“Stranger Things Omnibus 1, Volume 1”(Graphic Novel) by Jody Houser.
I read this as part of a local library challenge to read a Graphic novel. 386 pages in total.
SPOILERS AHEAD
This volume should have 4 full comic series (however, actually there 6):
1. Stranger Things: The Other Side
2. Stranger Things: Six
3. Stranger Things: Into the Fire
4. Stranger Things: Science Camp
5. Stranger Things: The Game Master
6. Stranger Things: Erica’s Quest
Featuring writing by Jody Houser with pencils by Stefano Martino, Edgar Salazar, Ryan Kelly; Inks by Keith Champagne and Le Beau Underwood; Colours by Lauren Affe, Marissa Louis, Triona Farrell with Lettering by Nate Piekos.
I loved the Netflix series, I’ve watched them all, just waiting for Season 5. Why not refresh the mind with the graphic comic instead?
Scary, spooky, great drawings.
All the stories are the ones that are not covered or told in the tv series.
Book 1/ We see it all from Will Byers viewpoint, he’s stuck in the Upside Down world. Refreshing as we don’t see this part in the tv series.
Will sees eleven disappear in the woods..
He talks to his frustrated mum, but has to hang up as the monster arrives..
The Christmas lights..,
Will finds Barbs glasses by the pool..
Book 2/set in 1970..fast forward to 1978.. about a girl called Francine aka Six, telepathic.. the young lady recognises a man, Ricky aka Three, from her neighbourhood, who’s also part of the program at the lab. She hits a wall and a claw comes out - like she created the seed of the underground world. She saw it awake.
“More of a feeling like … something cold. Something bad, maybe.”
Three got her out of her house, was trying to protect her as (6) her parents were toxic, abusive, and trying to use her powers on guessing winning numbers on the lottery.
Ricky (3) was part of a special government program to help special kids. Six and Three have history.
Mr Brenner shows Eleven to Six. Eleven calls Mr B “Papa”. Six tells Mr B about what she saw. He puts her in the water tank.
“It’s called sensory deprivation, a way to focus your mind inward by removing the outer stimuli. Our goal is to grant you full access to your visions, your power.”
Six watches Nine’s experimenting..
“The material that Nine is trying to heat has been doused with flammable liquid. For now we’ll be observing from here.” - Dr Brenner.
“Isn’t that dangerous?” - Six
“If Nine had ever achieved anything CLOSE to the auto ignition temperatures needed, perhaps.” - Dr Brenner.
Dr Brenner was more worried about the lab staff than the children. Nine ends up bed-ridden and in a coma, the lab tech dead.
Ricky and Francine share a kiss, and plan to escape.
Six premonitions about escaping, the other kids during, she saves Three and Nine’s twin, she sees the monsters. Six changes the future.
Book 3/ into the fire.
There’s two stories happening side by side - a fictional one about a princess - it’s Marcy’s dream…
Boston 1985.
Ricky pretends to be a reporter, trying find out more about the strange things happening in the town.
Nine’s Twin surviving sibling’s story, Marcy and Ricky grown up. Speak to Eight/Kala? Looking for someone..
Slightly hard to follow - I had to reread the story.
1975: The twins are Jamie and Marcy, two girls. Jamie caused the fire with her powers and killed everyone in the house. Marcy is normal, no powers. The two sisters go and join the program. Marcy was worried that she would get separated from her sister. Dr Brenner said they wouldn’t…
Jamie is alive somewhere..
Back to 1985, Ricky and Marcy grown up…
The programme pretended to help the children, Eleven’s mother broke into the building looking for Jane (Eleven), it was the same day Six, Marcy (Nines twin) and Three escaped. What happened to the children who got left behind?
Kali said: Dr Brenner told Jamie (Nine) that her sister left her. He asked Kali (Eight) to help Nine, give her something to focus on.
“Spin her a fairy tale..” it worked for a little while, when Eight stopped, Nine became violent towards Eight: “Bring my friends back.”
Eight’s powers can create things that aren’t there look real. Nine, drugged up, been told she’s been abandoned, believed her fairy creatures (illusions) were real. Eight (Kali) was terrified of her and never saw her again.
Kali tells them that Eleven escaped and she’s doing really well on her own.
Kali gave them the name of the doctor who was working closely with Nine.. Dr Morris.
Nine is imagining her fairy tale still, and Marcy is connected to her sister somewhere as she’s dreaming them..
Ricky and Marcy pay him (Dr Morris) a visit.
“We’re not the ones who have been hurting the people from the program.” - Ricky
“You’re going to tell me where my sister is. And you’re going to tell me NOW.” - Marcy pointing the gun at the Dr Morris.
“Your twin, Nine, was one of the most promising candidates for the program…. Power potential. But she had the same problem as the other children, control or lack thereof. Nine was proving herself to be quite a problem. Then Dr Brenner had a breakthrough…” with One!!! - Dr Morris.
“One convinced him (Dr Brenner) the other participants in the program are redundant.” - Dr Morris.
Dr Brenner wanted Dr morris to “dispose of her.” Morris managed to rescue Nine and put her into a facility (a doctor who owed him a favour) where she will be safe, “completely off the books” and “a strict drug regiment.. to suppress her abilities.”
Morris gave them the name and address.
Meanwhile, Nine in her illusion sees her doppelgänger (not realising it’s her sister), kills a staff at the secret facility and escapes, setting the whole place up in flames.
Marcy and Ricky follow the wreckage flames.
Jamie (Nine) thinks she’s hurting her mirror reflection when actually she’s attacking her twin. Then Ricky stops it, Jamie remembers her sister.
Ricky goes back to return Dr Morris’s gun, Morris commits suicide.
Book 4: Science Camp
Dustin is on a summer camp. This is his story.
Something sinister is happening to the girls at camp. A man is hunting the counsellors, attacking them with a screwdriver..
I love this chapter, showing Dustin in a new light of confidence, since he’s met demogorgans, has two girls in his D&D group, danced with a high school at his school prom, Max and Eleven. Seen epic fights with monsters from a different dimension.
Dustin meets his girlfriend Susie, (maths genius) at the camp!
“I wish Steve was here!” Dustin and Steve and their spiky baseball bat.
Turns out two of the counsellors were messing about trying scare everyone, to end the camp, the staff need the job.
Book 5: The Game Master.
It’s Nov 1983 in Hawkins, Indiana.
Nancy and Steve chatting..
Mike is still upset with Eleven disappearing.
Mike has gone to see Will at hospital after school, they haven’t visited him yet in his house.Mrs Byers said he needs some time.
Nancy has been in the awful place for only a few seconds, “but I still faced a monster, still lost a friend and I still have nightmares about everything that happened.”
So they play games… as a distraction.
Book 6: Erica’s Quest.
Erica is Dustin’s best friend’s little sister. They’re talking to each other on their walkie-talkies.
Steve and (introducing) Robin work at the video store.
“Steve! Robin! I’m sure Erica has stole a bottle of that green acid from the Russian bunker and is heading to Indianapolis to sell it!” - Dustin
“I was supposed to be paid for my services. I haven’t seen anything yet.” - Erica
“You were going to get paid in ice-cream. But the ices cream store burnt down.” - Steve
“I’m aware… I need money..” - Erica
Then Dustin yanks her rucksack and drops the green acid canister and it cracks.
Dustin asks a weeping Erica what she needs the money for. She replied an expensive Dungeons and Dragons masters guide, players handbook and the monster annual. She doesn’t have enough cash.
“Jeez Erica, if you want to play D&D just use for friends guide.” - Dustin.
“My friends aren’t nerds.” - Erica
“Yeah.. whatever you say.” - Dustin.
The chapter ends with them all playing the game.
The End!