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Its no secret that I love faeries. But my love of them
doesnt just extend to the dainty, girly, butterfly-winged
sprites that dance from flower to flower. Oh no, I have
just as much love for the more "realistic" ones, the ones
taken straight from folklore . . . Everything from the helpful
brownies to the creepy, demented nuckelavee. And that,
my good readers, is why I picked up Courtney Crumrin
and the Night Things, by Ted Naifeh, published by Oni
Press. The cover, done in dreary dark shades with
undertones of purple, was bedecked with goblins.
I wasnt quite sure what to expect from this book,
having picked it up entirely on the virtue of the goblins on
the cover (and the fact that there wasnt much else new
to choose from). I really wasnt expecting much from
what little I had seen on the flip through, but I ended up
enjoying the book anyway.
I am not a Goth, but I have to say . . . This book is
delightfully dark, and yet light-hearted at the same time.
The first page shows us the awesome mansion the title
character is coming to live in. This house could be
straight from the pages of a story by Poe or Lovecraft. It
looks old, creepy, mysterious. The interior adds to this
image, with vaulted ceilings, old paintings, and old-
fashioned furniture. Think of it as a VERY toned down
version of the house in The Haunting, and youll get a
good picture of it.
Adding to the creepiness of the house is its owner,
Aloysius Crumrin, uncle of the title character. This stern-
looking professor looks perfectly at place in his home.
Hes the very image of a cruel-faced baron or evil
wizard. As such, it seems a bit strange when he offers
young Courtney some hot cocoa as she enters his home!
The background here is that Courtney is from in town,
from a "modest" neighborhood. Her parents have run up
quite a debt and therefore jump at the chance to stay
rent-free in old Uncle Aloysius mansion. You see, old
Aloysius (described as being "madder than a Victorian
hatmaker") is getting older and he apparently needs to
be looked after, though the book so far gives no
indication that Aloysius mind or body is in anything but
sharp shape.
The borough that this mansion is located in is quite
rich, filled with the mansions of politicians, bankers, etc.
As such, lower-class Courtney has difficulty fitting in with
her new yuppy classmates. In the first issue alone she
gets snubbed, then beaten up and robbed by the school
bullies. Her only companion, not quite a friend, is Axel,
the son of a football player. This relationship doesnt last
long, however . . . Ill let you see for yourself how it ends!
Oh yes, the goblins . . . Or, as theyre alternately called
in this book, night things. Courtney keeps waking up at
night to find creepy little creatures lurking around her
already spooky bedroom. One night this causes her so
much trouble that she leaves her room, unable to sleep.
She finds herself in Aloysius study (at first unaware that
he is there as well, due to the ever-handy high-back
swiveling desk chair).
Aloysius study ROCKS! Filled mostly with books,
theres also a treasure trove of the neat things one
expects a wizard to have . . . Specimens in jars, a large
astrolabe, fancy lamps, a huge piece of crystal, etc etc.
Once Courtneys wonder wears off, she begins to look at
things with a bit of a sarcastic attitude until her uncle
startles her by turning the chair around to face her and
thus revealing that hes been there all along.
The old man turns out to be not as mean as nasty as
one would expect, and assure Courtney that the house
takes some getting used to, but that nothing there will
harm her. Of course, when Courtney returns to the study
to find it truly empty the next evenings, and finds a
grimoire of Night Things propped open in a bookstand
upon the desk, things take an interesting turn.
Yes, Courtney binds a goblin to her service (in a
funny set of scenes that you just have to see), and
begins her way down the path of getting revenge on her
tormentors.
This book looks like it will ultimately be a tale of
rejection, revenge, and lessons learned on both sides,
as well as the lesson of not playing around with magic
you dont understand. It promises to be a delightful 4-
issue mini-series, and Im looking forward to collecting it.
I have not as of yet mentioned the art . . . Well, its
weird. It reminds me of the name of one of my favorite
RPGs . . . Big Eyes, Small Mouth. Its not Manga, but it
sure comes close! The kids almost look more . . . surreal
than the goblins. Axel especially looks almost like a seti
alien with a buzz cut. The adults look more normal, but
the kids are almost spooky. However weird, though, the
art certainly has its appeal and never detracts from the
story.
I have a couple of small complaints . . . One being that
Courtneys age is never stated. Im guessing preteen,
from her attitude and the attitudes and actions of the
other kids at her school. Its hard to guess from her
appearance, though. As well, I have to whine . . . Why is
every new series I find and enjoy just a mini-series?
Waaaa!
In short, I would highly recommend this comic to any
fan of faerie lore, any preteen or teen who dreams of
revenge on their tormentors, as well as Goths, and pretty
much anyone looking for an unusual little mini-series.
(PS: Spellcheck in word sucks -- Not only did it just flag
"spellcheck" in red, but it doesnt have the names Poe or
Lovecraft in it. How very lame!)
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