Thursday, April 2, 2015

A to Z Challenge: B is for The Blue Dwarf

A-Z Challenge again for the letter B. The penny dreadful I'm featuring today is called The Blue Dwarf by Lady Esther Hope, pseud (E. Harrison, 1861). 

 "The Blue Dwarf"


Last year, the New York Public Library wrote a post about penny dreadfuls where this story and character among others, was mentioned. "The Blue Dwarf features Richard Turpin, a famous 18th-century highwayman who was fictionalized in many penny dreadfuls like Black Bess, or a Knight of the Road."  I learned that the Blue Dwarf is also known as "Sapathwa," a character associated with the League of Extrodinary Gentleman. How cool is that? When you first read about this bizarre character, it's a bit fascinating. But when you find he's one of the top characters from the late 1800, being compared to others like Gwynplain (a.k.a. The Joker) Alice from Alice and Wonderland or even Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray, it makes this little guy seem a whole lot bigger, huh? (Read more about other comic characters of his time via ComicVine.) The Dwarf is said to be a nobleman in disguise and that he partners with another known penny dreadful character, Dick Turpin.

Where can I get a copy of The Blue Dwarf?


Thanks to the NYPL, I found my ecopy of the story at HathiTrust,   And if you click here, you can read the story online there too!

Have an awesome day!

Mina Burrows









8 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman? Now that is cool!

S. L. Hennessy said...

Ohmygod, one I haven't read! I NEED it!

Stephanie Bird said...

I'm going to click that link but first I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you sharing this amazingly intriguing information. Thanks.

cleemckenzie said...

I get such a kick out of saying Penny Dreadfuls. These stories and their illustrations are wonderful to see.

Sophie Duncan said...

The Blue Dwarf - now he sounds like an interesting rogue.
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

Wow! Look at all of this free stuff I need to read... :D

@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

djinnia said...

the cover on that looks so creepy. i've only seen the movie and not the graphic novels of league. now, i just might have to find them.

Nick Wilford said...

Thanks for sharing these stories. Sounds like that dwarf has come a long way.