Welcome, foolish mortals... to the Haunted Mansion, where the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake. The happy haunts are getting ready to throw a swinging wake, and all the goblins and ghoulies are invited, so be sure to bring your death certificate!
Sydney is the newest resident of the Haunted Mansion, a retirement home for wayward ghosts. Now she has to learn how to scare visiting mortals in order to earn her keep--all while resident mean ghost Constance is out to make it all as difficult as possible! But with the help of our favorite grim, grinning ghosts, Sydney just might pull it off!
Sina Grace’s parents had big plans for their son: Ivy League schooling, professional credentials, a 6-figure income as a doctor– the works! Fortunately for us, he found the wonderful world of comics instead. It was in this world of contradictions that he “matured,” one foot teetering on the edge of academia, the other drawn to the inescapable grasp of an ink-bound fantasy underworld.
At 14, Grace seemingly appeased his parents by interning at Top Cow Productions, under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Renae Geerlings (his single mother figured at least he was collecting college credit). However the only thing he was collecting (other than comics), was the compulsive habit of drawing unrealistically proportioned, scantily clad women.
At 16, he got a perpetual summer-time job at the Santa Monica landmark: Hi De Ho Comics, where he would be inspired to create Books with Pictures. By 17 he wrote, drew, and self-published his first comic, The Roller-Derby Robo-Dykes versus the Cannibals. His knowledge of disproportionate harlots with weapons came in handy when depicting a story about Robo-Dykes bent on taking over the world. His mother was happy that he was taking interest in girls. The book went into a second printing, and received the praise of Lying in the Gutters critic, Rich Johnston.
Weeks after graduating high school, he was asked by Rilo Kiley front-woman Jenny Lewis to illustrate a limited edition comic book adaptation of their 2004 record, More Adventurous. In the spring of 2006 he was asked to apprentice under comics genius, Howard Chaykin (even though it may not be apparent in Books with Pictures, Grace did learn the function of a ruler and the meaning of a vanishing point).
Between the summers of 2005 and 06, Grace’s partially-biographical indie dramedy, Books with Pictures, went from hand-xeroxed zines to full-fledged, full-sized comic books. Shortly after its debut at San Diego Comic-Con, Diamond Distributors accepted the series into their ordering catalogue, Previews. Grace’s work on the series was met with admiration from bloggers and reviewers alike, and has since taken on several projects for multiple anthologies due in late 2008.
To his parents’ delight, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, receiving an undergraduate degree in Literature, with an emphasis on Creative Writing.
Sina Grace recently self-published an illustrated novel about a sorcerer sleuth in Orange County, aptly named Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Magic, his next project will be providing illustrations for Amber Benson’s novel, Among the Ghosts, through Aladdin Books.
This was a really cute little graphic novel, especially for anyone who already loves the Haunted Mansion attraction! I could see this as the perfect story to hand a child who's about to visit Disney for the first time, or even just any kid who likes spooky stories without anything legitimately scary going on. The art is lovely and colorful, there are some pretty cute and funny side characters, and it's impossible not to like Sydney, even if she comes off as a little bossy and over-bearing at times. I'll definitely be recommending this one to young readers!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The only two things this graphic novel really has going for it are absolutely adorable artwork, and the fact that the Haunted Mansion is one of the most beloved Disney rides of all time. Aside from that it REALLY falls flat. Sydney, the main character, is a modern ghost who finds herself homeless when the hotel she haunts is demolished. Having worked in the hospitality industry in life, she wants to basically become the new manager of the H.M. That's really the major problem here. It's a story about hotel management packaged as something to appeal to kids. There is WAY too much boring talk about management theories and bureaucracy to make it funny or light hearted and it makes the action lag terribly.
Sydney arrives at The Haunted Mansion, and The Bride decides to put her to the scare test. With a group of ghosts, Sydney figures out how to give the guests a good and fun scare! I read this with my kids and we loved it. Great graphics, and beautiful story relating to the Mansion. We look forward to seeing more from these authors.
The Haunted Mansion: Frights of Fancy is an adorably illustrated graphic novel for young readers. The graphic novel was written to honor the 50th anniversary of the Hunted Mansion at Disneyland, and follows a ghost named Sydney who finds herself betting the infamous Bride (you know, the one who famously killed her husbands and lives in the mansion's attic) that she can double the scares!
The artwork is really colorful and cute. There are many famous characters and scenes from the mansion, like Tightrope Girl aka Sally, the Bride, and the Duelists. However, even the adorable style cannot make up for the messy plot and the planning. The panels jump around sometimes like chunks of script or entire panels were cut from the storyboard. This means that the characters' movements and conversations feel really awkward and don't flow between pages.
The conflict with the Bride feels really forced and I'm not entirely sure how it all gets resolved at the end. Sydney was a hospitality manager when she was alive and spends a lot of the book talking about hotel management. This leads to much of the humor feeling too dry and adult to really resonate with kids.
Though the art is cute and colorful, The Haunted Mansion: Frights of Fancy feels a bit clunky and fails to provide readers with a rounded plot.
Ooph. I thought this was a kid's comic, but it pitches way older than the artwork suggests. Into a haunted mansion where every ghost that wouldn't normally have a place of their own to haunt mills around glowing faintly, comes a new woman, who wants to fit in, but she has a head on her that's all hotel management correspondence course, and of course a nemesis, who from about frame two seems to have the hump with her. Nobody is likeable, the "sense of humour" reads dumb, and the whole forced antagonism nonsense is all there is for a plot. Even on the list of 'Books Inspired by a Theme Park Attraction' this is low down.
I loved the adorable art, which is absolutely packed with Haunted Mansion references. The Haunted Mansion is easily my favorite Disney thing, so I would have been happy to just treat this as an art book. That would have been for the best, because the story is very strange, in that I'm not exactly sure who this is for. The dialog and characters have a sort of middle grade feel, but it's basically about conflicts between middle managers. The main character, original creation Sydney, was a hotel manager in ife, and she brings a lot of corporate speak to the Mansion. I'm confused as to why this character was needed at all, especially since she butts heads with Constance, the attic bride. I do get why this particular conflict was set up, sort of. It seems to be echoing the disagreement between imagineers that lead to the Haunted Mansion we know and love. In the real world, Marc Davis wanted a silly and non-scary attraction, and Claude Coats wanted something actually scary. In the end, they compromised, which is why the Mansion as it exists has both punny tombstones and a seance. Sydney is, I think, trying to represent the Coats side of the argument, but Constance doesn't represent Davis so much as apathy. And frankly, the whole debate isn't framed articulately enough to communicate that to most of the audience. But the art is pretty, and the Tightrope Girl has a big part, so I still liked it.
The Haunted Mansion, a beloved attraction at Disney World but also home to many resident ghosts. This was a lovely graphic novel with a nice idea that would entice children ready for a trip to Disney. Sydney is a new ghost who has moved to The Haunted Mansion as the hotel she was haunting previously has been knocked down and she had no where else to go. Constance, the formidable bride, is not happy with the new girl taking the spot light and trying to make changes. So she sets her a task to make the place the scariest it has ever been before the 50th anniversary. With a rag tag group of ghosts that we all know and love, together they create the Haunted Mansion ride we know as it is today. Eventually, Constance can see that what Sydney has done for the place is the best and allows her to take control of the scares, something Sydney loves to do as per her hotel management job whilst alive. Beautiful graphics create this book and perfect for little ones to read and for adults to get them in the mood to go back and visit! A really lovely touch at the end with some history about how the mansion came to be and some lovely concept art for the book too. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sydney is a modern ghost with big ideas. When she follows some hitchhiking ghosts to the famous Haunted Mansion she has big ideas about how to improve its scaring operations -- she thinks that they ghosts are a little to grinning and not grim enough. Unfortunately, the mansion's more seasoned residents aren't too eager to change - especially "the Bride" Constance. The Bride is used to being in charge and so she makes a deal that unless Sydney is able to increase the number of terrified visitors she'll have to cross over.
This book filled me with the most intense desire to be in Disneyland - which was probably exactly the point. I thought this was a delightfully spooky graphic novel that was, for me, well worth the wait (the publication on this sucker kept getting bumped!). I thought the art was really charming and was a perfect homage to one of my favorite rides at the Happiest Place on Earth. Maybe not for everyone, but I'll be adding this to my list of "our family is going to Disneyland - what books do you recommend to get our kids excited" books.
A quick fun read about a ghost ready to get stuff done!
Sydney is the newest spirit to join the happy haunts at the Haunted Mansion. In life, she was a girl who things done at work and she plans to do the same in death. But Sydney quickly learns that everyone answers to the Bride, a ghost stuck in her ways. The story follows Sydney exploring the Mansion and meeting the residents. However, her determination to change things upsets the Bride so Sydney must prove she can stay in the house by getting the most difficult residents to help her with the biggest scare yet!
The plot goes over the head of many younger readers but the interaction with the other ghosts is sure to draw them in. The dialogue between characters is insightful and brief, allowing readers to absorb context from the art. The illustrations are beautiful blending vibrant colors with the familiar shades of the Haunted Mansion.
I would recommend this graphic novel to younger readers as a quick read.
I don’t like graphic novels yet I keep trying. I thought Disney, Haunted Mansion, it would be good! But I don’t care to read and then look at the pictures. I hate it.
At the end of this though, there’s a tiny bit of backstory of the Haunted Mansion and how some of the illustrations were created, which was cool.
I didn’t like Constance being a “mean girl” bully, and found it hard to believe that the main character Sydney was an adult. She kind of looks like an older teen, so when she said she worked in hospitality management it was unbelievable. It was weird that they put these two against each other when it’s not a middle grade/young adult story. Like is this meant for kids or grown ups? MG/YA doesn’t usually have all adult protagonists... like Constance says Sydney is “a young girl” but Sydney says she was a hospitality manager? It doesn’t make sense.
I enjoy the Haunted Mansion in the parks, but I’m not a hardcore fan so maybe this wasn’t for me. If you’re super into it maybe you’d like it better.
Welcome, foolish mortals... to the Haunted Mansion, where the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake. The happy haunts are getting ready to throw a swinging wake, and all the goblins and ghoulies are invited, so be sure to bring your death certificate!
I bumped this up an extra star, just because the artwork was amazing and truly captured the characters and the essence of the Haunted Mansion, and I loved seeing all the ghosts, characters, and elements of this beloved and famous ride!
As others have said, the storyline is a little bit high-level for the audience, but a fun fictional adventure inside the Haunted Mansion.
I can’t imagine anyone would want to get on Constance’s bad side! The art and characterization made her as creepy as she is in the ride! I also love that Sally, the tightrope girl was a main character!
Also, every Haunted Mansion fan will love the pages at the end with history about how the mansion came to be and extra art renderings in the artist gallery.
There is a lot to love about this book. We see the characters we are familiar with come to life with delightful and fun illustrations. The main character is a new ghost, Sydney, is an adorable female POC with lots of potential and new ideas on how to scare the human guests who visit the mansion.
As Sydney appears in modern clothing, it isn't clear at first that what we are reading is happening before the ride. At first, I found I was disappointed that the characters seemed too chipper and lacked the mystery that we feel from them when we pass by their scenes. But as you read on, you learn that Sydney is the one who makes the mansion into the iteration that we see.
Overall, a fun, quick read perfect for little ghouls. There is even a bit of history about the ride included in the back to spark their interest in the rich history of the Disney theme parks!
The art is amazing and very accurate to everything you’d see at Disneyland, so it had a very authentic feel.
I liked Sydney’s character. She was spunky and driven, even when she ran up against a few obstacles. Even though this book was brief, I feel like the reader really got a sense of everyone’s personality.
I was slightly disappointed that we didn’t see the effect Sydney had, in the end. It was hinted at but not fully developed, and I’m still not sure which I would have preferred.
Also, on page 46 - now this is an uncorrected ebook - The Bride says “not nary” and I believe grammatically it should be just nary. So hopefully someone will catch it in the final; it just really stood out to me.
Loved the little notes in the back! Highly recommended!
The artwork is gorgeous. Sydney is adorable. The pettiness of unlife in the manor really shines through. The dialogue writing is fine, and not geared solely at kids, there was even a word I had to look up. But it's the same mean girl story that was in everything in the 90s. The other ghosts are mean to the new girl until There's also a nice tidbit at the end talking about the irl haunted manors, which excludes the phantom manor despite the fact that it's basically a more classical version of the ride.
Sydney and the infamous Bridezilla go head-to-head to test the loyalties and scare factor of the grinning ghosts haunting the Mansion! As the newest resident at the “retirement home for ghosts,” Sydney needs to show off her scare skills to earn her place. Between the magical graphics, the charming theme, and the Ghost Host Guide to the Haunted Mansion’s History, this Disney book is an exciting addition I want to see off my classroom library shelves and in the hands of readers! #netgalley #hauntedmansion
How many juvenile works can you say that teach great management skills? Not a lot, right? Well, look no further! The Haunted Mansion: Frights of Fancy does just that! Along with it's absolutely stunning artwork and heartwarming message about friendship and the power of teamwork, this work also teaches valuable management lessons about celebrating everyone's individual talents and how to get the best out of your team. It is a brilliant and unique work that you will want to have on hand to recommend!
And who doesn't love some ooky-spookyness? This ghoul sure does.
Unfortunately, this one fell short for me. The art was very fun and appropriate, so it pushed it to 3 stars. I loved how the characters from the ride were incorporated and the history at the end is perfect for kids who want to know more about the HM (anything to encourage future theme park nerds!).
I didn't really care for the Bride and Sydney didn't feel fully fleshed out (no pun intended) - I think she was more of a vehicle to get us into the building and understand the dynamics so, if that's the case, she did a good job.
I’m not a fan of graphic novels but when I came across The Haunted Mansion on Libby it looked cute from the cover and caught my attention. I think the storyline wouldn’t be found appealing to the general middle grade audience to follow. It’s about a new ghost named Sydney who wants to reside at The Haunted Mansion but first she must pass a test given to her by the mansions main ghost Constance, otherwise she will be forced to pass on in the afterlife. Its characters were flat and one dimensional. The graphics are what made the book haunting, page-turning and engaging.
I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel! It takes a "new girl" kind of story and twists it on its head. The artwork is stunning, the jokes and writing are lovely and a happy ending with compromise is always a great thing. The original characters from the Haunted Mansion ride are all in attendance with a nice little history of the ride following the comic. A great suggestion for any Disney fan.
Cute art but the story is a mess. The plot: a ghost comes to the Mansion and tries to use her hospitality training from her life to run it like a hotel. That's it. I could see this appealing to young readers with its bright colors and eye-popping illustrations, but even at about 50 pages, the story is likely too dull to entertain them.
A great story about acceptance and being oneself. But that change isn't always a bad thing. The story and graphics complement each other splendidly. I think it made the story even better. The vivid detail of the ghost and the haunted mansion made you take a second look. Not wanting to miss a thing.
This was really cute, it was a nice little addition for the anniversary. The illustrations and details of all the ghost were beautiful and so bright.
I feel like the story jumped in too quick with Sydney and not really explain her that well. But this would be a great read for both fans of the Haunted Mansion and kids.
The artwork in this book is so engaging and so is the story. This book will really appeal to all those kids who think that they've already read through your graphic novel collection as well as for Disney lovers. A great book to have top of mind for ref suggestions.
The Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite attractions and this graphic novel is a great blend of a new story with all of the classic characters from the attraction included. Any Disney fan would enjoy this! Constance Hatchaway is sassy and wonderful!
Really loved this book! Haunted mansion is my all time favorite ride at Disney so of course I needed to read this as soon as I saw it! It was a cute read! I loved all the references to the ride! They really kept true to Disney’s version!
Who doesn't love Disney? The Haunted Mansion is a quick and easy read for young students. It has a blend of new characters with also not forgetting the ones we know and love! What a spooky adventure for all, this is a must-read for all fans of the Haunted Mansion!
It’s a story based on Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Nothing spectacular. The history of the attraction is included at the end, which is kind of interesting.