I love Adam Ellis’ work. Not only do his online comics always look incredibly sleek, his work is always original and absolutely terrifying.
Bad Dreams in the Night (fantastic title) is filled with some brand new stories to give you the creeps. Here are my favorites:
Me and Evangeline at the Farm – A great start. I love a story when someone remembers a movie/book/event that no one else remembers. Our narrator recounts a weird movie that his grandma recorded for him, about a man with an alien wife. When his grandparents die, he attempts to retrieve the tape, but finds something so much more bizarre.
Milk Door – This one had a horrific ending, which I loved. A girl finds a weird little door in her house, behind which she finds unwanted gifts. I genuinely yelled “oh no!” at one point.
Bus Stop – Loved their eerie vibes in this story. A strange store suddenly appears across the street from a bus stop, and has very little inventory, except for things that our narrator needs at that very moment. Another wonderful ending.
Little House in the Sea – This one might be my favorite, and it’s more uncanny than straight-up terrifying. Mother and daughter are the lone occupants of an island, and when the mother dies, life continues in an odd way. The backgrounds in this comic, by Deb JJ Lee, are amazing. A strangely beautiful one.
Viola Bloom – Our narrator sees a strange woman everywhere, and when he learns the truth about the haunting, takes drastic steps to rid himself of the nightmare. Such a clever ending to the collection.
It’s also worth noting that Ellis’ short afterwords on each comic are really insightful and entertaining. He is such a talented, smart writer, and I absolutely loved this collection.
California Reading 