Archaia Studios Press announced in 2011 that they were developing a graphic novel that would serve as a prequel to the 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth.[1] Intended for release on April 9, 2013,[2] the project was never released, but several short stories by the same creative team were released in Archaia's Free Comic Book Day issues and later collected in the Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Special.
The graphic novel was announced as being written by Ted Naifeh and Adrianne Ambrose, with illustrations by Cory Godbey. Stephen Christy was to oversee the project, with Brian Froud serving as a creative consultant (providing character designs and cover art).[1]
The novel was meant to tell "the story of how Jareth became the Goblin King,"[3] taken in his youth to the Labyrinth by a witch.[4] Jareth would be around the age Sarah was in the original film; she and Toby would not play a significant role in the story.[1]
Editor Stephen Christy stated the graphic novel would be a "tragic story." While it was still in the early stages of development, there were plans for the novel to integrate music into the plot in some way. Early promotion stated that David Bowie was being approached in order to seek permission to use his likeness, and ascertain if he wished to have any involvement in the project.[1]
Eventually, another series based around the concept of exploring the Goblin King's origins would emerge from a different creative team in the form of Labyrinth: Coronation.
See also[]
- Labyrinth Comics
- Labyrinth comic adaptation (1986)
- Return to Labyrinth (Aug 2006)
- Labyrinth prequel (2013, unreleased)
- Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Special (Aug 2016)
- Labyrinth Tales (Sep 2016)
- Labyrinth 2017 Special (Nov 2017)
- Labyrinth: Coronation (Feb 2018)
- Labyrinth: Under the Spell (Nov 2018)
- Labyrinth: Masquerade (Dec 2020)