NIGHTMARE HUNTER #1

A mysterious young orphan tries to help other kids fight their nightmares.

With his sideswept bangs and skull-adorned tee over a stripey long-sleeved shirt, sullen, sulky Maxwell looks like a typical early-aughts emo-goth kid. But he’s burdened with a gift that feels more like a curse. He can see the remnants of children’s nightmares floating above their heads—personifications of school scaries, toilet terrors, and the occasional toothy dragon. Maxwell is particularly drawn to a young girl named Sid, who’s terrorized nightly by monsters with copious claws, endless eyeballs, and overabundant heads. Hesitantly, she allows Maxwell to enter her dreams with her as he directs her toward the subconscious roots of her fear. Complications arise as the pair learn that Sid’s dreams have been commandeered by a strange being. Smith sensitively explores Maxwell’s own enigmatic origins—his work is driven by the disappearance of his sister, seemingly into her nightmares, during their childhood in an orphanage. The real star, though, is the visual frenzy of sea monsters, enormous bugs, and a phenomenally fierce final boss. Smith’s zany drawings aren’t truly terrifying, making this a solid pick for younger fright fans, but softhearted readers should stay clear. Indeed, the book’s gleeful inventiveness may inspire young creatives to bring their own wildest dreams to the page. Maxwell is tan-skinned; Sid is slightly darker.

An artistic riot of monsters establishes a unique universe in this spooky series starter.