Castle Waiting

Yawn.

That is what my reaction was when reading a synopsis of Castle Waiting. I fancy myself a bit of a harsh reality lovin' type of gal, so the idea of fantasy and fairy tales and "happily ever" make my eyes glaze over.

But I questioned my inital reaction after picking up the collected Castle Waiting by Linda Medley at the new Fantagraphic Books store. After admiring the beautifully bound, gorgeously printed book in the damage room, the mere 15 dollar price tag coupled with my growing curiosity won me over.

And wow, did I devour this book. I read with the fervor of the worst breed of fangirl and the intellectual curiosity of a scholar. Awed by the subtle weaving of Greek mythology (like a character referring to herself as the boulder to Sisyphus), fairy tales, drama, romance, and humor, I am humbled by how enthralled I am by this story. The construction of the plot keeps the reader on their toes, as the character Lady Jain weaves in and out of childhood memories and real-time events. The art is impeccable and perfectly suited for this fantasy world filled with sprites and pregnant women and walking horses.

I think what makes me the most happy is that I am not one of the first fans - the ones who had to wait years for a new installment of the story. Since Castle Waiting's inception in 1996 (it was a blessed Xeric inception, by the way), publishing has been unpredictable at best. Since Fantagraphics restarted the series, there has already been two continuation issues and one more scheduled for November. I'm hoping the healthy pace continues as I will now be one of the many waiting with baited breath for the next issue.