Archaia Comics, the masterminds behind such critically-acclaimed graphic novels as Mouse Guard, Days Missing, and An Elegy for Amelia Johnson, will be hosting a panel celebrating the life and accomplishments of Jim Henson. Archaia Comics, along with The Henson Co. have been working to keep Henson’s legacy alive through comic adaptations of beloved properties like The Dark Crystal and Fraggle Rock, bringing these magical worlds to a new generation.

For the first time, the never-before-seen “Alexander the Grape,” a short film from the 1960’s when Henson was just beginning to discover his calling, will be shown in its entirety. The panel will also display rare photographs, historical material, and feature a presentation by the Henson archivist, Karen Falk. The event will lead up to an exciting announcement from Archaia and The Henson Co. about their collaboration on A Tale of Sand, an deeply ambitious graphic novel based off of a long lost screenplay by Jim Henson, which was recently uncovered by Falk. Karen Falk and Archaia CEO Stephen Christy will be giving attendees an advance look at the book, including stunning art from artist Ramon Perez.

The panel will be happening on Sunday, March 20 from 11:45am – 12:45pm, in room 470b. Archaia Comics CEO, Stephen Christy, Henson archivist Karen Falk and artist Ramon Perez will be available for interview.

In the early 1960s, a young puppeteer and producer named Jim Henson was taking the entertainment and advertising world by storm with a creation called The Muppets. Yet while Jim was developing the puppeteering side of his business, he was also stretching the creative boundaries of film through his Academy Award-nominated short film TIME PIECE, and tv specials such as YOUTH ‘68 and THE CUBE. It was during the 1960s and early 1970s that he also began a collaboration with longtime writing partner Jerry Juhl on a feature-length screenplay called A TALE OF SAND.

Three drafts of the screenplay were completed over the course of 6 years, but in the early ‘70s the project was set aside due to the increasing workload associated with The Muppets and Jim’s involvement with SESAME STREET.

Now, over 40 years after work on the project began and over 20 years since Jim Henson’s passing, Archaia Comics and The Jim Henson Company are coming together to finally bring this lost story to life as an original graphic novel.

A 120-page hardcover original graphic novel, A TALE OF SAND illustrated by Ramón Pérez, will be released in comic book stores and bookstores on September 20th, 2011, four days before what would have been Jim Henson’s 75th birthday.

“We’re very excited about this project at the company because this is an opportunity to actually dig into the archives, find something exciting, and then fall in love with it all over it again. It’s rare that a historical project like this can be realized in a medium where the public can enjoy it, as opposed to just seeing it in a museum exhibit.  In rediscovering this piece, we’ve found that it still very vibrant, entertaining and relevant to today. It’s rewarding to not only study it, but to actually make it.”
-Lisa Henson
CEO
The Jim Henson Company

“It’s both an honor and a challenge to be entrusted with completing a fully-formed screenplay that Jim was unable to make during his lifetime. Beyond the fact that this was a project that Jim was working on for over six years, what fascinates me about A TALE OF SAND is that it’s a peek into Henson’s creative process as a young man. The screenplay is dark… An existential journey of one man racing across a desert populated by weird, Henson-esq characters, trying desperately to outrun an unknown assailant who seems hot on his heels at every twist and turn of the story. Fans familiar with Henson’s early short films and tv programs such as TIME PIECE and THE CUBE will instantly see parallels with TALE OF SAND, and fans more familiar with Jim’s work on THE MUPPETS, THE DARK CRYSTAL, and LABYRINTH will see the seeds of many different ideas that Jim would re-address throughout his life.

This book is going to look and feel unlike anything that Archaia has ever produced before. It’s not just an adaptation of Jim and Jerry’s screenplay, but a celebration of Jim’s creativity and a glimpse at how he and Jerry collaborated over the course of six years to create this story. In the spirit of Jim’s work, we’re pushing the boundaries of graphic novel storytelling in order to create an experience that readers have never seen before.”
-Stephen Christy
Editor-in-Chief
Archaia Comics

“It is always a daunting task when working on something where you hold the creator in such high regard. Growing up, Jim Henson’s visions were an inspiration to my hungry imagination, and it is now an honor to be able to bring one of his uproduced manuscripts into the graphic novel medium.

Jim’s script is so visually meticulous that it is a joy to conceptualize his words onto the page. The first time I sat down to read A TALE OF SAND it was akin to watching a movie in the theatre of my minds eye. The true challenge for me is translating Jim’s visual language and storytelling sensibilities from film onto paper.”

-Ramón Pérez