R.L. Stine is a master in telling chilling tales including Goosebumps, but this is no different for stories such as The Graveyard Club at BOOM! Studios where he partners with artist Carola Borelli to give us a new coming-of-age comic perfect for the spooky season.
Graves End is as sleepy a town as they come… especially being surrounded by cemeteries, and the local kids could think of nowhere else they’d rather wreak harmless havoc. But being surrounded by graveyards comes with the pervasive reminder that… there are more dead than there are living.
This town is an endlessly eerie place with no shortage of strange and dangerous happenings, and when high schooler Parker West pulls what seems like a harmless prank, he may be putting his friends in more danger than he can imagine…
From the very first page of The Graveyard Club I could tell this was going to be another epic creepy R.L. Stine tale. Stine’s knack for creating tension and building suspense without the use of extreme graphic and violence is on full display here, as Parker’s seemingly harmless prank sets off a chain of events that puts his friends in grave danger. The dynamic between the characters is well-developed, with themes of jealousy and friendship adding depth to the story.
Stine’s writing in The Graveyard Club feels almost cinematic with pacing and panel layout that felt more like scenes from a movie or television show rather than traditional comics. This allowed a different style of immersive reading for me. The extra-long issue format lends itself for this type of storytelling. Stine is able to fully flesh out the story, giving us a richly detailed world to explore.
Carola Borelli’s illustrations perfectly complement Stine’s outstanding writing, capturing the eerie atmosphere of Graves End with hauntingly beautiful artwork. As a longtime fan of R.L. Stine’s work, I can confidently say that The Graveyard Club does not disappoint. Reading over the Goosebumps library over the years has had me wondering what Stine’s tales would look like and Borelli does his writing justice.
The Graveyard Club captures all elements that make a R.L. Stine story – suspense, mystery, and a touch of classic horror – while also offering something fresh and innovative for us to sink their teeth into. The Graveyard Club is an engaging and chilling comic book experience with outstanding artwork. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next in a few months.
The Graveyard Club #1 hits local comic shops on September 18, 2024 from BOOM! Studios.
The Graveyard Club #1 Preview
