The Creeps

November 1, 2017

On his website, Krause invites readers to share their darkest fears, which he then turns into brief comic strips. The results, as seen in his popular webcomic Deep Dark Fears; his first graphic novel, of the same name; and here, are phenomenal. Many of the comics are a morbid combination of terrifying and funny: "When stuffed animals are made, they're living, breathing creatures-but they suffocated in their packaging, and we play with their lifeless bodies." Others are more poignant, such as a musing on the potentially fleeting nature of online friendship. Most, though, are relatively lighthearted, even as they speak to common fears such as ghosts, death and dismemberment, and urban legends. Krause's witty, quirky illustrations, along with his careful selection and organization of material, draw the fears into a unified whole, though he acknowledges that we all have varied dreads. Readers may even come away with new terrors: "Sometimes when the sun is bright, I worry my glasses will amplify the light, like a magnifying glass can do to ants, and I'll get two holes burned through my head." VERDICT An excellent option for fans of offbeat comics and dark humor.-Mark Flowers, Springstowne Library, Vallejo, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
Krause's gripping second collection of nightmare confessions (submitted to his popular webcomic by readers) is an excellent choice for readers who want to be spooked but also provoked into thought. The fears range from lighthearted When I read by myself, I read out loud, in case there are any curious ghosts or spirits nearby to much darker, but what ties them all together is their universality. They reflect people worrying about parenting, soul mates, social interactions, death, and more. Most of the tales are simply illustrated by a few small panels highlighting Krause's no-nonsense line drawings. He uses color to perfectly pair with the tales, sometimes in a rainbow palette, sometimes more muted. Almost all of the small confessions are improved by the addition of his art, and several take on new meaning thanks to the drawings, especially The Bridge, one of two longer stories that read more like traditional horror tales when readers pay close attention to the action being illustrated. Subtle, haunting vignettes for older teens and adults.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)