Posted in: Comics | Tagged: goosebumps, idw, Jen Vaughn, michelle wong

New Goosebumps Mini From Jen Vaughn And Michelle Wong Explores The Horrors Of Instagram

Published Thu, 05 Oct 2017 08:39:27 -0500

Goosebumps: Download And Die! will hit comic book stores just in time for Groundhog Day!

On October 25, just in time for Halloween, the first issue of IDW's first Goosebumps comic by Jeremy Lambert and Chris Fenoglio, Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight, hits stores. But IDW has already announced a follow-up, by writer Jen Vaughn and artist Michelle Wong, and this one hits stores in February. With no other viable options to tie this launch into a spooky holiday — Valentine's Day is too commercial, maaaan, and who knows if Trump will get impeached before Presidents Day — IDW was left with Groundhog Day as the best available option.

Here's what the comic is all about:

In the tradition of the classic "Say Cheese and Die!" story, this spiritual successor takes that concept and puts a digital spin on it for the iPhone generation. Today's kids will now have to contend with a smartphone app that snaps filtered pictures which depict nightmarish outcomes. In true Goosebumps fashion, the danger is real!

It's an all too familiar story. One time, we snapped a selfie on Instagram and the app showed us six hideous creatures from Hell laughing as they disemboweled us with pitchforks. However, the angle of the photo kind of made our chin look fat as demons feasted on our innards, no matter what filter we applied, so we ended up not posting it, and so it didn't end up coming true. Close call, though.

In the press release, writer Vaughn explains what's at the heart of this 3-issue tale: "This Goosebumps tale is going to delve into what makes friends tick and what can drive them apart. What's that saying, 'you can always make new friends?' Well, not when people find out what you did to your last ones. Michelle brought my characters to life so well…too well. They laugh, they cry, they dream, and bleed through the power of her lines. I'm terrified to read the comic now."

Artist Wong added: "Creepy stories are my favorite, and Jen is making this one so much fun to work with. I love drawing cute characters, and I love drawing monsters – it's a dream come true."

Look for Goosebumps: Download and Die! in stores sometime around Groundhog Day, 2018, but try to avoid seeing your shadow if you happen to be a groundhog.

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