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Jim Henson's The Power of the Dark Crystal #1
Сила темного кристалу. Книга 1
Минуло багато років, відколи Темний Кристал було зцілено, а у світі Тра запанував мир. Славетні герої Джен та Кіра стали королем і королевою, але спокій приспав їхню пильність. Уся планета страждає, і це відчувають не лише мешканці її поверхні. Таємнича раса створінь, які кличуть себе вогнелінґами, живе у царстві під землею, cхована від королівства ґелфлінґів. Молода вогнелінґа Турма вирушає на поверхню, щоб вкрасти уламок Кристалу, який зможе відродити її Батьківщину. На неї чекає дружба з ґелфлінґом Кеншо, зустріч зі скексі та містиками, а також неймовірні пригоди!
Сценарій Саймона Спарріера ( The Spire, The Sandman Universe), чудесні малюнки Келлі та Ніколь Метьюз (Toil & Trouble), а також післямова від Лізи Генсон, хранительки історії цього чарівного всесвіту.
Містить випуски: #1-4
Сценарій Саймона Спарріера ( The Spire, The Sandman Universe), чудесні малюнки Келлі та Ніколь Метьюз (Toil & Trouble), а також післямова від Лізи Генсон, хранительки історії цього чарівного всесвіту.
Містить випуски: #1-4
112 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
December 6, 2018
Adapted from a screenplay intended to be the sequel to The Dark Crystal. This is official cannon from the Jim Henson Company. The story is set 100 years in the future. Gelflings are in charge, but they are perhaps little better than the Skeksis. A firekin arrives who needs a shard of the crystal to save her people. That's when it all hits the fan.
The book is gorgeous. Kelly and Nicole Matthews pen a lusciously rendered world that looks like the set of Dark Crystal. Spurrier does a fine job of adapting the script so that it feels like you never left Thra. The Boom hardcover edition is oversized with heavy paper stock. Although it's a bit pricey at $25 for 4 issues. This is a world worth revisiting.
The book is gorgeous. Kelly and Nicole Matthews pen a lusciously rendered world that looks like the set of Dark Crystal. Spurrier does a fine job of adapting the script so that it feels like you never left Thra. The Boom hardcover edition is oversized with heavy paper stock. Although it's a bit pricey at $25 for 4 issues. This is a world worth revisiting.
June 21, 2019
In my excited anticipation of the “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” Netflix series, I couldn’t resist getting not only the “Creation Myths” collection (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), but also the graphic novel meant as a sequel to the original movie.
“The Power of the Dark Crystal” is actually the follow-up story Jim Henson never got to make: there was no script per se at the time of his passing, but David Odell, who worked with him on the film, put together a draft based on conversations they’d had about where they wanted the story to go. While there was interest in making a movie from a few studios, it never really came together, and the script was turned into graphic novels instead.
The story takes place a hundred years after the events of the movie. Jen and Kira have become de facto rulers of Thra, but they have also tuned out at some point, and now spend most of their time sleeping in the light of the restored Crystal. While they were napping, other Gelflings have essentially organized a cult around the Crystal, and demand large offerings from pilgrims before they let them into the palace, where they can be exposed to the Crystal’s healing light. Because of their slumber, Jen and Kira have also failed to notice that while the land near the palace is lush and vibrant, the further out you go and the more desolate and barren things become… One day, a Firekin named Thurma, a being from the very core of the planet, makes her way to the palace: she has been told that only a shard of the crystal can restore the dying fire of her realm, and intends to shatter it again. But shattering the Crystal would mean the return of the Skeksis, something the Gelflings have been trying to prevent for a hundred years…
The narration is superb, and has the same rhythm as the movie’s: I could hear the narrator’s deep, sonorous voice in my head as I read. The artwork is also wonderful, bright, colorful, smoother and cleaner than Brain Froud’s style, but it still works very well.
Not unlike most sequels, there is a fair amount of rehashing from the source material: those who have watched the movie a hundred times might be either annoyed by this or charmed. Aughra’s grumbling, the Chamberlain’s wheezing and so forth…
I can see why some people would dislike it, and perhaps this is just my nostalgic fibre talking, but I enjoyed diving back into that weird universe. This is not a perfect comic, but it’s a worthy addition to a great story.
“The Power of the Dark Crystal” is actually the follow-up story Jim Henson never got to make: there was no script per se at the time of his passing, but David Odell, who worked with him on the film, put together a draft based on conversations they’d had about where they wanted the story to go. While there was interest in making a movie from a few studios, it never really came together, and the script was turned into graphic novels instead.
The story takes place a hundred years after the events of the movie. Jen and Kira have become de facto rulers of Thra, but they have also tuned out at some point, and now spend most of their time sleeping in the light of the restored Crystal. While they were napping, other Gelflings have essentially organized a cult around the Crystal, and demand large offerings from pilgrims before they let them into the palace, where they can be exposed to the Crystal’s healing light. Because of their slumber, Jen and Kira have also failed to notice that while the land near the palace is lush and vibrant, the further out you go and the more desolate and barren things become… One day, a Firekin named Thurma, a being from the very core of the planet, makes her way to the palace: she has been told that only a shard of the crystal can restore the dying fire of her realm, and intends to shatter it again. But shattering the Crystal would mean the return of the Skeksis, something the Gelflings have been trying to prevent for a hundred years…
The narration is superb, and has the same rhythm as the movie’s: I could hear the narrator’s deep, sonorous voice in my head as I read. The artwork is also wonderful, bright, colorful, smoother and cleaner than Brain Froud’s style, but it still works very well.
Not unlike most sequels, there is a fair amount of rehashing from the source material: those who have watched the movie a hundred times might be either annoyed by this or charmed. Aughra’s grumbling, the Chamberlain’s wheezing and so forth…
I can see why some people would dislike it, and perhaps this is just my nostalgic fibre talking, but I enjoyed diving back into that weird universe. This is not a perfect comic, but it’s a worthy addition to a great story.
September 2, 2019
After the dark crystal film ended, what happens next? In the fanfiction two common things happen; either Kira and Jen get married and have children, or they go on a quest to find other Gelfling. "Last of their Kind" seems to hold little weight in the fanfiction universe as it does in these comics. Fair enough, they discovered them in different parts of the world. I hope in later comics they explain this.
Interesting start. Jen and Kira are older. Gelfling race are back. The culture seems less Gelfling in a way. But I suppose the crystal of truth heals but also corrupts similar to it's counterpart The Dark Crystal. The Gelfling culture seems to have evolved into something different. Before it was a kind, gentle, resourceful culture. The Gelflings and Podlings worship the crystal, make offerings and get healed if needed. But the guards are selective of who they help and sometimes turn people away.
Lord Jen and Gentle Lady Kira. It's very hard not to imagine them as their younger selves. So much time has past. Did they have children? Did they not have children? Do they have any grandchildren? Must have been a shock and then a relief to discover more of their race. Where and how did they find them? Were they hostile or friendly? I'm hoping some of these questions/plot holes will be answered but at same time I have a feeling they won't be answered.
Warning to SkekTek fans, he's not coming back! He fell down the great shaft into the fire. He died in film. So I doubt he'll return in this series. However people make mistakes. Maybe he will return....but don't get your hopes up!!
Looking forward to getting the next volume!
Interesting start. Jen and Kira are older. Gelfling race are back. The culture seems less Gelfling in a way. But I suppose the crystal of truth heals but also corrupts similar to it's counterpart The Dark Crystal. The Gelfling culture seems to have evolved into something different. Before it was a kind, gentle, resourceful culture. The Gelflings and Podlings worship the crystal, make offerings and get healed if needed. But the guards are selective of who they help and sometimes turn people away.
Lord Jen and Gentle Lady Kira. It's very hard not to imagine them as their younger selves. So much time has past. Did they have children? Did they not have children? Do they have any grandchildren? Must have been a shock and then a relief to discover more of their race. Where and how did they find them? Were they hostile or friendly? I'm hoping some of these questions/plot holes will be answered but at same time I have a feeling they won't be answered.
Warning to SkekTek fans, he's not coming back! He fell down the great shaft into the fire. He died in film. So I doubt he'll return in this series. However people make mistakes. Maybe he will return....but don't get your hopes up!!
Looking forward to getting the next volume!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2017
First things first: the artwork in The Power of the Dark Crystal is absolutely brilliant. Kelly and Nicole Matthews are able to incorporate their own deft style within the existing detailed and textured world of Thra. The characters are perhaps a bit cleaner and softer than we're used to, but it's beautiful work throughout the volume.
However, it's in the service of a messy and irritatingly talky screenplay. Like many of my generation and geek-leanings, I loved the Dark Crystal because it felt immersive, mythic and primal. Here, the sequel feels small and forced. Rather than deepen our walk into this unique world, we're stuck in the castle, with the same set pieces, the same characters and many of the same image beats (Garthim rumble, Chamberlain stripped, Crystal broken, Aughra grumbling). The characters that are new just aren't that interesting or engaging.
It looks like many other reviewers have enjoyed this book quite a bit, and you might too. Actually, the excessive familiarity that I hated about this story might be the thing that makes other readers feel close to it. I'll admit my own preference here: I always felt that Jim Henson and his team were visionaries, leading us into new storytelling territory by playing with epic themes and intricate characters. I didn't want to return the the squabbling Skeksis and the humble Mystics - I wanted to see how the narrative evolved beyond what we'd already seen. The core of the plot holds some promise - that the healing of one world has brought about the destruction of another - but the promise of that premise is never realized. At least, not to me. At least, not yet.
However, it's in the service of a messy and irritatingly talky screenplay. Like many of my generation and geek-leanings, I loved the Dark Crystal because it felt immersive, mythic and primal. Here, the sequel feels small and forced. Rather than deepen our walk into this unique world, we're stuck in the castle, with the same set pieces, the same characters and many of the same image beats (Garthim rumble, Chamberlain stripped, Crystal broken, Aughra grumbling). The characters that are new just aren't that interesting or engaging.
It looks like many other reviewers have enjoyed this book quite a bit, and you might too. Actually, the excessive familiarity that I hated about this story might be the thing that makes other readers feel close to it. I'll admit my own preference here: I always felt that Jim Henson and his team were visionaries, leading us into new storytelling territory by playing with epic themes and intricate characters. I didn't want to return the the squabbling Skeksis and the humble Mystics - I wanted to see how the narrative evolved beyond what we'd already seen. The core of the plot holds some promise - that the healing of one world has brought about the destruction of another - but the promise of that premise is never realized. At least, not to me. At least, not yet.
November 7, 2018
It’s been a hundred years and somehow there are tons of Gelflings again where once there were two. And now they are the masters of Thra... and the assholes of Thra.
But the Crystal grows dim, an alien from Mithra has come to court, and the sleeping heroes wake...
February 17, 2018
I really wanted to love this, but found it a bit vanilla. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. It just felt like all the elements were a bit re-hashed from the original. It's enjoyable to see all the old characters, but it felt a little off that after one hundred years, none of the original characters really changed that much, aside from Jen and Kira, who apparently just got old. Aughra, Chamberlain, the Skeksis and the Mystics all act exactly the same. The main character's Thurma and Kensho (and their small fuzzy "Fizzgig-esque pet) are basically just new versions of Jen and Kira, set upon a very similar mission. I think it's a serviceable comic for maybe younger readers but as an older long time fan of Jim Henson's work, and of the original Dark Crystal movie, I thought it was... you know, okay. To be fair though, I do plan on reading the entire series. It's not bad, I was just hoping an official sequel to The Dark crystal, after all this time, would be a notch above.
August 29, 2020
طراحیش خیلیییییییییییی جذابه.
October 22, 2020
4.5 stars (for series.)
Orginally read as single issues.
Archia has been a great and faithful keeper of the Dark Crystal property; their fervor has been instrumental in keeping this property alive and flourishing for some years now, and I look forward to each new release from them.
This is a continuation of the Dark Crystal saga; it's officially canon, and was initially intended to be released as a theatrical feature film, but alas that was not to be....
This story pushes the timeline forward a ways, to a time when the Gelflings rule, though perhaps not so benolently as we might have hoped for... Jen, Kyra (and of course Fizzgig!) are still around, though this story truly belongs to Thurma and Kensho, a star-crossed Fireling and Gelfling combination, who are intent on restoring the warmth to the lands under Thra.
This series does a great job of blending the familiar with brand new concepts, and does an exceptional job of introducing a new set of characters, and making them instantly recognizeable, but at the same time giving them enough of a twist to intrigue. And the gorgeous art perfectly matches the tone of the series.
Absolutely worth a read for fans of Jim Henson and/or Dark Crystal fans!
Orginally read as single issues.
Archia has been a great and faithful keeper of the Dark Crystal property; their fervor has been instrumental in keeping this property alive and flourishing for some years now, and I look forward to each new release from them.
This is a continuation of the Dark Crystal saga; it's officially canon, and was initially intended to be released as a theatrical feature film, but alas that was not to be....
This story pushes the timeline forward a ways, to a time when the Gelflings rule, though perhaps not so benolently as we might have hoped for... Jen, Kyra (and of course Fizzgig!) are still around, though this story truly belongs to Thurma and Kensho, a star-crossed Fireling and Gelfling combination, who are intent on restoring the warmth to the lands under Thra.
This series does a great job of blending the familiar with brand new concepts, and does an exceptional job of introducing a new set of characters, and making them instantly recognizeable, but at the same time giving them enough of a twist to intrigue. And the gorgeous art perfectly matches the tone of the series.
Absolutely worth a read for fans of Jim Henson and/or Dark Crystal fans!
October 5, 2020
I love the film The Dark Crystal, but I’ve held off on reading the recent graphic novel series because I’m not sure the movie needs to be expanded into a sprawling mythology. Sometimes it’s okay for a good story to be just a good story, not an enormous, ever-expanding world.
This first volume of The Power of the Dark Crystal takes place 100 years after the events of the film, and to be honest, it’s disappointing that it seems to be the same story again, with slightly different characters. It also feels like this whole book is a long, long exposition that only just introduces some bigger ideas for the story.
This first volume of The Power of the Dark Crystal takes place 100 years after the events of the film, and to be honest, it’s disappointing that it seems to be the same story again, with slightly different characters. It also feels like this whole book is a long, long exposition that only just introduces some bigger ideas for the story.
December 17, 2019
I think Dark Crystal is now one of my favorite fantasy franchises. Between this, Age of resistance on Netflix, and the original film, I’m all in!
Read
December 25, 2023Як виявилось, даний комікс є продовженням фільму "Темний кристал", який вийшов 1982 році.
Для розслабленого легкого читання, яке мені сьогодні й було потрібне, цей комікс цілком підходить. Не очікуйте від нього багато.
Не впевнена, що за звичайних умов я продовжувала б читати серію. Проте, оскільки у мене вже є всі три томи, історію я закінчу.
3.5/5
Для розслабленого легкого читання, яке мені сьогодні й було потрібне, цей комікс цілком підходить. Не очікуйте від нього багато.
Не впевнена, що за звичайних умов я продовжувала б читати серію. Проте, оскільки у мене вже є всі три томи, історію я закінчу.
3.5/5
December 17, 2020
دنیایی زیبا و پر از ظریفیت برای داستان سرایی. اکر سریال رو ندیدید پیشنهاد میکنم حتما تو برنامه تون باشه
August 13, 2021
Un univers super riche et des graphismes dingues hâte de lire le second volume pour que l'intrigue se développe un peu plus
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February 17, 2020A century on from the film, Jen and Kira still rule the world they healed. In name, at least; for the most part they slumber while Thra sickens again, and the institutions which have grown up around them become every bit as heartless and greedy as the Skeksis ever were. Meanwhile, inside the planet another, hidden world of Firelings is growing cold, and it may not be possible to save them without dooming the Gelflings. On the surface it's the same lazy, depressing sort of sequel as Force Awakens, where all the original story's struggles were for nothing, but it has the advantage of being true - this is how most revolutions and liberation struggles end up. Although the crowd-pleasing return of the Skeksis themselves is cheap and superfluous; far better to show the ruling Gelflings becoming indistinguishable from them and leave it at that. You wouldn't feel the need to throw murderous Tsarist relics into a story about Stalin's crimes, would you? Though come to think of it, I vaguely remember a cartoon that did. Anyway. Equally, the notion that even with the best will in the world, sometimes you have to choose which innocents die is also compelling, though I suspect subsequent volumes may find a way out of that. The general moral grubbiness, and in particular Aughra's cantankerous manner, play to Spurrier's strengths; the art is very good at capturing the feel of Thra, depicting cute critters old and new, but sometimes falls down on the storytelling, not helped by what occasionally feels a lot like missing speech bubbles and captions.
March 23, 2018
3.5 stars -- The illustrations and presentation of this book are a delight. It's nice to see that the Dark Crystal, once sadly overlooked, has since its release built up an impressive fan base and high-quality materials continuing the story of this fantasy world.
That said, I agree with other reviewers who say the story is a little too generic, and the action rather uninspired--even when characters are in great peril. For example, the battle sequence was among the dullest I've encountered in comics--the opposite sides primarily stood in one place and shouted insults at one another until one side ends up (somehow?) imprisoned.
That said, I'm still happy to visit the Dark Crystal universe again...or as my spouse calls it, "that movie with all of the ugly creatures and weird noises."
That said, I agree with other reviewers who say the story is a little too generic, and the action rather uninspired--even when characters are in great peril. For example, the battle sequence was among the dullest I've encountered in comics--the opposite sides primarily stood in one place and shouted insults at one another until one side ends up (somehow?) imprisoned.
That said, I'm still happy to visit the Dark Crystal universe again...or as my spouse calls it, "that movie with all of the ugly creatures and weird noises."
September 12, 2018
I was at the target age when The Dark Crystal was in theaters and loved it. From an intellectual standpoint, I found the story interesting, but had a hard time feeling emotionally attached to the characters the way I do when I see the movie. I'll probably keep reading for now, just because I want to see what happens.
June 8, 2021
A wonderful sequel to a very unique movie, beautifully narrated and illustrated.
February 19, 2020
This graphic novel is a sequel to the original Jim Henson movie, taking place approximately a century later.
Given the dark and troublesome tone of this book, it seems odd to me that the world has fallen apart so quickly. A lot can happen in a hundred years, of course, but the ending of the Dark Crystal movie was meant to be a happy ending for the entire world of Thra. It seems like a lot of their triumphs are being undone and the same problems are coming back.
The inclusion of the Skeksis feels very wrong to me. First of all, their ability to exist post-movie seems like a plot inconsistency, considering that they were supposed to have left the world of Thra entirely. It shouldn't be possible to liberate them from the Dark Crystal because they were never inside of it to begin with. Aside from that, though, the Skeksis themselves are sort of a one-note antagonist: The writers aren't adding anything new or telling a revolutionary story by bringing them back again.
Speaking of which, there are a lot of pretty groan-worthy callbacks, from Chamberlain’s cliché ploys to the fact that the Skeksis immediately start threatening to drink essence again even though they are painfully outnumbered—not to mention they don’t have access to any of the relevant resources or technology that allowed them to drain essence in the first place. There are a few others, but suffice to say that a lot of the plot seems to be driven more by doing the same thing over again, not treading new ground.
As for the writing, interpersonal dialogue can be really awkward, especially with the subtle-yet-distracting accidental flirting between male and female leads. It feels like the writer is trying to be coy and imply a ship, but the heavy-handed delivery doesn’t take the story anywhere. Even if they deliver on these threads in a future installment, it won't have been worth it.
Now for a few positive notes: Aughra was the best part of the entire story so far. Her art and writing are great, and it’s hard not to read things in her voice. All of the quirks and mannerisms that make Aughra lovable and fun in the rest of the franchise are present here. They really nailed her character.
As great as the illustrator is, some of the charm that I expected is lost. It’s strange how much the visual appeal of puppets carried this franchise, but invariably some of the magic is lost in the form of print.
One minor note in light of the recent Dark Crystal series on Netflix: The high definition drawings of Kira in this book bear a lot of visual similarities to the All Maudra from the Age of Resistance series, which invites (or affirms) some speculation that they may be related. Nothing is confirmed, but it seems noteworthy.
Final verdict: This story was very skippable, and there's still plenty of good The Dark Crystal content out there, most of which will be better than this. If you wanted a consistent and cohesive epilogue to the beloved The Dark Crystal movie, don't read this.
Given the dark and troublesome tone of this book, it seems odd to me that the world has fallen apart so quickly. A lot can happen in a hundred years, of course, but the ending of the Dark Crystal movie was meant to be a happy ending for the entire world of Thra. It seems like a lot of their triumphs are being undone and the same problems are coming back.
The inclusion of the Skeksis feels very wrong to me. First of all, their ability to exist post-movie seems like a plot inconsistency, considering that they were supposed to have left the world of Thra entirely. It shouldn't be possible to liberate them from the Dark Crystal because they were never inside of it to begin with. Aside from that, though, the Skeksis themselves are sort of a one-note antagonist: The writers aren't adding anything new or telling a revolutionary story by bringing them back again.
Speaking of which, there are a lot of pretty groan-worthy callbacks, from Chamberlain’s cliché ploys to the fact that the Skeksis immediately start threatening to drink essence again even though they are painfully outnumbered—not to mention they don’t have access to any of the relevant resources or technology that allowed them to drain essence in the first place. There are a few others, but suffice to say that a lot of the plot seems to be driven more by doing the same thing over again, not treading new ground.
As for the writing, interpersonal dialogue can be really awkward, especially with the subtle-yet-distracting accidental flirting between male and female leads. It feels like the writer is trying to be coy and imply a ship, but the heavy-handed delivery doesn’t take the story anywhere. Even if they deliver on these threads in a future installment, it won't have been worth it.
Now for a few positive notes: Aughra was the best part of the entire story so far. Her art and writing are great, and it’s hard not to read things in her voice. All of the quirks and mannerisms that make Aughra lovable and fun in the rest of the franchise are present here. They really nailed her character.
As great as the illustrator is, some of the charm that I expected is lost. It’s strange how much the visual appeal of puppets carried this franchise, but invariably some of the magic is lost in the form of print.
One minor note in light of the recent Dark Crystal series on Netflix: The high definition drawings of Kira in this book bear a lot of visual similarities to the All Maudra from the Age of Resistance series, which invites (or affirms) some speculation that they may be related. Nothing is confirmed, but it seems noteworthy.
Final verdict: This story was very skippable, and there's still plenty of good The Dark Crystal content out there, most of which will be better than this. If you wanted a consistent and cohesive epilogue to the beloved The Dark Crystal movie, don't read this.
June 30, 2023
You know I’m obsessed with Jim Henson. And that everyday, I mourn the cancellation of Age of Resistance. This graphic novel filled a giant hole in my heart, if only partially….
I wasn’t happy about it being such a distant sequel— I would’ve loved seeing Kira and Jen’s direct future. And I’m also a little nervous that Kira won’t be a big part of this— Jen is shaping up to go on a quest to support our new heroes but it seems Kira is staying back. I’d rather have both of them or neither of them! Their bond is a giant part of what makes the Dark Crystal work for me.
That said, the rest was excellent. I love the idea that gelflings aren’t perfect. They’ve formed an imperfect and rather corrupt society. We get a view of that in the aforementioned prequel show, Age of Resistance, and it’s cool to see that the future of gelflings would be similar. It ties into theme of “everyone is the same, deep down” that the ending of the orignal movie is so built around.
I’m also a big fan of our new protags. Thurma and Kensho are so cute. Regarding Thurma— I won’t lie. I’m a little dubious about the idea of a new race existing in Thra. There’s so much lore in the original that could’ve been expanded on. But Thurma is so charming that I really don’t mind. I can’t wait to see where her character goes.
I’d give this one a very hopeful 3.5 stars out of five. Really, even if the other two books aren’t great I’d still be happy with more Dark Crystal.
I wasn’t happy about it being such a distant sequel— I would’ve loved seeing Kira and Jen’s direct future. And I’m also a little nervous that Kira won’t be a big part of this— Jen is shaping up to go on a quest to support our new heroes but it seems Kira is staying back. I’d rather have both of them or neither of them! Their bond is a giant part of what makes the Dark Crystal work for me.
That said, the rest was excellent. I love the idea that gelflings aren’t perfect. They’ve formed an imperfect and rather corrupt society. We get a view of that in the aforementioned prequel show, Age of Resistance, and it’s cool to see that the future of gelflings would be similar. It ties into theme of “everyone is the same, deep down” that the ending of the orignal movie is so built around.
I’m also a big fan of our new protags. Thurma and Kensho are so cute. Regarding Thurma— I won’t lie. I’m a little dubious about the idea of a new race existing in Thra. There’s so much lore in the original that could’ve been expanded on. But Thurma is so charming that I really don’t mind. I can’t wait to see where her character goes.
I’d give this one a very hopeful 3.5 stars out of five. Really, even if the other two books aren’t great I’d still be happy with more Dark Crystal.
May 30, 2024
Since Netflix canceled the prequel series Age of Resistance, time to think not about how we got to the beloved Jim Henson movie, and more towards the prospect of how the heroes managed to fix their world.
Short answer, NOT VERY WELL!
In addition to the crappy religious fanaticism corruption going on, there exists a species made entirely out of fire living in the core of the planet. Their molten world is dying, and an emissary sent to the Gelflings has been told that a fragment of the crystal is all that's needed to revive their world. But as we know from the movie proper, a fragment coming off the crystal was what gave birth to the monsters that essentially genocide'd all but two of the entire Gelfling race!
So begins the moral quandary of whether to let the fire people die cold & alone or to let the corrupted Gelfling muckity-mucks get their just desserts.
HILARIOUSLY, it seems like there's some hidden rule that in this world, girls out of their depths HAVE to acquire a cute&terrifying animal companion. We had the fizzgigs for the heroines of the prequel & movie, now the fire lass gets a tumbeloth: a mix between a turtle, otter, clam, AND TENTACLE MONSTER!
Short answer, NOT VERY WELL!
In addition to the crappy religious fanaticism corruption going on, there exists a species made entirely out of fire living in the core of the planet. Their molten world is dying, and an emissary sent to the Gelflings has been told that a fragment of the crystal is all that's needed to revive their world. But as we know from the movie proper, a fragment coming off the crystal was what gave birth to the monsters that essentially genocide'd all but two of the entire Gelfling race!
So begins the moral quandary of whether to let the fire people die cold & alone or to let the corrupted Gelfling muckity-mucks get their just desserts.
HILARIOUSLY, it seems like there's some hidden rule that in this world, girls out of their depths HAVE to acquire a cute&terrifying animal companion. We had the fizzgigs for the heroines of the prequel & movie, now the fire lass gets a tumbeloth: a mix between a turtle, otter, clam, AND TENTACLE MONSTER!
August 11, 2023
I hadn't realised that this was based on the concept for sequel movie that was never made.
I struggled a little bit to follow the story in the beginning and I wonder if that's because the movie concept doesn't fully translate to graphic form? But I did get into it eventually.
The art isn't 100% to my taste, but I did enjoy the occasional mushrooms :D
And I am intrigued to read the other 2 volumes of this now :)
I struggled a little bit to follow the story in the beginning and I wonder if that's because the movie concept doesn't fully translate to graphic form? But I did get into it eventually.
The art isn't 100% to my taste, but I did enjoy the occasional mushrooms :D
And I am intrigued to read the other 2 volumes of this now :)
April 2, 2019
Loved the movie, and a fun follow up book! Can not wait for the next!
January 5, 2024
Дуже красива історія про поганців скексі, вогнелінґу, яка прийшла врятувати свій світ і молодого ґелфлінґа Кеншо. Мила, казкова історія, дуже гарно ілюстрована 🥰
February 26, 2019
I love this storyline! It more than just Dark Crystal 2.0, it introduces new characters, new races and opens the world up to so many more possibilities!
March 15, 2017
Love the original film but maybe it was the puppets that made it special
October 21, 2019
Review: Power of the Dark Crystal
Jim Hensons sprawling and ambitious "The Dark Crystal" is anything but perfect. It's admirable for having some of the best world building, creature designs and production design in any film ever made, but it sadly has a pretty slow uneven narrative and poor writing. I like the film for its ambitions and the fact Jim Henson wanted to make this weird fantasy world and make it a bit more cerebral. He did have more hope that audiences would respond to The Dark Crystal and they didn't. The film bombed, it didn't help that in 1982 attention was all on E.T. that also used practical puppet to bring a character to life in a much more focused narrative.
Overtime, The Dark Crystal has gained a cult following of people who were either scared of it as a kid or just was awed by the world and characters. This led to a new comic series being released based on the world and a new Netflix series coming out in August based off the original. It will be interesting to see where the Netflix series takes place in the timeline and if it uses any lore explored here.
Once I saw the art in this thing- I knew I had to pick it up for it alone and the visual aspects of this comic never let me down. The nice hues and bright colors contrasted from dark grimy worlds really made this whole comic an identity that stayed true to the source material but gave it a new voice. It makes sense since the original was loved for its aesthetic that the comic would be as well.
Beyond just the art, The Power of the Dark Crystal has a strong narrative and actually improves upon a lot of the mistakes of the original. Fans of the original might not like the new characters taking the forefront or in general this feeling a little different- but this feels like a less elusive story then the original and I think that's a good way to go.
Jim Henson always say The Dark Crystal and his show Fraggle Rock as political statements on war and having to come together despite our differences. I think this comic understands that more then the original film itself. The conflict our two characters are facing is very difficult and they have to make difficult choices.
It does have some lazy exposition and rushed character motivations, but most of it is really compelling and certainly an improvement on the film. I’m giving this series an #8.0/10 and I’m excited to read volume 2.
Jim Hensons sprawling and ambitious "The Dark Crystal" is anything but perfect. It's admirable for having some of the best world building, creature designs and production design in any film ever made, but it sadly has a pretty slow uneven narrative and poor writing. I like the film for its ambitions and the fact Jim Henson wanted to make this weird fantasy world and make it a bit more cerebral. He did have more hope that audiences would respond to The Dark Crystal and they didn't. The film bombed, it didn't help that in 1982 attention was all on E.T. that also used practical puppet to bring a character to life in a much more focused narrative.
Overtime, The Dark Crystal has gained a cult following of people who were either scared of it as a kid or just was awed by the world and characters. This led to a new comic series being released based on the world and a new Netflix series coming out in August based off the original. It will be interesting to see where the Netflix series takes place in the timeline and if it uses any lore explored here.
Once I saw the art in this thing- I knew I had to pick it up for it alone and the visual aspects of this comic never let me down. The nice hues and bright colors contrasted from dark grimy worlds really made this whole comic an identity that stayed true to the source material but gave it a new voice. It makes sense since the original was loved for its aesthetic that the comic would be as well.
Beyond just the art, The Power of the Dark Crystal has a strong narrative and actually improves upon a lot of the mistakes of the original. Fans of the original might not like the new characters taking the forefront or in general this feeling a little different- but this feels like a less elusive story then the original and I think that's a good way to go.
Jim Henson always say The Dark Crystal and his show Fraggle Rock as political statements on war and having to come together despite our differences. I think this comic understands that more then the original film itself. The conflict our two characters are facing is very difficult and they have to make difficult choices.
It does have some lazy exposition and rushed character motivations, but most of it is really compelling and certainly an improvement on the film. I’m giving this series an #8.0/10 and I’m excited to read volume 2.
April 14, 2018
This graphic novel serves as a sequel to the movie. I had mixed feelings about it. There were rumors for years that there would be a sequel movie; the graphic novel reads like the plot of the rumored movie (which was debunked). The story itself was more complex than I thought it would be, and the drawings are beautiful. In the story, Jen and Kira have been the rulers for one hundred years, but for much of it they remain in a crystal-induced stasis, allowing other gelfling to rule in their stead. It's not hard to imagine that this arrangement does not go well. The powerful ruling class wind up taking advantage of the poorer gelflings and pod people. However, things come to a head when a Fireling, a creature whose kind lives in the planet's core, comes to take a shard of the crystal. Now, I'm OK with the story so far (I'm willing to overlook the fact that Jen and Kira were supposed to be the last of the gelflings, perhaps other remote tribes were found later.) But here's where the story really strays from canon, and I don't feel that it needed to. Thurma, the Fireling, steals the shard and runs away, bringing back the repulsive Skeksis and the passive UrRu. Now, I thought that the UrSkeks had left the planet, from both the movie and from The World of the Dark Crystal. I'm willing to read the next installments, perhaps I'll change my mind, but I'm skeptical that bringing these two back was needed.
November 26, 2018
I loved (LOVED) the original movie, but this sequel just doesn't have the same magic. It felt like a fanfic that took many of the same characters and elements and just did a rerun, with a couple of new characters to trick you into thinking it's new, and a kind of dystopic setting that didn't comfortably fit with the fantasy feel of the original .
It's long after the time when the movie ended and Jen and Kira ushered in a new world of peace and plenty, but now the land is struggling and gelfling society (I would have liked to see how that developed, but no) has somehow become a bureaucratic dystopia. I would have liked to see how things got to this point, but that was glossed over. Enter a new character who needs to save her world at the cost of this one, the crystal breaks again (rerun), the Skeksys and all their associated trappings are back (rerun), the whiny Chamberlain and bombastic Emperor are pulling the exact same game they did last time (the EXACT same), Jen and Kira have matured but we don't get to see how and it just feels uncomfortably disconnected from the characters we know. I *might* look into the second volume to see if things improve, but I'm not enthusiastic. Just go back and watch the original movie to relive the magic and wonder because you won't find much of that here.
Update: read the second volume. No improvement there. Still not feeling it, so I likely won't read any further volumes.
It's long after the time when the movie ended and Jen and Kira ushered in a new world of peace and plenty, but now the land is struggling and gelfling society (I would have liked to see how that developed, but no) has somehow become a bureaucratic dystopia. I would have liked to see how things got to this point, but that was glossed over. Enter a new character who needs to save her world at the cost of this one, the crystal breaks again (rerun), the Skeksys and all their associated trappings are back (rerun), the whiny Chamberlain and bombastic Emperor are pulling the exact same game they did last time (the EXACT same), Jen and Kira have matured but we don't get to see how and it just feels uncomfortably disconnected from the characters we know. I *might* look into the second volume to see if things improve, but I'm not enthusiastic. Just go back and watch the original movie to relive the magic and wonder because you won't find much of that here.
Update: read the second volume. No improvement there. Still not feeling it, so I likely won't read any further volumes.
July 1, 2019
Welcome back to the world of the Dark Crystal. Originally this was to be a movie sequel, but after that fell through, i am SOOOOOOOOOO happy that it was made into a graphic novel so I can delve back in and gush and gush and gush.
This story picks up 100 years after the events of the movie. Jen and Kira are still around as the leaders, or almost deities of the Thra, but things are not smooth. The Crystal is losing its light. A fireling has come to this land to seek help and a shard of the crystal to help heal his own land.
I am loving every bit of this graphic novel. The art and colorwork is amazing. The story, while similar to TDC is different, and we meet new characters. However, 100 years is a long time, and the gelfling are not as nice as they once were. I can not wait to continue this series.
#LitsyAtoZGN
#MountTBR
#Booked19 #generabusting
#LIttleLoveBingo #pickedbyMe
#NancyDrewChallenge #Fantasy
#GondorGirlGNChallenge
#KillYourTBR #RecommendedbyaLibrarian
This story picks up 100 years after the events of the movie. Jen and Kira are still around as the leaders, or almost deities of the Thra, but things are not smooth. The Crystal is losing its light. A fireling has come to this land to seek help and a shard of the crystal to help heal his own land.
I am loving every bit of this graphic novel. The art and colorwork is amazing. The story, while similar to TDC is different, and we meet new characters. However, 100 years is a long time, and the gelfling are not as nice as they once were. I can not wait to continue this series.
#LitsyAtoZGN
#MountTBR
#Booked19 #generabusting
#LIttleLoveBingo #pickedbyMe
#NancyDrewChallenge #Fantasy
#GondorGirlGNChallenge
#KillYourTBR #RecommendedbyaLibrarian
March 15, 2018
I love The Dark Crystal. It was the first movie I was allowed to see on my own as a kid. I rode my bike to the theater, spent an hour and a half alone with these strange creatures in the strange and wonderful world of Thra, and left with a deepened personal mythology I've carried with me even into middle age.
This comic series seems to be written for people like me. Only everything that made the movie new and unique is now just a set of steps to take through the same world, with pretty much the same plot points and the same lines spoken verbatim. The graphic series took a mysterious and haunting world, and made it boring and rote. I regret the two hours I spent with it.
This comic series seems to be written for people like me. Only everything that made the movie new and unique is now just a set of steps to take through the same world, with pretty much the same plot points and the same lines spoken verbatim. The graphic series took a mysterious and haunting world, and made it boring and rote. I regret the two hours I spent with it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews