Melvin Monster

Gr 4 Up—In 1965, Stanley created Melvin Monster, following his success with Little Lulu and others. This volume covers the comics from issues seven to nine from 1967. Unlike monsters found in modern comics, graphic novels, and manga, Melvin is a monster in name only. His father, Baddy, is oversized. His mother, Mummy, is exactly that: a mummy who resembles Donna Reed and stands between Baddy and Melvin. His world is populated by other paranormal creatures, but Melvin is more human in his wishes. He wants to attend school but is foiled at every turn by the Little Black Schoolhouse's teacher, Miss McGargoyle, a witch. The innocence of this collection will appeal to fans of the classic comics of the non-superhero variety, and may gain a few new fans of the genre, but will be a hard sell to manga fans. The pages have the quality of a reproduction and look almost antique, since they are printed on tan paper and look like original newsprint, aged. Consider this one for collections that include other volumes of classic comic series.—Suanne Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL