the prophecy. Beautiful and heartwarming. 3.5 stars.
October 1, 2019
This was an incredible conclusion to the story and is worthy of being included as part of the legacy of the Dark Crystal story. I am working my way up to the Neflix series, but until then there are plenty of stories to tackle in the world of Thra.
December 12, 2019
I somehow missed that this was a separate series than beneath the dark crystal, so when I read volume 3, after reading 1 and 2 in the other series, I thought, "man, I am really missing some things!" Still enjoyed it.
August 2, 2020
A sweet and heartwarming end to this story. Loved it ever moment, the characters really shines through and while I was sad to see Jen and Kira go, story wise it was the right chose, new time, new story, new heroes.
Love it
5/5
Love it
5/5
August 7, 2020
This was a great addition (and possibly conclusion) to the series. The character development was detailed, and the action was heart-pounding. I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this series and this volume.
September 1, 2021
A suitable and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. While not surprising, it wraps up the storylines and character arcs in an organic way. Overall, the series added great depth and value to the Dark Crystal franchise.
October 29, 2018
3.5 stars -- Once again, some really fantastic illustrations. It was a pleasure to visit this world again.
November 27, 2018
The closing chapter of the trilogy. Not the strongest ending, and made some of the story feel uninteresting. The framing and art though is fantastic.
January 28, 2019
This would’ve been an epic movie but I’m glad I got to experience it in this format. Very satisfied with this ending. Excited for Beneath the Dark Crystal!
June 17, 2019
Hits all the right Dark Crystal notes! A beautifully written and drawn series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews