Apr112007
My heartbreak knows no bounds
Filed under Uncategorized by teresa santoski at 12:37 pm
I picked up the first volume of "Return to Labyrinth", a continuation of the storyline of Jim Henson's 1986 film "Labyrinth." In summary, I feel like someone just punched my cat.
When I first heard they were releasing a manga-style graphic novel version of one of my favorite movies of all time, I was elated. David Bowie's character, Jareth, already looks like an anime villain in the movie, so I was looking forward to see how they would draw him in the manga.
I mean, he and Nakago from Fushigi Yuugi practically have the same hairstyle, so it should be easy, right?
So yes. Expectations were high, and there was no reason for them not to be. Fans can be picky, true, but as long as you have a talented artist designing the characters and a skilled writer handling the storyline, it should be impossible for the project to fail.
Well then, let's take a look. Looking at the cover of a graphic novel gives you certain expectations as to how the art inside will look, yes?
My thoughts were that the art would be akin to Godchild or Angel Sanctuary - very pretty characters with dark embellishments. However, if you read the fine print on the cover, the cover artwork is by one artist and the actual graphic novel is by another. The style of the graphic novel artist is more cartoonish, like Pokemon or Digimon.
I would have much preferred they use the same artist for the cover and the graphic novel - no matter which artist (okay, I would've prefered the cover artist) as long as the art was consistent throughout. It almost feels like they're trying to trick people into buying the book by making them think the art will be prettier than it is.
Before picking up the book, I was under the assumption that it would be a graphic novelization of the movie. It turned out to be a continuation of the storyline, which was fine with me. I always wondered what happened to Sarah and Jareth after the Labyrinth, and if they ever ran into each other again.
Well, this storyline focuses on what happened to Toby (Sarah's baby brother, who Jareth kidnapped at her request), and it also looks like it'll focus to some extent on a new character named Moppet.
In summary, Toby is now a teenager who's obsessed with an online role-playing game about goblins. He doesn't have much of interest in anything else or any real friends to speak of. I'm having a hard time warming up to him, personally. Maybe it would be easier if I played video games.
Unbeknownst to Toby, Jareth has decided to make him the heir to the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth and his goblins have been watching over Toby throughout his life, granting every single wish he makes, albeit in ways that are inevitably detrimental to Toby.
When a goblin steals his homework, Toby finds himself drawn into the Labyrinth, where he meets all kinds of strange creatures and discovers his heirship.
This isn't a bad storyline in and of itself, but it's disappointing when you were expecting something focusing on Jareth and Sarah.
Sarah has made a brief appearance so far. She's grown up and a teacher, and seems to have little use for the fantasy and adventure that used to be the focal point of her life.
Jareth has also appeared, once disguised as Toby's high school guidance counselor and also as himself, but he is less poised and intimidating and more froofy and tempermental.
This is where I'm disappointed with the writer. If you're continuing a storyline with well-established, much beloved characters, they need to act like themselves. They shouldn't do things that are out of character for them.
When the movie ended, Sarah had achieved a healthy balance. She realized that she couldn't live her life in a fantasy world, but that a certain amount of fantasy was appropriate and indeed necessary for everyday life. And now she's completely rejected all fantasy?
And Jareth - why has the Goblin King developed a proclivity for pretty-boy-hissy-fits? He was always cool and collected in the movie. Even when he was upset, he was still extremely calculating. He didn't need to have a tantrum to get his point across - all it took was a well-placed threat.
Characters have a life of their own. In order for a story to ring true, the writer needs to let the characters behave in ways that are true to them. If the writer is manipulative and tries to move the characters around according to the writer's own agenda, the story will not be believable.
This is not an easy task by any means, especially if you're up against deadlines. I can relate. I attempted, on one occasion, to write a character into a situation that wasn't natural for him. He pulled the mental equivalent of having a fit and locking himself in a closet. I couldn't do anything with him for a week, he was so uncooperative. So yes, it is a struggle.
It's up to the writer, however, to dive into all of that, to do what's right for the story instead of what's easiest for the writer. It's much easier to give into a stereotype or a cliche instead of stretching yourself to get those nuances of character. It's impossible to do perfectly, but I feel this writer could've given it a better shot.
This is, of course, only volume 1, but there are only two volumes to go. According to the web site for TokyoPop (which is publishing Return to Labyrinth), Sarah and Jareth will play a bigger part in the story later on, which could either be very fulfilling or very discouraging. I'm not confident that this story, as excellent a concept as it initially was, will be able to redeem itself.
If you made it through all of that, you deserve a treat. Sing along with Jareth as he performs Dance Magic.
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