My favorite art for The Hobbit is from the version released in the USSR.
https://www.openculture.com/2014/03/discover-soviet-era-illu...
Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
121–129 of 129 posts
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#122Earlier quoted context omitted.
https://www.theonering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Ho... I did. The version you posted is a 2016 reprint, I’m unsure which is correct.
Fair enough! (BTW I didn't post any version but your point stands.)
Also worth pointing out that I didn’t find the original correction rude unless there was an earlier version of the comment I didn’t see ;)
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#123I'm always of two minds about this kind of stuff. First of, the illustrations are great. I love them. Separate though, if they don't represent the original material then why not just make some new IP instead if effectively taking a piss on someone else's?
I don't think it's pissing on the source material, it's adapting it. Alastair Reynolds once expressed this sentiment in a nice way: I didn’t want to be slavishly bound by the earlier story. So I made the decision that House of Suns would take its cue from the events and characters in the shorter piece, but it wouldn’t be afraid to contradict them if that made for a better story. [0] https://www.alastairreynolds.com/r…
Easier to say when the source is your own material.
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#124We're these only used in Sweden? I know I've seen some of them before, but I'm not sure if it's from decades on the internet or my school having a specific thirty year old edition of The Hobbit. I seem to recall thinking Gollum was big, but honestly could be remembering the Shelov scene. It was long time ago.
I read Finnish version of Hobbit that had Tove's art about 40 years ago.
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#125Earlier quoted context omitted.
> (I’m aware some people think the original version didn’t specify his size. But the 1937 text states “Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature.”) This directly contradicts the article. I found the first edition online, and have determined you are mistaken. http://searcherr.work/The%20Hobbit%201st%20ed%20(1937).pdf Page 83: "Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum. I don't k…
https://www.theonering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Ho... The version you linked is a 2016 reprint, so I’m actually not sure which one is correct. The version I linked to still has Gollum offering to give Bilbo the ring so it certainly predates the modern version I have. And that is the change Tolkien explicitly states he made. The version I linked has this "If it asks us, and we doesn't answer, we gives it a p…
I see. This is a weird situation, then, and I apologize if I was abrasive.
Searching online ("Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum. I don't know") there are many hits for the line without "small and slimy creature." I assume it to be part of some legitimate edition, and I find it hard to believe this clarification would have been removed between editions, so with some confidence I conclude the original version did not have "small and slimy creature." Still, I understand your POV and appreciate your patience explaining it.
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
https://www.theonering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Ho... The version you linked is a 2016 reprint, so I’m actually not sure which one is correct. The version I linked to still has Gollum offering to give Bilbo the ring so it certainly predates the modern version I have. And that is the change Tolkien explicitly states he made. The version I linked has this "If it asks us, and we doesn't answer, we gives it a p…
I see. This is a weird situation, then, and I apologize if I was abrasive. Searching online ( "Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum. I don't know" ) there are many hits for the line without "small and slimy creature." I assume it to be part of some legitimate edition, and I find it hard to believe this clarification would have been removed between editions, so with some confidence I conclude the original…
No worries. I wasn’t offended. Just surprised because I knew I had double checked.
Oh yeah I think it’s likely the very first version didn’t have it. But I’m much less sure about when it could have first popped up. I think it’s highly likely it showed up before the Swedish version. But I’m not very confident. Also it’s possible that the version Jansson was working from didn’t have it, even if a version of it with that text existed at the time.
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#127It has a real “where the wild things are” feel…which is the art used to decorate my local library. A lot of people have chosen to take the Hobbit as seriously as its older brother—-including Peter Jackson—-and have missed out on the absurd, beautiful childishness of the whole thing. The Hobbit does a wonderful job of introducing the ideas and characters of LotR in a way which is accessible for children and I think th…
"absurd, beautiful childishness of the whole thing" There is the bed-jumping scene, so there is childishness in the movies too. (I also hated that scene; I started to root for Sauron when I saw that scene.)
Apropos rooting for Sauron: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Ringbearer
Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ugh. That video should have come with a flashing [INFORMATIONAL HAZARD] warning sign. Tolkien fans, beware. This may ruin your day.
It's quite alright. Done in a classic childrens' story illustration style, rather than the modern sleek style of CGI-heavy fantasy. Tastes may have changed a bit in the last 60 years or so.
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Re: Tove Jansson's criticized illustrations of The Hobbit (2023)
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nah just sounds like people can't handle what they say being questioned as per usual. We should never take offense to being asked to clarify or explain when someone thinks we're wrong. I'd only be vaguely offended if they had no grounded reason to think that I'm wrong (and they'd be calling me out for the sake of calling me out). Communicating ideas is a part of tribalism too. Good brain chemicals when the tribe agre…
Yeah, my bad, after re-reading the original post. It was not particularly rude. Apologies.
Heya, I don't often come back and reply to people but I genuinely have to say I look up to your ability to change your mind, admit you were wrong and come out smiling.
We should all be more like you! <3