While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.
So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!
From their inception in 2013, Storm King has continued to push the boundaries of horror for all ages. From their more mature releases to their Storm Kids line, Storm King really does have something for everybody under the sun (or the haunted night sky more likely). Stanley And The Haunted House continues that tradition of making horror accessible to even the youngest of readers and I have to say, even for a thirty-eight-year-old man, it was still pretty fun.
It all begins on Halloween night when Stanley (a hyper and precocious squirrel) and his other animal friends decide to tell each other ghost stories to get in the holiday mood. Quickly it becomes apparent that Stanley does not believe in ghosts and a challenge is handed out; to take a walk through the supposedly haunted Bunnyburrow Manor. They all meet the next day to enter the manor and very quickly any doubt that was held by Stanley is washed away. What follows is a very Scooby-Doo-like adventure, being chased from one scare to the next, all while trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Eventually, a lot of the mystery is unearthed (I won’t spoil it here) and new friends are made when an understanding is reached. One thing I will say is, that every home should have a candy room.
MEET THE GHOULIES AND GHOSTIES
It takes a village to make a palatable comic and the team behind Stanley And The Haunted House really nailed the assignment. Of course, with any comic, book, or even film or TV show, it all starts with the writing. Nothing can be done without a script in place and for this, Jeff Blake wrote a really compelling and fun tail (this is a pun) that not only was entertaining for the target audience and adults alike but it also managed to sneak in a positive message without being preachy. It was really well done.
The art team is a huge part of any comic, having to set the tone and convey the aesthetic that the writer was going for. Basically, they deal in mood, handing out emotion one panel at a time. The art in the Stanley books are always top notch and this was no exception. On pencils, Walter Carzon really brought us a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique style and flavor. It’s always fun for me to see animals act like people. I’m a child of the 80’s, what can I say?
The inking duties went to Horacio Ottolini who set those lines and laid in that black with precision. The shadows are deep and full of mystery, he did an amazing job. The final color was dropped in by Jeff Blake, pulling double duty. The colors really popped off the pages and ran the course of bright primaries to dark and moody muted. On letters we had, Janice Chiang, continuing her amazing run of giving each character their own voice through font. The entire look of this book is fantastic.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Like I said earlier, I’m not the target audience for this book and even still I had a good time. The story really tackles some complex questions in a childlike way that can easily be understood. It also carried with it a message of friendship and adventure, understanding others points of view, and of acceptance. It was quite beautifully done while at the same time giving the kids (the Storm Kids) who came here for frights, plenty of ghosts and jumps to wet their appetites.
The Stanley books are an ongoing series for Storm King with many adventures of these furry friends already out and ready to be consumed. Stanley And The Haunted House is a great addition to the many volumes that already exist. If you’re a fan of horror and you have children this is a perfect series for them to start growing their love as well. Or, even if you’re just an adult like me who likes to see cartoon animals act like people, this book has a little bit for everybody. I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough.
Today’s winner:
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 