Return to Labyrinth Volume 1 (v. 1) by Jake T. Forbes, Chris Lie
|
Our Price: $14.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.49 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Return to Labyrinth Volume 1 (v. 1)
Book Review: Really 3 and 1/2 stars, but I'm in a generous mood...
Summary: 4 Stars
When I learned that a sequel to my favorite movie was being made into a manga, I was overjoyed. I was very eager to see new life being breathed into a much loved part of my childhood, and I purchased the first volume of this series immediately. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.
When you first look at the book, you are immediately drawn in by the dazzling cover art. I know I was. I felt cheated however, when I opened it and discovered that a different, inferior artist was used for the rest of the book. The artwork isn't horrible; the backgrounds are highly detailed and nice-looking...the characters look mediocre though, and very amateurish in comparison to the cover.
I was also dissapointed in Sarah. In the conclusion of the film, as she stands on the threshold between childhood and adulthood, we are led to believe that even as she becomes a woman, she will retain her childlike sense of wonder and imagination. The manga however, finds Sarah taking a page out of Susan Pevensie's book and turning her back on her friends and her memories of the Labyrinth, telling Toby that one has to become an adult and stop living in fairy tales. Even when she assures Toby that she will be there for him if he should ever need her (just as Hoggle and the others did for her, all those years ago), she coldly informs him that he is old enough to do things on his own when he takes her up on her offer. Perhaps as the story progresses, we will find Sarah realizing the error of her ways and turning over a new leaf. As it stands now though, Sarah is very unlikable and I am deeply saddened at how much she has changed.
The manga does have some good points, though. While it revisits old characters, it also introduces us to new ones. There is Hana, a nasty, leather-clad, minature sword brandishing fairy whose wings have been ripped out as punishment for thievery and attempts to stab Toby as soon as they meet. There is the mysterious Queen of Cups who claims to be Jareth's fiancee and is vying with him for the throne, and her two daughters; a monstrously fat she-beast who devours everything in sight and an umbrella carrying goth girl with an ever-present raincloud hovering over her head at all times. And then there's Moppet, an underappreciated girl who works as a maid and seems to have a thing for Toby, and is (so far) never seen without her tengu-like mask. The addition of these new characters really flesh out the world of the Labyrinth and shed new light on old characters.
There was something I found a little confusing: A previous reviewer pointed out the homoerotic implications between Jareth and Toby. I must admit, I found that a little wierd, too. In both the movie and the manga, Jareth looks upon Toby as an adopted son, naming him his heir and even naming him after himself. But while Jareth acted in a paternal manner towards Toby in the film, he seemed rather flirtatious to him in the manga. I don't know if I should feel wierded out or intrigued by this. Oh, and the part where the goth chick with the raincloud asks Moppet to dance with her...that was pretty cool. They make a cute couple :)
In conclusion, while this manga may not be the greatest thing I've ever read and pales in comparison to it's predecessor, it's not horrible either. I am interested in seeing how everything pans out, and I will continue to purchase future volumes.
Book Review: It rates between a 4 and a 3 - Good, but dissapointing
Summary: 4 Stars
I expected Tokyopop to pull out all the stops with something as big as a sequel to the Labyrinth. After all, this wasn't a sequel done in the vein of film, so my expectations for a manga sequel had been high to begin with. Unfortunatley it's not that impressive.
The cover is a bit misleading, and lead me to believe that the rest of the book will be just as elegant and epic. Of course you find out when you open the book, the art style is not of whispy lines and haunting eyes. As I read on, the angular art began to register itself, although it never fully satisfied me. I kept thinking how much better it would be in color, when usually while reading manga I don't think that. Still, it's definitely not BAD. On the contrary, it's actually really good, but many levels below that of the cover and of most manga I've read. Part of the reason I dislike it is because they advertise this as manga, but it's a graphic novel, not manga.
The story drags quite a bit in the beginning. Toby is grown up, high school age I'm guessing, and things aren't going well for him. Everytime he wishes something, it happens, and this doesn't always bode well for Toby. Jareth it would seem has been keeping close watch on him, but Toby "doesn't need anyone's help." Upon saying those words, that's exactly what happens. He encounters the Labyrinth by chasing a goblin who stole his homework.
Some new characters are introduced fairly quickly and they're likeable I suppose, but only one character so far has a defined personality and that's Moppet. The others are just kind of ...there. All the characters from the previous film make an appearance - Sarah, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, Toby... For a few of those characters, given their dynamics in the film, it's surprising to see where they've ended up. That couldn't be more true than for Jareth. He's certainly having fun playing with Toby, I'll give him that, but there is an element of despair that was kind of apparent in the film but VERY apparant in this book. Bit depressing.
What I like about this sequel is that it expands upon the Labyrinth. It's monstrous with so many other places to be explored than what was shown in the film. A good thing is that this is one of the things the book takes into priority.
The story so far is suitable for a book. The film's story would translate badly into a graphic novel I honestly believe. With this book however, a lot of questions are raised that have been left unanswered. I'll definitely be continuing the series. With any luck, it'll perk up a bit by the second volume.
There's plenty of reasons to read this volume. If you're like me, and wanted to see more of the Labyrinth, your expectations will be slightly met but always wishing for something better.
Book Review: Not what I would have written, but...
Summary: 4 Stars
As mentioned, this is not what Labyrinth fans were expecting. However, isn't that in the spirit o f Labyrinth - "where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems" - itself? With this alone, in mind, "Return to Labyrinth" deserves to have each individual check it out before passing judgement.
In my own opinion, the greatest irritation I had with the book is the cover art- it was very decieving about what was inside. Nonetheless, Chris Lie still made the imagery come alive and drew me in. I also thank Jake T. Forbes for the character Moppet, who is incredibly intriguing and one I am (impatiently) waiting to know more about. It was also great to see the reapperance of Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Diddymus.
In summary, this is a work that should, literally and figuratively, not be judged by its cover. If you're a major fan or simply curious, peer over the book yourself and make up your own mind.
Book Review: Fun, but goes off the movie in the wrong way
Summary: 4 Stars
The book starts out telling of the previous story, then goes into the new one. The artistry, while odd, fits this type of story. Sarah's an old prune now, and the mother has pretty much become a real witch. Jareth seems to be on his last limb now, which is rather sad to see of a character such as him.
But what I mean about going off the movie the wrong way is, they're using parts from the film, but making it cheesy and the author didn't seem to want to try and think up more of his own ideas.
The odd thing is, even though it seems like I'm ripping this book apart, I was still laughing and couldn't put the book down. I'm still looking forward to the next one. Cause like I said, everything odd about this book is what makes "Labyrinth"...well, "Labyrinth" *lol*
Book Review: A great read for Labyrinth fans!
Summary: 4 Stars
I found about this books in Wikipedia when looking for something about the movie Labyrinth and found it intriguing enough to buy it. The book is 1 of 5 in a series. It is drawn in a Manga comic book style and is made by TokyoPop. The artwork is in black and white.
It begins to tell the story of Toby, the baby kidnapped in the movie. When Toby reaches the age when his stepsister was drawn into the Layrinth to rescue him, he begins to understand why certain things have been happening around him that are not entirely normal. I do not want to give too much away, but as you can guess, Jared, the Goblin King, is behind it.
If you are a die-hard fan of Labyrinth you should give this, and the rest of the books as they come out, a try.