Patricio Tarantino, founder and editor of The Rowling Library e-zine, has knocked himself out for Issue #100 with not only an outrageous quantity of pages, a centenary one hundred, but with extraordinary quality as well. In addition to articles from TRL’s regulars — A. Dalla Palma, Rio Romero, Iris T. M., Oliver Horton, and several pieces from Patricio — Issue #100 features articles from Hogwarts Professor writers Nick Jeffery and Beatrice Groves, each contributing a signature piece from their research focus (Nick writes about the importance of the English class system in Potter and Strike and Dr Groves speculates about the epigraphs of Hallmarked Man and their possible alchemical meaning).

The only downside to the issue? It begins with a history of the magazine produced by The Rowling Library, which group also hosts a remarkable website of resources for Potter Pundits and publishes non-fiction works that focus on subjects of great interest to Rowling’s international audience. This introductory history ends with its author, Patricio Tarantino, admitting that Issue #100 may be the last hurrah for the e-zine. He writes:

This milestone—issue number 100—arrives at a crossroads. It could well be our final issue, closing a chapter that has spanned nearly a  decade of dedication and passion. Or perhaps there will be a #101 appearing in May, just four weeks from now, continuing our monthly journey through the Wizarding World. The honest truth is that I don’t know yet which path I’ll take. The decision will come later, after we’ve had time to reflect on what these 100 issues have meant and where our energies might best be directed going forward.

For now, what matters most is celebrating what we’ve accomplished together—contributors and readers alike—in creating 100 issues dedicated to exploring, analyzing, and celebrating the work of one of the most influential and important writers of our times. Whether this marks an end or just another chapter, what truly matters is that we enjoyed every step of this magical journey together.

I hope the TRL team will consider publishing six issues a year rather than twelve or some other method of keeping the e-zine coming, though I appreciate the hard to believe labors of assembling issues with remarkable content of lasting value in a format that is simultaneously attractive and engaging.

Download the pdf of Issue #100 here or just start reading it. Congratulations to Mr Tarantino and the TRL regulars on passing the mammoth milestone of 100 issues with such grace and flair and many thanks for the many hours of challenging and instructive reading to be found in each new issue and the archives.

Read it now via this link or download the PDF here!

In this month’s issue, the writers in The Rowling Library share their challenging insights on the following subjects:

• ‘Robin’s Heroine Journey’ is this month’s cover story in which Iris T. M. plots the character arc of Robin Ellacott in a point by point comparison with the internal transformation ideas of Moreen Murdock and Jody Gentian Bower, the flip side of the archetypal Hero’s Journey of Campbell after Jung and Christopher Vogler. I hope in issue #100, the author or another TRL staffer will explore Strike’s story arc to see if his path is best described as a Heroine’s, a Hero’s, or a hermaphroditic journey.
• ‘Closed Worlds’ by Oliver Horton seems to promise a look at the realms hidden from public view that the Strike-Ellacott agencies enter — publishing, animation and film making, social media, government bureaucracy, etc. — but instead takes a much more psychological perspective on the much more private ‘worlds’ that Galbraith explores via these characters. Enjoy the references to Homer’s Odyssey!
• ‘The Central Hub of Hogwarts’ by ‘LukeGki’ makes a survey of the references to and the part played by the School of Wizardry and Witchcraft’s entrance hall in the novels, the film adaptations, and even the video games.
• ‘Interactive Editions Find New Artists’ is a review of the fourth entry in the series adaptation of the Hogwarts Saga with the illustrations and “paper-engineered elements” or fold-outs and pop-ups that make it unique. MinaLima had done the first three books but Karl James Montford and Jess Tice-Gilbert were brought on for the Goblet of Fire version — and the anonymous reviewer reports that the fourth entry is very much of the same style and quality of the MinaLima entries, a subject of great concern to collectors.
• Editor and Founder Patricio Tarantino closes the 99th Rowling Library e-zine with The Phoenix or the Flame is Out! He describes the rollout of TRL’s latest publication with a fun YouTube video and engaging ‘Ask Me Anything’ reddit reader-contributor Q&A session and shares his thoughts about future publication projects.

Next month, TRL issue #100 — a landmark event that I’m sure will feature more invaluable explorations of subjects dear to Potter Pundits, Serious Strikers, and the global community of Rowling Readers. Check out this month’s issue — read it now via this link or download the PDF here — and support TRL with a subscription to keep their work alive!

Talk to you at two Eastern this afternoon!