Castle Waiting

Infobox comic book title
title= Castle Waiting


caption=
schedule=
format=
publisher= Fantagraphics
date=
issues=
main_char_team=
writers= Linda Medley
artists= Linda Medley
pencillers=
inkers=
colorists=
creative_team_month=
creative_team_year=
creators= Linda Medley
subcat=Fantagraphics Books
sort=PAGENAME

"Castle Waiting" is a comic book series created by Linda Medley. It is in a world of fairy tales and mythology featuring a mix of old-fashioned storytelling and more ironic, modern touches.

cquote|"Castle Waiting" was first conceived in 1984, when I was studying folklore and children's book illustration in college. I had filled a sketchbook with character designs, intending to do my own 'take' on some of the classic Grimm's fairy tales. What really fascinated me were the "background characters" — their unexplained pasts, and their often unresolved fates.
— Linda Medley, afterword to "Castle Waiting: The Curse of Brambly Hedge" (1996).

Medley's story brings together characters from many classic tales, including the enigmatic plague doctor Dr. Fell of the "I do not love thee, Dr. Fell" nursery rhyme, Simple Simon, a gold-egg laying hen (a reference to a hen from Jack and the Beanstalk ) and the Three Little Pigs. Medley's story focuses on the daily lives of fairytale characters, and, as she puts it, "What happened after 'Happily ever after...'"

The story begins with a stand-alone, prologue tale, "Castle Waiting: The Curse of Brambly Hedge", which retells the story of Sleeping Beauty mostly from the perspective of those at the periphery of the action. The book then picks up many years later, after the castle, long abandoned by Sleeping Beauty, has become a home for another group of fairytale characters, many of whom have rather troubled pasts. The castle's daily workings are now overseen by Rackham, a stork-headed dandy, and the place has become somewhat run-down and is beset by mischievous but generally friendly sprites and poltergeists. This story originally focused on Lady Jain, a pregnant woman fleeing her abusive husband. Medley planned to tell the backstory for each of the castle's inhabitants, but she'd only gotten through the story of the bearded nun Sister Peace before the book's disappointing sales compelled Medley, then a struggling self-publisher, to put the book on indefinite hiatus in 2001. After a break that lasted several years, Medley resumed publishing in July 2006, this time for Fantagraphics.

Publishing history

The first Castle Waiting publication was "Castle Waiting: The Curse of Brambly Hedge" which was self-published by Medley (under the publisher name of Olio Press) with a 1996 grant from the Xeric Foundation.

Medley self-published seven issues of an ongoing "Castle Waiting" series in 1997-98.

In 1999, Medley self-published a "Castle Waiting" hiatus issue.

Cartoon Books started publishing "Castle Waiting" (volume two; 4 issues) in 2000. These are number #1-4, but are considered #8-11 (following the 97-98 series).

In 2001, Medley went back to self-publishing and self-published five more issues of "Castle Waiting" (#12 aka vol. 2, #5; #13 aka vol. 2, #6; and #14-16).

In 2005, Fantagraphics Books announced that their 2006 plans included publishing a "Castle Waiting" hardcover collection and a relaunch of the continuing series. The first Fantagraphics issue was published in July, 2006. As of 9 April 2008, eleven new issues of Castle Waiting have been published [ [http://www.previewsworld.com/shipping/archive/2008/040908.txt Diamond Comic Distributors shipping list for 9 April 2008] at a Diamond Comic Distributors website. Retrieved June 25, 2008.] by Fantagraphics.

On her Website [http://www.studiolio.com/] Medley has announced that a collected edition of volume 2 is expected to be released in 2008.

Best of 2006

In December, 2006, "Publishers Weekly" ranked "Castle Waiting" as one of the best comic books of 2006 in a critics' poll. [cite news |title=The First Annual PW Comics Week Critic's Poll |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6401289.html?nid=2789 |work=Publishers Weekly Online |publisher=Publishers Weekly |date=2006-12-19 |accessdate=2006-12-19 ]

Source

[http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6275190.html List of 2006 Spring books from Fantagraphics (note: includes incorrect info about Cartoon Books)]

References

External links

* [http://www.studiolio.com/ Linda Medley's official site]
* [http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=006052 Linda Medley Wonder Con Panel Report at THE PULSE]
* [http://www.comicbookdb.com/search.php?form_search=castle%20waiting&form_searchtype=Title Comic Book DB's list of Castle Waiting comics]
* [http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?query=castle+waiting&type=title&sort=chrono&Submit=Search GCD's list of Castle Waiting comics]