Jim Henson Storyteller: Fairies #2
BOOM! Studios
Written by: Benjamin Schipper
Art by: Benjamin Schipper
I cannot say with any authority what the world was like when the Danes of old told the story of the Fairie Queen. It is true that I was not even familiar with the story before this issue reached my eyes. The Snow Queen (no, not Elsa in Frozen) is the only Danish fairytale I even know the title of. What I do know, is that the story told here is one our time needs. That is what makes fairy tales special, right? They are able to tell us stories that are almost universal. It does not matter the time or place that you read it, there is a good chance you will connect with its characters.
Benjamin Schipper does a great job at bringing this tale to life. With very little dialogue, Schipper brings us into
an ancient kingdom that has a fearsome ruler. We journey with this man as he learns that power and hate are not always the answer. With the help of the Fairie Queen, he finds ways to help those he once persecuted. Without even realizing it at first, the king goes from being angry to being mad. That is, being mad in a very good way. There is a lot that we can learn from this story.
The art, similar to the issue before this, is very simple and clean. It reminds me of fairy tale books of old. There is nothing to distract you from the message on the page. At the same time, it is surprisingly immersive. I could easily see these stories being done in a remake of The Storyteller. In my version, puppets and live-action actors would create the main story, and panels from this series would provide the cutscene segues.
What is your favorite fairy tale? Comment below or Tweet it to me.