Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation, Vol. 2

Jim Henson's Labyrinth (Archaia)

by Simon Spurrier, Ryan Ferrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrations)

The untold origin of the Goblin King from Jim Henson’s cult-classic film, Labyrinth.


As the clock ticks ever closer to the thirteenth hour, Maria struggles through the canals of the Labyrinth alongside her peculiar band of companions, wishing desperately to be reunited with her son. While she may be no closer to the Owl King’s castle, Maria begins to uncover the secrets of the Labyrinth and her own power within the walls of this magical domain. But from deep in the shadows, the Owl King watches her every move, plotting and waiting to bring her demise by any means necessary.

Written by Simon Spurrier (Jim Henson’s The Power of the Dark Crystal) and Ryan Ferrier (Kong on the Planet of the Apes) and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons) and Irene Flores (Heavy Vinyl), Labyrinth: Coronation Volume Two continues the bestselling prequel to one of Jim Henson’s most iconic creations.

Collects issues #5-8.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult, Graphic Novels Comics

112 pages, Hardcover

First published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't know why I didn't review this when I bought it and devoured it last year! Just love this trilogy, since Labyrinth is one of my all time favorite movies!

[freddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

CAWPILE rating: 4.57/10
STAR rating: ★★½

I think this is very much a case of 'this isn't necessarily objectively bad, I just don't like it all that much' to be honest. Not a huge fan of the backstory they've given Jareth, though the Owl King is cool and I enjoyed seeing the labyrinth arrange itself for someone else.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit to forgetting much of the story between the first and second volumes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ...but the artwork is detailed, the story action-packed, and I got a huge kick out of "Cible," the hot pink revolutionary caterpillar. Such a bizarre, creative, and humorous character--I hope she remains in the story.

[Mikala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay this had one of the BEST plot twists I've ever read! 😅👏

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This run just gets better and better from the first volume. There feels like there a growing depth to this universe and I'm left with a wondrous feeling of possibility for this world and a real connection to the characters. This book series took a strange and underrated film and managed to expand the mythos into something that feels compelling and highly readable. I can't wait for the final volume.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues to be an inventive and insightful expansion of the mythos of the original film, full of wit and whimsy. I'm sad it ends after the next volume.

[Mitticus · Rating 2 out of 5]

story -3
art - 2

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy seeing this new take on Labrynth, and the new and old characters. It's a good homage to the film while being fairly original.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The middle one is probably my least favorite. Things get more muddled and suddenly the the cowardly husband is involved again and we find out that the goblin who has been assisting Maria, might have some dark secrets that he is hiding. I like the little worm and that storyline, but there is just a lot of moving pieces to this story.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy cannoli. When I first picked up this series, I was worried it might ruin my childhood. And while it did not do that, it didn’t make it any better.

This is a story within a story. Most people picking up this read are children of Bowie who dreamed of joining him in the labyrinth as a goblin, or a Sarah to take their place beside Jareth as queen of the Underworld. The books pick up as Sarah enters the labyrinth to rescue Toby. One of the goblins who is tasked with caring for Toby decides to tell a story. A story of the great owl Goblin King and quest for a successor.

This story is quite different from the original Labyrinth story but feels very repetitive. Plus, you get now and then pages, and the now pages paint Jareth as an a$$hole. I don’t like him at all. In the movie he seems sexy, mesmerizing. Even to adult eyes 30 years later, I see the problems with the movie, but I fall under Jareth’s spell every time. Magic Dance is my bad day song. It can get me dancing and smiling every time. But in the print story Jareth is mean. You see some of it in how Jareth treats Hogle in the movie, but it is made 10x worse in the story for the goblin.

A baby has been taken by the Goblin King because the rich aristocratic father is afraid of the grandfather taking away his easy lazy life. But mom, a farmer barmaid will do anything for her son, including entering the labyrinth to bring back the stolen child. Her adventures in the Labyrinth are completely different than Sarah’s which is nice. And they are not as fun inducing. There are som new characters I really like, and others that are not bad, but they will never be Hoggle, Sir Diddimus, and Luto.

To be honest these stories were nice, but not great. I was left feeling ehhhh. Especially how book 3 ended. It was just a “what the heck” moment that just didn’t sit well. It didn’t retain the magic and the happy thoughts, and the realization of growing older and growing from a kid to an adult like the movie did. I used to think the graphic novel Return the the Labyrinth was ehh, but I can honestly say I liked those more than I liked them.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as Sarah accumulated her traveling party, so here does Maria. Except her party includes a sentient rose bush named Tangle and a rebellious worm, Cible, looking to liberate the Labyrinth. It's so fun. However, the framing device of Jareth and Bettlegum takes away from the pacing. Maria is finding herself and her bravery as she faces the nightmare of her ex-husband's psyche but the Owl King is always a few steps ahead of her.

One more volume to wrap it up!

[Stephanie Ridiculous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaving this review on all three volumes!

What a lovely little series. Some great characters, more information the Labyrinth, and a touching conclusion - with gorgeous art.

I do have a minor quibble with trying to humanize/redeem Jareth, but it's not enough to really take away my overall enjoyment of the series.

If you're a big fan of the movie definitely check these out!

[Amy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, if frustratingly brief, continuation of the story started in volume 1. It's only four issues collected, so it's a quick read. I continue to look forward to the conclusion of Maria and Jareth's story.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m hands down a Labyrinth fan since I was suuuuuper small. Haha
Reading these graphic novels explaining how Jareth came to be where he is, is riveting.
I’m not sure how many are in the series but I will continue to read them ❤️❤️

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

These comics I devour in a day. I love reading about the backstory of Jareth and the Labyrinth, but I just feel like the series is still.. lacking. The original story, the book based on the film, was infinitely better.

But then I’m a sucker for Jareth and Sarah. Labyrinth is my favourite film of all time ❤️

[Penelope (Penelope’s Picks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not gonna lie, this volume was a pretty big let down after having enjoyed the first so much. Alas, we can’t have everything, can we?

[Rebecca Dee Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great continuation from Vol One. I love this original story and how it is interwoven into the events of the movie. Cannot wait to see the conclusion in Vol Three.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I move the stars for no one...

[Shayshkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel compared to the first volume we moved at a much slower pace. Some of it felt repetitive, but I still love the story and characters. Cible is just, the, best.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has some very unique and sort of insane characters but what can you expect from the court of the goblin king.

[Sarah Hoov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series annoys me. It could be done in one graphic novel. I hate things that end in cliff hangers it makes me angry. If this wasn't a jim henson thing and based on his characters the cliff hangers would be a huge turn off and I would not bother picking up the other part of the series. But it is a really good stort cute. Not as brilliant as henson's story telling but its pretty good.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really good story, and I'm invested enough to be impatient waiting for the next installment to arrive at the library!
I'm really anxious to find out how Maria's determination fits in with what we (think we) know about Jareth.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars.

Invested in this second volume even though I didn’t love the first one simply because I’m on a Labyrinth kick, and at a $25 price point, I regret it a little bit.

It’s a lot more Alice in Wonderland than the movie, and while that concept is fun, this series kind of feels like someone took a concept they wanted to write and drew some Labyrinth characters into it and called it a day. They don’t seem to understand the world the film developed beyond reusing bits of it — the “ello” worm and the ballroom scene, notably — to keep fans interested. So many of the elements of Maria running the labyrinth are messy and confusing, with so much going on that it’s tough to really enjoy the stories or the characters. Goblin revolution? Magic chalk? What even?

I think I would have preferred it if they’d cut the prequel part entirely and just did a series on vignettes on what Jareth was up to while Sarah was running the labyrinth. That’s why people picked the book up; clearly they put Jareth on the cover of all three volumes for a reason, so it’s a serious let down that both volumes so far have somehow barely featured him *and* ruined his mystique all at once.

And speaking of that sparkle pigeon, the framework bits with Jareth contradict a lot of the timing/lore of the movie, and the authors seem to have mistaken his characteristic aloofness for cruelty. He insults Sarah repeatedly in favor of Maria, which is just a Bad Move if you’re trying to appeal to Labyrinth fans, and him repeatedly forgetting Beetleglum’s name just feels like a cheap imitation of the Hoggle bit from the film. The general perception of Jareth is that he’s sexy and mysterious, not blithering and nasty.

TL;DR: The characters are fun, and I want to know how it all ends, but I’ve read better fanfiction for Labyrinth, tbh.

[jess :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: the same review has been written for both volume 1 and volume 2 of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Coronation as I read them both in a single sitting. There is a third volume, however, I haven't yet been able to get my hands on it.
I haven’t really read any graphic novels/ comics so I’m a bit confused on how to format a review for them. However, I will start with the fact that I think the art within these is absolutely beautiful. The colours are so vibrant and they really capture the atmosphere of each scene. I also love how the background of scenes within the graphic novels that related to Jareth matched fairly similarly to the backgrounds in the movie. Maria is beautiful and I love how strong her character is. I am a bit confused about how her relationship with the Count works but I don’t feel it’s entirely affecting the plot so I’m cool with not knowing. I love the mirroring of Maria’s journey through the Labyrinth to Sarah’s; I like how both of them start with losing the baby and they both make friends along their journey. I think it’s pretty cool to see the similarities between them- perhaps this gives us an insight on why Jareth chose to give Sarah a chance to get Toby back, maybe he sees Maria within Sarah. I also think it’s interesting to know that Jareth was once in Toby’s place. Ooh! I absolutely adore that whilst Jareth is telling the story, we get little scenes of Sarah in the Labyrinth- I like that those haven’t been neglected. It’s cool to see how the artists have created a new Labyrinth too, it’s so different from the Labyrinth we know from the movie and I really do find that intriguing.
It’s so short and very fast to read. If you enjoyed Labyrinth and have the chance to pick this up, I definitely recommend you do!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know, I know, I am so biased when it comes to anything "Labyrinth" related. Obsessive, even (given that I have all of the individual comics as well as the hardback volumes collecting 4 each). But, I have to say that I loved this volume.
The artwork continues to be really good, with hints towards the original film (the character Cible here, has echoes of the worm that Sarah meets in the film, but with little differences). The two stories continue to work well together, with Jareth telling the story of his own mother and her journey into the labyrinth when he was a baby. As before, this means that you are able to see particular characters and scenes from the original film as Jareth narrates his tale. But I think, perhaps over this particular volume, the tone of the tale is becoming darker. This means that, whilst these comics could easily appeal to younger readers, there is also enough jeopardy to keep slightly older readers satisfied too (even if you're not quite so obsessed as I am).
I am certainly looking forward to finding out the climax of this tale. I am glad that I have comics 9 to 12, as the final hardback volume is out later this year. I would hate to have wait that long to see this story to its conclusion.

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the three prequel volumes after finishing the spinoff “After the Spell” collection. I am reviewing all three in one review, with the understanding that they are all part of one story cycle encompassing 12 parts in three volumes...

This was an interesting and illuminating prequel to the Labyrinth series, and tells the story about Jareth’s rise to become the goblin king. There are several new central characters, including a goblin knight, an animated rosebush that loves hugs, and a little worm that resembles the softspoken one when Jennifer first enters the Labyrinth in the film (but this little guy ends up having a much bigger role in the future of the Goblin Kingdom). In this we actually have a story that mirrors the film in a way that reframes and gives a platform to the events that are to come. There is a love story hinging on a betrayal, a character lost and wandering an unfair and confusing world against the clock, and of course, a massive war. Eventually the mirrors to the events of the film match up and it is clear to see where the goblin (and owl) king begin, embrace their anger and manipulation, and lead us to the world of Jareth and Jennifer.

The artwork is beautiful, and are a gorgeous echo in spirit and style to the original film. An enjoyable series as a whole if you are a fan of the original films. Not something I would go and read again, but a wholly fun adventure during the time I spent with it.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, that baby reminds me of a ba-[shepherd's crook yanks me off stage]

The secret origin of Jareth unfolds across twelve issues, told from the perspective of the Goblin King himself as we follow his mother through the labyrinth on a doomed quest to save her son in much the same way Sarah needed to save her brother in the movie.

The narrative was compelling enough to keep my interest over the twelve issues (I read everything in one go), and explores the labyrinth itself without rehashing any of the locations from the movie, while still feeling in line with the overall feel.

My favourite parts of this series were the way they weave into the overall narrative of the movie, with Jareth disappearing off to do bits and pieces before returning to the story he's telling, and the fact that, even if you think you know how this story ends, there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing anyway.

The artwork is all handled by Daniel Bayliss, who does an admirable job of capturing the locals of the labyrinth and our cast of weird and wonderful characters. He barely falters across the twelve issues, which is an achievement.

A solid addition to the Labyrinth world, paying homage without just straight up copying what went before.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation, Vol. 2 keeps you guessing from the start full of plot twists and rib breaking humour! The design of the characters works brilliantly tying in with the original look of labyrinth but also doing new things as well! The great art neatly weaves in with the story with brilliant world building and nods and winks from the Labyrinth movie brilliantly! The Owl King and his minion Septimus also have a great sense of humour applied to them that works brilliantly contrasting with the others! Filled with easter eggs and clever asides from the very start! You will be up late seeing how things work out in, the story is epic and full of humour that will have you flipping through the pages from the start with your ribs breaking from the humour and daring do! Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation, Vol. 2 is fun, dynamic full of mystery, humour daring do from Cible, Tangle, Kyla, Skubbin etc as they outsmart the Owl King! Brilliant and highly Recommended!

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

With vol1’s setup done Spurrier can jump right into the fantasy fun. Sir Skubbin the goblin knight cursed with an honorable spirit and Tangle the rambling, touchy-feely walking rose bush are back as lovable underdog sidekicks, plus Cible the homebody worm who aspires to be the populist rebel leader for a goblin class war gets added as well. Spurrier writes an imaginative middle chapter for all of them, and I’m excited to see what twists still remain to get to the where we know this prequel story is headed.

The art is still spotty with budget backgrounds and such at times, but they were less noticeable this time. Saga’s Fiona Staple still does the wonderful cover art, plus Monstress’s Sana Takeda does variant covers for each issue in her elaborate, radiant style.

“What sort of life’s a goblin got if he can’t even eat armpit fungus without payin’ a filth tax? It’s a crying shame!”

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second volume isn't quite as focused as the first, and the story feels like it's wandering and also chafing under its narrative requirements - the surrounding story of Jareth telling Toby and the goblin caretaker feels like they're trying to pull teeth to justify why it is continuing to be told.
Maria's story also seems to tread water a bit, although the introduction of Cible definitely adds a new element to the story. But much of the book is Maria being thwarted and betrayed, and it gets tiresome. At least the art is still strong. But this second volume definitely feels like a step down from the first.