Redwall Collectors Community: Ukrainian Redwall
In today's edition of Redwall Collectors' Community, we're covering the new Ukrainian edition of Redwall, Редволл by Браян Жак! This thick paperback was published in 2024 by Nebo BookLab Publishing, featuring a translation by Anna-Maria Baralus.
What makes this edition really special is that it features an all-new map, plus 17 full-page illustrations from illustrator and cover artist Maria Kolosova, and six of those 17 are in color! This is the first time since the Russian editions of the mid-2000s that a version of Redwall has included full-page illustrations to go along with the text, and the first time since the 1997 Tenth Anniversary editions of Redwall that any interior artwork has been in color (previously, Troy Howell and Chris Baker both con…
Redwall Collectors Community: Czech Redwall Revisited
A little over nine years ago, the Redwall Wiki reviewed the 1996 paperback Czech edition of Redwall, "Červená Pevnost", "Kniha první: Hradby".
That review revealed that the only published Czech edition consisted of just Book One of Redwall, The Wall, and that the other two Books within the novel were never published in the Czech language due to the publisher's closure.
For nearly 30 years, Czech Redwall fans have been on tenterhooks: they had no way of knowing what happened with Matthias and his quest, and the outcome of Cluny the Scourge's war against Redwall Abbey.
Sure, it's been almost three decades, but wait no longer, Czechs, the suspense is over! A new Czech-language hardcover of Redwall is available, and it contains all three books, the entir…
Brian Jacques Horror Short Story To Receive Short Film Adaptation
Jamie and the Vampires, a short story from Brian Jacques' 1991 horror collection Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales, is set to receive a short film adaptation from UK-based Double Coat Productions, helmed by producers Patrick Franklin and Annie Shay.
"Patrick (a passionate producer) and Annie (a talented production design student) of Double Coat Productions are two extremely promising final year students at MetFilm Brighton, UK who interned at Viv Loves Film in Summer, 2024. Viv Loves Film is owned by Emma Topping, Executive Producer of Netflix's adaption of Brian Jacques' REDWALL series currently in development. When Patrick and Annie approached us to ask for permission to adapt 'Jamie and the Vampires' a short story from 'Seven Strange and Gh…
Patrick McHale Comments on Netflix Redwall Project
In early 2021, Patrick McHale was announced as the screenwriter for Netflix's Redwall film project. By the middle of 2022, he parted ways with the streamer, however he exclusively told the Redwall Wiki that he had completed a script. It should be noted that McHale's departure over two years ago does not mean the end of the project, in-development movies change screenwriters and directors all the time, even at Netflix. Netflix has never publicly stated that this project isn't moving forward.
McHale is perhaps most well-known for his 2014 Cartoon Network animated series Over the Garden Wall. This year is its 10th anniversary, and a new stop-motion short was released earlier today to celebrate.
In an interview with the folks at Inverse about Over t…
Redwall Wiki Commemorates 19th Anniversary
Redwall Wiki Commemorates 19th Anniversary
As of today, the Redwall Wiki has officially been online for 19 years!
Why it matters: This website is the number one news and information resource for everything related to Redwall and author Brian Jacques.
State of play: It has been a particularly slow news year for Redwall. However, since our last annual celebration, two noteworthy things have happened:
- Redwall audiobooks became available for free for Spotify Premium subscribers!
- Soma Games released the latest entry in The Lost Legends of Redwall, The Scout Anthology.
Additionally, three new foreign editions were published during this past year: Mattimeo (Polish), Salamandastron (German), and Martin the Warrior (Hungarian).
Flashback: To make up for the lack of ha…
Redwall TV Beginnings with Nelvana Founder Michael Hirsh
Nelvana co-founder Michael Hirsh developed a lot of iconic animated TV series, including Beetlejuice, The Magic School Bus, Babar, and of course, the adaptation of Redwall by Brian Jacques. During his time at Nelvana, Hirsh was known for the hand-painted ties he had created for their productions; his Redwall tie featuring Matthias can be seen above.
He chronicled his career working with children's animation in a memoir published in summer 2024, Animation Nation: How We Built a Cartoon Empire. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Hirsh about how Redwall came to Nelvana, as well as a few other aspects of the series. He was one of the executive producers.
Let's start from the beginning. When and how did the opportunity to adapt Redwall to an anim…
Animator Don Bluth Asked About Adapting Redwall
Since the 1990s, the Redwall Online Community has been eager for a major Redwall film adaptation, and we may finally have one on the horizon, courtesy of Netflix.
Over the years, fans have enjoyed sharing their ideal visions for a Redwall movie, and as many are millennials who grew up with animated movies featuring anthropomorphic characters (particularly mice) like The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Rock-a-Doodle, filmmaker Don Bluth was frequently cited as someone people wanted to see involved in such a project.
Of course, animation has dramatically changed since the 1980s and 1990s, so we wouldn't expect a Redwall movie now to be animated in this style. However, we were curious if this was ever a possibility.
The R…
The Greatest Redwall Collection Of All Time
The moment has arrived to finally show you the Greatest Redwall Collection of All Time: the Redwall Wiki Library! Maybe it's even the start of a museum?
Over the years, we've highlighted various unique Redwall and Brian Jacques items. And of course we'll continue to do so. However, after nearly 19 years of running this website, and many more years of reading Redwall, this is the first time we've provided a full reveal of the vast majority of our Redwall collection, all at once. It's so large, one photo can't even capture its glory in its entirety. The above photo is barely a preview. We had to make a video.
To say the entire collection is extensive is an understatement. This is decades of Redwall collecting. We're even showcasing some particularly …
Talking Redwall With Tim Curry
Actor Tim Curry is a legend of the stage and screen, recognized for iconic movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, It, Muppet Treasure Island, Home Alone 2, Annie, Clue, The Three Musketeers, and FernGully: The Last Rainforest, among so many others.
And he also voiced Slagar the Cruel in the animated adaptation of Mattimeo, the second season of the Nelvana Redwall TV Series, a little over 20 years ago.
The Redwall Wiki recently had the opportunity to speak with Curry, and hoped to hear about his contributions to the show, however, unfortunately, he had no recollection of it.
"I don't know ."
Our interaction was brief, and it was truly a privilege to get to speak to him for any amount of time.
If Slagar is ever re-cast, we certainly hope Curry…
The Origin of Tramun Clogg
In the 1980s and 1990s, Chris Turman worked for book publisher Putnam as a publicist, promoting authors in the U.S. and getting them into American schools. Brian Jacques was one of the authors that he championed, and the Liverpudlian liked Turman so much that he used his name as the inspiration for the villain corsair Captain Tramun Clogg from Martin the Warrior.
Jacques even commissioned a special brass ship captain's bell as a gift for Turman, who graciously shared several of his stories about working with Jacques with the Redwall Wiki.
Read Turman's words below.
It is true that Brian used the letters of my last name for Tramun Clogg. How or why he put cloggs on me with a braided beard (I have never worn either) or made me grossly overweight…
Redwall Anniversary Editions Do Not Have Official Autographs
In 1997, the 10th anniversary of the publication of Redwall by Brian Jacques was celebrated with two special hardcover releases - one in the UK, and one in the U.S.
The U.S. edition would later be re-released in a few different paperback formats; the paperback was re-issued by Ace around 2007 for the 20th anniversary of Redwall and again circa 2017 for the 30th anniversary of Redwall. (Our fingers are crossed for something more substantive for the 40th anniversary in 2027.)
In 2004, a special collector's edition of Mossflower was released in hardcover as well.
While there are differences between all of these books, some of them very slight, they have one commonality: an introduction from Brian Jacques accompanied by a print of his signature. This im…
How To Identify A Redwall First Edition
The term "first edition" when it comes to books seems to have a different meaning depending on who you ask. To some, it means the original version of the book that was published. To others, it refers to a specific print run or impression. This terminology is the topic of much debate among book enthusiasts.
However, when it comes to a U.S. Redwall first edition, what should you look for? We're here to help collectors trying to locate this very specific book. Previously, we told you how to find the UK true first edition of Redwall by Brian Jacques.
Redwall was first published as a hardcover in the United States in 1987 by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. You're likely more than familiar with the classic Troy Howell cover artwork…
Vigilantes of Mossflower
If cold air were an object, it would be a sword. Hard, unforgiving, and piercing everything it touched. Loveless, remorseless, unfeeling, freezing, and sometimes ending the lives of living things. If snow were a creature, it would be the warrior. The warrior whose weapon is cold air. The cold is its livelihood, its sustainer, its purpose. Without it, snow would be killed by its enemy, warmth.
But, at this very moment, the snow had another enemy. Snow was being crushed underpaw by a traveler. This mouse was a warrior, just like the cold snow, except this warrior had a conscience as well as a sword.
The wayfarer paused in his steps to take in the lay of the land. the cold wind got a better look at him as he stood still. Stormy grey eyes reflec…
Redwall Collectors Community: Firebird High Rhulain
In 2010, Firebird re-issued the entire Redwall series on paperback in the U.S. These books are notable for the design of their cover artwork, which was topped with a shiny new A Tale of Redwall logo on the front. However, for the past 13 years, a publisher error on one of those covers has gone undetected...until now!
At first glance, this cover for High Rhulain appears to be perfectly normal. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. However, when you turn the book over to review its spine, well, it's quite clear the artwork surrounding the numeral at the bottom doesn't belong there.
It is, in fact, the back cover artwork for The Bellmaker, which features the spirit of Martin the Warrior, Hon Rosie, Durry Quill, and Rufe Brush. Whoops! If we had to g…
Redwall Audiobooks Now Available for Spotify Premium Subscribers
Streaming service Spotify has made more than 200,000 audiobooks available to U.S. subscribers to its Premium service, the company announced today in a press release. What does this mean for Redwall fans? Well, if you're a Spotify Premium subscriber, you'll now have access to several Redwall and Castaways of the Flying Dutchman audiobooks narrated by Brian Jacques, his full cast, and others!
Spotify Premium users in the U.S., UK, and Australia can now listen to up to 15 hours of audiobooks per month, which given the average length of a Redwall audiobook (about 9-10 hours), that's approximately one and a half Redwall works. If you hit your 15-hour limit, 10-hour top-ups are available to purchase.
All you have to do is look for the green "Included in Pre…
Redwall Wiki Celebrates 18 Years
Redwall Wiki Celebrates 18 Years
Can you believe it? The Redwall Wiki has officially been online for 18 years!
The big picture: We've been providing Redwall news and information to Brian Jacques fans for the length of time it takes an adolescent to enter into adulthood.
What happened this past year: We brought you interviews with former Philomel Vice President Patti Lee Gauch and Redwall's first cover artist, Pete Lyon, and highlighted the artwork of Gary Chalk.
Plus: We provided reviews of the brand new German, Hungarian, and Polish editions of Redwall and revealed new cover artwork for several foreign editions.
Not to mention: We were the only media outlet to report that Patrick McHale completed the script for the Netflix Redwall film project.
Speaking …
Mossflower: A Rewrite
Prologue
-
Trapped. Trapped in a cold airless world.
Water. Tsarmina hated it. It obscured her vision, clogged her ears, stifled her breathing, and muffled her screams for help.
And pain. Pain from the long fur at the back of her neck being clutched in a grip of iron as her head was submerged like a hot piece of metal.
Tsarmina's writhing slowed as she felt her strength leave her, and she began to slip into a sea of total darkness as her lungs screamed for air. The heavy blackness that thundered against her skull intensified and she almost surrendered to the cold icy fingers of death, when suddenly the world came rushing back in a large wave of dangerous enlivening reality. The grip on her neck had been released and she was rescued from a watery g…
Interview with Redwall Artist Pete Lyon
Pete Lyon is the very first Redwall book cover artist, having created artwork for UK editions of Redwall, Mossflower, and Mattimeo.
He's also well-known for his groundbreaking video game graphic design and artwork, having contributed to more than 20 titles for the Atari and Amiga systems.
We spoke with Lyon about his involvement with Redwall and his career.
How were you approached to create the first cover for Redwall? What did you think of the book when you initially read it?
I think I was approached by my agent and invited down to talk about the work. I remember the sub editors took me out to a wine bar, it had sawdust on the bare floor and fake rough hewn tables and casks. Such a thing was a bit of a novelty then, very pseud and Londoncentric - at…
Redwall Collectors Community: Polish Redwall
Last month, Polish publisher Wydawnictwo Nowa Baśń released a new hardcover edition of Brian Jacques' Redwall, Redwall: Bitwa o Rudy Mur, which appears to be the first Polish language edition of Redwall since around 2002! The book has finally arrived at the Redwall Wiki, so we'll be taking a look at it today. The text was translated into Polish by Wojtek Cajgner.
The cover artwork, created by Grzegorz Wlazło, features Matthias armed with the sword and shield of Martin the Warrior, striking a confident pose, ready to defend Redwall Abbey from Cluny the Scourge.
This edition also features a brand new map illustrated by Natalia Juszczak - the first new map we've seen in years! While the one above is colorized for internet viewers, it appears in the…
New Cross-Cult German Martin the Warrior Cover Artwork
The official cover artwork for the upcoming Cross-Cult German edition of Martin the Warrior (Martin der Krieger) has been revealed! As with the others from this publisher, Chris Dunn was once again responsible for creating the art.
We last caught a glimpse of this artwork back in October, so it's nice to finally see the finished product. "I was inspired by the sand dunes on Bamburgh beach when coming up with this composition," Dunn told us on Twitter.
This edition is scheduled for release on February 5, 2024. However, don't worry, there are still two more Cross-Cult editions due to be published this year: Mariel of Redwall (June 2023) and Salamandastron (September 2023).
Redwall Collectors Community: Hungarian Redwall
Earlier this month, Hungarian publisher Ciceró Könyvstúdió released a new edition of Redwall by Brian Jacques for 2023, Rőtfal, and our copy just arrived! The novel features striking cover artwork created by Hungarian illustrator Richard Vass, while the interior map and illustrations are the same from the original publication by Gary Chalk. To the best of the Redwall Wiki's knowledge, Redwall had not been published in Hungary previously. The text was translated by Tamás Gábor.
On the cover, Matthias wields the sword of Martin the Warrior on the ramparts of Redwall Abbey, as Warbeak goes on the attack and an incredibly fearsome and downright terrifying Constance defends the peaceful residents from Cluny the Scourge's horde. It's abundantly clear…
Redwall Collectors Community: The Art of Gary Chalk
Illustrator Gary Chalk, Redwall's first chapter icon artist, started selling giclée prints of his fantasy artwork last year, and we decided to grab the most Redwall-esque one available. As he observed in the handwritten note that accompanied it, the print features "a horribly heroic hedgehog!"
Chalk is perhaps most well-known for his contributions to Lone Wolf, a series of adventure books, and the Talisman board game series. In addition to illustrating Redwall, he also illustrated Mossflower, Mattimeo, Mariel of Redwall, Salamandastron, and Martin the Warrior.
However, in 2011 he started his own book series with Allan Jones called The Six Crowns (Sundered Lands in the UK). The hero of these tales is Trundle Boldoak, "a hedgehog who has an appointmen…
Exile: A Tale of Redwall
- 1 Exile: A Tale of Redwall
- 1.1 Prologue
- 1.2 Book 1: Fugitives
- 1.2.1 Chapter 1: The Shanwu
- 1.2.2 Chapter 2: An Unwanted Guest
- 1.2.3 Chapter 3: A Feast to Remember
His footpaws pounded through the shallow snow, echoing across the barren plain.
His breath came in ragged gasps, visible in the chilly air.
The mouse was running.
For three days and nights, he had sped across frozen flatlands with remarkable speed, with only a bag of meager provisions and the clothes on his back to sustain him. At first, the terrain seemed to go on forever, making the mouse begin to doubt whether he was making progress at all in this foreign land. But on the fourth day, when he climbed atop a dune and saw the expansive forest that lay ahead, he knew that he was getting somewhere…
Redwall Lesson Plans
Frequently, we're asked about Redwall lesson plans, or ideas for classroom work for either the Redwall series by Brian Jacques or just the book itself. While a handful of third-party study guides have been published, many of these were released approximately 20 years ago.
We decided to harness the power of OpenAI's ChatGPT to develop some new ones, below. The Redwall Wiki hopes this helps out some teachers, and we're happy to use ChatGPT even further to improve this guide, create additional teaching aids, or create plans for other Redwall books. Let us know in the comments!
- 1 Redwall Differentiated Lesson Plan
- 1.1 Materials
- 1.2 Direct Instruction
- 1.3 Guided Practice
- 1.4 Independent Practice
- 1.5 Conclusion
- 2 Redwall Student Writing Prompts
- 3 Redwall Lesson Plan: …
Redwall Artist Chris Dunn Explains His Process
German publisher Cross-Cult is out with a new video featuring Redwall cover artist Chris Dunn. The video, which was likely filmed at the time these photographs were taken, showcases Dunn in his home studio in Calne, England, where he explains how he created the cover artwork for the forthcoming Cross-Cult edition of Mossflower, scheduled for publication in early December. And if you missed it, a few days ago we reviewed the new Cross-Cult edition of Redwall.
Watch the video now to hear Dunn discuss how he creates the covers from start-to-finish, a five day process. You can also read a transcript below.
So this is the process for making the Redwall Mossflower book cover.
I start off doing lots of little thumbnail drawings and I pick one that I like. …
Redwall Collectors Community: The 2022 German Edition of Redwall
It's here! Today the Redwall Wiki takes a look at the newly published 2022 German edition of Redwall (Der Sturm auf die Abtei), featuring cover artwork by UK illustrator Chris Dunn. Previously, in 2017, we reviewed the 1990s-era German editions of Redwall books.
Published by Cross-Cult, the book is a hardcover, and they're said to be releasing the entirety of Brian Jacques' Redwall series, all 22 books, with new cover artwork from Dunn. Shipment from Germany to the U.S. was about a 13-day process, which included departure, clearance through customs, and arrival at Redwall Wiki HQ.
Let's take a look.
Like other European editions, there is no dust jacket. Dunn's cover artwork, which showcases Matthias battling Cluny the Scourge at Redwall Abbey, is…
Netflix Redwall Film Script Completed
It's been approximately a year and a half since any details about the Netflix Redwall film project have surfaced, and we know fans are champing at the bit for more information. The good news: we have an exclusive update from Patrick McHale, the screenwriter!
"I finished a script," McHale told the Redwall Wiki. "And we did some beautiful development art and some storyboards."
However, he observed that the filmmaking process can take time, noting "it may be an extra while before get Redwall content."
"The current folks over at Netflix have a great understanding (and love) of the property, and want to make something good," McHale said. "And I think we set a nice groundwork for whatever is to come."
Worth noting, back in July, Netflix acquired Anim…
Interview with Former Philomel Vice President Patti Lee Gauch
Patricia Lee Gauch is an author, as well as the former Vice President and Editorial Director for Philomel Books, where she worked for nearly 25 years before stepping down in 2009. Two months after joining the organization in 1985, a galley for Redwall was given to her. She proceeded to offer Brian Jacques a contract, and edited 16 of the 22 Redwall novels.
We recently spoke to Patti for some thoughts on her career and work with Brian Jacques.
You started off as a reporter for the Louisville Journal. What inspired you to leave journalism and become a children's author?
My uncle, Ray Pearson, was city editor of The Detroit News, so when asked what I was going to do, I said, of course, be a reporter. It seemed simple enough to me. I was the first wo…
Official German Salamandastron and Mariel Cover Artwork Is Out
Almost three weeks ago, we showed you the in-progress artwork for a few forthcoming Redwall editions from German publisher Cross-Cult.
Since then, Cross-Cult has announced the final cover artwork for Mariel of Redwall (Das Geheimnis Der Glocke) and Salamandastron (Die Jagd Nach Dem Schatz), as well as their official release dates!
Above, find the artwork for Mariel, which is scheduled for publication on June 5, 2023.
And this is the artwork for Salamandastron, which is scheduled for publication on September 4, 2023.
Have a Happy Halloween, everyone!
New German Redwall Artwork Revealed
Cross-Cult, the German publisher for new editions of the Redwall series featuring cover artwork from Chris Dunn, recently posted on their social accounts about a visit they undertook to see the illustrator himself.
Noteworthy about their post is that there is visible artwork for more than just Redwall, Mossflower, and Mattimeo. Indeed, Cross-Cult's journey to the UK reveals the still in-progress artwork for a few more novels, including Mariel of Redwall, Martin the Warrior, and Salamandastron!
While we've included the photos from Cross-Cult's post, we also pressed our "enhance" button to zoom in as best we can below.
Mariel depicts Mariel Gullwhacker using her Gullwhacker against a gull - seemingly the very scene.
Salamandastron depicts Urthstripe the …
17 Years of the Redwall Wiki
17 Years of the Redwall Wiki
Seventeen years ago today, the Redwall Wiki was officially launched!
Why it matters: This website is the number one news and information resource for everything related to Redwall and author Brian Jacques.
Flashback: Since our last anniversary, we've brought you a lot of great Redwall content, including information on the Lost Legends of Redwall mobile app, a look at the Mossflower uncorrected proof, a review of the Lord Brocktree ARCs, and an in-depth reveal of the planned season four of the Nelvana Redwall TV Series.
- We've published interviews with illustrator Chris Baker and TV series artist Steven Ahola, as well as showcased the Blacksheep UK editions of the Redwall series.
- Several of our feature articles involved foreign e…
Redwall Collectors Community: The Lord Brocktree ARCs
In today's edition of Redwall Collectors Community, we're covering the three Advance Readers Copies (ARCs, also known as uncorrected proofs or galleys) for Lord Brocktree by Brian Jacques.
To our knowledge, this is the only Redwall novel that received three different ARCs - one from U.S. publisher Philomel and two from UK publisher Random House (prior to their merger).
One of these advances just may be one of the rarest Redwall items out there, and we'll explore why below.
The U.S. advance for Lord Brocktree is fairly straightforward. It features Troy Howell's cover artwork, and contains Andrew Warrington's map and Fangorn's illustrations. It's the entire book, just in a pre-publication format. The promotional excerpt on the back comes from the end of…
Cross-name characters
Seeing as I recently made a post about cross-book characters, and just yesterday noted the ambiguous mention of a "Mariel of Redwall" character in it's sequel, "The Bellmaker", I tnought I'd bring up something I found put recently.
I knew there were quite a few characters in Redwall who share the same name---the most famous case being the two Ripfangs (who, despite what Mr. Jacques says, are often considered the same character), and the two Martins (eventually revealed to be three). There's also the Foremoles, Log-a-Logs and Skippers, of course, but those are just titles; one positive element of the series as it progressed was that Mr. Jacques stopped calling them exclusively by those titles.
However, there are apparently also no fewer than…
Cross-book characters
So some of you might have seen my comment on the talk page for Chibb, where I mentioned that of 194 characters who appear over the course of "Mossflower" and the alleged sequel, "The Legend of Luke", only 14 are involved in both books. Now, "Luke" is hardly a sequel to "Mossflower", seeing as a good portion of the former is set before the latter. But it got me curious about how many characters appear between the two instances in the the series of direct sequels: "Mattimeo" to "Redwall", and "The Bellmaker" to "Mariel of Redwall".
As it turns out, there are only 14 who appear in both of the latter pair as well, and there are 201 characters who appear over the course of both books! The former pair, on the other hand, is a much less extreme ca…
Interview with Redwall TV Series Artist Steven Ahola
Continuing our celebration of more than 20 years of the Nelvana Redwall TV Series, we have a special interview today.
Steven Ahola is an artist, animator, and illustrator who is best known for working on films and TV shows such as Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Babar, Little Bear, CardCaptors, and Blaster’s Universe, among others.
Ahola also worked on promotional artwork for the Nelvana Redwall TV Series. Many of these art pieces graced the covers of DVD releases, like Redwall - Season 2, Mattimeo - Slagar the Slaver, Mattimeo - To Be A Warrior, and Mattimeo - The Abyss.
Along with others from the professional artist group MBartist, he exhibits his work at pop culture conventions across the U.S. The Redwall Wiki recently met Ahola at one of t…
Mossflower Was Planned as Season Four of the Redwall TV Series
As Redwall fans anticipate the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the novel, the Redwall Wiki has been taking a look back in time.
Approximately 20 years ago, the season three finale of the Nelvana animated Redwall TV Series aired in the U.S. on July 28, 2002.
It was unclear what would be happening next - another season perhaps? It was often rumored, but there was never anything definitive in media reports. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled.
The Redwall Wiki has always wondered if there was a planned next season, and why the production ceased. And now, we have answers.
The Redwall Wiki can confirm that Brian Jacques' Mossflower was officially planned as the fourth season of the Nelvana Redwall TV Series as of March 2001. This is the previously untold …
Interview with Redwall Artist Chris Baker
Chris Baker, who also goes by Fangorn, is best known as the Redwall cover artist for UK and German editions of Redwall novels that were published from approximately 1992 through 2001, starting with the Red Fox paperback edition of Mariel of Redwall and concluding with the Taggerung hardcover.
Baker also illustrated the interior icons for three Redwall novels, contributed artwork to multiple Redwall accessories and full-page illustrations for the UK's 10th Anniversary edition of Redwall, created several German Redwall covers, and also consulted on the Nelvana Redwall TV Series.
He currently works as a feature film storyboard and concept design artist.
Today, we share our interview with Baker in regards to his Redwall contributions and career. We're very grate…
Redwall Makes Second Jeopardy Appearance
A Redwall question appeared in the May 18, 2022, episode of Jeopardy! This is the second time Redwall has been referenced on the classic trivia game show. Previously, Redwall was mentioned in the March 9, 2018, episode.
Returning champion Ryan Long, with a 3-day streak and $70,000 in winnings thus far, randomly selected the Redwall question as the first one to start the show. After choosing the $800 question in the "Beastly Book Characters" category, host Mayim Bialik read the answer:
Martin the Warrior in the "Redwall" fantasy series is a heroic one of these rodents.
Competitor Dr. Audrey Kamzan, a Los Angeles-based pediatrician, quickly buzzed in with the right answer "What is a mouse?"
It was Ryan vs. Audrey in the final round of the game, and Ryan…
Redwall Collectors Community: Thomas Canty Fantasy Art Trading Cards
A little more than a decade ago, we interviewed Redwall cover artist Thomas Canty. Today, we're reviewing the fantasy trading cards that feature those early 1990s Avon covers of his on the front, accompanied by Canty's thoughts on creating the artwork on the back.
In 1996, Canty released 90 of these collector cards. They were originally sold in packs of 10. We have isolated the five cards for Redwall, Mossflower, Mattimeo, Gabool the Wild, and Mariel of Redwall for the purposes of this review. And, like a few other items we've taken a closer look at, we found some printing errors.
Additionally, artwork from Mariel of Redwall appears on two of the five cards - one for the front cover and one for the back cover.
We'll dive into them now.
Redwall, #73
Cant…
Otter headcanons
A few headcanons I have, related specifically to otters.
1. Falloon was Runa Wildlough's brother/other close relative.
- There's a bit of discrepancy in High Rhulain over how Sister Geminya got her paws on the Lance of Corriam. When first mentioned, it is stated to have been a gift from Skipper Falloon, whereas the account in Tales of Ancient Life indicates that Geminya was given the lance by Runa. The easiest way to reconcile this, in my mind, is if Alem Mossguard confiscated the lance while Corriam was staying at Holt Mossguard. Alem didn't like or trust Corriam, so it makes sense he wouldn't be inclined to let him keep ahold of a weapon. Corriam, in no real condition to object, may have surrendered the broken weapon in an attempt to appease hi…
Redwall Collectors Community: Czech Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales
Back in 2015, we reviewed the Czech edition of Redwall.
Seven years onward, and we've always thought the cover artwork for the Czech Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales ("Sedm strašidelných příběhů" - translated "Seven Scary Stories") by Luděk Bárta was riveting and perhaps a bit macabre. But there are two different hardcover editions, with slightly different publisher text. Of course, we had to get both to compare.
The edition with the white cover text was published first, in 1995. Pavel Dufek translated the text, however a portion of the original English language content is missing from this edition. Before each short story begins, Brian Jacques wrote a series of verses, or a poem, prefacing the narrative. These poems do not appear in the book.
Ho…
Redwall Gets New German Editions for 2022
Redwall (Der Sturm auf die Abtei), Mossflower (In den Fängen der Wildkatze), and Mattimeo (die Rache des Fuchses) are receiving new German translations with some stunning cover artwork by Chris Dunn!
"Redwall made a big impression on me when I was a child so I feel equal amounts of excitement and pressure when trying to create covers that capture the spirit of each story that hopefully pull in new readers," Dunn told the Redwall Wiki.
German publisher Cross-Cult will be re-issuing Redwall and Mossflower later in 2022, in October and December, while Mattimeo will be released in March 2023.
And these aren't the only Redwall covers Dunn will be illustrating - he'll be providing artwork for all 22 novels in the series!
"It's one of those dream jobs ..." Dunn la…
Redwall Collectors Community: Redwall from Thailand
In today's Redwall Collectors Community we're taking a look at the Thai edition of Redwall, เรดวอลล์ ตอน ศึกชิงอาณาจักร. The title translates to "Redwall: The Battle for the Kingdom". The book's front cover depicts a shadow of Matthias holding the sword of Martin the Warrior, with an emblem featuring the face of Cluny the Scourge. The back features an image of the sword itself.
In 2004, publisher Pearl Publishing Co. released this paperback translation in Thailand. However, it seems now that this company is defunct. This is the only known Redwall series novel to be translated into Thai.
Interestingly, the book is a translation of the U.S. 10th Anniversary Edition of Redwall. It contains the introduction from Brian Jacques at the beginning, as we…
Redwall Collectors Community: The Blacksheep UK Redwall Paperback Editions
Today the Redwall Wiki is reviewing the Blacksheep UK set of Redwall paperbacks. These editions were first released by Penguin's Red Fox imprint around 2006 - 2007 during the 20th Anniversary of Redwall. Since that time, Red Fox has re-issued the books with slightly different cover text, and we'll delve into that shortly.
Blacksheep UK designed the cover artwork for these editions of the novels, which consist of the first 14 books:
Redwall, Mossflower, Mattimeo, Mariel of Redwall, Salamandastron, Martin the Warrior, The Bellmaker, Outcast of Redwall, Pearls of Lutra, The Long Patrol, Marlfox, The Legend of Luke, Lord Brocktree, and Taggerung.
In 2006, we had the chance to ask Brian Jacques about these new covers, and he had indicated that the artwork was not…
What If Wulpp survived the battle...
Wulpp waited and waited, and fell asleep. He woke up to his gullet being parched and the sun in his eyes, he looked around. Suddenly it struck him! The Battle of Marshank was over! There were vermin bodies everywhere, he heard a loud screech in the sky, and looked up. There were huge birds and there was a clanging of swords in Marshank. Wulpp stood up and tried to yell, but no voice came out, he then ran into marshank to find Clogg. Clogg was fighting for dear life, and he defeated all the birds. Wulpp ran up to him, but Clogg took one look at him, and stuck his dagger into his heart. Wulpp looked in horror, Clogg really was mad! Since there were no birds, he went into Marshank and started to gulp down wine, and ate roasted seabird. When …
A Redwall Hamilton Satire – Boar of Salamandastron
During his lifetime, Brian Jacques wrote and contributed music to many plays. He was also a stand-up comedian. Every Redwall book features characters bursting into song, and Redwall was even adapted into a musical for children.
So I have to think that Jakesy would get a kick out of a Tony Award-winning musical being parodied with the life and times of relatives of Boar the Fighter – the character he said he would most like to meet.
Surely, he wouldn't say no to this. Who wouldn't love a stage production of badgers and hares singing and dancing around the old Salamandastron forge before battle?! I wouldn't throw away my shot to see that. That's the true room where it happens.
This Redwall Hamilton satire/parody/whatever-you-want-to-call-it was tou…
Chapter 3 & 4
Chapter 3 The friends
After all the commotion ended, and Brelken stopped the otter and squirrel from fighting, they introduced themselves. The squirrel said "Err, hi I am err Hazel the great". The otter said "Hoi, I am Saia badger lord of Salamadastron!" Hazel glared at Saia "Haha very funny badger lord of Salamanderwhatever" Saia replied back "I didn't say anything when you said Hazel the great did I, treejumper?". Daiselle then stamped her foot loudly "Shush up!". They stopped arguing. Daiselle asked them if they had any grub. Hazel gave her some roasted sea bird from the haversack with a mischevious grin. Saia gave him a hard stare and was about to say something when she noticed that brelken was gone
Mossflower Patrol
Chapter 1
The Otter and the Squirrel
Saia the Otter was running away from a vermin camp. "Fools" she said out loud. This made the vermin chasing her very mad, he said "Aye' riverdog give that havysack' ter me". Saia ignored the ferret and ran even faster. She occasionally stopped and let the ferret a dibbuns length close to her, but then she dashed off. The ferret, out of breath, hoarsely gasped " Yer gonna pay fer all thar bloodshed, Riverdog! Don't yer dare ferget the name Savagetooth! The ferret then collapsed to the ground, out of breath. "Savagetooth's the right name for ya" thought Saia. Saia looked at her surroundings, making sure there were no other vermin. She then realized running into the depths of Mossflower was a bad idea, as…
News:Soma Games Releases Mobile App Teaser Video
Soma Games has a released a brand new teaser video for the forthcoming Untitled Lost Legend of Redwall interactive fiction mobile app.
As a reminder, this app will include three "episodes" or mini-games inside it: The Wildcat Scroll, Caverns of Kotir, and The Flowers of Icetor. The video shows off a brief look at all three adventures.
The first 19 seconds appears to showcase a look at The Wildcat Scroll. We meet woodlanders Emory and Henny, however two wildcats, Tsiri and Alister, are also encountered, as well as two birds, Redcrest and Skyplume.
Some new summaries are available for the three acts of the game too.
Act I
Soon you'll be a fully-fledged member of Redwall Abbey, but first you must prove you're ready. However a strange scent lingers on th…
News:Redwall Collectors Community: The Mossflower Uncorrected Proof
Welcome back to Redwall Collectors Community. Today, we're showing off the Mossflower uncorrected proof (also known as an advance proof, advance readers copy, or ARC). There are actually two: a U.S. and a UK edition. We have both in the Redwall Wiki library.
These are very rare first editions of Mossflower by Brian Jacques - both were released prior to the publication of the novel. The U.S. Mossflower proof is very similar to the uncorrected proof for Redwall - there are no illustrations from Gary Chalk inside it, they probably weren't even finished at the time. Or, perhaps, they hadn't arrived at the Philomel offices from the UK publishers. After all, the internet wasn't around in the 1980s.
While the back of the U.S. edition is blank, the UK versi…