If you’re a child of the 1980s and the terms “Jim Henson” or Fraggle Rock don’t bring a smile to your face and spawn fond memories, chances are you also hate fun and kill kittens.
For the rest of you, be prepared to relive your glory days. Archaia has sprung to life as of late by associating themselves with Jim Henson Productions. Though the television show ended in 1987, the Fraggle Rock characters have lived on, much like its theme song. Archaia’s three issue debut of Fraggle Rock has been collected into a gorgeous little hardcover collection that, as cliche as it sounds, is a great read for kids and adults alike.
What Archaia has done is essentially create a Fraggle Rock anthology. There’s 12 short stories within the collection, along with fun kids activity pages and an 8-page Skrumps story by John Chandler. For an anthology book priced at $19.95, Archaia does what they do best and jam packs this collection with everything they can, making it a worthwhile value for any that should purchase it. It’s also a great book for helping kids to get into reading. The stories are simple, funny, and often have some sort of lesson about the world we live in, co-existing in society, and even the meaning of art.
In that sense, Archaia’s Fraggle Rock is incredibly true to the Henson name. On the surface, it’s goofy fun and Muppets, but look deeper and there’s a high amount of educational value, both ethically and comedically. You’ll get to see all your favorite Fraggles, Gorgs, and Doozers; even the Trash Heap, Doc, and Sprocket make appearances. For the youngins that may not be familiar with Gobo and the gang, there’s even a nifty little introductory section that presents the main players, their personalities, and relationship with other characters.
What’s a joy about this collection -- and something that every anthology should strive for -- is that all of the tales are equal in quality and enjoyment. All of the artwork differs, but none of it dips in appeal. The stories are varied enough to keep the book from getting stale, and the page count is just enough to keep younger readers engaged.
No matter how much we love our superhero drama, over-the-top gore and hard boiled noir, there isn’t a soul on the planet without a soft spot for Jim Henson’s creations. Though Fraggle Rock and its inhabitants aren’t the most famous of the various Henson productions, Archaia has chosen the perfect avenue to blend children’s fantasy, relevant storytelling, the anthology mindset and pure sentimental value.
