Cereal

by Mark Russell

"What We Do In the Shadows" meets "Monster Squad" - a dark, distinctly adult—and lovingly funny—take on an earlier generation’s beloved monsters.

The Marquis de Cocoa, recently transformed into a vampire, emerges from his castle's crypt to face a deadly He must brave the agony of sunrise and host another of the sumptuous breakfast parties he is known for, lest the townsfolk suspect what he has become and drive a stake through his heart. Other abominations—a creature composed of cadaver parts, a specter, a lycanthrope, a leprechaun—arise to threaten dangers of their own in this epic comedy of terror and tragedy.

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Humor, Vampires, Mystery

Kindle Edition

About the author

Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Brandon Telg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m coming to think there is no dumb idea that Mark Russell can’t mine for gold. Cereal mascots taken seriously? Really? And yet… this is wonderful.

Add this to his ever expanding list of “it should not work but it does” titles (The Flintstones, Snagglepuss, Wonder Twins, etc). Russell’s one of my favorite writers because of this rare gift to inject such life into lame ideas!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

All weird. Fun concept, but weird.

[Troy Tradup · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swing and a miss on a wildly original idea.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know fairy tales could be written so well. There are many references to cereal and pretty much every character is named after cocoa, berry or orange. But the underlying drama is memorable. There is betrayal and revenge around every corner. Also pretty graphic murders, so I wouldn't give this book to any youngster thinking it's a safe bed time story. In fact, the 'happy-end' is anything but. There is a glass half full in there, but ultimately every character loses either their own lives or something close to their hearts.

Life has become difficult for the Marquis de Cocoa ever since he was turned into a vampire. He still has his estate and servants, as well as his loving wife who know of his affliction. During one if his customary breakfast parties, his rival the Duc L'Orange blackmails the marquis' wife with revealing his secret lest she leave her husband. She is forced to agree, but also asks to be turned into a vampire. This way she keeps her word to meet the duc, but also feeds on his blood.

On the way to gather allies against his war with general Mills, Franken Cherrie is betrayed by captain Crackle, killed and resurrected as a monster by Post's wizard. No longer recognized by his loyal subjects, he is forced to hide in Post's castle and do his bidding.

General Post raided the lands of the leprechauns, leading to the death of their king. Captain Crackle tries to buy the Crown of the Four Wisdoms from the former king's brother, but he too is killed by Beau Berrie. Berrie, Franken's brother, tried to kill Post, but was killed by his target instead. Now the new leprechaun king and Berrie head for Post's fortress Honeycomb for revenge.

The leprechaun king first visits the Marquis de Cocoa. Berrie already spied on them to learn that the marquis and his wife are vampires. His plight convinces the marquis' wife to join him in facing Post, her father whom she hates with all her heart. The marquis follows his wife the next day and is caught at the sight of a massacre (his bloodless victims), then tied to a stake awaiting execution by burning. A quaker offers a delay on the execution. He proposes to test whether the marquis is truly a vampire by letting the sun shine on his skin the following morning. When the people have left, the quaker frees the marquis, declaring he encourages the killing of the unworthy. The marquis sees a way out - he turns the quaker into a vampire to die in his stead and protect his secret a while longer.

The marquis' wife arrives at Post's castle with the leprechaun posing as her prisoner. She offers her father the Crown of Four Wisdoms, but the ruse doesn't work. They are both captured. The marquis manages to save his wife from the sun that burns their skin, but dies as a result. Meanwhile the leprechaun convinces Post's monsters to fight their oppressor. Berrie delivers the killing blow to Post in the chaos.

The leprechaun decides to drown himself, rather than return to his lands as a coward. The brothers Franken and Berrie arrive at their own home in their monster form, worried how their subjects will react. But then Berrie turns back into a human. He realises this means the leprechaun has died. The brothers remain united, though Franken cannot change his monstruous form.

The marquis' wife returns home alone. No guests arrive for the morning parties, but even remembering her husband for eternity is enough for her.

[Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's almost unreasonable how good this is, for something that only needed to be an amusing trifle to justify the price of admission.

The art is top notch, in the tradition of Mignola/Fegredo Hellboy books, and stuffed with neat little gags. Visual interpretations of characters like Frankenberry and Diggem (yes, Diggem), are macabre while remaining charmingly faithful to their inspirations.

The writing similarly overperforms, building a nice light tragedy around the Count Chocula analogue, without neglecting to work in mentions of everything from the size of honeycombs to the completeness of breakfasts.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was way better than it needed to be. And that's why I like Mark Russell. Fantastic artwork as well. I agree with Shannon Wheeler's introduction that it is reminiscent of Mike Mignola.

[Dubzor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Russel continues to be a delight. This feels like it was specifically written for my very weird tastes.

[Matthew Noe · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no reason this should work and yet

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takes a single joke about as far as this novel can.

[Darik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly my kind of silly nonsense.

Count Chocula-- er, excuse me, the "Marquis de Cocoa"-- must host his renowned breakfast parties every morning, lest the townsfolk discover that he's become a vampire. This premise is played completely straight, albeit with plenty of cheeky lines of dialogue thrown in and an INSANE number of cereal references... and the breakfast parties are only the beginning. Before long the Marquis finds himself embroiled in a coming war with the sadistic General Post, and... honestly, I don't want to spoil too much.

Just read it! It's Mark Russell at his silliest, but still with plenty of genuine pathos. The man REALLY knows how to commit to the bit!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing story of your childhood breakfast cereal monsters, grappling with their survival and sacrificed humanity. A tyrant is claiming the lands. Will the monsters of breakfast past rise to oppose this evil, or be party to it? Despite the almost silly premise this book touched on a lot of deep and dark themes. I enjoyed the characters tormented by their plight and actions. There was some pathos here as we examine (and judge) the moral decisions made by each of the characters. Reminded me of the writings of Poe. And maybe there's no better praise than that.

[Aaron Ambrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a deliciously silly premise: What if the characters plastered on kids' ultra-marketed cereal boxes were based on real (twisted) people? Russell creates a vivid Poe/Hammer world of shadows, violence and melodrama, but there's just not enough protein in the concept to keep it fortified beyond the sugar rush. It's a thin joke, and it probably could've ended with the first chapter. Still, it's full of great gags.

"Where ye be headed, my Lord?"
"Fortress Honeycomb."
"Honeycomb's big."
"Aye - 'tis not small."

[Greg Trosclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks good, reads good, it's greeeaaattt!!!!. This is such a fun read. Mark Russell tells a great story about all our favorite cereal characters without crossing any lines. The tale of Count De Cocoa is great. It is told with a certain voice of seriousness all while making Cereal box characters real. The art is wonderful and fits the story. Fantastic story. More people should know how great Russell the writer is.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being a grim dark satire of cereal mascots, Cereal manages to be a geniunely extremely well written, artfully illustrated, and emotionally crafted graphic novel of the highest order. Filled with geniune emotion and insight into what makes us human and what makes men into monsters Cereal (shockingly) has something to say and says it well. AHOY is doing everything it can to say that it belongs with the top dogs of comics and I think I need to listen to it.

[Jason Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very entertaining. I always loved all those breakfast characters that went along with the cereal boxes. It was a nice touch to also add in Quaker Oats and Aunt Jemima. After reading this book, I kind of feel like having one of those cereals. I will have to settle for my Honey Nut Cheerios in the morning, although they are pretty tasty, too. These stories were GRRREEEAAAT!!!

[Brent Ecenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, enjoyable read about rivalries between different individuals that all believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Most heavily featured are Count Chocula, Franken and Boo Berry, and the Lucky Charms Leprechaun, but watch out for others like General Mills and General Post, the Quaker Oats guy, and cameos by Toucan Sam, Tony the Tiger, and the Pillsbury Doughboy.

[Abram Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brush up on your cereal lore before reading this. One of the most ridiculous books I’ve ever had the immense pleasure of reading. I never thought Count Chocula could make me cry. Beautiful, funny balanced breakfast comics

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an inventive premise and execution of an idea. I was all in and captivated by what gritty dark turn a favorite childhood cereal character might go next. Absolutely engrossing. I hope to see this authors take on more product mascot stories.

[Zilliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought it was a fun read, it got me interested in reading more from mark russell in the future. it's an inherently funny premise, and it was played straight for most of the story, which makes the jokes more effective, i think. Pretty solid. 👍

[Wm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful wrangling of disparate horrors to exemplify Gen X's weariness, grump, and bitter life-learning, using our childhood breakfast cereal mascots – whether we ate them or only fantasized about them from Saturday morning TV ad breaks – as totems of maturity and depth.

[Andrew Mauney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tongue firmly planted in a breakfast laden cheek.

[Abriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly dark, doesn't hold back with the cereal references, goofy yet sad

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Russel never fails to impress. He consistently comes up with a frankly ridiculous premise that turns out to be a wonderfully creative story

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually into graphic novels or comics but I really enjoyed this! Short but detail - a funny horror spin on cereal mascots.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun one. Never thought I needed to see beloved breakfast mascots get a healthy dose of pathos, but here we are. Well played Mr Russell

[Jipi Perreault · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shakespearean dark tale with Cereal brand characters. It's so on point that you tend to forgot this extremely weird concept. I propose a toast!

[Michael Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most important meal of the day

I can’t tell you how many times I said out loud to myself “This is really good!”.
Enjoyed everything about this.

[Dana * · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure fun and mystery and murder and horror all at once. Loved it.

[goodreed · Rating 5 out of 5]

To quote a buddy this "went way harder than it needed to," and it's so great for it. Both punny and dramatic, makes me want to eat cereal.

[Olive · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unimaginably stupid and goofy, I would only recommend it if you were also a sugary cereal conoisseur in your youth.