It's no secret that artist Mike Mignola and writer Lemony Snicket are teaming up for a special illustrated edition of author Carlo Collodi's classic novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio - the project is already over 600% funded on Kickstarter and still running, for those who are interested in jumping in on the crowdfunding campaign.
Now publishers Beehive Books have released an exclusive video of a Pinocchio puppet built by Red Nose Studios and based on Mignola's drawings. It will be on display at a Pinocchio-themed exhibit held at New York's Society of Illustrators, seen here:
The puppet was made for the exhibition, which opens today, alongside a diorama that mimics some of the set pieces from the story. The exhibition will also include all of Mignola's original drawings and paintings for the project, which he started during the pandemic.
"The puppet was made by the mad geniuses at Red Nose Studio, who do all kinds of incredible puppet illustration and animation work," explains Beehive Books editor-in-chief Josh O'Neil. "It was a collaboration between Mike and Chris Sickels of Red Nose, who are appreciators of one another's work. Chris brought Mike's whole Pinocchio world to life. The mixed media materials include plywood, cardboard, paper, fabric polymer clay, wire, lightbulb and carved Redbud wood."
Speaking of his own fascination with puppets and why Pinocchio is his next project, Mignola offered a succinct and straightforward explanation.
"Puppets frequently appear in my comics. Some people have asked me why," Mignola states to Newsarama. "They’re made of wood and they talk. They are awkward and both funny and creepy."
It doesn't get much simpler than that when it comes to Mignola's unique and quirky brand of comic horror.
The new edition of Pinocchio features illustrations by Mignola and colorist Dave Stewart, as well as over 100 pages of annotations by Snicket which will be included as inserts in the book.
"For many years I have been curious to see if I, too, will join the tradition of readers completely transformed into lunatics from a reading of Pinocchio, and although Carlo Collodi died long ago, I like to think that somewhere, somehow, he is interested in seeing what I might have to say as I read this book and likely lose my mind," stated Snicket in the book's original announcement. "Perhaps you are too."
Mignola and Snicket's Pinocchio is estimated to arrive in December of this year.
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