Tales from Under Your Bed

Posted: Tuesday, September 9, 2003
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Tales from Under Your Bed Creator(s): Doug Holgate
Publishers: Blue Monkey Design (Self Published)
From: Australia
Price: $4 (US); $6.50 (AUS)

The strange creatures that are also kids live in Monsterville. The werewolf likes picking on them, but luckily for them the big wrestler doesn't like bullies and gives them times to take a ride with Elvis the bus driver. They end up in some strange Inca city being chased by some very nasty characters....

This is a beautifully drawn book. The monsters have a charm of their own. The tone is just right, scary in a children’s story sort of way that doesn't spoil things by going to far. The three heroes of book are a fun bunch of kids. Who cares about the scars, fins or horns? This is more apparent in the shorter story Merv and Tweeble - A Birthday, a story that is too cute for words. The kids overexcited talking about comics, computer gaming, and sleep over at a friends place. There is a sense of nostalgia here for the innocence of childhood hidden away under the irony of using monsters for characters, but Doug can't fool me, he's just a big softy.

Monster movie buffs will have fun spotting all the references to movies and comics, and the rest of us can just enjoy a charming book that would appeal to kids as well as adults who are still young at heart.

News from Doug: I'm currently putting together a limited edition hardcover of TFUYB #2: Dropping Science (Originally published online at ModernTales.com) and pencils will be starting soon on Issue #3

In a Word: Boo!.



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