Customer Reviews

Tales from the Crypt #8: Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

This book is a graphic novel. I didn't think it would be quite so "graphic," however. The product description says it is for the 9 to 12-year-old reader. My son falls into that age group, but this is by no means the kind of book I was looking for for him. He loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and I thought this sounded like a fun parody of those books. I certainly didn't expect a book with color illustrations of a vampire's severed spine and head lying in a pool of blood and I definitely don't consider those images to be something that I would want my child or, for that matter, any 9 to 12-year-old to view. This book is definitely not "kid-friendly" and I would advise you to look closely at a copy of it before you purchase it for a child within the suggested age range.

I searched high and low to get this book because it was always recommended for kids who liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. However, it is a parody like one would find in Mad Magazine in the 70's and 80's. My 7-year old son found the art to be disturbing and the story to be boring. We did not even read the other parodies to him that are in the book. My wife is a huge Twilight fan, but she did not like that parody because it was "like someone who had done some serious drugs was allowed to draw a cartoon book while they were seriously strung out." So she felt that the Twilight parody pictures were also disturbing. Both stories attempt to poke fun at the original texts, but they fall far short. We have no prior history with the third story so I cannot comment on how it relates. The art is consistent in that it is dark and graphic. Every picture throughout the book screams "PAIN!" at you as you go through it.

I think that this might be an interesting read to 20-somethings that really dislike the pop culture aspects of Twilight and who somehow read Diary of a Wimpy Kid and were equally turned off by that series. Unfortunately, I think that there are a lot of parents like myself who simply purchased it because their kid was really into Diary of a Wimpy Kid and their child is hungry to read another book. My advice: DON'T DO IT! You may scar your child and damage their interest in reading.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT from Papercutz is a 'cut' above other collections of the growingly popular graphic novels. First of all the book is written and designed and illustrated as a parody, which does not at all mean that it strays from its title of horror stories: the stories contained are ghoulish and even frightening, but the difference here is that the strange warped stories are so well written in both words and images that when the reader adjusts to the parody aspect of the tales the level of sophistication in the humor is more apparent.

The book contains three stories: 'Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid' by Stefan Petrucha and Rick Parker - as honest a survey of the undead as is available anywhere! - in two parts, 'DieLite' by Stefan Petrucha, Maia Kinney-Petrucha and Miran Kim, a sicko love story about a vampire and maiden he desires, and 'Carrier' by John L. Lansdale, James Romberger and Marguerite Van Cook, a man builds a vault in his house in which he can transform into a werewolf etc. The art work is exceptional, with each story bearing its own trademark of imagery form drawings on lined paper (for 'Diary') to finessed realism in 'DieLite' to traditional comic book style for 'Carrier'. At the end of the book is a fine explanation of how Papercutz arrived at the concept of Parody based on the famous Tales from the Crypt series. There is considerable artistic energy in this little volume and a promise that this company will continue to produce successful art forms equal to this fine little volume (this being volume #8). Grady Harp, November 09

I usually read reviews of things I buy on Amazon. I must have been in a hurry when I placed this order because I completely agree with other reviewers, this book is violent and gory. It is inappropriate for children and, frankly, I find it a waste of trees as I don't think ANYONE should read a comic that shows severed body parts and people being ripped limb from limb. If I gave this to my 11 year old as planned he would have had nightmares for MONTHS. I am returning this, buyer BEWARE!

As a child, my son was a fan of the series "Diary of A Wimpy Kid".

As a teenager "Diary of A Wimpy Kid" no longer peaked his interest.

I purchased "Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid" and he found the book to be hilarious!

**I noticed that there were several negative reviews.

Parents should thoroughly read the description and use the "look inside option" before making a purchase.**

It was very obvious that this book was not for children and was in no way related to the "Diary of A Wimpy Kid" series.

If you use the Search Inside feature, you will find a joke which points out that Anne Frank is not, in fact, the Dead Stinky Kid they are referring to. Tasteless and cruel. I cannot believe this book is recommended for ages 9-12.

I bought this book for my son who is a big fan of the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books. It was not at all funny and a big disappointment.

I bought this book in a hurry along with some other items for my 10 year old son. I was thinking that since the cover looks allot like the wimpy kids books it was part of that. No way, too gory for children. It was to be a Christmas present but it is going back asap. I think that is what they are playing on. The cover needs to be changed because this is not a book for kids.

My son loves the Diary of a Stinky Kid series and enjoys watching Tales from the Crypt on TV, so he thought this would be a perfect fit for him. Instead the book was dull, no fun at all, the drawings kind of ugly and confusing - really not at all what my son had expected. He hated it and ended up throwing it away!!!

Gave this one a try because I'm a fan of the original EC series but readers be warned this particular run is a modern parody aimed at teens which, mind you, is not necessarily a bad thing provided the writing and art is of a certain quality which sadly this book does not deliver on.