A new batch of artwork showed up in my inbox this morning and every piece blew me away. Chris Lie, you have grown so much! (I think we both have.) This image is my favorite one of all. I’m including the full page, inked and toned, because it really is a gorgeous layout — probably the best pics of Moppet yet to appear in the series — and it’s not really a spoiler.
A little context for this image, in this volume, dreams play a very large role. We saw in the movie what happened when Sarah ate Jareth’s peach; in this volume, as suggested on the last page of volume 3, we see what Moppet dreams. This what is revealed in this scene is key to why Moppet exists and why Sarah hasn’t been quite the same. It also features a character that I think many fans of the film will be very excited to see. You’ll have to wait to find out what Moppet dreams, but for now, please enjoy this amazing page!
It really is nice, and a huge improvement over the beginnings of the series. You can tell Chris has really hit his stride here, it just goes to show you how much an artist can improve in only a few years.
Though I am curious how well this level of detail will be carried over into the rest of the book. One thing I noticed in the first volume was that some of the characters (Like Hoggle) had much more detail in them, making them stand out quite drastically in comparison to simpler characters. Sometimes it was really obvious which pages Chris had longer to work on, because of the greater amount of detail they had. So will this level of detail be present throughout volume 4? Or will it be layered through out (Reserved for more emotional/important scenes)
Still, the page is very nice. Though what is happening exactly? If memory serves me correctly, wasn’t Moppet leaving the Labyrinth in the last volume? Where is she now, where she has access to a bed?
And just what is that shape on the left side of the screen? Is it a bed post or is someone standing there, speaking to Moppet?
Questions, questions!
Kristi,
Volume 1 suffered from being rushed in the later stages of production, with the inks and tones suffering in later chapters, which caused some details to get smudgy. In this volume, everything should be much more consistent. Definitely there are pages with more detail — especially ones like this one where dialog takes the backseat to let the art shine. On pages with a couple hundred words of text and lots of talking heads, don’t expect this level of background detail, but the inking and toning should be consistent.
I remember reading somewhere that Chris was really rushed in the production of the first volume, I’m curious to know just how long he was given. I assume that at the time concepts for the characters had been finalized, but I that would still mean that Chris had to rush through doing thumbnail sketches, rough drafts, final sketches, inking, revisions etc.
Good to hear that things will be more consistent though, like I said, that was one of my sticking points for the first volume. Again, with characters like Hoggle I felt that they were drawing with too much detail to fit in stylistically with the new cast of characters. I think Chris was trying really hard to be capture how Hoggle looked in the movie, and he suceeded, but I would’ve preferred if he had simplified Hoggle’s design a bit more to fit in with the cartoonier Goblins instead of a more realistic look.
Then again, I’m sure there’d probably be some faction of fans that would be up in arms if Chris had dared to use artistic liscense to stylize Hoggle a little.
Don’t mind me though. Sometimes it’s hard to turn off my inner critic, especially since I love to draw myself. I admire Chris’ resiliance in drawing the series, that’s one thing I’ve never been able to do, draw comics. I have way too short an attention span to do more than a couple of panels.
I’ll be honest, the shots of Hoggle in volume 1 were probably my biggest disappointment as well, art wise. Chris did some great concepts of the character before hand, some more stylized than others, but more than any other character, he suffered from the rush to finish volume 1. I’ll see if I can find any of those sketches to share. I can’t wait to see the pics of Hoggle in volume 4!
This is incredible. Especially the details in Moppet’s eyes. A great improvement, though I loved it before as it was.
And I too am curious as to who or what is in hiding on the left side of the panel. Could it be Jareth? Or maybe Toby? Or someone entirely new?
And I know this might be random, but is there any significance in the fact that she’s sleeping with her mask on? In volume 1 we see her get out of bed without her mask on. And she dreams of being in the dungeon, sleeping in her old bed with her mask on? ah, so many questions, and six months to wait for the answers…
I’ve done drawing over the years, and I’m nowhere near that good. It’s nearly awe-inspiring to see such good artwork in manga. I must say Chris is definitely a profound artist, and I really admire his work.
Character fans will be excited to see?
Oh god, who is awesome in Labyrinth and hasn’t shown up yet?
I HAVE NO IDEA. o.o
To me it looks like Moppet in the first three frames is actually dreaming and the last frame is where she is @ the junk fields. The Junks fields were important because that is where Sarah regained her strength and resolve to oppose Jareth in the final battle. Her inner battle with herself about “things, toys and truely what was important” was resolved at the moment she broke free from the restraints and burdons of hanging onto the past and becoming an adult . Toby became her focus and center of truth to what is really important. I am not sure if Moppet is her dreams that she discarded then or her ability to dream.
Chris has certainly execelled in his art and NOW I WANT TO DRAWN MANGA !! LOL
Jake ,both you and Chris have inspired alot of people to art and writing
Manga should be take note about how you guys have grown,created and made such a great story for manga !!
Thanks for the previews Jake!
This is really beautiful, congratulations to Christ – he’s really come along in leaps and bounds since the first volume.
Poor Moppet. She looks very frightened, especially in the panel that features the closeup on her eye.
Is the black bar to the left of the first panel part of a bed-post, or is it the edge of a cloak? I have no idea if it’s my eye-sight or wishful thinking, but the spoiler-staved part of me would like the answer to be the latter!
Dracula is going to get her! *MWHAHAHAHAH!*
Sorry, been rereading my favorite vampire novel and Racheal’s comment about the cloak was too good to pass up.
Want. Volume 4. Now.
But then again, I love this sort of twisted torture. All the speculation is just too much fun too resist.
Ooo, very prettty. I like the second panel (I’m an eye person). The detail in the fourth is pretty amazing, though.
I notice that Moppet is in a different dress. So obviously she’s okay… for now. I do wonder however if the person lingering is Jareth or Toby.
I think he’s already given us the hint if you read these comments. If I’m right, the character we’re going to get is Hoggle.
I suspect it’s Jareth in the shot but Hoggle, I think, is a character we’ve been neglected in seeing. We’ve gotten some good scenes with Sir Didymous.
Wait, could that be Sarah?! :O
Moppet dreaming of Sarah would be quite a twist.
And Sarah was wearing a jacket in the last scene in which she was shown, wasn’t she? OMG that would be so awesome!
That’s not Moppet’s coat. Hers was rattier and patched up. Sarah’s was relatively new. If you lose your dreams because some evil chick split your soul, and the dream loses its memory, does that mean the original gets it back? *brain hurt*
Ever since Toby met Moppet, Sarah has bee acting strange. Something strange going on with this. Anyways, I can’t wait for the fourth book!
this is awesome! cant wait to read the finished book…
Very beautiful artwork! I wonder what Moppet would dream of if she is the epitome of Sarah? Though very similar in appearance, they differ in personality slightly. Are Sarah’s dreams Moppet’s now? Either way, it’s tragic how both of them are incomplete because of Sarah’s severed soul and broken heart. All of these thoughts and more rush through my head as I gaze upon a truly lovely page.
Music immediately started springing to mind at this shot. Darn my lack of technical ability! She wants to be taken care of. She wants to be loved.
This is REALLY beautiful Chris, and I must say, I think your artwork has dramatically improved since the first RtL. I’m so excited for the last installment. I can’t wait!
It’s nice how the art much improved. I guess anything rushed lead to random results…. Dx I haven’t read book 3, and I can’t wait for the 4th volume so I’ll order both someday.
I’m inspired to draw…. lalalala~
By Sarah, I didn’t neccesarily mean Sarah as she is now, but maybe the Sarah from the Movie. Maybe we’ll see Sarah at the age Moppet is? A kind of meeting on the mental plain, so to speak…
Forgive my fangirlyness but that would be sooo cool!
if u look u can see that the bed-post r white with vines on them so im betting that is a person