Jill Thompson’s Scary Godmother series has a long and checkered past, but it’s a wonderful read, particularly for spooky season fans of all ages.
Originally released as alternating color hardcovers (much like children’s books) and black-and-white comics by Sirius Entertainment from 1997-2004, the series stars a witchy guardian who lives on the Fright Side, in a world of monsters. She comes to help little Hannah Marie learn to enjoy Halloween, at first, and then there are all kinds of adventures and horror comedy. It won Eisners for “Best Title for a Younger Audience” and “Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior)”.
Dark Horse then released two compendium collections, one for the storybooks and one for the comics, in 2010 and 2011. The most recent news of the series that I recall wasn’t good — Thompson launched a Kickstarter in 2013 to create character dolls, and it became infamous for never completely fulfilling the many promised rewards. (I pledged because a new story was promised, which I never saw, but I got off lightly compared to those who pledged hundreds of dollars for commissions and books and dolls, only some of whom got the promised items.)
Anyway, it’s a new decade, and now Image Comics has announced Scary Godmother: This Was Your Childhood. (Is it unfair of me to mention the crowdfunding? Maybe I’m feeling triggered by that subtitle and just how long ago the series debuted.)
It’s over 500 pages in paperback for $40. It’s promoted as a “complete compendium” with “all of your favorite stories and brand-new adventures”. I’m thrilled new stories will be included. It’s due out October 2 in comic shops, October 15 elsewhere, and can be preordered now.
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