CR Book Review Assignment 6: "The Dark Horse Book of Monsters"

Assignment 6: Book Review

The Dark Horse Book of Monsters

Allie, Scott. The Dark Horse Book of Monsters. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Books, 2006.

Recently, for my Methods of Critical Analysis class, I have read a most fantastic book of stories— Leah Summerville, if you’re reading this you better not steal my idea— and I personally recommended for two main reasons: 1) It is a graphic novel. I am willing to bet most people in our class have never thought to read one, and I think we should all be exposed to this exciting, new (Japan has had “graphic novels since the 12th century) media, and 2) it has pictures.
Containing seven stories from comic book writers both new and experienced, these are tales that are not about the blood and gore we’ve grown to expect from monsters and horror. Although I admit I cannot wait for the arrival of Saw V to a theatre nearest me, I appreciate that each story sends a message to its readers. For example, “I Witnessed the End of the World” uses its monsters as a tool to satirize several issues in today’s human society.
As creative writers, I think we can learn from the diction in these short stories and borrow some of these published authors’ techniques for our own short stories. “A Tropical Horror,” a prose story with added black-and-white pictures, paints a vivid image in the mind of our favorite sea horrors. For those whom have a difficult time with endings, you may want to pick up some pointers from “A Horror Beneath,” just a seven-page story with an exciting finish.
However, not all the stories were written so well, but we can still learn what not to do for our short stories. “To Weave a Lover” was wrapped up nicely in a little box, leaving no room for a reader to wiggle inside the story and enjoy it from within the panels (panels are the “squares” that contain the actual images and script). In my opinion, it was much too neat, but chauvinistic males beware! Feminists would have a field day with this story. “The Hydra and the Lion” felt rushed, but I loved all the history crammed into just sixty-three panels.
Vastly unique, “A Dog and his Boy” is a horror story with a vicious monster and a storyline that pulled at my heartstrings. Ironically, this story was the bloodiest of all, and yet the story did not depend on its blood content to evoke these feelings in me. Each story has its own strong point, and I honestly believe we can take just a half hour out of our day and read this book cover to cover for quality short stories that can benefit our own writing.