NYC ComicCon: Catherynne Valente On Fairy Tales

Just thought you might like to see this little quote from New York City's ComicCon last weekend (Oct 10-13), because it's awesome:

Valente's brand new release! (love this series)

"Here's the thing about fairy tales," Catherynne M. Valente (The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two) said during one of the many panels devoted to science fiction and fantasy literature during this past weekend's New York Comic Con, held at Manhattan's Javits Convention Center. "They are the best-edited stories of all time... boiled down, espresso-like stories that go straight to the back of your reptile brain." 

Valente, coming at (the challenge for keeping things new) from the fairy tale side, made much the same point, challenging the notion that any mythological or folkloric creatures were overplayed in modern fantasy. Any creature, she suggested, could still be done in an interesting way. "Everything's already been told," she said--"but you haven't told everything."

Stories that directly coffee-jolt your lizard brain. Seriously. Awesome. I have to quote her sometime soon.

Reported from NYC ComicCon by Shelf Awareness. (Emphasis in bold is mine.)

As a bonus, here's the lovely trailer for Valente's (AWESOME) Fairyland Series:

"How To Draw Grimm's Dark Tales" (Walter Foster)

I recently discovered this had been released and, as a long time fan of the Walter Foster "how to draw" series (they're some of the only technique books that actually made me feel like drawing) I was pretty excited to see this title added.

Unfortunately, I'm not confident on the drawing techniques and instruction shown here. (No offense meant to the artist - it's just that with Walter Foster books I have extremely high expectations.) Usually the art is of a "more seasoned" quality, in both style and mood for the subject, as well as technique, than what I can see in the (albeit few) previews.

BUT I can almost certainly vouch for the writing (which is where all the juicy fairy tale info and extras are).

Merrie Destefano is a truly excellent writer who's own work draws largely from myth, folktale and fairy tales and I've have read enough of her work to feel confident to recommend anything she's written to others, sight unseen. Her work for Walter Foster is different of course, in that it's usually non-fiction but she's obviously still a storyteller and can get you excited about the subject being drawn just from her words. Despite my disappointment in the art itself, I'm quite excited to see what she ended up writing for How To Draw Grimm's Dark Tales - Fables and Folklore.

You should note this book appears aimed at people who believe fairy tales to be all sugar, light and happily-ever-after-ed and haven't considered that these tales may have a darker side than they're aware of so while the information may not be new to many readers here, it's bound to be entertainingly enlightening to that crowd.

Here's an excerpt of what to expect inside:

Dark fairy tales and legends have been passed down orally from generation to generation for centuries. Today, these tales have penetrated every aspect of pop culture and media—from cinema and TV shows to books and theatre. While fairy tales have often been sanitized and tweaked for children, their true origins are dark, edgy, grisly, and often full of malevolence. How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Tales, Fables & Folklore guides artists through the process of drawing, painting, and digitally illustrating the dark and mysterious characters of legend and lore—good and bad. 

...Throughout the book, informative sidebars and introductions reveal the history of each character, as well as the origin of their grim tales, symbolism, and variations in their stories. How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Tales, Fables & Folklore is full of creative resources and encouragement for beginning and intermediate artists alike. With its varied cast of characters, comprehensive instruction, and fascinating peek into the tales themselves, this book is sure to kindle artistic imagination.

I only wish we'd had some different illustration examples of Grimm's Dark Tales so we could enjoy the visuals just as much as the writing.

Breaking News: "A Tale Dark & Grimm" in the Movie-Making

FilmNation is making Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark & Grimm into a movie (I know there are MANY people who have been waiting for this to happen).

Coraline director Henry Selick has signed on to direct A Tale Dark & Grimm, a live-action film based on Adam Gidwitz's children's novel.Inspired by the Grimm fairy tales, the story follows two children who run away from their own dark fairy tale in hopes of finding a happier life, but they end up landing in eight other terrible tales. (THR)

Henry Selick didn't just helm Coraline but also A Nightmare Before Christmas (love that movie!) and James & the Giant Peach, so adapting children's stories isn't a new thing. This one, however, is live-action so I'm curious to see how he goes about it.

The book (and series) have almost been begging for someone to option them and transform them to the big screen and unless Selick and co. do a really bad job on the adaptation, it's going to be a big winner for the studio (and fairy tales everywhere).

Here's the synopsis in case you haven't read the book (FYI: you should fix that right away!):

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

...and the simple, but effective, trailer from Penguin, in case you haven't seen it either:

And, if you're not yet convinced this is worth your time (and that you should read it BEFORE the movie comes out) I am including an excerpt from a review from The New York Times:

“A Tale Dark & Grimm,” by Adam Gidwitz, is something else entirely. In fact, it’s unlike any children’s book I’ve ever read. If “Reckless” is an old-school fairy tale fantasy, and “The Grimm Legacy” is a modern one, “A Tale Dark & Grimm” is a completely postmodern creation. It plunks Hansel and Gretel into a succession of other, lesser-known Grimm tales — “Faithful Johannes,” “The Three Golden Hairs,” “Brother and Sister” and more — but creates a narrative through-line that wends through all the tales like a trail of bread crumbs. Parents do horrible things; they fail their children, and they kill them. But Hansel and Gretel become true heroes — they go on a quest; they save others; they come home; they learn to understand their parents’ burdens and failings. Heavy. And yet “A Tale Dark & Grimm” is really, really funny. The first line is “Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.” 

The tone ricochets between lyrical and goofy. There’s an intrusive, Snicket-y narrator who warns the reader every time gore is imminent, apologizing, urging the reader to hustle the little kids out of the room. And it all works. As the story progresses, it gets less and less faithful to the source material and becomes its own increasingly rich and strange thing. A Child’s Garden of Metafiction! It reminds me of Eudora Welty’s “Robber Bridegroom,” in which bits of fairy tales, myths, legends and Southern folklore are stitched together into a marvelous new . . . something. 

Gosh - so many new fairy tale movies in the works. Still! *pig-in-mud grin*

Carrie & Cinderella Have So Much In Common It's Scary

You know what they say about "the eye of the beholder"? Here's a dark twist on that saying that also adds to an interesting tradition people have with finding - and exposing - Disney's dark veins.

So, just in time to give you seasonal/Halloween chills, here is a recut of the trailer for the recent remake of Carrie, mashed-up with footage from Cinderella (created by Cracker76).

It's the dark side of Cinderella, the girl (rather than the fairy tale, of which earlier versions are quite bloody, but not usually* Cinderella herself). This takes a look at what a girl, like Cindy, might turn out like, should her psyche not cope quite as well with her step-mother's "mothering".

It works... Almost a little too well.

Cinderella stands in for Carrie (played by Chloë Grace Moretz), while the evil stepmother is, of course, Carrie’s mom Margaret (Julianne Moore). The mashup makes a surprisingly good case for how the two seemingly disparate heroines are actually quite alike—and suggests a Cinderella story without a happy ending. (Slate)

(Note: there are no horrific visuals. You've seen it all before, just never quite put together like this. If you haven't seen the Carrie trailer, though, be prepared for some screaming. )

Creepy, right? And the creepiest thing is - it makes a good lot of sense. *shudder*

Here are some brief excerpts from a much longer article, explaining why people like to do this:

A dark Disney Princesses lying in wait- by Herr Nilsson

(Exposing a possible dark or twisted theme or interpretation) ...is a common trajectory. At some point, we become a little unnerved by the fact that every other Disney movie kills off a parent (Bambi, Cinderella, The Lion King, and so on), or we struggle to reconcile fond memories of watching Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid with the sad knowledge that these movies celebrate their leading ladies for having zero agency and screwed up priorities. Or we simply recoil at the eerie cheerfulness of the Disney outlook....Go online and you’ll find any number of Disney characters and films reappropriated for an older, kinkier audiences....Disney films are occasionally violent, and a few feature small splashes of dark and/or sexual content ...but for the most part their squeaky-clean sensibility invites perverse repurposing in a way that less uptight children’s fare—think Looney Tunes—does not. (Slate)

The "Cinderella as Carrie" video has gone viral in the past day or so, so expect your friends to quiz you on why it is that the fairy tale Cinderella didn't quite turn out this (twisted) way. 

(Or did she have control of those doves after all..? O.o )

* Of course, Basile doesn't shirk from including his Cinderella/Zezolla being a murderer..! I wonder if the person who mashed up the kill Bill poster with Cinderella realized this story has been told before?

How Disney Having Two Female Leads For "Frozen" Doesn't Approach How Fantastically Feminist "The Snow Queen" Already Was

The Snow Queen by smokepaint
Note: All four lovely illustrations for The Snow Queen here
are by Polina Yakovleva, aka smokepaint.
You can find her deviantArt account HERE.

The title of the main article I'm referencing is actually: Reasons Why I'm Not Supporting Disney's Frozen by The Feminist Fangirl, but I wanted to point out this article specifically in terms of the female roles aspect (rather than it being "anti-Frozen") because it discusses how much more girl-empowering (read "feminist") Andersen's Snow Queen already was, and why so many of us are kind of dismayed that Disney couldn't seem to manage those dynamics.

There's a lot of (what is coming across as) self-congratulation on the part of Disney in having not one but TWO female leads for their next princess story. Apart from being bothered that this shouldn't be a big deal in 2013 (really? We still have to point this out as being unique, special and a big achievement? :/ ), it's ignoring the fact that the feminist aspect actually took a big, giant step backward in comparison to the source material.

For a truly love summary of the women and girls in Andersen's The Snow Queen, I'll point you to Laura Athena's blog, Untraveled Worlds,  and to her post on The Snow Queen: Visions of Female Strength. Here's a list of key female figures Laura beautifully discusses: Gerda, The Robber Girl, The Snow Queen, The Princess, The Strange Old Lady, The Lapland Woman and The Finland Woman. And the fairy tale itself has even more such as the Grandmother and the Robber Girl's mother. If there is one fairy tale that represents strong females from all walks and stages of life, it's probably this one.

But back to the direct comparison. Here are some excerpts from The Feminist Fangirl's article:

The Snow Queen is one of my all time favorite fairy tales. It’s epic, melancholy, emotionally complex, and fantastically feminist... 

It tells the story of a young girl named Gerda who must embark on a journey to rescue her best friend, a boy named Kai, from both the clutches of the Snow Queen and the soul killing influence of a cursed shard of mirror that has become lodged in his heart. 

That Gerda is the active and resourceful rescuer of her passive, male best friend is already a refreshing twist on mainstream western fairy tales, but the female power on display in the story is apparent in other ways. The Snow Queen is what I would call a Bechdel Test win. Female characters outnumber male characters to a startling degree. In fact, Kai is the only significant male character to speak of. Every other role in Gerda’s hero’s journey is fulfilled by a woman, girl or even an expressly female animal guide. 

There is the Snow Queen herself, a formidable villain who’s power is treated with respect. There is Kai’s grandmother, who provides an essential catalyst to Gerda’s journey. There is the old witch woman with the enchanted garden who functions as a threshold guardian for Gerda while being characterized in a respectful manner that serves as a good subversion of the old witch trope. There is a female crow who knows how to sneak into palaces, a helpful princess who heads a side plot in which she will only marry a prince as intelligent as her (!!!), a robber and her daughter, head of a band of robbers who kidnap Gerda. The daughter is a spunky, knife wielding girl who befriends Gerda and aids her on her way. And finally, there are two women, the latter of whom helps Gerda understand the inherent power she has always had within her, a power that will ultimately save her friend, and the world. 

Please excuse my while I go squee into a pillow over that roster of amazingly diverse female characters and the female agency on display in this story.
Well, now that I’m done with that, can we just take a minute to reflect on how many incredible female characters Disney had at their disposal. Expanded on with the studio’s signature storytelling skill, these ladies could have made up one of the most diverse, predominately female casts to ever grace children’s media. Not to mention the story’s Scandinavian setting offers a great opportunity for some racial diversity and indigenous representation, from Inuit to Sami and beyond. 

...That Disney feels it’s necessary to take a female driven, female dominated story and cut it down to one princess protagonist with a dashing male helper/love interest, is honestly disgusting and one of the most blatant examples of Hollywood’s lack of faith in women in recent memory. 

It’s one of those clear examples in which everything that is wrong with our media’s approach to women and female agency is even more apparent, if only because we have a clear source to compare it to...

You can (and probably should) read the entirety of the article HERE.

I have been saying I wouldn't report on Frozen anymore because the film lost those fairy tale components and so isn't really relevant to fairy tale news any more, but I think issues like this are worth discussing, because it shows how important fairy tales can be. If you didn't understand before why so many people are upset by the "detour" in story Disney has taken for Frozen (apart from it not even being a fairy tale anymore but just a snowy adventure fantasy), hopefully it's a little clearer now.

Ask Baba Yaga: I Seek Comfort From Others Because I Am Uncomfortable With Myself

A rare image of Baba Yaga being comforted by a Leshy (Artist sadly unknown)

Although not everyone can, perhaps, relate to the question, Baba's answer however is AMAZINGLY insightful and very useful for those of us who think too much!

This week's question and answer (via poet and oracle Taisia Kitaiskaia* of The Hairpin):

(Originally posted at The Hairpin HERE)

The consensus readers and commenters have had on reading this is basically PLEASE PUT THESE IN A BOOK! WE NEEDS THIS ON OUR BEDSIDE TABLES! (yes - needs with an 's'!) I couldn't agree more:

• (If) you ever published all of these as a book, it would live on my nightstand and I'd read it every night (Lady Humungus)
• @Lady Humungus Oh yes indeed. I'd buy lots of copies, too, and I'd just hand them out, without explanation. (stonefruit)
• Still in love with Baba Yaga. Reminds me of being in India age 4 and climbing into a strange older person's lap who I knew to be vaguely related to me and getting kisses on the crown of my head and strange hard to follow stories involving vegetables, animals and minerals. We'll done! I'll buy the book and hand it out without explanation too.
   MinisterofPretty(MP) 

I, uh... *speechless and hugs screen* My skull-nest is fully twiggled by this wonderful, wonderful chicken-legged form of a hair ruffling. *pats skull to make sure it remained intact after Baba's fingers touched it, surprised to find it is* 

What do you think of Baba Yaga's advice?

Want to ask Baba Yaga a question of your own?

You can!

There's now an email address where you can send your questions

directly to Baba Yaga herself.

AskBabaYaga AT gmail DOT com

To encourage Baba Yaga to continue imparting her no-bones-about-it wisdom (ok, there may be some gristle in there... bones too), I suggest we not to leave her box empty... 

Thank you Baba Yaga (& Taisia).

* Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet, writer, and Michener Center for Writers fellow. Born in Russia and raised in America, she's had her poems and translations published in Narrative Magazine, Poetry International, and others.

"The Wolf Among Us" Game Walkthrough

Bigby Goes To Work in "The Wolf Among Us"

For those curious about the Fables game prequel just released (actually, it's Episode One: Faith of at least five installments set to be released at regular intervals), here's a great way to find out more before investing.

Although the choices you make (both in dialogue and action) would change everything (because, apparently, even the seemingly smallest decisions count in this game), you get a good idea of the structure from these walkthroughs. As a bonus, this walkthrough has no commentary getting in the way of the story exploration.

I'm just embedding Part 1 (there are 8). You should be able to easily find the following ones either at the end or on the YouTube page, which is linked to in the bottom of the video window (ie "view on YouTube").

Please note: this game is for mature players only. There is both violence and language and it is not suitable for children to see (or overhear).

Enjoy!

Note: The video can be viewed in "chapters" like the one above or there's one complete, almost two-hour walkthrough uploaded you can watch as well.

I've included the cast sheet below, in case you'd like an overview of the main players.

Note: Contrary to how it might appear, I'm not much of a gamer, so although I'm interested in the concepts I'm rarely drawn in to play. The strong narrative of this one, along with the fairy tale tie in and references, is very appealing though. After seeing just a few of the walkthrough videos I'll admit my interest is more piqued than for any other game I've ever seen. I might actually give this one a go...

UPDATE: ADDED 6pm OCTOBER 15

Fables prequel game "The Wolf Among Us" is getting VERY good reviews all round. Here's one that both reviews (scoring it 8.6/10) and gives you a good idea of what to expect:

(Excerpt):"The Wolf Among Us is a gripping accompaniment to Willingham’s artistic narratives. Having suffered the halfhearted groping of Hollywood executives intent on transporting his books to the big screen, the author clearly regards Telltale as his kinsfolk, remarking of the game: “It’s brilliant to the point of there being far too many moments of ‘I wish I’d thought of that’.”

The inaugural episode, Faith, revolves around the morally imbalanced protagonist of Sheriff Bigby Wolf - aka the Big Bad Wolf - a Fable with a chequered past charged with maintaining peace among his fantastical peers as they eke out a living alongside ordinary citizens, known as Mundies. The instalment revolves around a series of murders, with the player asked to take the reins of Bigby’s passive-aggressive personality in order to solve the mystery.

The dialogue - always a highlight of the publisher’s games - is consistently excellent. The choices are varied and depending on any number of ripostes or discreet silences, the fate of Bigby and his fellow Fables feels as if it is in your hands. Only future episodes, of course, will reveal the wisdom of the choices made - the majority of your time in Faith is an exercise in exposition, spent prowling rooms and locales for clues." 

Snow White, Bigby & Ichabod Crane

The inaugural episode, Faith, revolves around the morally imbalanced protagonist of Sheriff Bigby Wolf - aka the Big Bad Wolf - a Fable with a chequered past charged with maintaining peace among his fantastical peers as they eke out a living alongside ordinary citizens, known as Mundies. The instalment revolves around a series of murders, with the player asked to take the reins of Bigby’s passive-aggressive personality in order to solve the mystery. 

The dialogue - always a highlight of the publisher’s games - is consistently excellent. The choices are varied and depending on any number of ripostes or discreet silences, the fate of Bigby and his fellow Fables feels as if it is in your hands. Only future episodes, of course, will reveal the wisdom of the choices made - the majority of your time in Faith is an exercise in exposition, spent prowling rooms and locales for clues." (Source)

More on "Galavant" (+ Some Bonus "Princess Bride" Illustrations)

by Sarah Mensinga

Do you remember the announcement on this new TV series I snuck into the blog at the beginning of the month HERE?

The casting call from Disney/ABC has gone out for their fairy tale musical comedy TV series in development, Galavant, and with it, a little more info on the premise.

by Seth Hippen

The show's casting director has begun auditioning actors for series regulars and possible recurring roles, including the title role of Galavant and his true love Madalena. Other roles include Kings and Queens, a Princess, henchman and a squire, among others. The actors are required to have Broadway singing style skills. The show's extras will be hired closer to the beginning of production, which does not have an exact start date yet. 

by Tracie Timmer

by Jeff Victor

"Galavant" is a classic storybook fairytale series that centers on a hero who gives up chasing dragons and saving damsels when the love of his life marries the evil King because she wants his wealth. But when a princess comes seeking his help he takes on the challenge, however she isn't completely honest with him. Two-time Annie Awards nominee Dan Fogelman is executive producing and writing, while Eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken will compose the music. Academy Award winner Glenn Slater is writing the lyrics. (Examiner)

by nthornborrow

If you're in LA, have "Broadway singing skills", and interested in auditioning, you can find the details HERE. Also, break a leg!

by RachelAnn Design

In the meantime, and for everyone else, enjoy some Princess Bride illustrations in which a "prince" is kept quite occupied getting his princess back (via a few detours along the way, like becoming a pirate). :) If you haven't read The Princess Bride, do yourself a favor and get a copy (then read it). This is one story where it's worth having the movie AND the book.

by Leslie Ditto

"Red Brick Road" in Development (& Summary of all the Other Oz Projects Spinning Around Hollywood Right Now)

Dorothy as imagined by Rob Prior (official development image)

Did The Wizard of Oz books just become public domain or is 2013 just the year of the (TV) Wizard? Answer: all the better known books have been public domain for a while* so it appears the flying monkeys are just making the network rounds... (and possibly prepping for the big 75th anniversary of MGM's movie).

Here's the latest, this time from Lifetime, making it the FIFTH Oz-themed project announced as being in development in the last three months (!):

 Lifetime has put in development Red Brick Road,from the Wolper Organization, Vertigo Entertainment and Warner Horizon. Written by Tim Schlattman (Dexter) based on an concept by artist Rob Prior and executive produced by Roy Lee and Adrian Askarieh, Red Brick Road is described as an edgy, Game Of Thrones take on the world of Wizard Of Oz. an edgy, Game Of Thrones take on the world of Wizard Of Oz. In the classic 1939 feature, when Dorothy set off for the Emerald City, she followed the Yellow Brick Road. But among the yellow bricks at Dorothy’s feet, there was also a swirl of red bricks. They’ve been there the whole time in plain sight. Unnoticed. Unexplored. Which raises the question — just where do they go? Red Brick Road will answer that by following Dorothy down that fateful path, taking her to the oldest, darkest and most dangerous parts of Oz to find what became of her friends who all have gone missing. (Deadline)

I kind of like the sound of this one, though if you like the Oz books (and the movie) I'd suggest thinking of this as an entirely different story.

To summarize the projects for you:
NBC -      Emerald City (drama - dark re-imagining of the classic tale)
CBS -       Dorothy (medical soap)
Syfy -       Warriors of Oz (fantasy/action post apocalyptic mini-series re-imagining of the classic tale)
CW -        Dorothy Must Die (revisionist take, based on YA novel by Danielle Page)
Lifetime - Red Brick Road (edgy Game of Thrones take on The Wizard of Oz)

Oh and there's also Wicked: The Mini-Series being developed by ABC (based on Maguire's novel rather than the musical) but we haven't heard about that for a while now (a long while) so that's likely on the shelf. Maybe they'll dust it off once someone notices just how many Oz properties are being picked up. I think a mini-series might be the better way to explore the novel.

Wicked the Broadway musical as a movie makes sense too, and that's what I'm kind of waiting for more solid news on, next. Last we heard (at ComicCon July 2013) the Producer attached confirmed that, yes, there WILL BE a move of Wicked, that Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry was "in talks" re Wicked and that a very vague date of sometime during 2014 was at one point announced (although whether that's for filming or release is a little unclear) but is likely to be changed with no cast or start date yet in place.

Have I forgotten anything? (Feel free to add anything else I missed in the comments below.)

* If you want to read up on the complicated copyright releases of the Oz books into public domain you can read a good summary HERE.

Ask Baba Yaga: How Do I Deal With My Boyfriend's Past Partners Gracefully?

by Francesco Francavilla

History. Luggage. Almost every partner you find these days has some. Meeting that luggage in person, however, has it's own special kind of challenge and Baba Yaga has some pretty "tasty" opinions on what to do.

This week's question and answer (via poet and oracle Taisia Kitaiskaia* of The Hairpin):

(Originally posted at The Hairpin HERE)

Lots of people re-reading the advice on this one. Here are some comment highlights:

• Slathered in man syrup? :slowly pushes lunch away with one finger: (JessicaLovejoy)
• Hell yes staying away from that syrup. (wanderluster)
• The fastest way to get rid of an ex-anybody is to be nice to them.
  Always worked for me. Staying far away just attracted the crazy aka syrupy hands all over my flapjack. MinisterofPretty(MP) 

I will never look at syrup the same way again. *shudder*

What do you think of Baba Yaga's advice?

Want to ask Baba Yaga a question of your own?

You can!

There's now an email address where you can send your questions

directly to Baba Yaga herself.

AskBabaYaga AT gmail DOT com

To encourage Baba Yaga to continue imparting her no-bones-about-it wisdom (ok, there may be some gristle in there... bones too), I suggest we not to leave her box empty... 

Thank you Baba Yaga (& Taisia).

* Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet, writer, and Michener Center for Writers fellow. Born in Russia and raised in America, she's had her poems and translations published in Narrative Magazine, Poetry International, and others.