The Last Halloween, Vol. 1: Children

4.5/5 stars
(NOTE: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts are my own.)

Halloween is right around the corner, which means now is the perfect time to find some new and interesting spooky tales. Some of my favorite spooky stories are those aimed at younger audiences. I love a good horror movie or novel, but so often those stories aimed at adults go into such extreme corners of horror that they just aren't fun. This isn't the case with horror stories aimed at younger audiences. These stories rely on creating scary atmospheres and balance their spooks with clever ideas and a sense of fun. This is exactly what the first book of Abby Howard's webcomic, The Last show more Halloween, does. The Last Halloween is in the same vein as many classic spooky stories. It balances interesting and unique characters, scares, and a sense of adventure, spinning an atmospheric tale that is as addicting as it is fun.

What would happen if it was suddenly apparent that not only were monsters real, but they wanted to kill most of humanity? This is the question at the heart of The Last Halloween. After narrowly surviving an encounter with monsters, ten-year-old Mona finds herself tasked with finding the one person who can save the world - the son of the Phagocytes, the human tasked with upholding the separation between the human and monster realms. The Phagocyte's apparent death is what sets these apocalyptic events into motion, though all may not be as it seems. On its surface, it's a fairly simple plot. Mona and her new friends - vampire Ringley, ghoul Shirley, and living doll Robert - must find the Phagocyte's heir. Their quest takes them through various locales in the human and monster realms, frequently resulting in scary and dangerous encounters. Along the way, they gradually unravel the twists and turns of what's actually going on. It's a rip-roaring adventure that is as addicting as it is fun to read.

The joy of the story isn't necessarily in exactly what happens, but in the way, it is told. Howard expertly mashes several genres together in the creation of this narrative. There's the mystery behind who is responsible for setting all of these events into motion, there is the adventure of Mona and her friends trying to save the world, and there is the horror of these children facing off against a variety of terrifying monsters. Somehow, Howard manages to balance all of these elements, combining them into a cohesive and enjoyable whole. It is so well-paced that there is never a dull moment. The exposition is so well delivered that it rarely feels like an expedition dump, and you learn things at the same speed the characters learn them. Howard simply lays her world-building into the fabric of the story in ways that feel very natural. It's a well-written, well-paced, deeply enjoyable romp through a Gothic landscape and I loved every page of it.

The heart of the story, though, is its characters. Mona is a typical protagonist one might find in these kinds of stories. She is precocious, she's determined, and she is scared. She's also deeply relatable. There are times where she doesn't sound like a ten-year-old, but you don't care much because you're wholly invested in her story. The same is true for her friends, all of whom have distinct personalities and voices. Ringley is the Lovable ditz, Robert is the morally gray one you grow to love, and Shirley is the one who initially feels out of place, but eventually clicks into place Together, the group feels like a classic ensemble that could rival the very best found in other similar tales. While the plot of The Last Halloween is devilishly interesting, the characters and their journeys are what I fell in love with most. And they're what kept me coming back to the book for more.

Howard's artwork maintains the same balancing act that her writing achieves. Her monster designs are simultaneously creative and scary, with no two monsters looking alike. All of her human characters look and feel distinct. Their looks match their personalities and Howard brings such expression to them that they truly feel alive. The entire graphic novel is presented in black-and-white, which only emphasizes the gothic atmosphere of the story. She ensures that each locale looks different while still appearing to exist in the same world as everything else. Her artwork for the book is so good that even if you're not in love with the narrative, you'll want to read it for the artwork. I thoroughly loved Howard's artwork throughout the whole book. It's gorgeous atmospheric and greatly elevates the material.

At the end of the day, The Last Halloween: Children is a great read for all ages. It expertly balances its scares and its sense of fun, delivering a thrilling and emotional adventure. The characters are relatable and fun to spend time with, the story is great, and the artwork is atmospheric and beautiful. It's a fantastic beginning to this story and I'm extremely excited to see where it goes from here. If you're looking for a new Halloween read look no further. The Last Halloween should satisfy all lovers of horror whether they be old or young and is well worth a read. show less

My all things creepy and Halloween loving heart absolutely adored this! For a graphic novel, the characters were all very well fleshed out. All of them were unique and had their own personalities. That’s not easy to do in a book but much less, a graphic novel! I fell in love with all of the characters. I especially had an appreciation for Robert the doll. You can tell from the get go that the inspiration for his character is from the real “Robert The Doll.” I really enjoyed seeing him incorporated into the story.
The author also did a fantastic job at intertwining horror and humor. The graphic novel had the perfect amount of both and kept me engaged because of it. The art style also really helped with my engagement in the story! show more The illustrations were so creepy and interesting to look at. There was always something new to see on every page.
I really don’t understand why more people aren’t reading and talking about this! Especially those that have a love for horror, humor, Halloween and graphic novels. If you haven’t picked this up yet, I highly recommend doing so. Halloween is right around the corner and this would be the perfect quick read for Halloween night!
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Abby Howard Comics for the arc! show less

I will read anything that Abby Howard does because I love her style so much. This book didn't even need to have a compelling story and adorable characters and diversity in terms of race and gender but it does so that's even better.

An overly long and super meandering story about monsters trying to take over the world from humanity one Halloween . . . umm . . . the last Halloween. A 10-year-old girl teams up with a vampire, an animated doll, a ghoul and a were-opossum to stop the apocalypse in their own clumsy and faltering way. Things don't go well and don't get wrapped up as this is the first book in a series.

I'm sort of confused by what the intended audience is. It's fairly shallow and action-packed as if meant for children, but I think quite a few parents and children would be appalled by all the gore, deaths, and downbeat tone.

I just found it dull myself. I liked Abby Howard's The Crossroads at Midnight, but I'm not sure I'd bother with more of this.

All of show more this book and the start of Book 2 are available online for free:
https://www.last-halloween.com/posts/1

p.s., While indexing this book, I discovered that the characters of Robert the living doll and his human owner, Robert Eugene Otto, are based on a real allegedly haunted doll and person of the same names. Their story is also told in Ghostly Encounters: True Stories of America's Haunted Inns and Hotels as well as a horror film franchise called Robert. Some info is available on Wikipedia. show less

Gr 9 Up—Left home alone during an apocalyptic Halloween, 10-year-old Mona stumbles into an unlikely alliance
with some morbidly strange friends. With sarcasm, grit, and some magical assists, they fight back against the
monstrosities that emerge during the violent night. Black-and-white artwork mixes visual gags and constant guffaws
with thrilling turns into horror.

Beautiful book. I love the story and the art. Very funny but with character development and great character design.

Why is no one talking about this book? I loved this book. It was so great to read. I stayed up all night to finish it.