Courtney Crumrin Vol. 1: The Night Things

This series was the first series I ever bought in comic book form and it was a great way to start off too. Ted Naifeh, who has done illustrations for Gloomcookie and the Nocturnals, started his own series.Courtney Crumrin moves to her great uncle's house with her parents. The house is located in a suburb, which gives Naifeh the opportunity to mock suburban life through clever writing and very well done illustrations. There are four stories in this volume,the first is our introduction to Courtney, her great-uncle, and parents and the neighborhood.the second, Courtney secretly begins to practice magicthe third, Courtney has her first babysitting job and her first journey into Faeriethe fourth, maybe a story that would make more sense after reading the first threeLooking back on what I've written, I don't know if I've really conveyed what I liked about this miniseries. The writing is good, the illustrations are good. Courtney starts out not being the most sympathetic of characters, she's sharp tongued and generally pretty grumpy and doesn't much like people. However, as the plot progresses you grow to like her which sets this series apart. The stories are told with genuine heart, and there is emotion, danger and character development.As in any good fairy tale, there's also the hint of violence beneath the surface. And there are a few people who do get eaten, Naifeh's world is dangerous as well as magical. On the whole it's one of my favorite series. Check out Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics, which is even better.

I found the first Courtney Crumrin comic book at a friend's house. After flipping through it, I had to borrow it and read the whole thing. Now I've got all four issues in this trade paperback, and I love it! Courtney Crumrin is a kind of a brat, but it's not her fault. She's got shallow yuppy parents, stuck-up rich snob classmates, the school bullies beat her up, and there are Things living in the house at night. Her life sucks, and at first the only way she can blow off steam is to make sarcastic comments about all of it. She's pretty darn smart and funny, too. Then she figures out that her creepy old uncle Aloysius is a magician, and after digging around in his old spellbooks, she comes up with a new hobby and a much more effective way of dealing with the problems in her life. I love Courtney's cranky anti-heroine personality and Aloysius' crusty facade and irreverant attitude. The night things are spooky and cute at the same time, especially Butterworm, and the house ... the house is a character all by itself! Great art, great story, fantastic characters all around. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves Harry Potter, or who hates Harry Potter because it's too 'nice.' Actually, I'd recommend it to anyone, hands down!

Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things is by far the most charming and original story in a looooooooooong time. This is the book you'll read to your kids as a bedtime and then read it again yourself. Ted Naifeh storytelling and artwork are unbelievable. It's fun and exciting and it leaves you wanting more. Courtney is the type of kid you always wanted to be.I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great story. You will be hooked!!

Ted Nafieh is one of my favorite artists for his work on an adult fairy tale comic called Gloom Cookie, written with a partner. Courtney Crumrin ( which I bought in its monthly comic book form and then again with this collection) is that more special for being written by Ted.If you are a fan of gothic children's tales (Neil Gaiman's children's stories, Jill Thompson's Scary Grandmother) or just love spooky things like the Addams Family and the work of Gorey (the Gashlycrumb Tinies) you are guaranted to love the adventures of Courtney.The art is noirish and beautiful. The characters are menacing, souful, viscious, and lovely ( sometimes all at the same time). The story is attractive to that lost pre-teen in all of us who didn't get along with the "normal" kids and longed to hunt goblins in the woods and befriend the little nasties that live under the bed.

For those of you who enjoy the morbid humor of Edward Gorey or Charles Addams (creator of the Addams Family), do yourself a favor and pick up this wonderful limited series by creator Ted Naifeh. All four issues of Volume One are now collected in this Trade Paperback and a second volume (also consisting of four issues) is currently being published. Courtney Crumrin is a young girl whose family moves in with her creepy uncle in an ultra-creepy mansion. Courtney's parents are dull-brained yuppie wanna-be's who can't wait to 'network' with the neighbors, and Courtney is left pretty much to herself. It turns out, however, that the creepy uncle in question is something of a wizard and leaves books full of magic spells lying around for Courtney to find and experiment with.Now, if you're thinking Harry Potter, you couldn't be more wrong. There's nothing sweet or altruistic about Courtney Crumrin, and that's what makes this series so much fun. She's not the type to worry unduly if her one friend gets devoured by a demon. Courtney is primarily out for herself in a world full of idiots who always seem to be getting in her way. In other words, she's the kind of girl I'd like to marry someday.Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things is one of those comics that, from the moment you begin reading, you're completely transported to another world. Ted Naifeh's writing and illustrations complement each other beautifully and his stories are a whole hell of a lot of fun.