More of the Henson Library Comes to iTunes

Last month The Jim Henson Company launched their content on iTunes. The intial launch brought the first season of "Fraggle Rock" (24 episodes) and the first season of "Farscape" (22 episodes) to the iTunes Store. You can purchase individual episodes or download the entire season. The company has recently released the subsequent season for each of these two programs, plus two classic Henson Company feature films.

the entire second season of "Fraggle Rock" (24 episodes) and the complete second season of "Farscape" (22 episodes) are now available for purchase via iTunes. Additional two classic Jim Henson feature films - "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" - can also be downloaded from the iTunes Store as well.

The Jim Henson Company plans to continue to release more titles from their vast video libray through iTunes in the near future. I'll keep you updated as more titles become available.

Labyrinth Anthology Series Coming From Tokyopop

Tokyopop made a big announcement at WonderCon this past weekend that is sure to delight fans of Jim Henson's classic fantasy film "Labyrinth". As you may know, the company is currently producing the "Return to Labyrinth" manga series, an epic four-part sequel to the 1986 film. The third installment in the series will be released in November 2008, and the final volume is planned for release in the fall of 2009. Well, the company is now beginning work on a second series of original "Labyrinth" graphic novels - planned to debut in March 2009!

Tokyopop is working with the Jim Henson Company to produce an original anthology series featuring a collection of independent stories based in the world of "Labyrinth". The mangas will include prequels and sequels (and possibly even mid-quels) to the events of "Labyrinth" and "Return to Labyrinth". Each book will tell a story focusing on a different character or element within the world of the Labyrinth - such as Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, the Fierys, the Junk Lady, and even Jareth the Goblin King. While the number of volumes in this series has yet to be determined, the series will feature a large range writing styles and artistic sensibilities, as each story will be produced by different writers and artists. Jake Forbes, author of "Return to Labyrinth", has revealed that he will be writting a story for the series that shows how Jareth became the goblin king.

The first installment in the anthology series is planned for release in March 2009. I will be sure to keep you updated on this new manga series, and the final installments of "Return to Labyrinth", as soon as more information becomes available.

Dark Crystal Action Figure Coming from NECA (Plus More Labyrinth)

Fans of "The Dark Crystal" will be excited to hear that they will soon be able to own their very own Skesis action figure! NECA has announced plans to release an action figure of SkekSil, the Skesis chamberlain, under their "Cult Classics" banner. The figure is expected to be released later this year.

Fans of Jim Henson's "Labyrinth" may be familiar with NECA's work; the company released two Jareth the Goblin King figures last year – a 7-inch action figure in April and a 12-inch talking figure in September. The company has been planning a third "Labyrinth" release, and the latest "Labyrinth" action figures have finally arrived. The highly-anticipated Jareth and Hoggle box set was released this week at Toy Fair in New York and the initial shipments should be hitting stores within the next month – you can already pre-order the set from several online retailers.

I will be sure to keep you all posted as more news on these exciting "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" action figures as things develop.

Tokyopop Talks Henson at WonderCon

Tokyopop will be holding a special panel at WonderCon in San Francisco focusing on their successfully line of Henson-based mangas – "Return to Labyrinth" and "Legends of the Dark Crystal". The panel will include Tim Beedle (editor of both series) and Jake Forbes (author of "Return to Labyrinth"). The event will be held on Saturday, February 23rd from 4:30-5:30pm. Beedle and Forbes will be there to answer questions and talk about the origins and development of the series plus give insight on where they are going. I've been told that they will have also some awesome "Legends of The Dark Crystal" posters, and will be giving away some special signed items as well – plus I'm sure there will be some other surprises too.

I have been told that the third installment in the four-part "Return to Labyrinth" series is tentatively planned for a November 2008 release. Tim Beedle has said that takes about a year to produce each volume when you factor in all the time it takes to develop, write, illustrate, and get all the nessesary approvals from The Jim Henson Company.

I will be sure to keep you updated on the future of both series as soon more information surfaces. And if you are a fan of "Return to Labyrinth" or "Legends of the Dark Crystal" and you are planning on attending WonderCon, be sure to check in with the folks from Tokyopop.

More Henson Plushes from ToyVault in '08

Last year ToyVault Inc. acquired licenses to produce plush dolls and collectibles based on two Jim Henson classics - "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth". The first products in each of these lines were released earlier this year – a plush Fizzgig from "The Dark Crystal" and a plush Sir Didymus from "Labyrinth". Since the debut of these two products the fans have been wondering whether or not they can expect more fantasy world collectibles from ToyVault, and when any more products would be rolling out.

I contact ToyVault to find out about the future of these two lines, and was told that they have a slew of new products planned to roll out in 2008. The fine folks at ToyVault provided me with a glimpse at their tentative 2008 release schedule and a list of the Henson-themed items fans can expect to see. The release dates and specifics have not all been locked-in yet and things could always change, but here is a sneak-peak at some of the products ToyVault is currently working on and planning to release in2008.

Dark Crystal:
• Dark Crystal Pillow
• Plush Jen (with rotocast vinyl head)
• Plush Kira (with rotocast vinyal head)
• Plush Augrah
• Plush Mystic
• Plush Landstrider
• Plush Fizzgig Hand Puppet
• Plush Pod People

Labyrinth
• Plush Fiery
• Plush Goblin
• Plush Ludo
• Plush Hoggle
• Plush Didymus with Ambrosius
• Hangable Plush Door Knockers
• Ludo Plush Slippers

An Interview with TOKYOPOP's Tim Beedle

Adding our collection of exclusive interviews, we are proud to present a special question-and-answer session with TOKYOPOP's editor Tim Beedle.

Back in 2005, The Jim Henson Company announced that they were teaming up with TOKYOPOP to produce original graphic novels based on two of Henson's beloved fantasy films - The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The first installment of the highly-anticipated "Return to Labyrinth" manga was released in last year, and the second volume hit stores earlier this month. The first volume of the "Legends of the Dark Crystal" series, entitled "The Garthim Wars", will be released on November 13th.

Tim Beedle serves as the editor of both of these Henson-based manga series. Tim has been leading the team on "Legends of the Dark Crystal" since the beginning and he recently came to helm the "Return to Labyrinth" series as well. Tim was able to shares some great behind-the-scenes insights and gives readers a "sneak peak" at what they can expect to see in these graphic novels. You can find the interview in our article section, or you can jump to it directly via the link below.

We would like to extend a great big "thank you" to Tim for taking the time to answer our questions and give the fans an inside "scoop" on these exciting extensions of the worlds of Jim Henson.

- An interview with Tim Beedle -

Henson's Fantastic World Opens in Arkansas

"Jim Henson’s Fantastic World", an exciting new traveling exhibit, opened today at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. The exhibit gives an in-depth look at the imagination and creations of Jim Henson. Assembled by The Jim Henson Legacy and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World" is making the Arkansas Arts Center its initial stop before continuing on a four-year national tour.

"Jim Henson’s Fantastic World" is the most comprehensive Henson exhibit to date. The exhibit is filled with original puppets, drawings, props, artwork, storyboards, photographs, videos and other rare artifacts from the Jim Henson archives.

After exploring the "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World" exhibit, visitors of the Arkansas Arts Center will also get a chance to try puppetry first hand. On Saturdays and Sundays during the stay of "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World’s", professional puppeteers will be on site teaching performance techniques and leading impromptu puppet shows.

Also in conjunction with the "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World" display, Little Rock’s Market Street Cinema is hosting a Jim Henson Film Festival. Three films are to be shown on the big screen throughout October: "The Dark Crystal" (on October 11th at 7pm), "The Muppet Movie" (on October 18th at 7pm) and "Labyrinth" (on October 25th at 7pm).

The "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World" exhibit will be in Arkansas until November 25th, before heading to the Arizona Museum for Youth in Mesa, Arizona (where it will open on December 15th). For more information on the Arkansas Arts Center visit their website at ArkArts.com; and be sure to check out this page for the exhibit’s complete tour schedule.

"Return to Labyrinth: Volume 2" Details

As many of you may be aware, the second installment in the "Return to Labyrinth" series is expected to hit store shelves on October 9, 2007. Aside from just sharing the cover art for “Volume 2” with you, I've also been given a copy of the official book summary for volume 2 (spoiler warning!).

Return to Labyrinth: Volume 2
Still reeling from the announcement that Jareth has handed over control of the Labyrinth to Toby, the Goblin Kingdom is in an uproar. Panjan Spittledrum, the Goblin Mayor, had assumed that he would be Jareth's successor, as had the coldly beautiful Mizumi, Queen of the Moraine Kingdom. Both vow to assist Toby in his preparation for assuming the Goblin throne, but can such a power-hungry pair be trusted?

The 192-page graphic novel is already available to pre-order from many online retailers, with a list price of only $9.99. Details on the third, and final, volume have not been released yet, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted as I get more information.

Jareth the Goblin King Talks!

Back in April NECA released a beautiful Jareth the Gobin King action figure. And last week I reported about the company's upcoming second Jareth figure (with a different wardrobe and with a Hoggle figure pack-in) that will be coming out later this fall. Well, there is a third Jareth collectible coming from NECA as well.

This fall, NECA will release another variation of the lord of the Labyrinth - and this time he talks! Jareth is getting the grand treatment with an extra large 12-inch collectable talking action figure. Jareth will come with a crystal ball accessory and an alternate hand (so you can switch his pose between an open hand or a closed fist). The talking figure says seven phrases from the classic fantasy film.

Phrases:

"Go back to your room, play with your toys and your costumes."

"I've brought you a gift, its a crystal, nothing more. But if you turn it this way and look into it, it'll show you your dreams."

"But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl."

"Do you want it?"

"Don't defy me."

"You have 13 hours in which to solve the labyrinth."

"It's further than you think, time is short."

You'll be able to find the talking Jareth action figure on store shelves (or in stock at online retailers) this September. I'll keep you posted with details on all the Labyrinth and Jim Henson collectibles as updates become available.

Second Jareth Figure Coming this Fall

Early this spring, NECA produced an action figure of Jareth the Goblin King from Jim Henson's fantasy film Labyrinth. The wonderful action figure hit retailers in April - and if you haven't picked up your Goblin King, be sure to order yours today!

As reported earlier, NECA is planning to release yet another Jareth figure along with a Hoggle figure. The second Jareth figure is planned for release this fall. The figure will be sold as a stand-alone figure at select retailers in addition to being sold in a deluxe box set including the highly anticipated Hoggle figure and a collectable diorama base. An image of NECA's second Jareth figure was featured in this month's ToyFare magazine.

I will be sure to keep you posted as more information on NECA's Labyrinth coverage as things develop.

A very special thanks to Squigiman for providing the magazine scan.

Henson Collection Moves to Atlanta

The Henson family and the Jim Henson Foundation have announced that they are donating a large collection of Jim Henson artifacts — everything from hundreds of original puppets to sketches and artwork — to Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts.

The 29-year-old center will house between 500 and 700 Henson pieces in a wing named for the beloved puppeteer as part of a new building scheduled to open in 2012. One of the original Kermit the Frog puppets is already on display at the center, and a series of smaller exhibits from the larger collection will rotate through the center until the new space opens. In September, the center will get Rowlf, Swedish Chef and Dr. Teeth puppets as part of an exhibit focusing on the characters that Henson operated himself. The center also will display characters from "Sesame Street", "Fraggle Rock", "The Dark Crystal", "Labyrinth", "Sam and Friends", and other Henson works.

"People will be able to come to Atlanta and immerse themselves in the life and career of Jim Henson in a way that cannot be replicated anywhere else," said Vince Anthony, founder and executive director of the center.

The Center for Puppetry Arts was offered the Henson Foundation archive because of its long history with the Jim Henson Company. Jim Henson cut the ribbon at the center’s opening in 1978 alongside Kermit and Miss Piggy (dressed as Rhett and Scarlett), and the center’s collection already includes the Pigs in Space from "The Muppet Show."

The institution is "the prime center of puppetry arts in the country and really has been for a long time," said Eileen Blumenthal, a professor of theater arts at Rutgers and author of the book Puppety, a World History.

Cheryl Henson, co-CEO of the Jim Henson Company and daughter of Jim Henson, stated in a press release that: "We are delighted the Center for Puppetry Arts will make it possible for the public to see and experience the full breadth of this extraordinary work that reaches across generations and countries to touch everybody."

Feel free ot visit puppet.org for more information on the Center for Puppetry Arts and this momentous and Muppetational gift.

Henson at Comic-Con

The annual San Diego Comic-Con is gearing up for their 2007 convention. The four-day event is being held in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. The event will be running from July 26th to 29th and the Jim Henson Company is planning to attend with a host of special appearances and presentations.

The Jim Henson Company will be at Comic-Con talking about some of their exciting projects currently in the works. The special presentation will be on Friday, July 27th from 4:15-5:45pm. Topics and presentation will focus on "The Skrumps", "Puppet Up! Uncensored", the Henson Digital Performance Studio, new merchandise, fantasy world mangas and much more!

Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, Craig Bartlett and John Chandler will be at Comic-Con to showcase the Henson Company's newest gang of characters, "The Skrumps". The group will talk about the upcoming production and will give a live demonstration of the revolutionary technology that brings this animated troupe to life. Also featured in the Henson appearance will be a live performance of sketch comedy from the company's stage show "Puppet Up! Uncensored" with Patrick Bristow, Julianne Buescher, and Michelan Sisti.

The company will also be at the convention to talk about and promote a bunch of new products - including new DVD releases of "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth", new collectible toys, the new "Legends of The Dark Crystal" manga series, the next installment of "Return to Labyrinth" and more! On Saturday July 28, TOKYOPOP and the Jim Henson Company will hold a presention on "Legends of the Dark Crystal" and "Return to Labyrinth". Writer Barbara Randall Kesel, artist Heidi Arnhold, editor Tim Beedle, and head of children's television for the Jim Henson Company Halle Stanford will preview and discuss the upcoming "Dark Crystal" series. Joining them will be Jake Forbes, author of the "Return to Labyrinth" manga, who will be on hand to discuss the upcoming volume of the successful "Labyrinth" sequel

So if you are planning to attend Comic-Con be sure to check out the Henson Company presentations. And if you don't make it out to San Diego, you can be sure that we'll share a full run-down of Henson news that comes out of the convention later this month.

DVD Details for Henson Anniversary Editions

A few days ago I reported that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be releasing deluxe "Anniversary Edition" DVDs of "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" on August 14, 2007. These classic Jim Henson fantasy film are each presented on two-discs and will feature film transfers from newly restored high definition film masters and will comes complete with all-new audio commentary tracks and hours of newly created bonus features. Below are a listing of the disc features.


The Dark Crystal - 25th Anniversary Edition

Disc 1:
• "The Dark Crystal" (2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen)
• English and Japanese Dolby-Digital 5.1 surround sound
• English, French and Japanese subtitles
• Feature-length audio commentary by Brian Froud

Disc 2
• "The World of Dark Crystal": The original 1982 making-of documentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Original Work Print Scenes
• Character Drawings & Designs
• "Reflections of the Dark Crystal": Two all-new behind-the-scenes documentaries that include rediscovered footage from the Henson archives and newly recorded interviews with the people who created The Dark Crystal (including David O’Dell, Dave Goelz, Katheryn Mullen, Brian Froud, Brian Henson, Jane Gootnick, Mira Velimorivic and others).
• ...and much more!

Other Specifications:
• Special lenticular packaging
• Release Date: August 14, 2007
• Suggested Retail Price: $24.99

Labyrinth - Anniversary Edition

Disc 1:
• "Labyrinth" (2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen)
• English and Japanese Dolby-Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
• Portuguese Stereo Sound
• English, French, Japanese and Portuguese subtitles
• Feature-length audio commentary by Brian Froud

Disc 2
• Ïnside the Labyrinth": The original 1986 making-of documentary
• Drawings & Designs
• "Journey Through the Labyrinth": Two all-new behind-the-scenes documentaries that include rediscovered footage from the Henson archives and newly recorded interviews with the people who created Labyrinth (including George Lucas, Brian Henson, Brian Froud, Karen Prell, Dave Goelz, Mira Velimorivic, Gates McFadden, Toby Froud, Jane Gootnick and others).
• ...and much more!

Other Specifications:
• Special lenticular packaging
• Release Date: August 14, 2007
• Suggested Retail Price: $24.99

DVD Box Art for Henson Anniversary Editions

Yesterday I told you all about the 2-disc "anniversary editions" of "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" (restored, remastered and loaded with tons of new extras). These two DVD sets will be released on Tuesday, August 14, 2007. Well, Sony has now released the cover art for these two upcoming DVD sets which will come in special lenticular packaging. I'm still waiting to hear back on the full and complete run-down of detailed disc features, but until then enjoy these awesome packaging images. I'll keep you posted with more information as I get it.

"Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" Anniversary DVDs!

2007 marks the 25th anniversary of "The Dark Crystal" and the 21st anniversary of "Labyrinth". As reported earlier, The Jim Henson Company and Sony Home Entertainment are planning to celebrate the occasions with all-new two-disc DVD releases of each film – restored, remastered and loaded with goodies!

You will once again be able to experience the mystical realm of imaginative creatures, fantastical journeys, and the epic battle between light and dark with "The Dark Crystal 25th Anniversary Edition" DVD. This special 2-disc anniversary edition will hit stores on August 14, 2007 and will feature a brand new high-definition film transfer. Bonus features include audio commentary by Brian Froud, hours of previously unreleased footage from the Henson archives and all-new "Reflections on The Dark Crystal" featurettes that include new brand new interviews with writers and performers - including as David O’Dell, Brian Froud, Brian Henson and many others. Full disc details are expected to be released soon with the full rundown of features and extras.

Viewers will once again be treated to a place "where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems" with the "Labyrinth Anniversary Edition" DVD (also available on August 14, 2007). This 2-disc collector's edition DVD will include more than 60-minutes of all-new featurettes which will feature brand-new interviews with the film’s creators, puppeteers, and others behind the magic – including George Lucas, Brian Henson, Brian Froud, Karen Prell, Dave Goelz, Toby Froud and many others. Aside from the new featurettes, the DVD set will also include an astounding array of recently rediscovered footage, a new high definition transfer of the film, audio commentary by Brian Froud, new stylized packaging, and much much more!

The full disc details and bonus feature listing, along with cover art, for each of these releases is expected to surface soon. I will keep you posted with all the details on these highly anticipated 2-disc DVD releases as the information is released.

"Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" Revisited with New DVDs

Brian Froud's official website reports that Froud participated in recording full-length audio commentary in February for brand-new DVD editions of "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth". Froud served as creature and conceptual designer for both Henson fantasy films, and is greatly responsible for the look, tone and feel of the characters and worlds seen in the Dark Crystal and the Labyrinth.

Not much is known about these DVDs at this point, aside from these new audio commentary tracks (and some stray rumors of the films recently undergoing some image and sound restoration). However it has been confirmed that these new fully-loaded DVDs are set to be released by Sony Home Entertainment later this year. So start saving up now so you can scoop up these exciting new DVD releases as soon as they hit store shelves. I will keep you posted with more details on disc features, release specifications and the release dates as soon as Sony makes them public.

NECA Labyrinth Update

As reported earlier, NECA has produced an action figure of Jareth the Goblin King from Jim Henson's fantasy film Labyrinth. The wonderful action figure hit retailers just over a month ago. If you haven't picked up your Goblin King, be sure to order yours today!

But aside from Jereth, NECA has also been planning to release a Hoggle action figure and several goblins to accompany the goblin king. NECA has given fans an update on the status of these future Labyrinth figures. A NECA representative just stated that "Hoggle is coming in a boxed set probably in early 2008." NECA has said that more information on the figures will be made public at Comic-Con in July, but until the company plans to keep the details under wraps.

I'll keep you posted as more information on NECA's Labyrinth coverage develops, but until then enjoy the Jareth figure that's already available.

Update on NECA's Labyrinth Figures

As reported earlier, NECA is working on several Labyrinth themed action figures - namely Jareth the Goblin King. That action figure is tentatively lined-up for release next month. And for those interested, pictures and pre-orders are up around the web.

But aside from Jereth, NECA also is planning to release a detailed Hoggle action figure to accompany the Goblin King. The figure is planned for release this spring as well. Also in development (not sure on where, when, or how they will be released) are a host of goblins from the film. Approximately six unique goblin figures based on specific characters from the film are currently in the works. NECA is still looking at when and how they will release them, but plans are to release these goblins later in 2007.

NECA will be at Toy Fair in New York next week (February 11-14) and both the Jereth and Hoggle figures will be on display. For those wanting an early glimpse at the Labyrinth figures be sure to pick-up the latest issue of "Lee's Toy Review". The magazine includes pictures of both the completed Jareth and Hoggle figures as well as five photos of the work-in-progress goblin sculpts. I'll keep you posted as more information NECA's Labyrinth coverage develops, until then enjoy the copy of the Labyrinth images from "Lee's Toy Review" (click to enlarge).

A very special thanks to Squigiman for providing the magazine scan.

NECA Jareth Figure Update

As announced earlier, NECA is gearing up to release an action figure of Jareth the Goblin King from the Henson fantasy film Labyrinth. However it appears that some of the information floating around the net is inaccurate. Several images and bits of information have been surfacing on retailer sites - several of which are not officially endorsed. NECA has put out a warning to fans that some of the information being published by online retailers is not completely factual.

Several sales solicitations advertise that Jareth is coming with a goblin accessory and NECA now confirms that he does not come with such. NECA's online representative, Randy said that "We do have a host of goblins in development and are looking at when and how we will release them later in 2007. Jareth alone is a very expensive figure to produce because of the 2 capes (one of them is huge) and all the separate pieces that make up his hair." So a miscommunication took place between producers and retailers. A solo Jareth figure is planned for March, and other Goblins may follow separately.

Below is an official shot of the Jareth figure direct from NECA. I'll keep you posted as more information NECA's Labyrinth coverage develops.

Two Jareths and a Hoggle from NECA

Last month I shared the news that NECA (National Entertainment Collectibles Association) plans to release a Jareth the Goblin King (from the film Labyrinth) action figure under their "Cult Classics Presents" banner. Since that report NECA has shared some more information on their Labyrinth plans.

They plan on releasing two Jareth figures. The first figure features Jareth in his blue outfit from when he first appears in the film. This first figure is slated for release in March 2007. A second Jareth will ship later in 2007, and will come packaged with a special Hoggle figure pack-in. That right folks, a Hoggle action figure!

There are currently no plans for NECA to extend their Labyrinth coverage past the announced releases at this time, and no other Labyrinth figures are planned. I will keep you posted as soon as more information (and pictures) are released.