The Stuff of Legend Volume 1: The Dark Book 1

Written by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
Art by Charles Paul Wilson III

This book got a lot of press a couple of weeks ago, and caught my interest enough that I decided that I would order it from the publisher - something I don't often do. It's easy to see why this book has been getting a lot of hype. It's really quite good.

The story is at first quite straight-forward. A young boy in a house in Brooklyn in 1944 is abducted by a creature living in his closet, a common fear. Once he is gone, his toys come to life, bemoaning his fate. A few, the most loyal and brave, take it upon themselves to go into the closet, and "The Dark", to rescue him.

At this point, things shift, and the toys are no longer animated things of wood, fabric or whatever, and are instead real creatures. The teddy bear becomes a fierce grizzly; the jack-in-the-box an able warrior. The toys go after the Boogeyman, who has an army of toys at his disposal.

This book makes use of classic themes and ideas in childrens' literature, but the book's dark nature appeals to adult audiences, without having to resort to foul language or sexuality. In a lot of ways, this book feels a little like the opposite of Fables; the toys work hard to preserve the mundane happiness of childhood, and exist solely for the pleasure of The Boy.

While the story is compelling, it is the art that makes this book a winner. Wilson's art is beautiful, and the Design and Colour team of Jon Conkling and Michael DeVito have gone above and beyond, bordering each page as if it is a recently-discovered artifact from the time it is set in.

Highly, highly recommended. This book can be purchased directly from the publisher.