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Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight #1-3
Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight
The kid-friendly horror series that defined a decade returns to comics, for the first time with all-new stories! Reader beware, you're in for a scare!
So you say you want Goosebumps comics? Well, Be Careful What You Wish For, or you'll end up in Deep Trouble. Sure, you say, "You Can't Scare Me!" now, but wait 'til I tell you Why I'm Afraid of Bees. But where are my manners? Please, come in. Welcome to Dead House.
Brave the spine-tingling world of R.L. Stine to uncover the thrills and chills of the first ever Goosebumps comic series to feature original stories! In Vol. 1, writer Jeremy Lambert and artist Chris Fenoglio kick things off with a new creepy carousel spin on HorrorLand! When Mia and Ginny go to stay at their Grandma's mothball-filled house for the summer, boredom forces them to venture out into her tiny town. But, soon, what appears to be a dusty used bookstore plunges them into an upside-down world of terror!
So you say you want Goosebumps comics? Well, Be Careful What You Wish For, or you'll end up in Deep Trouble. Sure, you say, "You Can't Scare Me!" now, but wait 'til I tell you Why I'm Afraid of Bees. But where are my manners? Please, come in. Welcome to Dead House.
Brave the spine-tingling world of R.L. Stine to uncover the thrills and chills of the first ever Goosebumps comic series to feature original stories! In Vol. 1, writer Jeremy Lambert and artist Chris Fenoglio kick things off with a new creepy carousel spin on HorrorLand! When Mia and Ginny go to stay at their Grandma's mothball-filled house for the summer, boredom forces them to venture out into her tiny town. But, soon, what appears to be a dusty used bookstore plunges them into an upside-down world of terror!
80 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2018
216 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 14, 2019
That was a fun, scary, and sweet adventure! A bit short I guess but really enjoyed it.
May 17, 2018
You've heard it before: I'm a HUGE fan of Goosebumps. I have been my entire life. Literally. I still buy all the new books and reread the originals whenever the mood strikes me. So when I heard there was going to be a new Goosebumps comic, I was looking forward to it. I kept my hopes low, but it's still exciting to see new Goosebumps stories being created. I waited for the comic to finish its first run, hoping IDW would release a hardcover trade. And they did, so yay!
My thoughts: it's about what I expected. I figured Slappy would get the most attention, and he does. I've always felt like Slappy is way overused. But putting him aside, there are some nice Easter eggs scattered throughout. For instance, Curly the Skeleton finally has a role in the actual story instead of just being a mascot for Goosebumps. And the Necronomicon from The Evil Dead can be seen setting on a shelf of the creepy bookstore featured in the comic. I could have used more of that creepy bookstore. I quite liked it.
Otherwise, I wasn't all that impressed with this first volume. I would have liked to see the Haunted Mask and some of my other favorite characters get the spotlight. I also found the artwork to be too cutesy and the story to be too fast. I'll still continue reading the comics, but the Goosebumps kid in me wasn't totally pleased, but I do appreciate what the team behind this comic is trying to do. I'm hopeful that volume two will find its footing!
Overall, 2.5 stars
My thoughts: it's about what I expected. I figured Slappy would get the most attention, and he does. I've always felt like Slappy is way overused. But putting him aside, there are some nice Easter eggs scattered throughout. For instance, Curly the Skeleton finally has a role in the actual story instead of just being a mascot for Goosebumps. And the Necronomicon from The Evil Dead can be seen setting on a shelf of the creepy bookstore featured in the comic. I could have used more of that creepy bookstore. I quite liked it.
Otherwise, I wasn't all that impressed with this first volume. I would have liked to see the Haunted Mask and some of my other favorite characters get the spotlight. I also found the artwork to be too cutesy and the story to be too fast. I'll still continue reading the comics, but the Goosebumps kid in me wasn't totally pleased, but I do appreciate what the team behind this comic is trying to do. I'm hopeful that volume two will find its footing!
Overall, 2.5 stars
March 11, 2020
Is this a five star book? Probably not. Did I just give it five stars anyway? Absolutely.
In a recent spate of buying back issues, I picked up the first issue of this on the strength of a C.P. Wilson III variant cover. I didn't grow up reading Goosebumps books - by the time they came around, I already considered myself "too old" for them, in that way kids do - but I've come around to them as an adult, and they are extremely my cartoony spooky aesthetic.
This comic captures that in the whirlwind comic book way, with a story line that's like a truncated but also more surreal version of the movie's take, which sees sisters Mia and Ginny whisked away through a magic book into Horrorland. It isn't scary at all, but it's full of nice cartoon spooky stuff, and it's also effortlessly inclusive and surprisingly touching. Plus, there's a monster parade. What more could you ask for?
In a recent spate of buying back issues, I picked up the first issue of this on the strength of a C.P. Wilson III variant cover. I didn't grow up reading Goosebumps books - by the time they came around, I already considered myself "too old" for them, in that way kids do - but I've come around to them as an adult, and they are extremely my cartoony spooky aesthetic.
This comic captures that in the whirlwind comic book way, with a story line that's like a truncated but also more surreal version of the movie's take, which sees sisters Mia and Ginny whisked away through a magic book into Horrorland. It isn't scary at all, but it's full of nice cartoon spooky stuff, and it's also effortlessly inclusive and surprisingly touching. Plus, there's a monster parade. What more could you ask for?
September 9, 2020
This was a super fun read. I've been in the mood for some fall/Halloween type books lately and picked this up. It was exactly what I wanted! Not too scary, just a little bit. I know my kids will love it!
My favorite was all of the easter eggs to the older Goosebumps books that were scattered throughout. I could have done without Slappy, but loved seeing Monster Blood, The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, Stay out of the Basement, and others.
My favorite was all of the easter eggs to the older Goosebumps books that were scattered throughout. I could have done without Slappy, but loved seeing Monster Blood, The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, Stay out of the Basement, and others.
July 18, 2020
I couldn't sleep the other day so I decided to download this book from Hoopla. It had been a while since I had read a Goosebumps graphic novel, and it was nothing special, but overall a fun story. I liked the fact that the main characters (two sisters) have two moms, and I liked all the references to the original Goosebumps books, like Horrorland and Monster Blood.
May 29, 2018
I was a little disappointed by this volume. Much like previous attempts to transition Goosebumps to comic format, there's just something missing here. The story and characters were under developed and uninteresting, and... I dunno... the art was a little too cartoony. I get that its intended for children, but... when I was a kid, I craved scary. and this... this would not have done it.
November 29, 2018
Scared the s!@t out of me!! Just kidding. Lol I really enjoyed it.
My complete review is at:
https://youtu.be/Cci6_6lks6o
My complete review is at:
https://youtu.be/Cci6_6lks6o
March 18, 2020
Graphic Novel
2018
I chose this graphic novel because I remember how much I liked the Goosebumps chapter books when I was younger. They led me to R.L. Stine's and Christopher Pike's older teen novels, which were both a natural progression. Not only that, but I see that the Goosebumps series is still very popular among my younger patrons - and with the movies being released, I thought this would be a good selection.
I also thought this would be a good way to pair DVD's and books. Liked the movie? Check out the series! Or vice versa. It could also be promoted as a book/DVD bundle. As well, perhaps graduating readers who typically stick to graphic novels to the actual Goosebumps series.
The targeted age group for this graphic novel would be 2nd-5th graders. It's just a little on the spooky side and some of the vocabulary is more advanced. The characters are Ginny - a younger, bookish girl with asthma and her older sister, Mia. They are visiting their grandma for a month. Mia has a leg injury requiring her to use crutches. While in town, they ask their grandma if they can go to the creepy bookstore - but they are denied. Later, when their grandma is sleeping they decide to sneak out and go to the store after all because Ginny wants to see if they have the book she is reading. Plus, it's open until midnight. Upon arrival, things aren't quite what they seem. Ginnie starts to speak backwards, there are signs pointing to danger, and the lady behind the counter is more than a little weird.
After following a sign that they definitely shouldn't, they end up in an amusement park called Horrorland with rides like Coffin Cruise, Doom Slide and Werewolf Village. They also meet the notorious Slappy - a ventriloquist dummy and a little monster named Irk. They need to race against time to find their way out of the amusement park or risk being stuck their forever. They may need some help from within to make it out alive!
I enjoyed this graphic novel - the illustrations are nice and just a touch haunting. The sisters are believable characters and I also liked that there is a small mention that they have two moms. There's not a big deal made about it, we meet them briefly later in the story, but it was nice that it was just there without a big production being made about it. Plus, it teaches children that families look different, and that all types of families are valid and okay. Additionally, if a child comes from a two mom or two dad family, it would be nice to see themselves represented in the story.
2018
I chose this graphic novel because I remember how much I liked the Goosebumps chapter books when I was younger. They led me to R.L. Stine's and Christopher Pike's older teen novels, which were both a natural progression. Not only that, but I see that the Goosebumps series is still very popular among my younger patrons - and with the movies being released, I thought this would be a good selection.
I also thought this would be a good way to pair DVD's and books. Liked the movie? Check out the series! Or vice versa. It could also be promoted as a book/DVD bundle. As well, perhaps graduating readers who typically stick to graphic novels to the actual Goosebumps series.
The targeted age group for this graphic novel would be 2nd-5th graders. It's just a little on the spooky side and some of the vocabulary is more advanced. The characters are Ginny - a younger, bookish girl with asthma and her older sister, Mia. They are visiting their grandma for a month. Mia has a leg injury requiring her to use crutches. While in town, they ask their grandma if they can go to the creepy bookstore - but they are denied. Later, when their grandma is sleeping they decide to sneak out and go to the store after all because Ginny wants to see if they have the book she is reading. Plus, it's open until midnight. Upon arrival, things aren't quite what they seem. Ginnie starts to speak backwards, there are signs pointing to danger, and the lady behind the counter is more than a little weird.
After following a sign that they definitely shouldn't, they end up in an amusement park called Horrorland with rides like Coffin Cruise, Doom Slide and Werewolf Village. They also meet the notorious Slappy - a ventriloquist dummy and a little monster named Irk. They need to race against time to find their way out of the amusement park or risk being stuck their forever. They may need some help from within to make it out alive!
I enjoyed this graphic novel - the illustrations are nice and just a touch haunting. The sisters are believable characters and I also liked that there is a small mention that they have two moms. There's not a big deal made about it, we meet them briefly later in the story, but it was nice that it was just there without a big production being made about it. Plus, it teaches children that families look different, and that all types of families are valid and okay. Additionally, if a child comes from a two mom or two dad family, it would be nice to see themselves represented in the story.
March 16, 2020
I am a HUGE Goosebumps fan, so I definitely wanted to give this a shot, and I enjoyed it. The plot was kind of nonsensical and silly, but I enjoyed the characters and the Easter eggs (most of which were for long time Goosebumps fans, but they also stuck in the Necronomicon Ex Mortis, which earned a laugh from me).
There are several odd errors that bugged me, though. The color of the slushies the kids are drinking in the beginning of the story are switched, I think, because Mia gets mad her sister is drinking "the pink one," when she is only shown drinking the green one. It's a small nitpick to be sure. But one that actually bugs me is how Mia is walking around on crutches, yet hasn't got a cast or anything on her leg. Maybe it's just a sprain or something, but it stood out to me in a bad way.
Nitpicks aside, I LOVED Irk. She is absolutely darling and I fell in love with her instantly. She's a cute "horror" (kind of like a goblin, but fluffy), and she gets a little character arc. Also, Curly the skeleton (he was on several covers of The "Tales to Give You Goosebumps" series, though never featured as a character) is a joy to look at even if he doesn't do anything. The other characters are okay, standard Goosebumps main characters, though Ginny is NOT annoying, unlike most younger siblings in GB books. And thankfully they dropped that, um, "wanting a bride" schtick Slappy has in the books. As an adult, that would have made me intensely uncomfortable, and I admit I was nervous when he first appeared, thinking he might...make some sort of comment, but rest assured he doesn't.
Lastly: the main characters have two moms. It is adorable, and I am glad they included that bit of representation. It's nice that such an important aspect of my childhood understands the importance of diversity and wants people with families similar to theirs to be included.
All in all: I enjoyed this book. The plot is non-existent, but I would still recommend it if you like Goosebumps or enjoy the artwork. Though really, read it for the rocking 90's skeleton in sunglasses and the cute fluffy Horror girl.
There are several odd errors that bugged me, though. The color of the slushies the kids are drinking in the beginning of the story are switched, I think, because Mia gets mad her sister is drinking "the pink one," when she is only shown drinking the green one. It's a small nitpick to be sure. But one that actually bugs me is how Mia is walking around on crutches, yet hasn't got a cast or anything on her leg. Maybe it's just a sprain or something, but it stood out to me in a bad way.
Nitpicks aside, I LOVED Irk. She is absolutely darling and I fell in love with her instantly. She's a cute "horror" (kind of like a goblin, but fluffy), and she gets a little character arc. Also, Curly the skeleton (he was on several covers of The "Tales to Give You Goosebumps" series, though never featured as a character) is a joy to look at even if he doesn't do anything. The other characters are okay, standard Goosebumps main characters, though Ginny is NOT annoying, unlike most younger siblings in GB books. And thankfully they dropped that, um, "wanting a bride" schtick Slappy has in the books. As an adult, that would have made me intensely uncomfortable, and I admit I was nervous when he first appeared, thinking he might...make some sort of comment, but rest assured he doesn't.
Lastly: the main characters have two moms. It is adorable, and I am glad they included that bit of representation. It's nice that such an important aspect of my childhood understands the importance of diversity and wants people with families similar to theirs to be included.
All in all: I enjoyed this book. The plot is non-existent, but I would still recommend it if you like Goosebumps or enjoy the artwork. Though really, read it for the rocking 90's skeleton in sunglasses and the cute fluffy Horror girl.
July 3, 2024
I wanna say that I don’t generally like comics; manga, graphic novels and everything of the sort aren’t my style. But this one pleasantly surprised me even if it has its issues. I quite enjoyed the story—it’s simple, fun, and takes tons of inspiration from Stine’s works. The main characters are okay but their arcs are hella weak. Not the biggest of issues though. And now for my biggest positive: the art is amazing. This is easily the best art I’ve seen from GB comics so far. It’s great, and I love Irk’s design. Slappy looks like a toddler with ugly ass eyes though… not a fun of him. As for Irk, I already said I liked her design, but I like the idea of her character a great deal. She’s even got her own arc which you can see shining through within her very first appearance in the book, and the arc is very interesting for a book placed at a certain theme park we all love (can’t say I spoiler shit). However, the book’s biggest issue to the horrible pacing. It’s rushing from beginning to end, and I think it should’ve been like three times as long to really smooth out to pacing instead of just BAM BAM BAM character arc, new character, plot twist… you get what I mean? Longer = more wait between shit. If I had to throw anything else out there, it’d probably be that there is very little done with the concept. It plows through shit like no tomorrow instead of having fun with it which, once again, would’ve been better as a more fleshed out book. But, I still enjoy this a lot at the end of the day. An 8.5/10, would recommend. Curly had one line of dialogue so there’s that.
October 26, 2018
I’m a HUGE fan of Goosebumps. These were the books that would keep me up at night, not in fear, but rented under my blankets, flashlight in hand, breaking the rules of “lights out” to see what would happen next. It also started my love affair with horror literature (along with Hound of the Baskervilles, oddly enough, and a slim collection of MR James of which I probably understood 20 percent of what I was reading). 20 years later and Lambert’s book brought me right back to those sleepless nights as a kid. Great characters, great writing, a fun story. On social media it’s clear that Lambert is a great champion of all things horror, and that shines here. He continues the tradition started by R.L. Stone and must’ve made him proud with this loving tribute to his work. Also, side note: it’s so well drawn that I felt like I could smell the inside of that bookstore!
November 23, 2020
More like an anime than horror
Really,one star suits this books quality.The part when irk and Ginny have a friendship was extremely silly. The anime and the storyline were pretty bad.All the monsters were actually more like those cheesy costume villains from the 19th century. Even the nightmare monsters were more disgusting than creepy.I could confidently say that the bookshop owner was more scary than even all the monsters combined.If you put quality over cost,instead buy the revenge of the living dummy.I don't have all that much money ,so I have to read these ridiculous spin-offs(the author of the book is not R.L.Stine !).
Really,one star suits this books quality.The part when irk and Ginny have a friendship was extremely silly. The anime and the storyline were pretty bad.All the monsters were actually more like those cheesy costume villains from the 19th century. Even the nightmare monsters were more disgusting than creepy.I could confidently say that the bookshop owner was more scary than even all the monsters combined.If you put quality over cost,instead buy the revenge of the living dummy.I don't have all that much money ,so I have to read these ridiculous spin-offs(the author of the book is not R.L.Stine !).
December 29, 2021
Read this purely because I was a HUGE Goosebumps fan as a kid, and I wanted to see if this book could recapture the magic and make me feel those feelings that Goosebumps did when I was a kid. Spoiler alert: It didn't.
I'm not sure why I didn't like this as much as I had hoped. I don't know if my age has anything to do with it, or the fact that the book just wasn't all that interesting, scary, or even mildly frightening. It was an easy read, but I found myself thankful when it was over.
I'm not sure why I didn't like this as much as I had hoped. I don't know if my age has anything to do with it, or the fact that the book just wasn't all that interesting, scary, or even mildly frightening. It was an easy read, but I found myself thankful when it was over.
November 15, 2020
Goosebumps graphic novels...heck yes
I loved reading goosebumps as a kid. They were my doorway into horror books. So when I stumbled across a goosebumps graphic novel I just had to read it. It was just as good as R. L. Stine's original books. The art was great, eith little easter eggs, and the story line was enjoyable.
I loved reading goosebumps as a kid. They were my doorway into horror books. So when I stumbled across a goosebumps graphic novel I just had to read it. It was just as good as R. L. Stine's original books. The art was great, eith little easter eggs, and the story line was enjoyable.
June 21, 2018
The illustrations are bold and the colours striking, I really enjoyed the characterisation of Mia and Ginny. And the story itself was fast-paced and a blast from the past. Highly recommended, even if comics aren’t your fortay.
July 22, 2019
This is a kid-friendly horror comic series. I did not grow up reading Goosebumps so this wasn't nostalgic for me. The artwork was colorful, but the story was pretty flat. As an adult reading this, it wasn't scary at all. However, I don't think even a kid would be particularly scared either.
January 3, 2020
It was interesting And not too creepy
I loved this book because it wasn't too scary and sloppy had a pretty creepy face.I wish this was a part one and there were more parts tho so we know what they are gonna do I n real world
I loved this book because it wasn't too scary and sloppy had a pretty creepy face.I wish this was a part one and there were more parts tho so we know what they are gonna do I n real world
May 5, 2020
Very scary goosebumps
A hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I was so scared tommorow. Hmph. Irk was a good monster not like slappy. I was also like slappy in the night. Hahahahahahahahahaha
A hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I was so scared tommorow. Hmph. Irk was a good monster not like slappy. I was also like slappy in the night. Hahahahahahahahahaha
July 8, 2020
These IDW Goosebump books are yet another display of IDW's ability to work with adapting other works into comics and doing it arguably better than anyone else. This is a run romp that all ages can enjoy.
November 5, 2018
Halloween ComicFest sample: I love how it brings Horrorland to the comics, but I’m tired of seeing Slappy the Dummy as the main character of the franchise
June 21, 2019
Same gender marriage 😠😠😠
Why must I choose a book that's pretty good but the parents are the same gender. I don't want my child to see this when he/she gets a book 😠😠😠😠
Why must I choose a book that's pretty good but the parents are the same gender. I don't want my child to see this when he/she gets a book 😠😠😠😠
November 1, 2020
This was pretty fun and I enjoyed the different monsters featured in it.
August 25, 2022
No thank you. I think R. L. Stine has gone off the deep end
February 27, 2023
Alot of easter eggs from previous books.
September 27, 2023
2.5 stars...this was kinda meh for me. The story felt all over the place and disjointed. I couldn't really get into it.
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February 16, 2025CW/TW: Violence, Kidnapping and Injury/Injury detail
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews