Four legendary rascals, each one more twisted than the last, inspired by Jim Henson‘s beloved television program.
Who is the most notorious troublemaker in history? Is it Anansi the King of Stories, or Eshu, the Nigerian trickster deity? Perhaps Thor’s bad-tempered brother Loki? Or Reynard the Fox, who has a sly way about him?
Discover these mythological tricksters and decide for yourself through the perspective of The Storyteller, who is telling his devoted dog… And you!
Tricksters from Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters are shown in four clever tales that teach us about the consequences of mischief-making.
Each one is based on a folktale from around the world and spoken in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved children’s show by some of today’s most exciting writers, including:
New York Times bestselling author Jordan Ifueko (Raybearer) and artist Erin Kubo (The Christmas Creature), Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author Amal El-Mohtar (This is How You Lose the Time War) with illustrations by Isa Hanssen, graphic novelist Robin Robinson (The City on The Other Side) and artist A.L. Kaplan (Full-Spectrum Therapy), and comic book writer Jonathan Rivera (Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye) and illustrator Jade Zhang.
View the complete library of The storyteller books.
Details
Title: Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters
Pages: 112 pages
Published: November 30, 2021
Publisher: Archaia
Language: English
Appropriate for ages: All ages
Contents
- Issue 1
- Issue 2
- Issue 3
- Issue 4
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters #1
Tricksters #1 is the first episode in a collection of books created by Jim Henson’s Storyteller: Tricksters. The tale begins with Anansi the Trickster God and explains why humans have markets. It begins in a place of desire and ends in a place of sharing knowledge.
To begin with, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters returns to a similar style as Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Ghosts, which was the show’s format in its first season. Our storyteller and his loyal companion i.e., man’s best friend, are introduced at the start of each tale. The dog detects an intruder. In the dog’s eyes, it is an undesirable visitor, but it provides a narrative opportunity about how stories start.
Something that has to be stated in a tale as old as this one begins this narrative. Humans, for example, may be considered less developed than stubborn animals. People do not exchange experiences because they don’t talk about it. Humans haven’t yet developed the communication abilities that allow them to express their feelings.
Instead, my thoughts drifted away up into the sky. There, Anansi, the trickster son of the sky god Nyame, sits waiting. He uses his spider-like form to create a web. Anansi the Spider’s father, Nyame, owns a large pot in which he keeps the ideas of individuals. Anansi’s father returns all of his new stories to the pot whenever his father, Nyame, has an excellent jar of marijuana.
The knowledge gained at the end of this journey gives Anansi a taste of the pleasure that comes from knowing. Throughout the narrative, Anansi’s talents as a trickster god are demonstrated. It begins when Anansi makes a plan to obtain the stories that his father keeps in the pot. The world, according to Anansi, has grown devoid of life.
He’s concerned that the addition may make his father’s household appear sluggish or drab, as well. Knowing that his dad does not want to sell anything so valuable, Anansi offers to buy it for them.
“My child can do anything,” exclaims Nyame. He is certain that his son can complete three daunting challenges if he has a chance to tell stories after completing three impossible tasks. These goals are more important than any of the riches Nyame has previously been offered.
To fulfil his father Anansi’s extravagant objectives, Anansi must capture three impossible beings. Onini is a huge python who lives in the jungle and is known as the greatest predator of all time. The second creature is a hornet named Mmoboro. The third is a forest dweller known as Mmotia.
In every scenario, Ntikuma, the eldest son of Anansi, is crucial to his success. The plots devised by Anansi to capture each legendary creature should not be revealed here. Instead, the reader should pay attention to the bright explanations and descriptions. Furthermore, there are fantastic teachings that shed light on Anansi’s thirst for knowledge.
Anansi advises his son in one instance. “It is excellent to be brave, my child. And it’s wonderful to have self-esteem, but when the two are combined, you must exercise extreme caution,” he states.
When Anansi, for all of his pride and ability to deceive others, becomes so engulfed with hubris that he has acquired the power of what he bought from his father, there is much delight. When he drinks the potion, he becomes intoxicated.
Ntikuma, the spider-godling, may have perished there. Ntikuma, however, arrives on the scene and together they discover greater riches beyond the tales. The Moon is one of them. Anansi makes a decision. One person’s experience is meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
He develops a creative method to communicate them instead. And to make things even more difficult, this approach of delivery ensures that everyone receives pieces of knowledge, but no one can ever take it all in.
Juan Rivera and Jade Zhang employ excellent narration and creative choices in this TV film. These two energies draw brilliant new possibilities out of a tale as old as time. The letters of Jim Campbell, which serve as a link between the two myths, are also important. The voices of the Storyteller, Anansi, Ntikume, and Nyame join together in his writings.
More tricksters may yet be unearthed. Their legacies and influence are entrusted to the knowledgeable skills of a Storyteller, his dog, and a group of conscientious innovators.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book. While the issue length will not compete with that of Tolkien, the entire tale is intriguing and coherent. I would suggest this to individuals who are searching for something different to mix up their daily reading habits.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters #2
Jordan Ifueko scripted The Storyteller: Tricksters #2, which is illustrated by Erin Kubo and lettered by Jim Campbell. Archaia is the publisher of this second-edition anthology series. It’s part of BOOM! Studios’ Archaia line. In this narrative, a strange woman seeks refuge from the rain in The Storyteller’s home and tells him an Orisha trickster Eshu tale.
I applaud the lady who’s telling this tale from beginning to end for not being a storyteller during this evening’s storytelling session. He begins by inviting her to join him in telling one, but she swiftly cuts him off and has him and his dog learn the sections they must perform in her narrative, the way her people like to tell stories as a group.
I enjoy this because it breaks up the formula and, more significantly, because I’d rather hear a tale told in the voice and style of the storyteller than someone else’s. It’s a clever narrative technique that allows me to give this tale an honest voice in a way I wasn’t aware I was lacking in issue 1.
The plot is a little hard to follow at first, owing to the fact that it is told across several tales within one bigger tale, all nested inside a framing device. In addition, I appreciate that the subject allows readers to hear several smaller Yoruba tales in their own language.
Both books offer additional context and, as a result, inspire readers to learn more about Eshu and the other Orishas. The conclusion of the main narrative is quite optimistic. I was pleased and grinning after both the tale about Eshu and Lolla, as well as the frame story with The Storyteller.
The Storyteller: Tricksters #2 continues the excellent art from the previous book. The characters are extremely well-detailed, particularly their hair and clothing. The tales within the tales are also presented in a simple, cartoonish style that has a lot of similarities to watching a cartoon. The colouring is done in such a way that many panels are covered with a single colour, which is most often used to represent flashbacks, daydreams, or interludes within the narrative.
Although there appears to be no rhyme or reason for which colour is used on a particular page, it still works pretty well in a book with little colour contrast. Despite the fact that Eshu is based on an actual Yoruba deity, he has some modifications. He is more mysterious and ghostly than most gods in The Stories of Ogun because his appearance was drawn with a dark cape and thick lines and no colour.
Eshu’s black text boxes are a perfect match for his dark and gloomy demeanour, as seen in the logo. Because this is a frame narrative that tells several tales within its primary tale, there are times when several different sorts of text boxes take up a lot of space, and it’s sometimes difficult to figure out whose voices belong to whom.
The Storyteller: Tricksters, Volume 2 is another excellent addition to this anthology series about the world’s trickster gods. It’s a bit difficult to follow, but its message is as good as it gets.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters #3
Tricky tricksters are back in the third issue of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters, an anthology series written by Amal El-Mohtar with art by Isa Hanssen and Sonny Liew, lettering by Jim Campbell, and released by BOOM! Studios imprint Archaia. Each episode of this series is based on the Jim Henson film The Storyteller, which tells the tale of a different trickster from all around the world.
Storytellers: Tricksters #3 is distinguished by its gorgeous storybook appearance, which sets it apart from the preceding instalments. The artwork is a cartoon style that evokes Mother Goose in the greatest way possible. The characters’ appearances and clothing are intended to be storybook and soothing, from the look of things.
The vine-and-flower border around several of the panels is an excellent design motif that perfectly emphasizes the comic’s visual style. In reality, I’m not sure if it would be as appealing were it not for these boundaries. In general, the way the panels are overlaid on top of full-page backgrounds helps to capture the tone of a storybook.
The tale is a classic fairy tale sort of narrative. If there was ever a trickster, it’s Reynard the Fox. He has a quarrel with Stork, who scolds him about his financial success. So, naturally, Reynard set out to prove Stork wrong and began cheating the people of the town. It’s a whole tale about deception, honesty, and the repercussions thereof.
I found the comedy of the script and the telling of the tale as a whole to be quite amusing. Thank you for this analysis, as it brought me back to the beginning of my reading journey and helped define who I am today. This kind of anthology is ideal for introducing people to many different cultures and their stories, and it succeeded wonderfully because I swiftly Googled Reynard to learn more about his experiences.
The animation was also very charming, and the music was fantastic. It is an exciting action tale that I’m sure will delight readers of all ages. The plot was simple, yet it had a number of twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. It was a clever method to convey a variety of messages using the same tale. The framing narrative in this tale was somewhat perplexing.
The frame story was largely characterized by the presence of a frame. It was uncertain where the scene occurred, if it was meant to relate to Reynard’s narrative and whether it did so in any way. I was taken aback by how the previous tale ended up being told by someone other than The Storyteller, and whose own experience it was.
Although the frame tale may have been set in the Middle East or Central Asia, Reyndard’s stories occur in Western and Central Europe. That is a fantastic summary. I concur. The problem was not diminished by it, but I still want to see more connection between the frame and the rest of the narrative, as in previous issues. I did like getting out of the old guy’s house, though.
The Storyteller: Tricksters #3 from Jim Henson’s The Muppets has an incredible visual design and style. The colourful and creative borders and backgrounds, as well as the use of such light and pleasant colours, drew me in. It adds much to the tale, turning a straightforward narrative into a children’s book that is completely appropriate for the anthology.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters #4
In Chapter 2, we saw how expert storytellers like Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Tricksters #4 know that a tale told once is priceless. The tale of how Loki aids Thor in looking for his lost hammer is told with a fresh emphasis on new information and perceptions.
This tale, which was previously featured in Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology series, is reminiscent of fans of the book. The way the author presents the issue is different. In this version, Loki finds a hungover Thor groaning with a headache while complaining about his hangover.
After dealing with the Avengers, Thor discovers that he can’t locate his mythical Mjolnir. Now, Thor requires Loki’s assistance in locating it. He also needs the trickster’s discretion so that news of his irresponsibility does not spread.
To assume the shape of a falcon, Loki steals Freya’s cloak in some versions. In this narrative, Loki uses the promise that he will look for Freyja’s stolen necklace to persuade her to lend her magic cloak. Freyja agrees, and off Loki goes.
Freyja is frequently depicted as restless and bored, amused by Thor’s lost hammer, and a chatterbox. When Loki leaves, Freyja informs her brother Freyr, who tells Tyr, who then enlightens Blind Hod.
The king of the Giants, Thrym, is the source of the misplaced Mjolnir. The only option he has to get his hammer back is if Freyja agrees to marry him. Loki’s eyes gleam mischievously as he vows to bring Freyja back. Thor, in Norse Gods, has a beard. In this version, Thor is clean-shaven (toot) in Norse mythology, the god of thunder was known as Thunderer.
Loki promotes Thor to his uncle on the notion of dressing up, with a masquerade mask and Freyja’s beautiful necklace. The end result is more than either of the brothers could have imagined. It turns out, though, that once Thor has eaten and drunk his fill, the pair understands it’s near time to go. But before they can start wreaking havoc on the Giants, Freyja arrives with fighters in tow.
Freyja’s fury is impossible to discern, with Thor donning her necklace or the Giants confusing Odinson for the Norse Queen. For one thing, Thor is self-assured, knowing that he looks fantastic in her necklace. All is well that ends well, as Thor gets his hammer, Freyja receives her necklace, and Loki retains his feathered garment. The good news is that this isn’t where the tale ends.
A story filled with self-discovery and humour, like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The protagonists are imperfect and prone to mischief. The pictures are designed to provide a backdrop for the imagination, as well as tell a narrative with the actors’ actions and Asgard as a setting.
The legends surrounding Thor, Freyja, Loki, and the Aesir pantheon are brought to life with A.L. Kaplan’s interpretation in this delightful book. The companions’ comical characteristics and interactions, as well as their relationship, are entertaining.
Thor’s fat belly, Loki’s red hair and pointed nose, and Freyja’s repose before action all make me chuckle. Their collaboration will bring joy to readers’ faces and hearts.