Jerry Juhl (1938–2005)

This graphic novel was a total trip - so much so that it’s kind of pointless to try to describe it adequately. It seems on the surface like a simple adventure story with an unwitting protagonist, but his mad-cap journey through the desert only to end up back at the town which he left originally is definitely an allegory for self-discovery in the grand tradition of Don Quixote. Paired with luscious illustrations by Ramon Perez, this book is definitely one of the most captivating graphic show more novels that I’ve read in a long time. I’m a bit disappointed that Hensen and Juhl never managed to shop this story to a willing production studio, but I’m not entirely sure that they could have done as much with a physical interpretation of the script - budgets and effects limits being what they are - as the no-limits of the graphic novel medium. show less

Reflecting upon the varied yet consistent work of Jim Henson, culminating in his Tale of Sand, I've come to realize I've never been disappointed in any of his productions. That’s really astounding, given the breadth of his creativity and talent for dreamy and adventurous escapism.

Like any of his works, we are fortunate to have Tale of Sand. This newly unearthed manuscript developed with collaborator Jerry Juhl could have been easily lost in the production company archives and remained show more undiscovered or simply disregarded. Thankfully it wasn’t, as it is quintessential Henson, and perfectly adapted for a graphic novel. I'll say no more than it tells the story of Mac, an everyman who inexplicably finds himself in the American southwest, unusually equipped and on-the-run through a series of surreality and improbable adventure. Henson provides little detail as to the motive of his chase or the background of supporting characters, but these details are ultimately unimportant. Like many great tales, this one is about Mac and his journey rather than the destination or circumstances. As such with Henson's unique vision, his characters are designed to personally identify with the reader, and particularly so in Tale of Sand. Whether it be strange, frightening, or even humorous, there is always another door to walk through, some new wonder to behold.

That this screenplay, rejected by numerous film studios, has been adapted for a graphic novel can only be fortuitous. It is a most natural medium for the story, told through the lens of Ramón Pérez whose artwork provides a stunning southwestern ambience; his inspired, bold sketches are aglow with blistering, white-hot desert-scapes contrasted against an ever present golden-hued horizon, somewhere in time of the early twentieth century. Pérez excels in his paneling, for as frantic as Mac's journey is, so is the reader's journey across the page. The layout often reverts between extended linear, entwining and blending of panels, wherein the reader can become deliberately lost in the progression of the page. Calm desert scenes with nothing more than observant iguanas give way to raucous chase, heavy-duty explosions and action sequences involving Ray Nitschke and Bedouin sultans of all things, requiring the reader to give careful pause before moving on. Perfect sequencing to realize Henson's imaginative and joyous sense of the bizarre. The only issue I see is whether Perez's oversized visualization will be effectively adapted for digital readers within a standard screen to fully accommodate the entirety of the page.

A brief imaginary excursion, Tale of Sand is perfect for those just becoming acquainted with Jim Henson's passion for storytelling. At the same time, the tale is a fitting, bittersweet farewell, his genius of creativity on full display. show less

The Jim Henson estate discovered a long-lost screenplay written by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl. It was never realized into a movie but the estate worked with publisher Archaia to turn it into a graphic novel. I read it twice to get a handle on it; the story is odd and dark like a nightmare. A stranger is caught up in a small town's jubilant celebration and suddenly finds himself the unwitting center of its dark ritual. The sheriff hands him a map, tells him to head for Eagle Mountain (but show more "don't trust the map"), and he gets a ten-minute head start. The stranger doesn't understand, but he takes off running. He realizes that a eye-patched man is tracking him through the Southwestern desert with the intent to kill. During the pursuit, the stranger has odd visions, close calls, and is chased by Arabs and football players. It's all very strange and the eye-patched man is not who he seems to be. An allegory about our personal demons? The dark doubts that cripple us? The internal battles we fight everyday? It could be all that and anything else. show less

Tale of Sand is the graphic novel adaptation of a screenplay by Muppet-creator, Jim Henson. It's mostly billed as an homage to the late, great visionary and it shows the mark of Henson's dreamy and surrealist conceits.

The strongest thing about the graphic novel is the artistry brought by Ramón Pérez. His character designs are a perfect blend of almost Warner Brothers extension cartoony with some grounded realistic anatomy and sense of balance. The expressions and scenes carry this largely show more wordless journey and, although there are scenes you can tell were always meant for film, he adapts them in a way that feels organic to this adaptation. For example, the prospector-like person who never stops talking having his background chatter spill out of the word balloon, or the juxtaposition of some unrelated scenes to represent the chaotic pellmell of the chase scenes.

Henson, when at his best, would have delivered a rich and memorable world surrounding this story, but the script is not his strongest work. It delivers the visuals but lacks a certain heart in his characters' reasons (or even a concrete lack of reasons), and while you are interested in seeing how the journey progresses, you are not invested in discovering the hows and whys of what's going on. And when all the goings on end, you're not quite sure what happened. It's still engaging, but if the art wasn't a gorgeous as Ramón Pérez's, the readability would be severely hampered.

Definitely a read for Henson fans and those who enjoy trippy post-modern concepts. Definitely read for Ramón Pérez's beautiful artwork. But I think most readers who are looking for a dreamlike story with surrealist elements might be disappointed in Tale of Sand's unsustainable influence, which delights while you're in the middle of it, but seems to slip through your mind once you put it down. show less