This thematic issue deals with the diversity and potential of doll/puppet narratives in the broadest sense and with their universal and/or culture-specific forms, traces, traditions and folklore as well as with the interplay of the respective reception references. These narratives are traced in a variety of different literary, artistic, cinematic, (pop-)cultural and folkloristic genres as well as in pedagogically relevant fields. In addition, s specially designed short graphic novel questions the linking of classic puppet theater narratives with seminal AI-based automation fantasies.