Warning! Spoilers for Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Shapeshifters #1
The legendary Jim Henson is the inspiration behind an upcoming comic book based on the television show The Storyteller, titled The Storyteller: Shapeshifters. The four-issue miniseries is set to release next year with a new spin on the original show.
Prolific creator of The Muppets and The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson, has plenty of stories that haven’t received the recognition they deserve. While he has been known for his puppetry and world-building, Henson’s legacy is most modeled by the creators who took inspiration from his work. As new voices rise up across all storytelling mediums, Henson continues to receive credit by many writers and artists as a key source of influence.
Recently, BOOM! Studios announced that Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Shapeshifters will release in March 2022. Based on the Emmy Award-winning television series, the four-issue miniseries will continue in the same spirit, with each issue featuring a different creative team. The Storyteller: Shapeshifters #1 will be written by Andre R. Fratinno (Simon Says: Nazi Hunter) with art by Nori Retherford, colors by Kieran Quigley, and letters by Jim Campbell. Beginning the miniseries with the story of an ancient Celtic myth relating to “the swan Children of Lir,” each issue promises to be radically different from one another.
In the debut issue, a magic user named Dain conspires to take the throne from his brother-in-law, Lir. His plan involves turning Lir’s children into swans, giving himself the opportunity to rule in his place. Meanwhile, the oldest of the children, Fionna, is trying everything possible to break the curse. Other issues will feature stories expanding the Shapeshifters mythos from writers Darcie Little Badger (Elatsoe) and Deron Bennett (Quivote), with artists including Em Niwa, Alexandra Fastovets (Genu), and Bruka Jones (Perdita Aside), along with colorist James Fenner (The Sacrifice of Darkness). Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Shapeshifters #1 has released cover art by Mike del Mundo, with a variant cover by Mateus Manhanini.
The Storytellers is likely to captivate a similar audience to The Dark Crystal, which was revived by Netflix with critical acclaim. Although Henson’s hand isn’t in the BOOM! Studios iteration, the new creative teams promise to keep his essence in mind with their original tales set within the world that he initially envisioned. Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Shapeshifters begins in March 2022 with issues releasing in print and digital.
Source: BOOM! Studios