The Last Halloween

Funny, scary, poignant, and riveting graphic adventure. Little Mona is left at home alone while her father goes on a date, on Halloween, ruining her night. That is, until monsters begin oozing into the world, seeking out the people they are destined to haunt. Because if they kill those people, they become immortal. Soon, Mona's night becomes immeasurably worse, and she must team up with a vampire, an animated doll, and a...well, not really sure what that is to save the world. Oh, and did I mention that her father's date is with the vampire's dad?

Don't be fooled - it's a fun romp, and Howard's humor is perfectly gauged to the story, but this is not for little kids. The monsters are truly scary, you can't be sure that any of them will survive, and Mona's destiny is only one small part of a much larger whole.

I've been a fan of Abby Howard's Junior Scientist comic strips for a long time now. The Last Halloween does not disappoint. The pacing is wonderful and handles the multiple story lines well. You care for the characters and they all have their unique story and personalities. Howard's line work and composition sucks you in and catches you by surprise - there will be thicker lines and a more cartoony style then BAM so many tiny lines creating gruesome horrors. The back matter also contains sketches and the process by which panels are sketched and inked.

Cannot wait for the next installment.

Mona never would have expected that her Halloween night would include being attacked by real monsters, befriending a crew of quirky undead, and being sent on a mission to save humanity as she knew it! Abby Howard’s The Last Halloween Book 1 was a beyond delightful reading experience. It is a perfect blend of disturbing, terrifying, hilarious, and heartwarming. And it includes just the right amount of Kurt Russell references. The illustrations are simple but effective, and the writing is smart, funny, and inclusive. I would put this book in the hands of any teen or adult who loves Halloween.

Seriously can't even describe how good this is on how many levels. It's so messed up and so cute, and so funny and so sad, I can't wait for book 2 because I could just keep reading this story forever!

A great read! The artwork is fantastic, and I felt so attached to each and every character -- even the ones I'm not supposed to like. Everyone is so fleshed out and given such life, with unique characteristics and motivations.

I greatly appreciated the gender neutrality in the story, too. Not only is there a non-binary character (a parent, no less!), but gender seems to be fluid and unimportant in the story's universe, which is a really nice change of pace. I hope to see more of that attitude in future works, as well as just in books in general.

Monsters are suddenly able to come out of the darkness in The Last Halloween. Will one spunky ten-year-old girl named Mona be able to save herself along with all of humanity?

Mona’s father has gone to a party in a dress and a mustache leaving her alone in their house. When a monster breaks in and she calls 911, the police think she is making a prank call. While trying to find the police station, Mona stumbles upon two grave-robbing teenagers and someone who claims to be “a living doll, cursed into life by Haitian voodoo”. With no better option, Mona teams up with them. But they lead her away from the police and to the house of the mysterious Doctor Fugue. Will Mona live through the night, or even the hour? Can she be humanity’s sole hope to drive the monsters back into the shadows where they belong?

Using pen and ink in an almost woodcut effect, the artwork fits the creepy mood of the book. And the plot is excellent and actually funny in places. The Last Halloween is recommended to light horror comic readers. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Iron Circus Comics and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an insanely fun, captivating read! Very funny; an amalgamation of witty, dark and at times, juvenile humor. An imaginative story whose creativity is only surpassed by the beautiful, creepy illustrations. I plowed through this. I can't wait for the follow-up!