Delicate Creatures: A Most Uncommon Fairy Tale by J. Michael Straczynski and Michael Zulli
Requirements: CBR Reader, 57 MB.
Overview: In Delicate Creatures, J. Michael Straczynski turns his gaze towards the fairytale and leaves you wondering how much is tale and how much is truth. Like all of Straczynski`s work, he provides an intelligent examination of a cliche-ridden genre that will rise above and challenge the best literature currently available.

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Delicate Creatures: A Most Uncommon Fairy Tale

J. Michael Straczynski story, write
Michael Zulli art, cover
Steve Firchow ink, colours
Published by Top Cow Productions. 2001.


Within the walls of a castle, tiny creatures live with the Owners--who can never know they exist. But the timeless routine ends when the castle's "princess" is imprisoned. One creature risks all to help her escape the suffering.

A Vastly Underrated Classic, Reviewed by Michael F. Hopkins "A Deeper Groove" (Buffalo, NY USA). July 28, 2004.

Even if you've been following the diverse goings-on of the profilic author J. Michael Straczynski over the decades, you may not know about DELICATE CREATURES. A parable on the roots of Faerie which is as ancient as the oldest woods, and as modern as issues of internal security, DELICATE CREATURES is a superb prose novel finely illustrated by Michael Zulli, known in Sequential circles for his standout work for Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN. Released by Image Comics, by way of its Top Cow imprint, it all but vanished follwing its initial release in 2001.

Known best as the creator, chief scripter, and major domo of the epic televised SF saga, BABYLON 5, Straczynski is a writer's writer, one of the grandmasters of the field. From the impossible task of attempting THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE in the 1980s, and the eerie wanderings of MIDNIGHT NATION, to the finest tales seen in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN since the Lee-Ditko-Romita originals, Straczynski is simply the very best at what he does.

DELICATE CREATURES, however, is a particular treat, being Straczynski's first work delving into the genre of Classic Fantasy. Never content with simply doing what has been done, the author concocts a contemporary parable which places the origins of Faerie as much in the thwarted anxieties of Humanity, as in the familar truths behind myths and legends spun just beyond the camplight.

From its finely attuned plot to its wicked character play, DELICATE CREATURES is humble finesse from an author responisble for some of the most brilliant moments in all of Fiction. So concentrated is the simplicity of Straczynski's delivery, so smoothly executed with such charm, that the sheer bounty of his story greets you with a firm grasp on your attention, even as the ethical impact of this work evokes sobering questions.

Here is a master storyteller examining the desperate adult sensibilities which fuel our most enduring need to experience childlike wonder. In achieving this, Straczynski addresses the real matter-at-hand; why aesthetic expression is so essential to the well-being of all who live.

Time and attention will prove DELICATE CREATURES to be one of the great classics of the times, and a hallmark piece of Fantasy
lore. As it stands now, it is a most unique entry from one of the most unique literary artists around. On that point alone, it merits a fresh look, and your immediate reading discretion.


A Darker Type Of Fairy Tale., Reviewed by Daniel V. Reilly (Upstate New York, United States). November 11, 2002.

Delicate Creatures shatters whatever preconceived notions you might have about Fairy Tales. Starting with a breezy introduction, where we get to know the various Fairies and Sprites inhabiting the walls of a Castle in an anonymous foreign land, the story quickly moves into darker territory, dealing with the real-life terrors of war and genocide. The darker aspects of the tale are dealt with honestly, but delicately enough that younger readers will be able to deal with them. There were parts of the story that brought a lump to my throat; I think that parents and children reading together would find a lot to discuss about Delicate Creatures, particularly the themes of love and loss. The story is told in prose, with occasional illustrations by Artist Michael Zulli. Zulli's art is fantasic and the lush colors (By Steve Firchow) make the pictures come to life. The story, by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, is gut-wrenching at times, but in true Fairy-Tale fashion, things turn out ok in the end. I believe all involved have created a new classic, one that will hopefully be discovered by Parents and Children alike in years to come.

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Review
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