Quick Thoughts on the Haunted Mansion Comic Book

I really wanted to love The Haunted Mansion Comic Book from Marvel’s Disney Kingdoms comic book line.   I truly did.   

I had enjoyed the Seekers of the Weird comic book.  That comic utilized the concept art that at one time could have been the Museum of the Weird .  I had no expectations other than excitement to see some of those concepts come to life.   

The Haunted Mansion however is so classic that with it comes high expectations.  That is one of the reasons the Haunted Mansion film wasn’t a favorite of many Disney and Haunted Mansion fans.   I guess I was just expecting too much.   Reading the first issue of the Haunted Mansion comic book I felt like it was more just an awkward tour of the Mansion than a story I was interested in. 

The main character is an outsider teen whose Grandfather  (The only person he feels he can relate to)  has passed away.    He is lured to the Mansion by the spirit of Madame Leota to help save the spirits (including his Grandpa’s) from the sway of an angry vengeful  ghost of a Sea Captain.   The story just feels like it is lacking to me.   Love it or hate it , the feature film starring Eddie Murphy had a much better storyline.   This comic feels derivative of the Seekers of the Weird to a certain degree.   The main character wandering into the Mansion and starts describing things from the ride outloud.    I thought that I would at least love the comic based on the artwork alone,  but I’d actually rather just revisit the Making of the Haunted Mansion book by Jason Surrell that contains the concept art for the attractions than what is in this comic book.    The plotline of the reluctant, oddball teen having to help his dead relative  storyline just isn’t doing it for me.  I feel like it just missed the mark.   I wished I had loved this comic.   But I feel like I’m unsure whether I want to read the next issue.

I don’t blame the writer or the artist of the comic book—for my lack of interest in it.   I truly believe that my problems with it lay in my own inflated ideas and expectations.

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Seekers of the Weird: Disney/Marvel Comic Review (Available at Off the Page in DCA)

Last week at Disney’s California Adventure I wandered into Off the Page the store that is connected to Drawn to Animation building.   Checked out some of the artwork and bought my 
step daughter a 60^th Anniversary pin and then stumbled across a collected edition of Seekers of the Weird.

This was the first of Series of Disney/Marvel comics that Marvel did in connection with Imagineering called Disney Kingdoms.  This series features stories based on Disney Attractions.  I had bought the first issue  of Seekers of the Weird when it came out –but I don’t visit the comic store that often –so when I went back months later I couldn’t find issues 2 and 3 so forgot about it.   
Then I saw this cool collected edition  --along side ones based on Figment  (from Journey to Imagination) and a Big Thunder comic (not yet collected).      Off the Page also has all of the new Marvel Star Wars comics as well so if you having trouble locating them –you can find them in the parks.

Seekers of the Weird is a story based on the artwork Rolly Crump did for the Haunted Mansion that was almost a separate walk through attraction Walt Disney wanted to do called the Museum of the Weird.  

A year ago I was lucky enough to meet and get to hear a presentation by Rolly Crump at Tiki Oasis in San Diego and to get a copy of his book "It's Kind of A Cute Story".  So having read some of that book my interest in this comic was increased even more.

The comic itself was visually entertaining.   I could easily see this as a video game –because part of the story centers on the characters collecting objects within the museum.  It has elements similar to a Night at the Museum meets The Librarian series/ Warehouse 13….as things in the Museum of the Weird are anamorphic in nature that would be visually interesting in video game or movie form.

    The story centers on two high school kids whose parents own a curiosity shop.  They arrive home from school one day and stumble across their parents battling some strange creatures and getting kidnapped.    Their house catches fire and their uncle they have never meet leads them through a portal into the Museum of the Weird.   Once inside museum they are tasked with solving a puzzle that will make a Coffin Clock that they can exchange for their parents freedom.   The story was odd and a little confusing at points –but still interesting.  I absolutely loved the visual references to some of Rolly Crump’s original artwork and I could totally see the Museum of the Weird as an attraction or ride.    Maybe as a twist of Mystic Manor in Hong Kong since the story features some shared elements. 

I would recommend picking up Seekers of the Weird for any Disney History or Haunted Mansion fans.   The collected edition includes some of Rolly Crump’s original artwork for the Museum and variant covers from the comic series.  I know a lot of people are excited for the Figment comic  (having only seen that version of the ride once) my interest in that one isn’t as high—but if you love that attraction you can find that in collected form at Off the Page as well.

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