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The Crossroads at Midnight
A masterful collection of tales from the faded border between our day-to-day world and the horrifying unknown on the other side of midnight.
An old woman living alone on the edge of a bog gets an unexpected — and unsettling — visitor, throwing her quiet life into a long-buried mystery. An isolated backwoods family stumbles into good fortune for a time with a monstrous discovery in the lake behind their house, but that time is running short. And a misfit little girl, struggling to make friends, meets an understanding soul one day at the beach: but why will he only play with her alone at night? All these lonely souls — and more — have reached out into the darkness, not knowing what they might find.
Around the dark edges of reality lurk unknown beings with unknowable intentions — ordinary objects can become cursed possessions, entities who seem like friends can become monstrous, and those who seem monstrous can become the truest companions. In this collection of evocative, unnerving slice-of-life horror, five stories explore what happens when one is desperate enough to seek solace in the unnatural, and what might be waiting for us at the Crossroads at Midnight.
An old woman living alone on the edge of a bog gets an unexpected — and unsettling — visitor, throwing her quiet life into a long-buried mystery. An isolated backwoods family stumbles into good fortune for a time with a monstrous discovery in the lake behind their house, but that time is running short. And a misfit little girl, struggling to make friends, meets an understanding soul one day at the beach: but why will he only play with her alone at night? All these lonely souls — and more — have reached out into the darkness, not knowing what they might find.
Around the dark edges of reality lurk unknown beings with unknowable intentions — ordinary objects can become cursed possessions, entities who seem like friends can become monstrous, and those who seem monstrous can become the truest companions. In this collection of evocative, unnerving slice-of-life horror, five stories explore what happens when one is desperate enough to seek solace in the unnatural, and what might be waiting for us at the Crossroads at Midnight.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2021
About the author
Abby Howard
23 books80 followersAbby Howard grew up in North Carolina and has been drawing comics since age 13, spending her summers locked away in her room working on one project or another. She attended McGill University and studied Evolutionary Biology, but after being a contestant on the web reality show Strip Search, was able to follow her dreams of becoming a cartoonist, and ditched all that book learnin'.
She's worked as a full-time cartoonist for nearly a decade, publishing collections of both The Last Halloween and the now-retired Junior Scientist Power Hour webcomics as well as the educational book series, Earth Before Us. Iron Circus Comics has just published her first collection of short horror comics, The Crossroads At Midnight.
Abby recently made her debut in video games, having founded a game studio, Black Tabby Games, with her spouse Tony Howard-Arias. Together, they're working on Scarlet Hollow, an episodic horror game co-written and fully illustrated by Abby Howard.
She's worked as a full-time cartoonist for nearly a decade, publishing collections of both The Last Halloween and the now-retired Junior Scientist Power Hour webcomics as well as the educational book series, Earth Before Us. Iron Circus Comics has just published her first collection of short horror comics, The Crossroads At Midnight.
Abby recently made her debut in video games, having founded a game studio, Black Tabby Games, with her spouse Tony Howard-Arias. Together, they're working on Scarlet Hollow, an episodic horror game co-written and fully illustrated by Abby Howard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
April 29, 2020
This was such a fun little collection of stories. I liked how much the overall vibe of each story varied — some being really melancholy, while others were simply spooky — and the art was lovely (though I wish it had been in color). I think my favorite story was the last one, with its soft, sad little ending. I'm such a sucker for tragic horror and this author definitely knows how to craft that feeling very well!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 16, 2021
I absolutely loved this – highly recommended. The stories are compelling and genuinely creepy. The panels are clean and uncluttered, but still contain masses of detail about the characters and their world. There's great diversity in the characters in terms of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, economic background and age, but this is never signposted; it's just an organic part of the story, which is great. Horror can definitely do with more diversity.
I really can't fault this book – it's my favourite horror graphic novel since Emily Carroll's 'Through the Woods'.
Small caveat: if you like the kind of horror where the monster is defeated and order is restored at the end – you probably won't like this. In all but one of the stories, the haunted/menaced protagonist is left just as haunted/menaced at the end. But hey, I like grim horror that leaves its hooks stuck in you, so it worked for me.
I really can't fault this book – it's my favourite horror graphic novel since Emily Carroll's 'Through the Woods'.
Small caveat: if you like the kind of horror where the monster is defeated and order is restored at the end – you probably won't like this. In all but one of the stories, the haunted/menaced protagonist is left just as haunted/menaced at the end. But hey, I like grim horror that leaves its hooks stuck in you, so it worked for me.
September 21, 2021
Agradecimiento especial a NetGalley y Iron Circus Comics por el ejemplar digital.
Uno de los comics más creepy y hermosos que leí en los últimos tiempos. Cada historia es maravillosa, terrorífica y profunda. Las ilustraciones estuvieron totalmente a la altura, super expresivos. Recomiendo ampliamente darle una lectura.
Uno de los comics más creepy y hermosos que leí en los últimos tiempos. Cada historia es maravillosa, terrorífica y profunda. Las ilustraciones estuvieron totalmente a la altura, super expresivos. Recomiendo ampliamente darle una lectura.
March 20, 2021
This YA horror graphic novel is a collection of five short stories by Abby Howard. Like with most short story collections, some stories are weaker than others. In this case, there was only one story I didn't really find that scary or creepy, that one was "Our Lake Monster." The others, though are both fun and thrilling/scary. They also seem to have underlying messages for teens about acceptance of others, poverty, and family.
The artwork was amazing, even in black and white. I'm definitely going to see what it looks like in color in the finished copy. Howard does an excellent job also with conveying emotions in her character's eyes. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes horror or has kids interested in horror (there is some gore and a few cuss words, so beware of that).
My appreciation to Iron Circus Comics, author/illustrator Abby Howard, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The artwork was amazing, even in black and white. I'm definitely going to see what it looks like in color in the finished copy. Howard does an excellent job also with conveying emotions in her character's eyes. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes horror or has kids interested in horror (there is some gore and a few cuss words, so beware of that).
My appreciation to Iron Circus Comics, author/illustrator Abby Howard, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 31, 2021
Bleak and chilling horror stories about sacrifices, monsters, disease, homophobia, missing persons, and the living dead, with heaps of body horror. The tales get stronger as you get further into this generously thick book.
March 17, 2021
A graphic novel featuring several spooky, creepy, WTF, NOPE stories that will have you stay awake long past midnight.
I am a big big fan of Abby Howard. Her normal work, her horror/mystery work, I love it all. She has a really great art style. So when I saw the tweet regarding the Kickstarter for this book I knew I had to support and get this book! I have had this book on my PC for some time now, with lockdown and all that I just didn’t get to it, but I have been in a horror/spooky mode so I decided now was the right time.
I wrote a short review per story!
Girl in the Fields: Star rating, 5 stars: A story about a girl with very strict and old-fashioned parents. I was pretty horrified by the parents, especially the mom, she was just horrendous. You don’t do that crap and if your kid is gay that is totally fine you don’t send her to Christian therapy. WTF. Then comes the moment she hears a voice on the other side of the fence and sees and eye, the girls start talking and I was very happy for Frankie to have found someone… though I had my suspicions on who that was… The last few pages had me go NOPE NOPE NOPE and WOW what just happened? It felt a bit short, I don’t know, I would have loved some more information on certain things, certain things fleshed out more. But in overall, this was both a sad and a creepy story and a great start to this book.
Mattress used: Star rating, 4.5 stars: Um, eww girl why did you pick that up from the streets? I get being desperate, but there is a giant stain in there. YUCK. The rest of the story is pretty disgusting and really if something visited me at night? I would definitely BURNED that mattress so FAST. Also, so American at times (because really the first thing I would do when I wake up in a hospital isn’t wondering if I can afford being here). 4.5 stars, and that is just because the girl was an idiot and should NOT have done the things she did. Plus, my stomach is turning so badly now it is a whirlpool. There is so much disgustingness. Oh, and for some reason I thought the woman in her apartment was her mom. Don’t ask me why, probably because of how she acted and totally was more responsible she just seemed like a mom.
The Boy From the Sea: Star rating, 4.5 stars: and that is really mostly because Nia was a selfish freaking brat. Really, I get that things aren’t as fun as they used to, I get that your sister is different. I get moving can’t be fun. But your sister loves you and instead of understanding you just act like a first-grade brat. I get that Nia is quite young, and this is how kids often act, but sorry it did ruin the story for me at points. Even when Ayanna showed some love and interest Nia stayed bratty. Gregory, NOPE. And he got even more NOPE as the story unfolded, I mean, seriously, seeing him just stand there in front of the window/door was just so creepy. I loved Ayanna and my heart broke for her and the father of the girls. The ending, HOLY WOW. That is one way to end things. I am happy with the extra part after that, though it broke my heart even further.
Our Lake Monster: Star rating, 5 stars:WELL FUCK. I wasn’t a fan of the MC because of how dumb she was in believing the monster was just a sweet little thing, wtf, given the drawings and what we learn I knew it was a NOPE. I didn’t want to get a closer look to it. No sirree. The drawings were enough for me. I did feel for the family given they were pretty much stuck with a monster so close to their home. A lot of things happen around the mid/ending of this that made me go NOPE NOPE NOPE. The ending was so WHAT THE FUCK, I love it but also want to puke because oh boy disgusting.
Kindred Spirits: Star rating, 5 stars: HOLY FREAKING WHUUUUTT. I would never opened my door for that, no sirree, no thank you, nope nope nope. I would just have rolled down a curtain or something and turned away and the next day I would have sought for a new home. Haha, bye bye, NOPE. This was a strangely sad and weird story, I really liked it though it seriously creeped me out. The ending just broke my heart.
So as you can see I am very positive about this delightful, and maybe a tad too much for my stomach at times, graphic novel. It is gruesome, it is horrifying, and I love it. The art is just perfect and make things even more creepy. The title fits the book perfectly. I hope Abby Howard will make more graphic novels/books like this. I need more! I would highly recommend this book to all!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I am a big big fan of Abby Howard. Her normal work, her horror/mystery work, I love it all. She has a really great art style. So when I saw the tweet regarding the Kickstarter for this book I knew I had to support and get this book! I have had this book on my PC for some time now, with lockdown and all that I just didn’t get to it, but I have been in a horror/spooky mode so I decided now was the right time.
I wrote a short review per story!
Girl in the Fields: Star rating, 5 stars: A story about a girl with very strict and old-fashioned parents. I was pretty horrified by the parents, especially the mom, she was just horrendous. You don’t do that crap and if your kid is gay that is totally fine you don’t send her to Christian therapy. WTF. Then comes the moment she hears a voice on the other side of the fence and sees and eye, the girls start talking and I was very happy for Frankie to have found someone… though I had my suspicions on who that was… The last few pages had me go NOPE NOPE NOPE and WOW what just happened? It felt a bit short, I don’t know, I would have loved some more information on certain things, certain things fleshed out more. But in overall, this was both a sad and a creepy story and a great start to this book.
Mattress used: Star rating, 4.5 stars: Um, eww girl why did you pick that up from the streets? I get being desperate, but there is a giant stain in there. YUCK. The rest of the story is pretty disgusting and really if something visited me at night? I would definitely BURNED that mattress so FAST. Also, so American at times (because really the first thing I would do when I wake up in a hospital isn’t wondering if I can afford being here). 4.5 stars, and that is just because the girl was an idiot and should NOT have done the things she did. Plus, my stomach is turning so badly now it is a whirlpool. There is so much disgustingness. Oh, and for some reason I thought the woman in her apartment was her mom. Don’t ask me why, probably because of how she acted and totally was more responsible she just seemed like a mom.
The Boy From the Sea: Star rating, 4.5 stars: and that is really mostly because Nia was a selfish freaking brat. Really, I get that things aren’t as fun as they used to, I get that your sister is different. I get moving can’t be fun. But your sister loves you and instead of understanding you just act like a first-grade brat. I get that Nia is quite young, and this is how kids often act, but sorry it did ruin the story for me at points. Even when Ayanna showed some love and interest Nia stayed bratty. Gregory, NOPE. And he got even more NOPE as the story unfolded, I mean, seriously, seeing him just stand there in front of the window/door was just so creepy. I loved Ayanna and my heart broke for her and the father of the girls. The ending, HOLY WOW. That is one way to end things. I am happy with the extra part after that, though it broke my heart even further.
Our Lake Monster: Star rating, 5 stars:WELL FUCK. I wasn’t a fan of the MC because of how dumb she was in believing the monster was just a sweet little thing, wtf, given the drawings and what we learn I knew it was a NOPE. I didn’t want to get a closer look to it. No sirree. The drawings were enough for me. I did feel for the family given they were pretty much stuck with a monster so close to their home. A lot of things happen around the mid/ending of this that made me go NOPE NOPE NOPE. The ending was so WHAT THE FUCK, I love it but also want to puke because oh boy disgusting.
Kindred Spirits: Star rating, 5 stars: HOLY FREAKING WHUUUUTT. I would never opened my door for that, no sirree, no thank you, nope nope nope. I would just have rolled down a curtain or something and turned away and the next day I would have sought for a new home. Haha, bye bye, NOPE. This was a strangely sad and weird story, I really liked it though it seriously creeped me out. The ending just broke my heart.
So as you can see I am very positive about this delightful, and maybe a tad too much for my stomach at times, graphic novel. It is gruesome, it is horrifying, and I love it. The art is just perfect and make things even more creepy. The title fits the book perfectly. I hope Abby Howard will make more graphic novels/books like this. I need more! I would highly recommend this book to all!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 4, 2021
Five remarkable short horror stories, each with a different flavor.
-------------------------
The Girl in the Fields
Frankie is a frustrated gay teen whose aggressively conservative parents are counting on their pastor to "fix" her. Her only friend is Clara, a girl she's never seen who speaks to her through a knothole in the tall wooden fence bounding the adjacent farm. When Frankie jumps the fence to see Clara for the first time, she's attacked. But not by whom we expect.
The neighboring farm is a direct allegory for Frankie's family situation.
The outcome is tragic but hopeful.
-------------------------
Mattress, Used
A broke college student takes a disgusting stained mattress out of someone's trash. After a nightmare about a blob monster telling her it wants her skin, she develops a fever and a persistently worsening rash culminating in three horrifying words: . The entire right half of her body is affected.
The first night after she is sent home to recuperate, the dream monster appears again and tells her it wants the rest...
This is straight up body horror and I'm impressed at how much squick Howard was able to shovel into my psyche using only black, white, and crosshatching.
-------------------------
The Boy from the Sea
A dead-eyed boy with magical water powers bewitches a headstrong little girl on a beach trip. Her older sister groks the boy's ill intentions but can't convince her sister that he's dangerous. When he finally comes for them, the older girl makes a terrible choice.
A wonderful sense of looming dread permeates this story from the second page on. The tragic denouement is a perfect capstone.
-------------------------
Our Lake Monster
A teenaged girl fondly recalls the halcyon days of the family lake monster's celebrity, before it killed a child and had to retire from the sideshow circuit. She fiercely defends it against her family's distrust, even after . And when they try to give it to a university, she sneaks out to set it free. Beautiful overhead and POV shots drive home how terrifyingly massive the creature is and what it could do humans if it were so inclined.
A tragic counterpoint to the hopeful The Girl in the Fields. Sometimes a monster is exactly what it looks like.
-------------------------
Kindred Spirits
One day a horrifying but kindly bog zombie begins visiting a contentedly isolated old woman for (one-sided) conversation and tea. In researching the identity of the good-natured corpse, she begins to realize how alone she really is.
Poignant and bittersweet.
-------------------------
Across the board, Howard's characters are remarkably lifelike considering how little time she has to devote to each of them. She's going on my always-read list.
-------------------------
The Girl in the Fields
Frankie is a frustrated gay teen whose aggressively conservative parents are counting on their pastor to "fix" her. Her only friend is Clara, a girl she's never seen who speaks to her through a knothole in the tall wooden fence bounding the adjacent farm. When Frankie jumps the fence to see Clara for the first time, she's attacked. But not by whom we expect.
The neighboring farm is a direct allegory for Frankie's family situation.
The outcome is tragic but hopeful.
-------------------------
Mattress, Used
A broke college student takes a disgusting stained mattress out of someone's trash. After a nightmare about a blob monster telling her it wants her skin, she develops a fever and a persistently worsening rash culminating in three horrifying words: . The entire right half of her body is affected.
The first night after she is sent home to recuperate, the dream monster appears again and tells her it wants the rest...
This is straight up body horror and I'm impressed at how much squick Howard was able to shovel into my psyche using only black, white, and crosshatching.
-------------------------
The Boy from the Sea
A dead-eyed boy with magical water powers bewitches a headstrong little girl on a beach trip. Her older sister groks the boy's ill intentions but can't convince her sister that he's dangerous. When he finally comes for them, the older girl makes a terrible choice.
A wonderful sense of looming dread permeates this story from the second page on. The tragic denouement is a perfect capstone.
-------------------------
Our Lake Monster
A teenaged girl fondly recalls the halcyon days of the family lake monster's celebrity, before it killed a child and had to retire from the sideshow circuit. She fiercely defends it against her family's distrust, even after . And when they try to give it to a university, she sneaks out to set it free. Beautiful overhead and POV shots drive home how terrifyingly massive the creature is and what it could do humans if it were so inclined.
A tragic counterpoint to the hopeful The Girl in the Fields. Sometimes a monster is exactly what it looks like.
-------------------------
Kindred Spirits
One day a horrifying but kindly bog zombie begins visiting a contentedly isolated old woman for (one-sided) conversation and tea. In researching the identity of the good-natured corpse, she begins to realize how alone she really is.
Poignant and bittersweet.
-------------------------
Across the board, Howard's characters are remarkably lifelike considering how little time she has to devote to each of them. She's going on my always-read list.
August 23, 2021
This is my first time reading a graphic novel by this author, and I had a great time!
This graphic novel has five stories (note: all are in black and white). Each one was on a varying level of horror and had a different theme, but they were all so enjoyable! I will say that I was hoping for a bit more intense horror, but this was still very entertaining overall. Some stories were tragic, others more menacing, but reading this put the author on my watch list and I'm looking forward to trying out more of her works. I also really enjoyed the artwork. It felt new and fresh to me.
Definitely worth a read!
Below are brief summaries of the stories. I hope they inspire you to check this out!
The Girl in The Fields- A young girl estranged from her parents makes a strange new friend on the other side of her fence out in the country. When she crosses the fence in desperation, she discovers just how strange this friend really is.
Mattress, Used- A student finds an old mattress on the side of the road and takes it home, getting much more than she bargained for.
The Boy From the Sea- A strange young boy appears to a little girl on the beach on her vacation with family, entrancing her with promises of magic.
Our Lake Monster- A family makes an important decision on the monster they've been hiding out in the lake behind their house with unforeseen consequences.
Kindred Spirits- A woman living on the edge of a bog discovers bizarre visitors on her property at night, visitors that seem to want something from her.
This graphic novel has five stories (note: all are in black and white). Each one was on a varying level of horror and had a different theme, but they were all so enjoyable! I will say that I was hoping for a bit more intense horror, but this was still very entertaining overall. Some stories were tragic, others more menacing, but reading this put the author on my watch list and I'm looking forward to trying out more of her works. I also really enjoyed the artwork. It felt new and fresh to me.
Definitely worth a read!
Below are brief summaries of the stories. I hope they inspire you to check this out!
The Girl in The Fields- A young girl estranged from her parents makes a strange new friend on the other side of her fence out in the country. When she crosses the fence in desperation, she discovers just how strange this friend really is.
Mattress, Used- A student finds an old mattress on the side of the road and takes it home, getting much more than she bargained for.
The Boy From the Sea- A strange young boy appears to a little girl on the beach on her vacation with family, entrancing her with promises of magic.
Our Lake Monster- A family makes an important decision on the monster they've been hiding out in the lake behind their house with unforeseen consequences.
Kindred Spirits- A woman living on the edge of a bog discovers bizarre visitors on her property at night, visitors that seem to want something from her.
February 17, 2021
Wow! This collection of stories is fantastic! The five stories are billed as "slice of life horror" and I love that description. Basically each story has characters and circumstances that are very realistic and it deals with them in a very authentic way, while also adding in a heavy layer of dread and/or outright terror. It's real world issues mixed with otherworldly horrors, and I'm so down for it. Below is a brief rundown of each story (kept very short as to hide spoilers).
"The Girl in the Fields" - Frankie is growing up on a farm and her parents don't understand her lesbianism. She meets a girl on the other side of the fence, but we only see her eye through a hole in the board (it's crazy how much emotion can be drawn from a single eye). She ends up climbing the fence, and what happens next completely shocked me. No spoilers, but if you're familiar with the boneless haint from the series Harrow County there is a bit of that here.
"Mattress, Used" - Christina, stressing with college and life, finds a mattress on the side of the road. Despite her roommate's warnings she brings it home, and some gross, freaky body horror ensues. Again, surprising stuff and left me feeling a bit sick to my stomach.
"The Boy From the Sea" - A young girl named Nia is playing on the beach when she meets a young boy named Gregory. He shows her how to do magic with the water, but Nia's older sister doesn't approve of him. The perspective then switches to that of the older sister as she tries in vain to reconnect with and protect her younger sibling. The ending is dark, cold, and left me hurting.
"Our Lake Monster" - A family has a monster living in the lake out back that years ago brought them fame and fortune, but has now grown too big and dangerous. The daughter feels like she still has a connection with the beast, and one night she takes her little brother out in a boat to meet it up. The next scene had me gasping in horror, and the second half of the story goes real brutal real quick.
"Kindred Spirits" - An old woman lives alone in a remote area and is visited one night by a voiceless bog woman (i.e. someone who died out in the bog). She befriends the creature and the next night more bog women show up to her house. It's a very bittersweet story, wit the old woman realizing she's afraid of dying alone and, because no one wants to be with her, finds solace in the company of these strange figures.
Each story in the collection was a five star read for me! They all got under my skin and creeped me out in different ways, and they all ended with a punch to the gut (usually an emotional one at that). I don't even think I can pick a favorite. And I really liked the black and white art style. It's somewhat like Junji Ito, but less bizarre and with more heart and humanity. This is the first time I've read anything by Abby Howard, and now I want to read everything she's done!
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
"The Girl in the Fields" - Frankie is growing up on a farm and her parents don't understand her lesbianism. She meets a girl on the other side of the fence, but we only see her eye through a hole in the board (it's crazy how much emotion can be drawn from a single eye). She ends up climbing the fence, and what happens next completely shocked me. No spoilers, but if you're familiar with the boneless haint from the series Harrow County there is a bit of that here.
"Mattress, Used" - Christina, stressing with college and life, finds a mattress on the side of the road. Despite her roommate's warnings she brings it home, and some gross, freaky body horror ensues. Again, surprising stuff and left me feeling a bit sick to my stomach.
"The Boy From the Sea" - A young girl named Nia is playing on the beach when she meets a young boy named Gregory. He shows her how to do magic with the water, but Nia's older sister doesn't approve of him. The perspective then switches to that of the older sister as she tries in vain to reconnect with and protect her younger sibling. The ending is dark, cold, and left me hurting.
"Our Lake Monster" - A family has a monster living in the lake out back that years ago brought them fame and fortune, but has now grown too big and dangerous. The daughter feels like she still has a connection with the beast, and one night she takes her little brother out in a boat to meet it up. The next scene had me gasping in horror, and the second half of the story goes real brutal real quick.
"Kindred Spirits" - An old woman lives alone in a remote area and is visited one night by a voiceless bog woman (i.e. someone who died out in the bog). She befriends the creature and the next night more bog women show up to her house. It's a very bittersweet story, wit the old woman realizing she's afraid of dying alone and, because no one wants to be with her, finds solace in the company of these strange figures.
Each story in the collection was a five star read for me! They all got under my skin and creeped me out in different ways, and they all ended with a punch to the gut (usually an emotional one at that). I don't even think I can pick a favorite. And I really liked the black and white art style. It's somewhat like Junji Ito, but less bizarre and with more heart and humanity. This is the first time I've read anything by Abby Howard, and now I want to read everything she's done!
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
March 28, 2021
This was a fabulous collection of short horror stories. I liked every single one of them. And each had some different kind of vibe, that there is something for everyone. The art was also pretty good and I liked that it was blacked and white, it really added to the mood.
A big thank you to Iron Circus Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Iron Circus Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
I’m a huge fan of Abby Howard’s work and this book absolutely delivers the goods. If you like your horror centered on women characters, and featuring complex and often empathetic portraits of horror monsters, this is a book you absolutely want on your shelf.
February 3, 2022
So Emily Carroll is pretty much my favorite horror creator working today, and this collection is one of the first to even approach the level of delightful YA-friendly scariness that is Through the Woods. This was solid all the way through.
February 6, 2024
Wow this was so so well done! Creepy as hell with a variety of themes (some gore, some melancholy), loved the format and the illustrations
Not my usual cup of tea but the library kids are super into horror and I’m trying up up my readers advisory game
Not my usual cup of tea but the library kids are super into horror and I’m trying up up my readers advisory game
October 5, 2023
The Crossroads at Midnight is a collection of five creepy short stories written and illustrated by Abby Howard. It is a good introduction for an older YA audience looking for horror graphic novels, who are ready for some gore, but not too much.
The Girl in the Fields
A queer teen is outed when her private online correspondence is read by her conservative parents. They threaten that their pastor will cure her, and living out in the country, Frankie has nowhere to escape to. But she seems to strike up a friendship with a neighboring girl who she can’t see because of the tall fence. Determined to meet in person, she climbs over but can’t find her, but unfortunately runs across a farmer who is a religious zealot and who plans to kill her with his tractor. This was a heavy story to start off with, but it had an interesting blend of reality with the unexpected.
Mattress, Used
Christina, a frazzled college student who is crashing in a friend’s apartment snags a used mattress from a city street. Her roommate is rightfully disgusted, as stains are evident. But Christina’s nights become filled with nightmares with a large creature saying he wants her flesh. Upon waking she is exhausted, feverish and develops a bad rash. After a horrific long hospital stay in which she loses a lot of skin, she is visited by the creature once she returns home. Is she doomed to lose the rest of her skin? The last panel shows the mattress out on the road again- who’s next???
The Boy From The Sea
Two sisters vacation with their father at a beach, when a strange boy befriends the younger sister. The older sister clues in that the boy means her harm and is on guard to keep her sister safe. But the older sister needs to make a heartbreaking decision when he comes to drag her sister into the ocean. Thirty years pass and another agonizing scene occurs with no recourse.
Our Lake Monster
The naivete of youth! A young teen reminisces about the days in which her family traveled with a lake creature, before a tragedy occurred, putting an end to their side-show income. She believes the lake monster is still kind as it was when it was young and much smaller and waxes poetic to her little brother about it. She then makes a decision that has terrible consequences for the entire family.
Kindred Spirits
This melancholy story was strangely sweet, although it was the only story that did not include a young character. An older woman Norah who has never married or had children lives out in the country, which is adjacent to a bog. A bog woman mysteriously shows up at her doorstep and believe it or not, the two women strike up a friendship of sorts. Two other voiceless bog women join them, and Norah researches who they might have been in the past and the circumstances of their death. Later, after rejection after rejection by the townspeople during her time of need, she makes a decision that brings her peace.
Howard’s black-and-white art was powerful. Her crosshatching of shadows and effective use of white vs black gutters to hint at the changing tone was spot-on. Her art reminded me of Junji Ito’s work- both in style and substance. Body horror was forefront in most of the narratives, and you need to have a strong suspension of disbelief. These bittersweet tales are a perfect slice-of-life horror.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early online copy. As a teen librarian, I will definitely be buying a copy for my library’s collection! (Actual review 4.5/5)
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2021/03/0...
The Girl in the Fields
A queer teen is outed when her private online correspondence is read by her conservative parents. They threaten that their pastor will cure her, and living out in the country, Frankie has nowhere to escape to. But she seems to strike up a friendship with a neighboring girl who she can’t see because of the tall fence. Determined to meet in person, she climbs over but can’t find her, but unfortunately runs across a farmer who is a religious zealot and who plans to kill her with his tractor. This was a heavy story to start off with, but it had an interesting blend of reality with the unexpected.
Mattress, Used
Christina, a frazzled college student who is crashing in a friend’s apartment snags a used mattress from a city street. Her roommate is rightfully disgusted, as stains are evident. But Christina’s nights become filled with nightmares with a large creature saying he wants her flesh. Upon waking she is exhausted, feverish and develops a bad rash. After a horrific long hospital stay in which she loses a lot of skin, she is visited by the creature once she returns home. Is she doomed to lose the rest of her skin? The last panel shows the mattress out on the road again- who’s next???
The Boy From The Sea
Two sisters vacation with their father at a beach, when a strange boy befriends the younger sister. The older sister clues in that the boy means her harm and is on guard to keep her sister safe. But the older sister needs to make a heartbreaking decision when he comes to drag her sister into the ocean. Thirty years pass and another agonizing scene occurs with no recourse.
Our Lake Monster
The naivete of youth! A young teen reminisces about the days in which her family traveled with a lake creature, before a tragedy occurred, putting an end to their side-show income. She believes the lake monster is still kind as it was when it was young and much smaller and waxes poetic to her little brother about it. She then makes a decision that has terrible consequences for the entire family.
Kindred Spirits
This melancholy story was strangely sweet, although it was the only story that did not include a young character. An older woman Norah who has never married or had children lives out in the country, which is adjacent to a bog. A bog woman mysteriously shows up at her doorstep and believe it or not, the two women strike up a friendship of sorts. Two other voiceless bog women join them, and Norah researches who they might have been in the past and the circumstances of their death. Later, after rejection after rejection by the townspeople during her time of need, she makes a decision that brings her peace.
Howard’s black-and-white art was powerful. Her crosshatching of shadows and effective use of white vs black gutters to hint at the changing tone was spot-on. Her art reminded me of Junji Ito’s work- both in style and substance. Body horror was forefront in most of the narratives, and you need to have a strong suspension of disbelief. These bittersweet tales are a perfect slice-of-life horror.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early online copy. As a teen librarian, I will definitely be buying a copy for my library’s collection! (Actual review 4.5/5)
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2021/03/0...
February 24, 2021
Every story was masterfully written and illustrated. My favorites were the beginning and ending stories, The Girl in the Field and Kindred Spirits- they were quiet kinds of fear but had true gentleness to them that I didn't expect. The other stories were tougher because I honestly don't like horror most of the time, but as a huge fan of Abby Howard I wanted to give them a fair shake too.
The Boy From The Sea is full of slow-creeping fear and a heartbreaking ending. Mattress, Used is pure body horror - don't read it if you're eating. Our Lake Monster is abrupt in its horror and violence, with one page in particular that actually made my stomach clench from the shock.
I don't like horror on a good day, but I'll read anything Abby Howard has created. She's taken my least favorite genre and transformed it into something so compelling even the faintest of heart wants to keep reading, desperate to find out what happens next.
The Boy From The Sea is full of slow-creeping fear and a heartbreaking ending. Mattress, Used is pure body horror - don't read it if you're eating. Our Lake Monster is abrupt in its horror and violence, with one page in particular that actually made my stomach clench from the shock.
I don't like horror on a good day, but I'll read anything Abby Howard has created. She's taken my least favorite genre and transformed it into something so compelling even the faintest of heart wants to keep reading, desperate to find out what happens next.
March 27, 2021
This is a great and impressively varied anthology. They're all horror stories, but they're all different. One story is pure body horror, and another is a melancholic ghost story. The art is consistently good, and the characters are diverse and interesting, even in just a few pages.
October 19, 2021
Terrifically done. I really like horror vignettes but they are not always good. These are great. There's horror and terror, yes, but there's also some tender moments, some bittersweet moments. Technically beautiful artwork, as well.
January 20, 2021
These stories were sadder that I expected.
July 7, 2021
A pretty neat short story collection that’s filled with great art and weirdness
The girl in the field is a strong opener, focusing on a teenage lesbian as she lives her summer with her bigoted parents. She finds a connection with Clara, a disembodied voice whose presence is an eye looking through a knot hole in the fence. It’s weird, and sets the tone nicely for the style of horror of the rest of it.
Mattress, used was a mixed bag. The premise and certain scenes are great, with it following a college student who picks up a stained bed from the side of the road. Instead of a more conventional ghost story, this is instead body horror. After a visit with something disgusting and freaky, the narrators skin starts falling off. The ending is something of a let down, with it not going anywhere meaningful.
The boy from the sea is better, with it following a pair of sisters as the younger one becomes obsessed with a boy on the beach who can move water. It’s decent, and has a chilling ending that hammers home it’s themes of isolation.
Our lake monster feels the most like a twilight zone episode. It’s about a family who used to be famous for their lake monster, but have since retired after an incident where the monster killed a kid. There’s some nasty gore here, and the ending is a neat ironic twist.
The final story, kindred spirits, channels the boy from the sea. This time the protagonist is an old woman who lives alone in the woods. One night, a twisted up corpse comes knocking, and through their “one tap for yes” communication, she learns that the corpse is simply there for conversation. The ending is more bittersweet than scary, but it’s a nice note to end the collection on.
I’d definitely read more from this writer/illustrator. The art style is great and it’s clear that she has weird, unique horror ideas suited to it.
The girl in the field is a strong opener, focusing on a teenage lesbian as she lives her summer with her bigoted parents. She finds a connection with Clara, a disembodied voice whose presence is an eye looking through a knot hole in the fence. It’s weird, and sets the tone nicely for the style of horror of the rest of it.
Mattress, used was a mixed bag. The premise and certain scenes are great, with it following a college student who picks up a stained bed from the side of the road. Instead of a more conventional ghost story, this is instead body horror. After a visit with something disgusting and freaky, the narrators skin starts falling off. The ending is something of a let down, with it not going anywhere meaningful.
The boy from the sea is better, with it following a pair of sisters as the younger one becomes obsessed with a boy on the beach who can move water. It’s decent, and has a chilling ending that hammers home it’s themes of isolation.
Our lake monster feels the most like a twilight zone episode. It’s about a family who used to be famous for their lake monster, but have since retired after an incident where the monster killed a kid. There’s some nasty gore here, and the ending is a neat ironic twist.
The final story, kindred spirits, channels the boy from the sea. This time the protagonist is an old woman who lives alone in the woods. One night, a twisted up corpse comes knocking, and through their “one tap for yes” communication, she learns that the corpse is simply there for conversation. The ending is more bittersweet than scary, but it’s a nice note to end the collection on.
I’d definitely read more from this writer/illustrator. The art style is great and it’s clear that she has weird, unique horror ideas suited to it.
November 11, 2020
I was intrigued by the idea of a YA horror graphic novel, and #TheCrossroadsAtMidnight completely delivered. #AbbyHoward tells five stories set in the real world with supernatural and horror angles. The stories themselves are definitely creepy, balancing words and images to create suspense. The artwork complements the plot so well with the black and white sketch style and use of shading and space, but also the use of irregular panels and extra long panels, which only further intensify the suspense and horror of the story itself. This is an excellent addition to any school library collection. Many thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. I look forward to sharing it with our students!
March 30, 2021
I don't indulge in much horror, but I liked these stories.
I like how it wasn't just the horror, but the humanity of what was happening, the back story, the wholeness of the characters. A teenager is fearing she will be forced conversion therapy, so takes to talking to a woman on the other side of a fence, whose face she never sees, who is also trapped.
An old woman meets three zombies, who only want to listen to her stories, unlike the rest of the town.
A water spirit comes to claim a child, despite her sister trying to save her.
Very enjoyable, and with unexpected twists.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I like how it wasn't just the horror, but the humanity of what was happening, the back story, the wholeness of the characters. A teenager is fearing she will be forced conversion therapy, so takes to talking to a woman on the other side of a fence, whose face she never sees, who is also trapped.
An old woman meets three zombies, who only want to listen to her stories, unlike the rest of the town.
A water spirit comes to claim a child, despite her sister trying to save her.
Very enjoyable, and with unexpected twists.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
August 20, 2021
What a wild ride! Scary creepy but whoa. Definitely one for the older crowd. Not sure if MS would understand the theme behind the story. Illustrations added to the creepiness! Want to add this to my collection!!!
November 10, 2021
The art was definitely my favorite aspect of this collection, but all of the stories were solid as well. Each one was interesting and creepy in their own unique ways. I liked them all, which I find is rare when I read collections like this.
March 18, 2021
A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
4.5/5 - Really, really liked it.
I couldn't pull myself away from this book. Each of the five stories as unexpected, filled with rich and well developed characters, and complex story lines. The art style of the graphic novel was perfect for the somber, spooky mood the stories conveyed. The illustrations brought me right into the heart of each narrative, with perspectives which made me feel as if I were actually observing the events from within.
There were also several hidden themes - for example, the "Labyrinth" poster in Frankie's bedroom - which I really loved.
The only reason I'm knocking 1/2 a point off is because there is a scene with violence towards a very young child and this is something I personally just cannot get past. It may not bother other readers, but that's my "no-go" zone.
Other than that, this book was brilliant. I would definitely recommend it to lovers of horror and graphic novels.
4.5/5 - Really, really liked it.
I couldn't pull myself away from this book. Each of the five stories as unexpected, filled with rich and well developed characters, and complex story lines. The art style of the graphic novel was perfect for the somber, spooky mood the stories conveyed. The illustrations brought me right into the heart of each narrative, with perspectives which made me feel as if I were actually observing the events from within.
There were also several hidden themes - for example, the "Labyrinth" poster in Frankie's bedroom - which I really loved.
The only reason I'm knocking 1/2 a point off is because there is a scene with violence towards a very young child and this is something I personally just cannot get past. It may not bother other readers, but that's my "no-go" zone.
Other than that, this book was brilliant. I would definitely recommend it to lovers of horror and graphic novels.
August 23, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: A-
A delightful and surprising collection of scary stories. They’re not terrifically executed, but they’re all quick and fun, with bold plot developments that hit me out of nowhere. I’d definitely read more from this author.
Here’s my ranking of the five stories:
“Kindred Spirits” A-. Cozy setting, spooky premise, sad and morbidly touching ending.
“Our Lake Monster” A-. Some implausibility in the protagonist’s reactions to the events, but the ending is so harsh that I’m a fan.
“The Boy from the Sea” B+. Half of this failed to interest me, but the second half is super sad—wow.
“The Girl in the Fields” B+. Feels a bit incomplete. Great imagery. Exciting third act.
“Mattress, Used” B. Lackluster ending that feels like the author just gave up on the story, but some effective gross-outs.
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: A-
A delightful and surprising collection of scary stories. They’re not terrifically executed, but they’re all quick and fun, with bold plot developments that hit me out of nowhere. I’d definitely read more from this author.
Here’s my ranking of the five stories:
“Kindred Spirits” A-. Cozy setting, spooky premise, sad and morbidly touching ending.
“Our Lake Monster” A-. Some implausibility in the protagonist’s reactions to the events, but the ending is so harsh that I’m a fan.
“The Boy from the Sea” B+. Half of this failed to interest me, but the second half is super sad—wow.
“The Girl in the Fields” B+. Feels a bit incomplete. Great imagery. Exciting third act.
“Mattress, Used” B. Lackluster ending that feels like the author just gave up on the story, but some effective gross-outs.
November 8, 2021
Oooooooohhhh!
I'm a big fan of twisted fairy tales and dark, creepy stories, and this delightful little collection of Weird was simply a-MAZ-ing!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 I honestly don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil any of the plot twists for the rest of you potential readers...but think Tales from Outer Suburbia meets Coraline.
Will definitely have to to track down more by this author!
I'm a big fan of twisted fairy tales and dark, creepy stories, and this delightful little collection of Weird was simply a-MAZ-ing!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 I honestly don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil any of the plot twists for the rest of you potential readers...but think Tales from Outer Suburbia meets Coraline.
Will definitely have to to track down more by this author!
March 5, 2021
It was a nice compilation of stories and I liked the illustrations a lot, I do think it's very good one for new readers looking for horror genre, a very good starting point.
Now being read this genre since my childhood, I would have wanted maybe a little more depth or development but I know sometimes it is a little harder since this ones are drawn.
I like that it made a point of cautionary tale in some ways too, since it shows you so many bad decisions being made but actually we as humans do tend to do this terrible decisions often, so good work of depicting human nature at the fullest.
It was a nice read, you can go by super fast and still enjoy it.
Now being read this genre since my childhood, I would have wanted maybe a little more depth or development but I know sometimes it is a little harder since this ones are drawn.
I like that it made a point of cautionary tale in some ways too, since it shows you so many bad decisions being made but actually we as humans do tend to do this terrible decisions often, so good work of depicting human nature at the fullest.
It was a nice read, you can go by super fast and still enjoy it.
June 27, 2021
*thank you to Netgalley, Iron Circus Comics and Abby Howard for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars.
I was genuinely impressed with this. It took a bit to get into for me but once I did, it was really quite good.
The artwork wasn't usually my style but I adjusted and by the end I did find it fitting to the book.
The majority of the stories were decent which is usually pretty tricky task to create as most short story books are 50/50 I find.
Would definitely recommend.
4 stars.
I was genuinely impressed with this. It took a bit to get into for me but once I did, it was really quite good.
The artwork wasn't usually my style but I adjusted and by the end I did find it fitting to the book.
The majority of the stories were decent which is usually pretty tricky task to create as most short story books are 50/50 I find.
Would definitely recommend.
August 27, 2022
!! TW: Body horror, slight gore, child death (fourth story), transphobia (first story) !!
This was a good collection of horror stories! There's only five, told in graphic novel format, but they do a great job of setting the tone and all by the end of it!
I enjoyed the second, fourth, and fifth ones, whereas the first and third just resonated all right with me.
Definitely a fun and interesting read.
This was a good collection of horror stories! There's only five, told in graphic novel format, but they do a great job of setting the tone and all by the end of it!
I enjoyed the second, fourth, and fifth ones, whereas the first and third just resonated all right with me.
Definitely a fun and interesting read.
June 13, 2023
WOW that was amazing.. The drawings, and the little hidden details, like the Black Sunset 1986 poster in the Mattress, Used story, or the Tamora Pierce Book on the table in The Boy From The Sea are immaculate. In the relatively short time you spend with them, you really feel like you know these characters and feel for them. Normally anthologies are pretty hit or miss, but every single story in this absolutely shone. I'm left wanting more, despite the sad bleakness of most of the endings.
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