Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons #1 Review- A Story for All

Review by Nolan P. Smith

(Victor Valley)— Last year, Boom Studios via their Archaia Entertainment imprint brought the world an extension of the popular Storyteller from Jim Henson’s imagination with Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Witches. The four issue series took on different takes of witches- some good, some evil, and all entertaining. This year, the Storyteller series is back with a different focus, this time being the long storied dragons.

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons #1, as all Storyteller issues are, focuses on one, stand-alone story, as told by the well known Storyteller himself with his trusty dog. This time, the story focuses on a sea serpent with “Son of the Serpent”. Inspired by Native American tales of the Horned Snake and the Thunderbirds, we see this world through the eyes of father and son fishermen that come face to face with the threatening Horned Snake. We see how the two face off against this majestic beast, how the Thunderbirds fit into the story, and how strong the bond is between father and son.

Written by Fabian Rangel Jr. (Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard), the story is extremely well done. The simple, to the point tale is something I feel all ages could read, understand and more importantly, enjoy. The story of the nameless father and son duo resonates with humanity as they encounter these mythical beasts. Artist Daniel Bayliss (Translucid) creates an amazing landscape here: his designs for the Horned Snake and the Thunderbirds are simply amazing, as these beasts are so vibrant, yet so graceful, it’s amazing. I absolutely love the artwork, and I wish this story, or at least stories in this world, would continue on and on.

I loved the first series of Storyteller with Witches, and with the debut book for Dragons, I am absolutely floored: this is a simple, yet thoroughly effective story, one that possess that magic known for works with the Henson name attached to it. Once again, Boom’s Archaia imprint has created another modern day classic, setting the bar high for the following issues. Dragons is a must read for all ages- you will not be disappointed.

Rating: 5 out of 5. A story of mythical proportions, literally.