This last week, first time visitor Arianna asked if she was the only who felt sorry for Mizumi. Certainly the Queen of Cups hasn’t been the most benign figure since showing up in the Labyrinth, but her history with Jareth, as seen in a couple of flashbacks, definitely suggests that the Goblin King might have had a little bit of wrath coming to him. Arianna, you’re not alone — I have a soft spot for her as well!
I didn’t have Mizumi’s origin story completely worked out when writing volume 1.By the time volume 2 came out, I knew the story, but only hinted at it in that particular volume. When Tokyopop was slated to do a Labyrinth anthology, my planned contribution was going to be that story — of how Mizumi met Jareth and how their relationship came to an end. Well, that anthology disappeared into the aether, so when it came time to write the script for volume 4, this was my last chance to make sure the story was told. And the more that I thought about it, the more that it needed to be told in the book proper and not as an extra down the line, as that relationship says as much about what Jareth sees in Sarah as it says about the adversary in this series. Anyway, that scene went through several revisions and trims (as it wasn’t originally in the outline for this volume, which still went a few pages over my limit!). I’m glad this scene made it in, as it’s one of my very favorite in the entire series.
Okay, now that that setup is out of the way, you can understand why I’m so excited about this week’s preview pic. This is the page that leads into Mizumi’s flashback. It’s actually part of a 2 page spread, but you’ll have to wait a bit to get the rest of the image. Thank you, Chris, for the gorgeous design! I love Mizumi’s new coat.
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this remains one of my very favorite things you’ve ever written. i can’t wait to see it fully realized in the art, as well!
I have to say, I’m rather fond of the plain ol’ mysterious stranger characters, the people who you don’t know where they came from, why there here, or what exactly it is they’re after. Half the fun is coming up with wild theories about their past…Jareth is that sort of character, and I had assumed that Mizumi was going to be as well. So it’s sort of interesting to see the both of them being fleshed out, but will my intrigue turn to compassion for Mizumi?
Can’t really say at the moment, I certainly haven’t thought “Poor Mizumi” at any point whilst reading the first 3 Volumes, so it’s up to the 4th one to change my mind. I assumed that Mizumi was simply bitter about Jareth up and leaving her, so I took her to be an angry ex-girlfriend who just refuses to let go (Not so much because she still loves him, but just because she refuses to see him happy), so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s more to the story than I initially thought.
Too bad about the Anthology book, I can’t recall seeing an official confirmation about it, so this is the first I heard that it’s not going to happen. Did Tokyopop just want to focus on RtL? Or were there other issues?
Kristi, re: Anthology, around the time the announcement was made, Tokyopop went into a tough couple of years in which the company had to really get lean in terms of what they were releasing, and unfortunately, lots of layoffs too. I don’t know if and when the project was officially canceled, but it never seemed to get past the earliest planning stages. Of course, Henson has a new partner in Archaia comics, maybe we’ll see Labyrinth from them before too long.
As for the Mizumi backstory — Even though the scene is related by Mizumi, the reason I think it’s crucial is for Jareth’s sake. Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Wow…kinda reminds me of the White Witch from Narnia…but Mizumi is still absolutely gorgeous! I love the design! Really great job.
I originally thought their relationship went something like this:
J – I love you.
M – I love your power.
J – What?!
Although, if it wasn’t for certain factions weighing in on this I could see them getting back together in the end pretty easily once she realizes that power isn’t everything and he isn’t afraid to feel. Seriously.
whoo an ice age maybe?
she’ll make.wait
water turns to ice,& when it(ice)melts more water
a flood?
beautiful art!
Kristi O.-
I know exactly what you mean. That’s how I am with Half Life the video game. You know the character Gman. You know basically nothing about him, but he’s so freaking cool!
About the actual content of this article (sorry for getting way off track), could there be someone with her on the opposite side of the two page spread. Perhaps someone she chooses to confide in the mysteries of her past? And I happened to see that the description says “Mizumi Pours”. The moment I saw that, I thought of how people “pour” out their emotions in stressful times (quoted from some movie that I cannot recall at the moment)
And where can I get one of the stylish coats? ^_^
It looks mink possibly, and Mizumi’s really working it!
Hmmm. I must say, I do kinda-sorta have sympathy for dear ol’ Mizumi. Makes me wonder if she was always a mega (insert female dog).
I think Mizumi would have been an adored character had she not be so damned spiteful. Lmao. I think there is a certain beauty to her. In fact, if she was a kind character (you’d be out of a villain), I think she would be very well-liked. Her abilities are pretty cool too.
Funny, the White Queen from Alice in Wonderland reminds me of her. xD Except, she’s not, yeah, psycho.
For my part, I regard Mizumi as someone who not only know better, but could actually BE a better person if she wanted to. (I also think this of Candlewic, but that’s a different story.) In fact, had Jareth not dumped her, she probably would have been one of the good characters in this series. Unfortunately, she was never able to accept that he simply didn’t return her feelings and just move on with her life (and maybe even try dating someone else), but instead let the bitterness and heartbreak fester inside of her until it made her quite angry and vengeful towards her former beau the Goblin King. In the words of that old saying, “Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned.”
It makes think, though: Even though they are no longer dating, Jareth and Mizumi still have more in common than either of them would care to admit. Both of them fell in love with someone they thought was perfect for them, only to find that that person did not return their affections, and became very bitter and vengeful towards that person following being rejected by them. You’d think, then, that Mizumi, of all people, would understand what Jareth’s been going through ever since Sarah spurned him, and that Jareth, for his part, would now understand a little more why Mizumi now hates him and is plotting against him. But I guess for the sake of this series, that’s not a possibility.
I’m kinda addicted to back stories, so needless to say I’m pretty stoked. And the art is full of win!!!
Ok hate to make this comment but I still can’t figure out the crown/growth on Mizumi’s forehead. I have re-read all three books and how the heck does it stay on?! There is no showing of a band or tiria type thing. Is it a growth like goat- horn- women- from -China? I mean it looks heavy! Really I have too much time on my hands to be thinking about this but ..hey maybe she really needs a good headress advisor?
Sorry Jake, just had to ask.,
It’s magic! ;D
in the flashbacks, she doesn’t have it. She just let her bangs hang down. But you have a very good point!
I’ll be really interested to see her backstory. I made my best guesses in my fics. I’m dying to see just how accurate I was.
Man, i keep coming in after months of absence, and am rewarded with a continuous stream of previews! The art looks Beautiful, and I can’t wait to see what it says!
And to comment on the “sorry for Mizumi” thing, I definitely did after the sad break-up story was hinted at in… Vol 2?Regardless, I hope she ends up with some kind of satisfaction, or else what was the point of making her a tragic character (see Red Queen of the new Alice in Wonderland)?
She´s beautiful,she looks like the Snow Queen!