Bedtime Games #1 introduced us to a new face in horror: Mr. Bedtime. Like Freddy Krueger, he deals in nightmares. Unlike Freddy Krueger, he takes his time, manipulating his prey to act out for him. I was intrigued by the first issue, but it was difficult to get a bead on it. It really took its time and didn’t get to Mr. Bedtime until the end of the issue. Having spent an issue with Mr. Bedtime, I can safely say that he kind of scares me. The reason is because he doesn’t hunt prey, attack, kill, and torture. He spends his time manipulating and psychologically getting into these kids’ heads. Ah, the kids!

A group of three kids just starting high school broke into a sealed door on the grounds of the school they attend, and accidentally let Mr. Bedtime loose. Now, they, their family members, and others are being drawn into Mr. Bedtime’s game of retrieving something that belongs to him.

Nick Keller really does take his time with the story once again, and it pays off. When some chaotic stuff really starts to happen, the reality of the world is so grounded that when the nightmarish elements settle in, they are pretty damned effective. Conor Nolan once again hits just the right notes between the classic EC Comics and a more modern-day Kelly Jones style of artwork. I really like it, especially when things go bonkers!

The one thing this book really gets right is that fear isn’t something we always run from. Fear is often something that makes us do something we wouldn’t otherwise do. Mr. Bedtime is smart in how he uses people’s fears against them; that, to me, makes him more menacing than any Freddy Krueger at my age and makes this comic feel more like a dark fable than a stupid slasher film.

Creative Team: Nick Keller (story), Conor Nolan (art), Kelly Fitzpatrick (colors), John J. Hill (letters), Katii O’Bried (editor), Ethan Kimberling (designer)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.