DARK CRYSTAL PREQUEL(S)

There's a new PREQUEL novel to 'THE DARK CRYSTAL', titled "SHADOWS OF THE DARK CRYSTAL". It's available for preorder now and you can read the first 4 pages HERE.

'The Dark Crystal' is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I'm skeptical about "expanded universe" stories, especially prequel material. If not for the sweet cover by Brian Froud, I'd mostly likely skip it entirely - now I'm on the fence and will wait to read reviews.

This isn't the first prequel outing for the world of the Dark Crystal...

In 2011, Archai and The Jim Henson Company began publishing a 3-Volume set of 'Dark Crystal' prequel graphic novels entitled "DARK CRYSTAL CREATION MYTHS"

Volume 1: Part one of a three-part graphic novel series delving into the origins of the Skeksis, Mystics, Gelflings, the world of Thra andthe Dark Crystal itself. Spanning a time period from thousands of years ago to right up to the start of the original film, this graphic novel epic will tell the definitive origin of Dark Crystal, under the supervision of The Jim Henson Company and The Dark Crystal concept designer Brian Froud.

Volume 2: The Great Conjunction is at hand in this dramatic second volume. Aughra, the beloved guardian of Thra, has gone into hiding, while her son,Raunip, leads a team of emissaries to the Crystal Castle. There they will bear witness as the visiting Urskeks attempt to use the Conjunction to power their voyage home. But pain and mistrust fostered by the group leads to events that will corrupt the world to its very core and transform the Urskeks into two distinct races: the gentle urRu and the terrifying Skeksis. Brian Froud, legendary fantasy artist and conceptual designer of Jim Henson'sThe Dark Crystal film, returns to oversee this crucial chapter that reveals the tragic event that caused the Bright Crystal to darken and shatter.

Volume 3: Brian Froud, legendary conceptual designer of the beloved Jim Henson fantasy film THE DARK CRYSTAL, returns to the world he help create in this stunning conclusion of the official prequel to the original movie. The world of Thra is shattered. Following the events of The Great Conjuction, the once-powerful Urskeks have been split into two seprate beings: the Skeksis and the Mystics. Only Raunip and Aughra know their true origins, but they are trapped in the bowels of the world of Thra, searching for the shard of the Dark Crystal. But as the aftermath of the Great Conjuction wreaks havoc upon the Gelfling tribes, the Gelflings may have no choice but to rely upon the one race offering aid: the Skeksis. The species of Thra will have to decide who they can trust if they hope to keep their world together.

And in 2007, TokyoPop released a 2-volume manga series 'LEGENDS OF THE DARK CRYSTAL', which takes place after the Crystal was cracked.

I haven't read any of the above.

Several years ago (over 10 now??), began news bits of an actual SEQUEL of the film, called "THE POWER OF THE DARK CRYSTAL". It was in Development Hell from the beginning. 

At one point GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY was going to direct it! He had agreed to direct on two conditions: that the film would utilize live-action puppets as well as computer animation, and that 'Brian Froud' would return to design the characters.

The story for this film came about from several conversations during production of The Dark Crystal (1982) between Jim Henson, David Odell and Brian Froud about a possible sequel. When the original film proved only a modest success in theaters, Henson drifted from the idea of producing a follow-up. Years later, when the original proved a huge success on DVD and generated a large cult following, Henson and Froud's notes were re-discovered, and The Henson Company decided to move ahead with a sequel.

The Power script continues the tale of elfin heroes Jen and Kira, last seen returning the shard to the evil crystal and seemingly abolishing the vulture-like Skeksis from their land. Set many years after the first flick, Power casts Jen and Kira as king and queen, now overseeing a kingdom whose peace is disturbed by a visit from the underground-dwelling U-mun people. After the Gelflings refuse their request for a shard of crystal that could preserve the U-mun race, a desperate visitor takes it anyway, threatening their world with another thousand years of chaos.

Other directors attached to the film at one point or another included Toby Froud and Shane Abbess.

During a conversation with The Guardian... Abbess said that 'The Power Of The Dark Crystal' was one of a plethora of projects he was offered after the indie success of his low-budget angel movie Gabriel. But he walked away from the project after executives fought him on following the handwritten notes Henson left behind for the project, because, quote, “Nobody gave a shit about what Jim Henson wanted.”