Comic book series : Castle waiting

The 456-page Castle Waiting graphic novel tells the story of an isolated, abandoned castle, and the eccentric inhabitants who bring it back to life. A fable for modern times, Castle Waiting is a fairy tale that's not about rescuing the princess, saving the kingdom, or fighting the ultimate war between Good and Evil — but about being a hero in your own home. The opening story, "The Brambly Hedge," tells the origin of the castle itself, which is abandoned by its princess in a comic twist on "Sleeping Beauty" when she rides off into the sunset with her Prince Charming. The castle becomes a refuge for misfits, outcasts, and others seeking sanctuary, playing host to a lively and colorful cast of characters that inhabits the subsequent stories, including a talking anthropomorphic horse, a mysteriously pregnant Lady on the run, and a bearded nun.

For the first time, Fantagraphics' Castle Waiting collects the first volume of the Harvey and Eisner Award-winning comic book series into one hearty hardcover. Linda Medley lavishly illustrates Castle Waiting in a classic visual style reminiscent of Arthur Rackham and William Heath Robinson. Blending elements from a variety of sources — fairy tales, folklore, nursery rhymes — Medley tells the story of the everyday lives of fantastic characters with humor, intelligence, and insight into human nature. Castle Waiting can be read on multiple levels and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. (And the story continues in Castle Waiting Vol. II!)

2007 Eisner Award nominee: Best Graphic Album — Reprint, Best Publication Design (Adam Grano)

2007 Harvey Award nominee: Best Graphic Album — Previously Published

Official Selection, 2008 Festival International de la Bande Desinée de Angoulême (French edition)

"20 Essential Albums for Summer 2008," l’Association des Critiques de Bandes Dessinées (French edition)

Finalist, Prix de la Critique 2008, l’Association des Critiques de Bandes Dessinées (French edition)

"With its quiet blend of fantasy, folktales, and character-driven storytelling, this charming collection brings the first 12 issues of an Eisner Award-winning comic-book series to a wider audience... Medley's storytelling... uses flashbacks and stories-within-stories in a manner that creates a rhythm that is both fun and gripping. Hard-edged lines with simple forms create black-and-white artwork that melds nicely with the fairy-tale feel of the stories. This volume is accessible for younger readers but filled with enough layers and depth to satisfy those looking for a bit more sophistication." – School Library Journal

"Castle Waiting creates a vibrant fantasy world not unlike The Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth but with a focus on the lives of women. Gorgeously illustrated in black and white, the book combines Christian and mythological imagery, including a bearded female saint, Rumpelstiltskin and various animal-headed characters. Fun to read and look at, Castle Waiting will enthrall fantasy readers of both genders." – Time

"A set of linked nouveaux fairy tales, this graphic novel extends the story of Sleeping Beauty into a modern, feminist Chaucer. Medley's art is both exquisitely detailed and fantastically lighthearted. Though appropriate for all ages, this one-of-a-kind graphic novel is likely to appeal most to smart women in their 20s and older — much older — and to any man who believes in feminism and knows how to laugh." – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"There's a clear salute to the power of sisterhood in Castle Waiting's stories of battered and exploited women banding together with kindly men to make a new world... The Castle Waiting castle draws people looking for a safe place to rest. The Castle Waiting book draws readers looking for much the same. Club rating: A-" – The Onion A.V. Club

"Medley’s big book ranks with Jeff Smith’s Bone as a nearly-all-ages graphic-novel triumph." – Booklist "Core Collection: Graphic Women"