It’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas! It’s my very first manga experience! What’s not to love?!
OK, so you know the story of The Nightmare Before Christmas, right? If you said “no” I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you and wait here patiently while you go watch the movie…
[Christmas carol elevator music plays in the background]
OK, so you know the story of The Nightmare Before Christmas, right? Great!!!
So you know that in Halloween Town, Jack the Pumpkin King is over it! After another successful Halloween Jack is disillusioned and wanders off, followed by his trusty ghost dog Zero. I love Zero! After finding a Christmas tree shaped door in a tree trunk Jack stumbles into Christmas Town where he discovers snow, colour and the wonders of Christmas. Jack decides he’s going to be Sandy Claws this year and gets the freaky folks of Halloween Town involved in the preparations. Then things kind of fall apart. Can Sally, who’s secretly in love with Jack, help to save the day? Will the kidnapped Santa Claus ever make it back to Christmas Town? Can Christmas be saved?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then obviously you haven’t been paying attention. I’ll wait here patiently while you go watch the movie…
[Christmas carol elevator music plays in the background]
Right, so now we all know the story, let me say that this manga book is absolutely brilliant! If this is what manga is all about then I’ve been seriously missing out. This story stays true to the magic of the original and the artwork still feels like you’re walking through Tim Burton’s mind. With the cover illustration by Natsuki Minami and manga by Jun Asuka, I’m sold!
Kids and adults alike will appreciate this book. It’s suitable for those who decorate their trees by November and still have them up in January and it’s also a great read for those like me whose December catchphrase is ‘Bah, humbug!’. Plus, there’s Halloween Town! Need I say any more??
Thank you so much to NetGalley, TokyoPop and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
Once Upon a Blurb
Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, the ruler of Halloween Town and master of all things creepy and spooky. But he’s tired of his life in the shadows and longs for something new. When he accidentally stumbles upon Christmas Town, he decides this is the perfect chance to try his hand at a brand new holiday and is convinced he’ll have the world yelling “Scary Christmas”! With the young patchwork doll Sally trying to dissuade him and the evil Oogie Boogie waiting in the wings to take over Halloween Town in Jack’s absence, he’d better hurry if he wants to get his plan in place by December 25th!
Schizanthus Nerd 