Fraggle Rock (Archaia)

issue #1, cover A (Jeff Stokely)

Fraggle Rock is a comic book series launched in spring 2010 by Archaia Studios Press based on the world of Fraggle Rock and continued until 2018.

The Fraggle Rock comics are published in an eight-inch by eight-inch format, a size that Archaia has used for its Mouse Guard series by David Petersen. In contrast to Roger Langridge's The Muppet Show Comic Book the series is an anthology of tales set in Fraggle Rock, combining long and short stories, rather than a major continuing arc.

Each issue also featured activity pages created by Katie Cook - such as teaching how to draw the character, how to make radish stamps, or how to build Doozer structures.

During the years gap between the second volume (concluding 2011) and the third (2018), Archaia released the four part miniseries Fraggle Rock: Journey to the Everspring.

“We’re trying to remain as true to the series as possible. I think the biggest change is that we’re telling these stories in the comic book medium rather than TV. We did make a conscious decision not to write the series as a sequel to the show. Those of you who know how the show ends know that setting these stories after the final episode would require either changing some key components of the series or else coming up with some contrived way of reversing what happened at the end of the show. We didn’t want to do that, so rather our stories are set within the period of the show. We’re also not worrying too much about continuity. We’re not ignoring it, but in the interest of making sure this book’s accessible to young readers who have never seen the show, we felt it best if we focus on telling self-contained stories that don’t depend on knowing particular episodes of the show.

That said, there will definitely be things in the series for fans. We’re focusing on the “Fraggle Five,” but we’ll also be telling stories that focus on Doozers and Gorgs, as well as supporting characters like Convincing John, the World's Oldest Fraggle, Traveling Matt and Cotterpin Doozer. We’re also throwing in occasional references and Easter Eggs that fans will pick up on. We’re all old fans ourselves, so we definitely want to make sure we please our fellow fans. But we also want to help grow the property and bring new fans into the fold. I think the series succeeds on both fronts.”
—Tim Beedle, managing editor

Volume 1 (2010)

Free Comic Book Day issue

Release date: May 1, 2010

Free Comic Book Day issue
(Jake Myler)

• "Boober the Doozer" written by Nichol Ashworth and illustrated by Jake Myler
• "The Birthday Present" written by Sam Humphries and illustrated by Jeremy Love

It was promoted by a live appearance of Red Fraggle, Karen Prell, and the creative team behind "The Birthday Present".

Issue #1

Release date: April 28, 2010

cover A
(Jeff Stokely)

cover B
(Jeffrey Brown)

Retailer Summit variant
(Jeremy Love)

• "A Throne of My Own" written by Heather White and illustrated by Jeff Stokely
• "Time Flies" written and illustrated by Katie Cook
• "Red's Big Idea" written and illustrated by Jeffrey Brown

Issue #2

The issue features a story where a cat escapes Doc's workshop through the hole in the wall and ends up trapped in Fraggle Rock.

Release date: May 26, 2010

cover A
(Jake Myler)

cover B
(Katie Cook)

• "A Visitor From Outer Space" by Leigh Dragoon and illustrated by Jake Myler
• "Different Tastes" written by Adrianne Ambrose and illustrated by Joanna Estep
• "The Convincing of Convincing John" written by Neil Kleid and illustrated by Fernando Pinto

Issue #3

Release date: June 23, 2010

cover A
(Joanna Estep)

cover B
(Amy Mebberson)

• "Where Have All the Doozers Gone?" written by Adrianne Ambrose and illustrated by Joanna Estep
• "Party, Doozer Style!" written by Grace Randolph and illustrated by Whitney Leith
• "To Catch a Fwaggle" written by Bryce P. Coleman and illustrated by Michael DiMotta

Volume 2 (2011)

Issue #1

Release date: January 19, 2011

cover A
(Chris Lie)

cover B
(David Petersen)

• "Wembley and the Great Dream-Capade!" written by Grace Randolph and illustrated by Chris Lie
• "Boober and the Ghastly Stain" written by Jake T. Forbes and illustrated by Mark Simmons
• "Brave Sir Wembley" written by Joe LeFavi and illustrated by Cory Godbey

Issue #2

Release date: January 26, 2011

cover A
(Heidi Arnhold)

cover B
(Ross Campbell)

• "The Meaning of Life" written by Joe LeFavi and illustrated by Heidi Arnhold
• "The Fraggle Who Cried Monster" written by Jason M. Burns and illustrated by Chandra Free
• "The Perfect Words" written by Tim Beedle and illustrated by Ross Campbell

Issue #3

Release date: April 13, 2011

cover A
(Katie Cook)

cover B
(Lindsay Cibos)

• "My Gift is My Song" written and illustrated by Katie Cook
• "Shopping with Silly Creatures" written by Katie Strickland and illustrated by Lindsay Cibos
• "Red's Chomp-a-thon" written by Paul Morrissey and illustrated by Nichol Ashworth

Monsters from Outer Space!

Release date: September 21, 2011

• Written by Mel Caylo, Heather Nuhfer and Katie Strickland, with art by Jake Myler
• Additional sketch by Katie Cook

Mokey's Inspiration

The issue is packaged as an exclusive within the 30th anniversary box set.

Release date: May 14, 2013

• Written and illustrated by Nichol Ashworth, colored by Lucas Marangon
• Additional activity pages by Katie Cook

Volume 3 (2018)

Issue #1

Release date: May 9, 2018

cover A
(Jared Cullum)

cover B
(Jared Cullum)

• "Mokey Loses Her Muse" written and illustrated by Jared Cullum

later published in hardcover book format as Mokey Loses Her Muse

Issue #2

Release date: June 20, 2018

Jake Myler

• "The Rough Side of the Rock" written and illustrated by Jay Fosgitt, colored by Joana Lafuente

later published in hardcover book format as The Rough Side of the Rock

Issue #3

Release date: July 18, 2018

cover A
(Art Baltazar)

cover B
(Jake Myler)

• "Where is It?" written and illustrated by Art Baltazar

later published in hardcover book format as Where Is It?

Issue #4

Release date: August 29, 2018

cover A
(Katie Cook)

cover B
(Jake Myler)

cover C
(Jake Myler)

• "Rock Hopping" written and illustrated by Katie Cook

later published in hardcover book format as Rock Hopping

See also

• Fraggle Rock, Marvel Comics' 1985-1986 run of Fraggle comics

External links

• Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock "Free Comic Book Day 2010 Edition" Preview (PDF file)
• ToughPigs preview of volume 1, issue 1
• ToughPigs preview of volume 1, issue 2
• ToughPigs preview of volume 1, issue 3
• ToughPigs preview of volume 2, issue 1
• ToughPigs preview of volume 2, issue 2
• ToughPigs preview of volume 2, issue 3
• ToughPigs preview of Fraggle Rock (2018), issue 1
• ToughPigs preview of Fraggle Rock (2018), issue 2
• ToughPigs preview of Fraggle Rock (2018), issue 3