John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: Stanley and the Haunted House (Family Comic Friday)

I finish out my all-ages reviews for Halloween 2023 today with this delightful funny animal tale from horror legend John Carpenter. (I've still got a couple of mature reads left to review.) Stanley and the Haunted House is the 3rd comic in the series. Back for another annual adventure, Stanley and his friends decide to spend the night in a creepy mansion in order to prove once and for all if ghosts exist. Bandit brought the flash lights. Baby Wolf has got the food. While Natasha has a camera to document the proof of spirits. 

I became aware of John Carpenter and wife Sandy King's all-ages imprint Storm Kids with last year's The Yard Gang Halloween Special. (I'm not really sure how I missed the first two Stanley books.) When I heard that this new one-shot was dropping, I was a little disappointed not having the pets from the Yard Gang. But the world of Stanley and Friends was a delightful introduction to a gaggle of characters that were a laugh riot. 

These guys have panache and great comedic timing. I would love to see Stanley and his furry pals starring in an animated series. Maybe an annual Halloween cartoon special! They've got the chops on par with the Looney Tunes and the cartoons of classic Mickey, Donald and Goofy when they go ghostbusting in 1937's 'Lonesome Ghosts.'

The story was written by Jeff Balke. I'm not familiar with him. But if you ever head to Jeff Balke Studios, you will feel like you're in the presence of a true devotee to those classic cartoon predecessors I mentioned in the last paragraph. On art and inks are Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini. Both of these talents I AM familiar with as they are DC Comics mainstays in relation to Hanna Barbera and Looney Tunes properties. Together, these three made a terrific trio with a story that was spooky, not scary, and very laugh-out loud hilarious.

The first two Stanley books are Stanley's Ghost and Stanley and the Forgotten Forest. Both of those issues along with Stanley and the Haunted House can be purchased online at the Storm Kids parent website stormkingcomics.com (Just a bit of warning though. This site also sells Storm Kings' more mature horror titles and some images on the website may be too terrifying for young readers.) If the 2021 and 2022 Halloween specials are anything like this year's release, the young readers in your life are in for a treat. And as this book isn't set during Halloween, it's a read the family can enjoy 365 days a year for a small scare read!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: The Yard Gang Halloween Special (Family Comic Friday)

After a week off due to a very long and busy period at work, Family Comic Friday is back. We kick off Halloween a little bit early with a release that I never in a million years would have expected to review for young readers and their families. Legendary horror director John Carpenter and acclaimed horror comics writer Steve Niles working together on a comic book for kids? C'mon, is this a dream?

Storm Kids is the all ages imprint to John Carpenter (the Halloween film franchise) and wife Sandy King's comic book publisher Storm King. The idea is to open young readers up to age appropriate horror and thriller stories illustrated and written by some of the top talent in the comic book industry. 

30 Days of Night's Steve Niles and wife Monica Richards work together to bring families this adorable story of a family of house pets as they prepare for All Hallow's Eve. 

Lucy the kitten is the biggest fan of Halloween. This year's festivities take place during a full moon. But instead of bad luck, the full moon provides Lucy the chance to make one wish come true before the clock strikes Midnight. Will the precocious feline wish for it to be Halloween every night? Or maybe more wishes? One thing is for sure: whatever Lucy decides, it will change her eclectic family furever!

I absolutely loved this Halloween special. I thought that the way all of the animals spoke was perfect. I always make my fur babies talk and they don't quite get all the concepts right. And that's sometimes how Lucy and her siblings talk. I also loved the expressions of the animals. Artist Kelly Williams (Metaphase) creates some really adorable looking characters. 

Though I did think that the sizes of some of the characters were a bit off. For instance, Lucy and her brother Yob are able to ride on the back of their hound dog brother, Oliver. Now my Harley is tiny. But I don't think there's any way in the world she'd be able to ride atop the back of a full grown canine.

The Yard Gang was a great way to kick off my 2022 Halloween reads. It was adorable, a pinch bittersweet (which I'll not spoil why) and above all- magical. I really hope that co-creators John Carpenter and Sandy King along with co-writers Steve Niles and Monica Richards have more adventures of these cute little guys in store for years to come!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Joker: Year of the Villain One-Shot

Joker stories are getting to be a dime a dozen. He is perhaps the most popular Batman villain of them all. Thus DC Comics is putting out tons of stories about the Clown Prince of Crime ad nauseam. I am sure that the average Joker fan feels that those stories are so amazing. And I will admit that the role reversal of the Batman: White Knight storyline does seem to have some originality to it. But the majority of the Joker stories being produced these days just seem interested in diving deep into the Joker's psyche and getting as violent as possible. It just doesn't make sense to spend full price on stuff that's going to be in the dollar bin next year.

So why did I buy this Year of the Villain one-shot at original price? That's easy! Two words: John Carpenter!

Having the legendary director, who by many is considered more of a modern master of horror than Stephen King, take on Batman's most deranged enemy was so intriguing to me. I just had to know what the Halloween creator was going to do with the Joker. 

In this story, Carpenter focuses on one of the Joker's henchmen. Thus, you really get to see Joker at his most insane and in this one-shot, that has Joker and adjutant taking on the roles of Batman and Robin. Of course, the villain has a warped way of seeing vigilante justice. Murderers an thieves are off the hook. But if you are a jaywalker or don't pick up after your dog makes on the sidewalk- beware this antithesis of The Bat!

Jon Carpenter's story was unique but not really different. I remember that classic 1960s story in which the Joker made his own versions of Batman's utility belt. But Joker didn't really try to go on the 'straight and narrow' with his gadgets. I was also rather unhappy with the ending. It's too open-ended. However, I would not be surprised if the henchman and some other characters introduced in this book might pop up in a future issue of Batman/Detective Comics or even a sequel one-shot. 

A good story that is at times quite creepy. Not the definitive Joker tale. But I also don't think that this story is over yet. Thus, I will rate it slightly higher that I might normally.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

John Carpenter's Tales for a Halloween Night Vol. 2 (Halloween Comic Fest 2016)

This Halloween Comic Fest freebie is an selection from the second volume of John Carpenter's Tales for a Halloween Night. There's currently three volumes in this series that pits some of horror comics, film, and novels best and brightest together in an anthology series that rivals those old horror anthologies of the pre-code era. 

The story in this mini-comic 'The Traveler's Tale' was written by Carpenter himself. It has a treasure hunter stealing a beautiful box from a bazaar only to inherit the curse inside: a torso-less head with a personality and a set of coordinates that promise some special riches when found.

It wasn't the best story. I did like the twist ending. But the flow of the story was off to me. I'm sorry but it you title something as 'tales' then what you read- even if it's a mini comic- should have more than one story. 

 Let it be said, I would be more than willing to read the complete 200 page volume that this story was a sample of. I just wasn't happy with what I was offered. Yes, I'm saying it- I kinda felt gypped with this book even though I got it for free.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

A Madman's Halloween 2017 Reading List... (Part 1)

It's that time of year again. The days get shorter. The nights get longer. A chill is in the air and soon, the Witching Hour of October 31st will soon be upon us.
And with that I have crafted my 2017 Halloween reading list to help get more in that spooky spirit of All Hallow's Eve. I spent all last night combing my vast collection of over 9,000 books to conger up a few scares. I've grouped my reads into different categories in order to help those of you be inspired to find the right spooky comic book for your countdown to terror. So read on if you dare...

For the Kiddies...

All of these books were selections from the 2016 Comic Book Halloween Fest held in comic shops nationwide. The next such event is scheduled for October 28th. For an look at those titles click here...

Disney's Great Parodies: Mickey's Inferno (Mini-comic)

This is a Disney-fied version of Dante's Inferno. Reprinted and translated from it's original Italian, the book is a parody of Dante's Inferno, about a young man's trip to Hell. Only the opening chapter to the Papercutz graphic novel, the book is recommended for ages 6-11! I'm not kidding, that's what Amazon says. Well, might as well get the kids started on the classics early in life.

Grumpy Cat and Pokey (Mini-comic)

The world-famous cat behind a 1,000 memes has his own series of comics with his brother Pokey. Despite the Friday the 13th cover, this book is geared for readers of all-ages and the series is a million times funnier than anything Garfield.

Grimmiss Island (Mini-comic)

From the Art Baltazar and Franco, the minds behind such titles as Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hell Boy comes Grimmiss Island. The star of the book is a sort of tiki god golem that protects his creators from the evil volcano gods. For readers 8-12.

Archie's Mad House (Mini-comic)

Archie has been a mainstay of the Halloween Comic Fest since it's inception. Tons of collections devoted to Archie and all of his Halloween and other holiday stories can be found online and comic shops the world over.

The Three Stooges Halloween Hullabaloo

You'd think that this generation of young readers wouldn't be open to the Stooges. Yet, it's been a successful series for several years now. Who would've thought? It's great to see that some classics don't die away. Suggested readership is 8-12 years of age.

For Teens and Up...

Yes, the comics offered at Comic Book Halloween Fest aren't just for kids- there's books for teens and adults given away for free.  Here's a look at some selections from last year's event.

The Haunted Mansion #1

Part of Marvel's Disney Kingdoms series, this is a reprint of the 2015-16's miniseries devoted to the 999 spooks of the Haunted Mansion. For ages 12 and up.

You Choose the Story When You're the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1

I'm pretty sure that this isn't a Halloween themed story. Every once and a while, one of these gets added to the Halloween Fest mix. I don't particularly like it when this happens, but it's a Choose Your Own Adventure type comic and when I saw this last year, it literally was crying out for me to take it home. 12 and up.

John Carpenter's Tales For a Halloween Night, Volume 2

If you don't know why John Carpenter and All Hallow's Eve are as synonymous as peanut butter and jelly, google the words 'Michael Myers' right now! (I'll wait...) This selection of stories is from his award winning anthology series featuring the talents of Stephen King, Steve Niles, and many more. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10 #8

Not an offering from Comic Fest. But this continuation of the Joss Whedon series is perfect for this category. It seems that Buffy becomes a sort of cultural touchstone for people once they become teenagers. I bought this in a bargain bin for a buck just because of the Halloween cover. We shall see if it's a holiday themed story...

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And that will wrap up part one of my list. In part two, I take on the adult books as well as some classic scares.
Over the month of October, check out my personal blog Madman With a Book where I will be posting my reviews of these books as well as many other titles,
I hope this list will inspire you to seek out some comic and graphic novel frights in time for Halloween. If you have any suggestions of you own for what makes the perfect Halloween reading list, please post theme in the comments section below...

The Fog

   This Dark Horse graphic novel was written as a prequel to the 2005 remake of the Fog. However, as this incorporation ideas and story structure that John Carpenter wanted to include in his classic 1980 version, this book can act as a prequel to that film as well. That actually works quite well for me as I've seen the original (which scared the hell outta me) but not the remake.

    The prequel starts in China with a group of Shanghai traders fleeing a mysterious fog. They arrive in a coastal town in post-Civil War California, where they work in the town's mines and perform odd jobs. When one of the residents begins a series of gruesome experiments on one of the boat people, they unwittingly unleash the ancient curse hidden in the fog that the immigrants so desperately fled China from.

    The Fog was very good, but it wasn't great. (Which is what many people say of the original film from 1980.) The writing was good, the art was fantastic, and there was a great scare factor in the book, but something was missing. The story needed a little more tweaking in terms of plotting and pacing. Some scenes, that in my opinion seem unnecessary, drag on for several pages. Whereas when the story gets to the climax, and we have a chance to truly grasp what was done to cause the fog to come to America and curse the coastal town, everything seems rushed and vital information is either forgotten or glossed over in order to meet the page requirement of the book. 

    If this was a miniseries instead of a single volume comprised of 88 pages (really about 80 if you remove the forward and afterword) then I think more time could have been given to flesh out this story better. Like Carpenter's original film, this book was fraught with missing opportunities...

    I found this book at Ollie's for dirt cheap. If you don't find it there, Amazon has it few literal pennies on the dollar. This was a fun book and I probably should have waited for closer to Halloween to read this. But the awesome Mike Mignola (Hellboy) cover and dynamic palette by Dave Stewart (also of Hellboy fame) was too tempting for me to wait.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars