The critically acclaimed Jim Henson‘s The Storyteller: Ghosts celebrates four mythic tales of when ghosts haunted the Earth, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.
Featuring an array of styles and stories by some of today’s most original talent, including Michael Walsh (Black Hammer/Justice League), Mark Laszlo (Hellboy: Winter Special), and Jennifer Rostowksy, The Storyteller Ghosts is a must-read for any fan of the classic series.
These spine-tingling tales are perfect for a dark and stormy night and are sure to leave you wanting more. So curl up with The Storyteller Ghosts and prepare to be frightened, amused, and moved by these timeless stories.
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Details
Title: Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts
Authors: Márk László, Jennifer Rostowsky
Pages: 128 pages
Published: November 24, 2020
Publisher: Archaia
Language: English
Appropriate for ages: All ages
Contents
- Issue 1
- Issue 2
- Issue 3
- Issue 4
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #1
Ghosts appear in Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #1, written and illustrated by Márk László with colours by Patricio Delpeche and letters by Jim Campbell, published by BOOM! Studios under the Archaia label. The Storyteller spins a heartbreaking tale about the ghost of an abandoned kid. This restless spirit lurks in the frozen, inhospitable woods. But for what or whom?
The Myling is a vengeful ghost in Scandinavian folklore. A traveller on the road at night hears a spectral scream from within the woods. He enters the cave to discover a ghost that wants to be taken to its correct burial place.
The spirit agrees, but as the traveller goes on, the grip of the supernatural tightens… it grows larger…and the man’s movement becomes slower and slower. Can he shed this terrible burden before it kills him for good?
The Myling’s first appearance in the four-issue anthology mini-series The Storyteller: Ghost Stories, which is based on the Emmy Award-winning television series, sets the tone with a dark tale of the Myling.
The problem usually starts with The Storyteller and their canine companion, which should be a major selling point in this scenario. My eyes immediately brightened up. Despite how enjoyable it was, I must confess that it did not last long.
We’re used to seeing Peter’s life story depicted in bright, cheery colours. Henson’s tale takes a horrible turn down a road of agony, self-sacrifice, and unimaginable loss. Both of these are credited to Márk László.
Patricio Delpeche’s hues are simply spectacular, and they lift the topic to unmeasurable heights, resulting in a fascinating narrative that is at times amusing but dives head-first into a true horror tale that spans decades.
The themes in the Storyteller series are consistent. Whether it’s dragons, giants, sirens, or ghosts, each book has a unique theme. A sense of what sort of tale you’ll be reading emerges from this topic.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #1 is exactly the kind of tale I would anticipate. Myling’s story is one such tale that may be heard around the campfire. The story is nevertheless essentially gripping.
Readers will not be afraid of this tale, though it may make others uncomfortable. The narrative moves forward in an orderly manner, interrupted only by brief restarts that return the reader to The Storyteller and his dog. The use of the interludes reminds you that you’re hearing this narrative before a fire.
The Storyteller: Ghosts #1, on the other hand, leaves me scratching my head as to why it was even written. It appears like a narrative that is supposed to teach us something. You’ll have a lot to say about it if you’re asked what you’ll take with you when the tale is done.
If this is the case, I didn’t understand it. It’s a well-told ghost story that comes to a tidy conclusion regarding the issue it explores. Overall, it’s a well-paced and competently delivered performance.
The artwork also succeeds in conveying its narrative. László manages to keep the tone light while still creating a ghost story, without going too frightening. My favourite element of the art was the character designs, which I found to be extremely unique. Each figure in this book has a distinct muppet-like appearance.
The muppets have always had a special place in my heart. They were a part of my childhood, and the artwork in this book brought me right back to when I was a kid watching them on television. This graphic style’s use of black and white also appealed to me, since it allowed my photos to be equally soft and dark.
In addition, this design choice aided greatly in keeping the story time for children’s entertainment, as it tugged at my heartstrings while also appealing to my emotions. After all, how frightening can a muppet be?
Another aspect of the artistic presentation to consider is Delpeche’s hues. There’s a unique combination of colourwork on display here. On the one hand, the colours make for a wonderful contrast in the photos, with important things standing out and demanding to be looked at.
This is a little surprising to me because the art has a rough appearance. This once again evokes the sense that this is an ancient tale, thanks to its somewhat washed-out appearance. The fact that both of these impressions are gathered simultaneously is a remarkable accomplishment for Delpeche.
When it comes down to it, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #1 offers a decent plot backed by a beautiful visual style. I think it’s easy to see how this book could have a more powerful effect on a younger audience, for whom the frightening moment may just have that perfect sprinkle of scary.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #2
An older guy dries off his dog while having a discussion in the first panel of the comic. In a last-ditch effort to obtain a treat, the dog went out and played in the muck. “It reminds me of a story I heard once,” the old man murmured. “..Of great desperation and great punishment”.
According to the legend, two lovers were slain at this location by a woman with golden hair named Molika. We are then introduced to yet another example of how even the wealthy might suffer in their lifetimes.
A young Khmer woman uses black magic in The Storyteller Ghosts #2, according to my review. The incantation promises to provide the user with riches, power, and attractiveness that no other person has ever seen before. When the spell activates on Molika, she must come to terms with the responsibilities of magic and what it means to be an Ahp.
The beauty of a narrative is that it begins on a basic level. A pair of long-time pals. One cleaning up after the other. Friends are prone to grumbling and complaining in the same way as they would.
A man in his fifties wearing a gown with a neck-kerchief tied like a tie and fingerless gloves is wiping his dog dry. He’s asking the dog why it wanted to go out and get so filthy. When you ask your dog for a treat, he or she refuses to give it. This reminds the old gentleman of an amusing story.
Malika is the protagonist of “The Lover”. She is a spoiled brat who gets everything she wants. Until she meets her true love and learns that her heart belongs to someone else.
Molika resorts to black magic after every attempt fails. Molika locates a love spell, realizing that she doesn’t have all of the components but can do without them. The voices of the spirits reject her. There are many, and they condemn her for being so vain as to believe that gems would be of any use as a bribe. She’s been punished, which has caused an effect.
Her body is left on the floor, and her forehead and neck are unattached to it. As a spirit dispossessed, Molika flies around. The woman who took her love away is unaware of the suffering she has caused.
She can’t tell the woman she loved about it or explain what occurred to the lady who stole her affection. As a result, she is trapped in her solitude and afflicted with the malediction that prevents her from ever meeting someone who does not cower in horror.
Aesop’s tale is now a part of the book’s rich history, continuing in the brilliant tradition of other famous parables and fables. The old man informs his dog that at the conclusion of this beautiful and pampered girl, she had nothing. The dog agrees to the suggestion, but it would still like to learn more about that reward.
There are a number of beautiful visual cues that deserve to be examined more closely. One such example is the tale being referred to. On the left, next to a brick chimney and what appears to be an old bathtub, is a portrait of three generations of women. The man in the chair holding a book sits in front of it.
A towel is draped over the dog. It’s an eerie sight that creates a powerful experience. It is sad if a not frightening illustration of the lessons the narrative is attempting to teach the reader or listener.
I love the shifting pallets of colours from page to page and how they echoed the developing elements in the story. In the first few pages, lighter panels provide a dreamy, wonderful vibe. It soon changes to a dark crimson that persists through the more miserable and sorrowful periods.
This is then employed to great effect in order to call attention to a book. In this instance, it’s one with the hazardous spell. The red line running through the crimson reflects the nature of a burning passion or desire. The pallet is transformed into a sequence of Blues and Greys, as well as softer hues when Molika is confronted by the ghost she has contacted and then condemned.
I don’t enjoy reading stories that require me to go over everything from the previous volumes again. I only need to grasp the essential components in order to enjoy a single issue for me to enjoy a tale.
With this narrative, though, I’m aware that it’s only the second part of a four-issue series. As a result, one if not both of the introductory characters should be introduced. Then, once you’ve learned everything there is to learn about the main character in this parable fable, I’ll tell you why it’s still so popular today.
I’m not very up on Kmer culture, so when I read something in Previews World that included this information, I had a hard time figuring out how it was conveyed to the reader as I read the fable. There’s just one mention of a distant location in the book. There are no references to Kmer.
A lesson on moderating one’s desire or selfishness is seldom as true in a narrative or fable as it is in life. This tale makes excellent use of Molika, the spoiled main character. The hazards of desire for something that exists beyond nature are an essential by-product.
The article’s author, a practising attorney, makes the case that the manner in which Molika was sentenced is just. It also maintains the quality of being a useful example for those who still need to learn from this tale’s lesson.
It’s about love and loss, as well as why it’s vital not to make hasty or reckless decisions when you’re desperate. There is little violence in the book, but there is a lot of passion and emotion. If you enjoy light horror and romantic drama, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this book.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #3
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #3 is a tight mix of campfire ghost stories and Irish folklore. The writing is gloomy in all the right ways, and the art is creepy. It’s the story of a young boy who, still grieving for his mother’s death, encounters a malevolent spirit in the woods.
This straightforward and somewhat frightening ghost tale is based on an old Irish fable written, drawn, and coloured by Dan Walsh. I would suggest this book wholeheartedly.
Despite the fact that Jim Henson is credited, the tale and art may be a bit too violent for tiny children. Though it may appear to be a straightforward ghost story, the story is actually dark and frightening.
The interior pages are written in first-person perspective (‘I’), but you don’t feel like you’re inside Walsh’s head. This is right down my alley as an adult and lover of all things scary. That said, parents should screen the material first before handing it over to their children.
The tale of ‘Walsh,’ as told by Ireland’s most famous ghost storyteller, is a pure, classic campfire ghost tale. A young boy still grieving for his mother’s death hears the Banshee’s wail and believes it to mean the impending demise of another family member.
The Banshee is a legendary Irish figure that foretells the death of a family member and, if you’re bold enough to capture it, offers you a wish. The young boy, like all excellent ghost stories, finds the bravery to get his desire, but with terrible consequences.
The narrative of ‘The Leavers’ is simple and effective, with most of the information coming from the boy’s perspective. There isn’t much complexity to the storyline, and the conversations aren’t substantial. This is an excellent study of cinematography and editing because the director uses only what’s necessary. When he does use words, he makes effective use of them.
‘Walsh’s art is perfect for the tale he tells. Every panel is suffused in moonlit blues, and the frequent use of shade nearly weighs down each page with sorrow and dread. The banshee’s appearance is also appropriately frightening to highlight how much bravery the child will need to “catch” it. Only a brave young man with real guts and drive would have the gall to confront such a beast in the woods.
The mild shocks of gore for the Banshee and her “replacement” – eyes are bleeding, organs are hanging out, and limbs are gone – add to the art’s unpredictability. The amount of gore is appropriate for a book labelled as “Grades 3-8” rather than “Ages 12 and Up.”
The violence isn’t excessive, but it’s enough to make you think twice about giving this book to a young kid. The artwork is all atmosphere and well done, despite the fact that it contains a few spots of gory blood.
Walsh employs a small palette of blues to establish the mood of isolation and dread illuminated by moonlight. It works most of the time, but it may need a little more contrast during the day to bring out the tension as darkness approaches.
Outside the range of blues, a dash of red would draw your attention when blood is present. In a nutshell, Walsh did an excellent job utilizing blues for tones and colours to heighten the atmosphere, but it suffered from a lack of contrast.
For its illustration of pleasant speech, Campbell’s lettering is dead-on. The Banshee sings a different sort of lullaby and wails in the dead of night, while the Father croons a lullaby, and the “replacement” who takes his place serenades us with the same foreboding song.
It required a lot of singing to be carefully lettered to achieve both the illusion of alien voices and harmonic speech. Because there aren’t many captions or narration, the rapid snippets of dialogue and singing keep the tale’s momentum going without slowing it down.
It’s been a pleasure working with such talented people. Having the same individual write and illustrate each tale was a nice touch. This collection, like the rest of the anthology series, will appeal to lovers of ghost stories since each one is unique and manages to get a chill down one’s spine.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #4
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #4 is a Slavic tale of death, loss, love, and the power of a promise. Ver’s story and art are worthy of the most heartfelt entries from any anthology series such as The Twilight Zone or Amazing Stories.
The cover of ‘A Wager’s End’ latches on to the dread of things that lurk just behind you in the dark. The Old Woman, the tale’s primary character, clings to her lantern just as she does to live itself. Meanwhile, the Slavic grim reaper Weles lurks and waits for the chance to attack. Walsh’s cover is frighteningly tense.
The tale of Ver, an Old Woman on a mission to return home in the middle of the night to keep a promise to her family, is one example. She is attacked by a variety of monsters and even the god of Death from Slavic mythology as she tries to return home. She has only one source of illumination, a single lamp that keeps those who live in the dark at bay.
Once she reaches her destination, the true nature of her journey is revealed and it resonates deeply with anyone who’s ever felt the painful loss of a loved one. I can’t express how powerfully this story tugs on the emotional heartstrings in a way that honours those last goodbyes. Moving and poignant work her from Ver.
The clean lines and somewhat realistic style of Ver’s art stand out. While the narrative is focused on the heartbreaking devastation of loss, the demonic zdusze is truly something out of a nightmare. The eyes are misshapen, the anatomy is deformed, and crawling motions are grotesque. It’s just as frightening as you think it would be to see the terrible things coming for you in the dark.
Similarly, while Welle and his henchman are ferocious, they are in a completely different manner. Ver established a mystical god that is as frightening and cruel as it is beautiful. The designs for Weles and his henchmen appear to be right at home in a thousand-year-old mosaic on the floor of an ancient temple. In this illustration, Eren’s artwork has shown a mastery of frightening characters.
The opposition between light and darkness is the source of this entire narrative. Ver used the splashes of yellow around the Old Woman to envelop her in a lonely glow that shrinks as she approaches the house.
The tension grows as the light and colour get smaller until they’re little more than a flickering candle on the verge of being snuffed. It’s an excellent illustration of restraint in colour use that increases rather than lessens the suspense.
In many panels, the Old Woman hears echoes and extensions of her own thoughts coming from the zdusze. The lettering by Campbell stands out for its depiction of murmurs emanating sourcelessly from the dark. The Old Woman is constantly hearing echoes and extensions of her own thoughts from the zdusze, as she frequently does in this series.
Those words hiss through the night in a way that, quite appropriately, reflects how the dark mocks your attempt to flee. The murmurs are effective and help establish a sense of hopelessness and dread.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts #4 is a haunting, sometimes heartbreaking, tale that reminds you a promise to a loved one can overcome the fear of the dark and even Death itself. Highly recommended.