Stuff of Nightmares - Review

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: Graphic Novel

Format: Paperback

Pages: 144

So this is a modern retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein but with a Goosebumps twist. That was all I needed to hear to put it on my Holds list at the library. Those are two of my favorite things, and I honestly couldn't imagine how it could go wrong. I'm also on this old-school monsters kick where I've been devouring books that retell their stories. It has to be because we're so close to Spooky Season.

This did not disappoint. It is everything I love about both worlds, combined with artwork very similar to Mike Mignola's work. And all of it works together perfectly to tell a truly gruesome story. I loved how gross the monsters were, I loved the story of the brothers and Stella, and I love how the monsters evolved throughout the story.

My favorite part of this tale was the narrator, the collector of nightmares. It felt very much like Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt in the way he told his story. I also really liked the look around his house and all the curiosities he had inside. It was a great way to start and end each chapter, to set up what was about to happen, and add a little humor into the story without taking away from the story itself.

R.L. Stine did a great job of twisting this classic into a modern tale. He didn't reinvent the wheel, instead had the brothers use Mary Shelley's story as the reason behind their twisted idea. I loved how he kept to the theme of hubris throughout the story and kept true to the original Monster. Though I will say I wasn't expecting the little twist at the end. Though it felt very in the vein of Stine himself to have a little moment like that.

Also, it felt very much like Penny Dreadful as well, so getting them issue by issue would have been. One scary little chapter at a time. I think that was the only downside of the story and getting it all together like this. While that's usually my favorite way to read Graphic Novels because I'm impatient, and its easier to wait for the whole volume than for each issue. The Stuff of Nightmares was the exception to that rule. I think I lost a little bit by reading it all at once. 

I'm definitely going to have to keep an eye out for another volume if  R.L. Stines does a second tale. That way I can get issue by issue from my local comic book store!

HAPPY READING!!