On the other hand, its a completely broken idea.
The fact that its a franchise makes it completely hollow.
Freddy Krueger has what Id call, for the lack of a better term, bullshit invulnerability.
The heroes of each story have to struggle to stop him in some way and destroy him.
But youcantdestroy him because then how can you do a sequel?
See you next year!
Freddy is so ill-defined and relentless that even the first movie is kind of ruined by the final minutes.
So Freddymania was in full swing.
Its a good-looking book and darker than youd usually find in late-80s Marvel.
Too dark, actually.
Rather than focus on a group of teenagers, it focuses mainly on two people.
Allison is a girl who, like many children, is being haunted by Freddy every time she sleeps.
The story begins with her body being found in critical condition with her parents being blamed for the crime.
Theres something special about her.
Thats why Freddy is after her: he sees Allison as a threat.
There are two things that really make it great.
Theres also a bit that suggests that Freddy isnt alone.
The first of which has art by Tony Harris, which is at times stunning.
One of the dreams also leads to her stumbling across the house of her old college roommates Nancy Thompson.
She investigates and discovers that Nancys died years ago.
Soon its discovered that although Nancy died, she was reborn as kind of the Anti-Freddy.
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The highlight is Freddy killing Cybils husband with a printing press.
But like I said, some stuff doesnt work.
Being anElm Streetstory, we need people to fall asleep for the sake of moving the plot along.
Um…sure, I guess.
Then theres the twist ending, which is complete nonsense.
More than your usualElm Streetending.
Also involved is Neil Gordon, reduced to a coma due to the previous story arc.
Theres a wild card introduced who brings some life into an otherwise lifeless cast named Devonne.
She is basically Freddys agent in the waking world, helping him out of desperation.
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But we know better.
Mangels establishes that Freddys nightmare rampages are localized to Springwood and only Springwood.
He has no other jurisdiction.
If he kills enough people and enough people move away, what does that mean for him?
Its an actual happy ending, but even for anElm Streetplot equipment, its really odd.
Mangels would then do the adaptation forFreddys Dead: The Final Nightmarewith art by Mike Witherby and Robb Phipps.
Shockingly, its the onlyElm Streetmovie to get its own comic.
Well, except one thing.
Still, thats a cool gimmick.
The miniseries focuses on Maggie, daughter of Freddy and hero ofFreddys Dead.
She keeps having nightmares about becoming like her father and feels the need to visit Springwood to get answers.
Fellow survivor Tracy goes with her.
Storywise, not much seems to happen.
Its mostly Maggie having visions of Freddys origin.
Seeing him kill people, watching his ill-fated trial unfold, standing helplessly as hes lynched, etc.
The second issue ends with Maggie visiting the boiler room where Freddy originally died and then vanishing.
All thats left for Tracy to find is Freddys hat and echoing laughter.
A neat cliffhanger that simply wouldnt be resolved.
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Innovation went out of business.
Said movie is mainly remembered for the final scene that hints on the big money throwdown between horror icons.
Freddy remained quiet for over a decade.
Though it is neat that we have confirmation that Freddy and Leatherface apparently coexist in the same continuity.
This continuity, at least.
The Avatar run goes with the status quo introduced inFreddy vs. Jason.
The local government wants to keep him under wraps so that teens wont be terrorized by him.
I thought the concept was done really well in the movie.
On one hand, it worked.
It makes no sense here because Freddy isstillable to do his thing.
Hes just as capable of committing dream murder as ever, so theres no point to the conspiracy.
He isnt underpowered or anything like that.
Hes still offing kids, only they now have Men in Black guys on their backs to silence them.
For what reason?!
Their big plan isnt doing a damn thing!
There is no house of cards to knock over!
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Anyway, this one-shot is just about teens being killed while the government conspiracy is happening around them.
Just nihilistic, violent, and pointless, like much of Avatars licensed comics.
The same creative team then did a three-issue miniseries calledA Nightmare on Elm Street: Paranoid.
Due to delays, it took about seven months for the whole thing to finish.
while people are fucking dying regardless.
There are two parts here that are really good, though.
But its the ending thatsso closeto being brilliant.
The entire high school is there and she and her boyfriend are armed and ready.
Hes a gigantic, pathetic loser.
Freddy loses control of the souls hes collected and his victims start to tear him apart.
This could have been thebestending.
Let me explain why with a little tangent.
Without anyone fearing him, Freddy is in aClockwork Orangesituation where hes at the mercy of anyone and everyone.
Then he eventually regains his mojo and builds a body count to get some revenge.
Though to be fair,Freddys Deadwas about offing him forever whileDream Loverwas about revitalizing the franchise.
So anyway, in a better world, they would have made a comic adaptation ofDream Loveras a follow-up.
And instead we get the, LOL Freddy wins!
On another note, Juan Jose Ryp has some issues with his art.
More than the usual Avatar issues.
Its like he glossed over the script at times.
Or theres this bit.
Now, I dont want to be THAT GUY, but…does shereallygot back?
Shes got the ass of someone who sells propane and propane accessories.
As it turns out, things are going pretty well in Springwood.
Hypnocil, the drug that prevents you from dreaming, is given out all over.
Everyone is now immune to Freddys wrath and its driving him mad.
Enter a gang of thugs driving through the area, completely ignorant to Freddys existence.
They rob a drug store and things get violent fast.
The first three issues is a story called Freddys War, about a girl named Jade.
We quickly jump in to action as her brother is killed and Jade knows shes next.
We know how much good thatll do in the long run.
At least the follow-up issue tortures Freddy a bit.
This ones pretty cool.
He gets a talisman and comes up with a plot to summon the god to take care of Freddy.
Much likeFreddy vs. Jason, the only thing stopping Freddy from being taken out for good is morality.
To put the god at its full strength, they need to do a sacrifice.
It all ultimately leads to a dark and tragic ending where hopes are dashed.
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The Marvel Universe
A couple months later, Wildstorm released a one-shot calledNew Line Cinemas Tales of Horror.
It featured a shortTexas Chainsaw Massacrestory followed by anElm Streetstory.
The short story Copycat is by Christos Gage and Stefano Raffaele and its great.
Years later, hes a total Freddy fanboy and wants in on the action as Freddys sidekick.
Freddys not interested, but his hands are tied.
Remember during the Innovation run where I talked about how Freddys only vulnerability is an empty plate?
Gage embraces the idea.
Freddy needs to be discrete to do his twisted work.
To deal with this problem, Freddy stumbles upon another fanboy.
Track this one down.
Its easily the best Freddy comic.
And now, of course, Mr. Campbell knows better.
Ive been writing for Den of Geek for years now.
Ive talked aboutFreddy vs. Jason vs. Ashwhen I did mylist of ridiculous appearances by horror icons in non-movie media.
I talked about it again when I did alist of comic book sequels to movies.
Then yet again when I went overthe history ofFriday the 13thcomics.
Im probably going to do anEvil Deadcomics retrospective down the line and talk about it a fifth time!
Im so tired of writing aboutFreddy vs. Jason vs. Ash.
Its great because for once we have a genuinely charismatic hero to cheer for.
I mean, the best hero character weve had up to this point is, who, Nancy?
A year or so later, the creative team would follow-up withFreddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: Nightmare Warriors.
The hook is that a support group is put together of people who have survived Freddy and/or Jason.
Its headed byElm Streetsurvivors Neil Gordon and Maggie Burroughs and includes other heroes from the various movies.
Ash is invited since hes had success against both FreddyandJason at the same time.
Things get completely ridiculous and not in a good way.
A lot of stuff just happens without explanation.
But the one cool thing about the mini is Freddys fate.
In the end, hes completely stripped of his powers by the ghouls living inside the Necronomicon.
Freddys corpse is blasted into a vortex.
He magically winds up back in the 60s and signs the warrant, thereby preventing Freddys lynching and origin.
You have to give this book credit for being thorough.
Maybe if the next attempt reboot works out or if another publisher wants to gamble on some more nostalgia.
But hey, at least we have Scary Terry in theRick and Mortycomic!
Close enough, bitch!
