The Big Book of Urban Legends

Paradox Press series of Big Books

by Robert Loren Fleming, Robert F. Boyd Jr., Jan Harold Brunvan

This collection of strange and bizarre anecdotal tales drawn (ostensibly) from real life contains 200 stories that have circulated across metropolitan areas--all invariably sworn to be true. "The Poodle in the Microwave", "The Mouse in the Coke Bottle", and "The Accidental Cannibals" are just a few of the legends presented in this volume. Illustrated by artists from DC Comics. Mature readers.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Folklore, Humor, Horror, Urban Legends

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Robert L. Fleming is an American comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of Thriller with Trevor Von Eeden and for his collaborations with Keith Giffen.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Urban legends are true stories that are too good to be true, and they are always said to have happened to a Friend of a Friend.*

They're all here! The Convertible Filled with Cement, The Vanishing Hitchhiker, Kentucky-Fried Rat, The Killer in the Back Seat, Spiders in the Beehive, and The Call is Coming from INSIDE the House! - every urban legend I'd ever heard, and plenty I hadn't. What makes this book unique is that the 200 "true" tales of horror, humor, and revenge are told in a graphic format:





It wasn't until I read this book that I realized my mother once told me one of these legends. She insisted that someone had tried to steal a child from the local Kmart by dragging the girl into the dressing room, changing her clothes, and cutting and dying her hair. I'm guessing her hairdresser's sister heard it from a guy who's her cousin's bartender's mechanic.

There's no doubt he SWORE it was TRUE!

*from the introduction by Jan Harold Brunvand. For a more scholarly look at the urban legend phenomenon, check out his books - The Choking Doberman: And Other Urban Legends, The Baby Train and Other Lusty Urban Legends, Curses! Broiled Again!, and more.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy divertida antología de mitos y leyendas urbanas, algunas folclóricas locales, otras mas universales, son 200 y están escritas por distintos equipos creativos o autores integrales también. No todo está bueno por supuesto pero en general se pasa un gran rato y se ve una amplia variedad de artistas y estilos.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well now I've read al of the "Big Book" series from Factoid Books. I have to say I wish there were more as I really enjoyed this series.

This volume is my 2nd favorite of the entire series (the book of the weird wild west being my favorite.) All of the great urban legends are here including the hook, the spiders in the hair, the vanishing hitchhiker, the calls coming from inside of the house, alligators in the sewer, and sooo many more.

If you are at all interested in urban legends this book is worth tracking down because not only does it have all the classics but there's a ton here that were new to me.

Just a great book and very entertaining. Most of the Big Book series took me a few days to read but this one I managed to get through in only a couple of hours.

I highly recommend this book and any of the Big Book series to anyone who likes to read.

[João Teixeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro, acima de tudo, divertido... até mesmo as histórias macabras têm uma reviravolta algo humorística... aliás, é para isso que servem estas histórias: serem um escape aos medos e angústias que a vida moderna suscita em todos nós...

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and own them all. This book has some of the traditional urban tales that everyone knows, and then there are many that I haven't heard. As I was reading, I wondered where he collected the tales from, because I was annoyed to find some were scenes straight out of the movies like OLD VS YOUNG which was a scene in FRIED GREEN TOMATOES circa 1991, three years before this book. Was it an urban legend before the movie? Not that I'm aware of. My only other complaint is that many of the drawings would have benefited from color. Sadly, none of the BIG BOOKS OF are in color, but I would have happily paid extra if DC had published them that way! Never the less, this book is a worthwhile read, especially if you're into folk tales or horror.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is there NOT to say about this book?! It was a great read. Ya, ya some of the same old stories were in there, but where would we be if it didn't always go back to the hook on the door handle and the call from inside the same house! There were some so funny and lame that I just had to chuckle and some I was like... hmmmm interesting! But a good read, especially getting close to that time of year for scares and screams.

[Chloe A-L · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is another book I read over and over (and over and over and over... you get the gist) as a kid. I'm pretty sure I never actually checked it out if the library, but I have probably read this book on every square inch of the children's floor. I was pleasantly surprised by how not terrible it was! most of the stories were overly abrupt bcs of the page limitations, and because they were urban legends some were racist or otherwise ethically sucky, but I enjoyed rereading this!

[John Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel collection of urban legends is quite extensive, covering all of the classics, old favorites and just about any that you have heard and more. They are often a bit bawdy, usually humorous and definitely fun to read. The comic format is perfect for delivering these "supposedly" true tales.

[Trentrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of mostly one-page comic strips illustrating urban legends. The quality of the strips varies wildly, but most of it's at least pretty good and a lot are better than that. Perfect for bathroom reading and seemingly designed for it.

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I once owned the Southern Fried Rat And Other Grusome Tales book and I loved it as well. Glad that I now was able to reread it in comic form.

My favorite are the horror ones, especially the one about the babysitters, it reminds me of the Friday the 13th movies.

[Mayra Tobalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good compilation of popular urban legends with great introcudtion by author. Really recommend it! Fun & fear guaranteed !

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

dates are approximate

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another big illustrated fun time. This was such a great series.

[JimDavisFan · Rating 5 out of 5]

More inspiring than the Bible.

[Jolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esmu liela urbāno leģendu cienītāja, līdz ar to šis komikss bija tieši manā gaumē. Vienīgi būtu gribējies redzēt vairāk skaidrojošās puses.

[Jonathan Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection - very good, just incredible!

I am a fan of the series and I recommend this one!

[Chessie Loewen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this book when I was in like sixth grade. I checked it out from the library multiple times, so I thought I would check it out again as an adult.

[Chris Dortch II · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got my hands on this and a number of the other Paradox Press books (RIP) when I was WAY TOO YOUNG to read them and they are now for better or worse a part of my personality.

[Mark A.]

""

[Daniel A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Book of Urban Legends was the first "Big Book" in DC Comics' now-defunct imprint dealing with non-superhero, non-fantasy—basically non-conventional—comics; as far as débuts go, The Big Book of Urban Legends does a rather good job of setting the standard for what would come, even if it had a few snags, that the editors eventually worked out.

Adapted from the folklore studies of Prof. Jan Harold Brunvand by Robert Loren Fleming and Robert Boyd, Jr.—and, indeed, a much closer adaptation of the original source materials than later Big Books would be—The Big Book of Urban Legends provides an excellent reminder that those stories emailed back and forth by family and friends (in fact, Brunvand often calls these urban legends "Friend-Of-A-Friend" (FOAF) stories) aren't always what they seem. Part of the nature of urban legends is to seem true-to-life without actually being so; that's why so many of the stories illustrated in this comic anthology have functioned as traditional campfire ghost stories and horror tales, as well as staples of many a stand-up comedian's act, as Brunvand's commentary makes clear; Fleming and Boyd's writing often highlights this fact, as the storytellers within each tale frequently preface their stories not unlike Dark Helmet introduces himself to Lone Starr in Spaceballs. Moreover, the stories, rarely more than a single page and never more than two, are just the right length for stories of this nature, so form matches function more than adequately.

I must admit, on rereading The Big Book of Urban Legends, that I, too, have retold some of these urban legends as if they had been factual. Such is the pervasive nature of these stories, not only in cyberspace but in Western culture as a whole, that it's often easy to forget that they're a uniquely modern take on folklore. (Even Ann Landers and Dear Abby have been taken in by these stories repeatedly, so there's comfort in being anything but alone in such activities.) Reading more deeply, many of these stories reveal uncomfortable truths about race relations, gender politics, and religion, particularly in the United States, and therein lies some of their value; the psychological importance of these urban legends cannot be underestimated, particularly as Black Lives Matter and the International Women's March gain popularity and footing within the culture as well. Ultimately, as an introduction to Brunvand's oeuvre, The Big Book of Urban Legends is an excellent starting point, and as an introduction to the Big Books to come, it's just as useful.

[tony dillard jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Urban legends. We've all heard of these stories. Whether we've told these stories around a glowing campfire or heard that these really happened (to a friend of a friend), our culture is filled with these stories. Some tales have were born from a bit of truth. Others are steeped in our fears or prejudices. But no matter where these urban legends came from, they've become a little bit of a guilty pleasure of mine.
I found the Big Book of Urban Legends in a bargain bin in one of my favorite local comics shops. I've been a fan of the Big Book series, published by now defunct DC Comics imprint Paradox Press, for quite some time and when I can find one to complete my collection, I rarely hesitate to own one. Maybe I'm biased but this one just happened to have a little bit of a special history for me.
The Big Book of Urban Legends was written by noted folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand. My mother, a lover of Gothic horror in her own right, just happened to own a trio of books devoted to urban legends and these books coincidentally were written by Brunvand!
I remember one rainy weekend that I found my mom's copies and read them- no I devoured them! Some were scary. Some were weird. Some were even titillating. But above all, they were all captivating. As a result, I became a fan of urban legends and this was a fun trip down memory lane for me in a way.
This collection features dozens of artists who tackled their favorite myths. Legends such as Joe Orlando, Dick Giordano, and Keith Griffin are just some of the talent found in this volume of over 200 different legends. Even this Madman's fan favorite Fred Hembeck illustrates a yarn about a car enthusiast and his jealous wife.
The Big Book of Urban Legends was a fun read. The only problem I have with it is that I didn't wait until closer to Halloween to read it and October just seems to me to be the perfect time to read urban legends and myths. But let's be honest folks, stories like the Vanishing Hitchhiker in which someone picks up a lonely girl on the side of a road only to learn she died years earlier, are NOT urban legends. Those are ghost stories and they deserved their own Big Book. But hey, it's still fun to read and maybe get a little freaked out.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick, fun graphic novel for all the sickos out there. I dare you to think up another Urban Legend that's not in this book. It's that comprehensive. Great art by plethora of graphic artists. And fun, entertaining writing (basically one page equals one urban legend) made this a very fun book to read. I could see this book being made into quick 15 minute shorts. You'd have enough quality stories to last at least two seasons on television. I was so moved by this book that I'm also going to check out the The Big Book of Freaks. and more from Robert Fleming's sick and twisted mind. Check er out.

[Trin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A variety of artists provide graphic interpretations of famous urban legends as collected by Brunvand, whose books, starting with The Vanishing Hitchhiker, I find entirely too addicting. Depending on the artist, these versions are also fun, but I miss Brunvand's analysis and the variations of the stories—their evolution—that he provides. I'd recommend the more in-depth writings instead.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are good, but a little disappointing after you've already read Jan Brunvand's other books and are hoping to see something really new or different on Urban Legends. The books, Vnaishing Hitchhiker, Choking Doberman, etc., are better if you're really interested on the subject, because they inform on the history of some of these legends, and have been researched and for the most part debunked. Still, this is a fun way to waste an afternoon.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a great choice for the reluctant reader (which is how it earned the second star), but it was really terrible for me. I used to LOVE urban legends, and I had read several of the books by this author when I was younger. However, most of the writing within the comics was really awful. The only vignette I really enjoyed was the first one, which framed the urban legend with a Freudian commentary. That cracked me up.

[Mati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fond of comic books among other genres. One page per notoriusly well known urban legend was just right. Artwork was not pretty but it was fitting to the stories which ranges between horror and comedy. Life is bitch and the human mind made it clear in those modern legend. No matter what each era has its own legends, which shows fears and longings of the generarion.

[Jonathon Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is decent as far as it goes, but the problem is that they try to cram too many legends into the book, the result of which is that a lot of the stories are much shorter than they should be. It makes most of the stories much less interesting than they normally are. But it was entertaining nonetheless.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

And here are all those Urban Legends you've heard about all your life, conveniently packed into one volume in comic book form, complete with lavish artwork by a host of comic book artists from the various substrata of the field.

[Mike Da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone knows someone who has a friend's neighbor's cousin's co-worker's son's teacher's friend who had this happen to them. Great stories, some I knew, some I kinda heard of, some were new to me, but it's a great read to keep in the john.

[T. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Big Book of..." is great illustrated series on a wide variety of topics with lots of top-notch artists and authors. Jan Brunvand has written several books on urban legends, so it's no surprise he'd be involved in this volume.