AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF URBAN LEGENDS

An illustrated introduction to the world of urban legends past and present.

In this full-color guide, author and illustrator Boardman breaks down the history of urban legends from around the world and across time, opening with a section called “Premodernity” and closing with the “Metamodern Era.” In his introduction, he explains the difference between myths and legends, describes the different types of people who investigate urban legends, and shows how these stories proliferate. The older tales covered include the Loch Ness Monster, vampires, and lost cities such as Ys and El Dorado. Readers will also learn about Spring-Heeled Jack, a notorious criminal from 19th-century England, and 1990s chain emails warning people about black market organ thieves. The book covers fan favorites—cryptids, UFOs, and Slenderman. While the visual appeal is high thanks to the stylish, colorful art, each topic gets only a cursory treatment, letting down those looking for a deeper dive. The repetition in this very short work soon becomes tiresome as well, with details repeated throughout each section. Nevertheless, those new to the subject may enjoy this guide, which lends itself well to casual browsing. The backmatter includes a glossary, further reading (which contains—but doesn’t differentiate between—fiction and nonfiction), further watching (a puzzlingly eclectic mix that includes both the 1960s Scooby-Doo TV series and The Blair Witch Project), and an index.

A quick visual guide for beginners that’s visually engaging but lacks depth.