When Further Front Publishing announced last October that filmmaker David Gordon Green and Author/Director Onur Tukel were teaming up to create an illustrated storybook version of John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween, I was intrigued. Halloween is one of the first horror films I fell in love with, and like with the recent franchise reboot, I was curious to see where Green would take the beloved classic. So when I got an email asking if I’d like an advanced copy of the book to review, you know I couldn’t say no!
Based on the original Halloween (1978) motion picture screenplay from John Carpenter and Debra Hill, David Gordon Green and Onur Tukel have created an (almost) all-ages retelling of the story of Michael Myers. Bound in a glossy hardcover and colorfully illustrated, “The Legend of Halloween” looks and feels like it should share a shelf with the writings of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. In fact, if the story didn’t revolve around a serial killer and feature suggested themes of sex and alcohol, it probably could.
The story reads just like a children’s book and tells the complete story of Halloween in rhyme. In fact, Green and Tukel have successfully captured the R-rated tale of Michael Myers and made it PG at most. The language throughout the book is fairly tame, where even the implied sex between Lynda and Bob is simply described as going “upstairs to have some fun.” Realistically, the only non-kid-friendly language in the book is when Loomis exclaims, “Get your ass away from there!” The rhymes are playful and keep a steady cadence through most of the book, though there are a few points where the writing loses its rhythm a bit, which creates a bit of a stumble in the story’s flow.
The artwork is equally tame, and though the book features all of Michael’s kills from the film, only his sister Judith’s death depicts any blood, though the blood is used stylistically to frame the illustration and not as a result of Michael’s attack.
This book’s novelty makes it perfect for the seasoned Halloween fan, while its execution makes it a potential new gateway to horror for some young readers. When I began introducing my kids to horror, this is definitely something I would have been ok with them reading, and I think most parents would agree, assuming you don’t take issue with the word “ass,” goreless illustrations of stabbings, and of course the shooting of Michael Myers.
When the book was announced, Green stated that he hoped this new take on the horror classic would allow him to share his love of the film with a new generation, and I think he and Tukel executed that perfectly.
“The Legend of Halloween” comes out today and is available for purchase at http://legendofhalloween.com. But as a special treat for All Hallows Geek Readers, Halloween (2018) producer Malek Akkad has offered up five copies of the book, signed by David Gordon Green, to give away. To enter, head over to the All Hallows Geek Instagram account and check out “The Legend of Halloween” giveaway post for all the details.
