They’re Ruining “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark”

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”, the publisher has removed the original, scary as hell artwork for which the book was beloved by all and replaced it with boring illustrations. posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:13pm EST

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They're Ruining "Scary Stories To Tell...

Patrick Ross

1. Original Title Page

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2. New Title Page

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3. Original

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4. New

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5. Original

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6. New

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7. Original

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8. New

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9. Original

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10. New

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annm8 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF about 6 months ago ×
csweda They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Ew & Fail about 7 months ago ×
Kelly S. 7 months ago

booo, that is my childhood! the art was scary as hell, especially to a ten year old. it’s STILL creepy. and amazing.
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Kelly S. thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about 7 months ago ×
ariell5 They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF about a year ago ×
Estage thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF about a year ago ×
bloodybarbies thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
Kelly W They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... about a year ago ×
themaybeblock thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
nikkieoberga thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
claired5 They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
samanthaj6 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
saram19 They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF, Fail & OMG about a year ago ×
natalies16 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
tarao2 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
PifflePrincess thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is OMG, WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
lillypaigec thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
catherinocalypse They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Fail about a year ago ×
500daysofshelby thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
clyder thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
Becka Noel thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
katrina states They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... about a year ago ×
Sammi T. thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
LetsLiveInTheOcean thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
colleen thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
colleen a year ago

Might I just add that I would not like to be inside the mind of whoever drew those original illustrations. Its like art from a psych ward. Freakin scary
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colinthegreat thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
jerib2 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF about a year ago ×
miked23 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
Bord_de_lac thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
SkelIy They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
ChrisFNCameron They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
hallieb They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
katiem33 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
divyydotnet They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
monkthemonkey thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is OMG, WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
unconcontrollably thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
p124 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
p124 a year ago

i love that book! spiders coming out of face is a classic.
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kristyn thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
Caitlin P. thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
Sara R. thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
lukeb3 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
hamandcheesetoastie thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
honra a year ago

Those (original) illustrations were absolutely scary to me when I was a kid. I remember I would hide the book sometimes (cover down) so that I wouldn’t have to look at the scary pictures. I treated the book like it was haunted or something. Haha.
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ryuv thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
The Uniblogger They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Ew, WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
kelseycoffeltd They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF about a year ago ×
cjd28 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF about a year ago ×
iamerickson thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
Hello, Michelle They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Fail & WTF about a year ago ×
iamerickson a year ago

These books (or more specifically, the artwork in these books) were the genesis of my love of horror. As an adult, I now run an independent film production company specializing in horror. It’s no exaggeration to say that Stephen Gammell’s artwork is the reason I eventually became a horror-centric artist. So sad to think that that influence will now be inaccessible to the eyes of the next generation.
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houseshawnl thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
cats6 thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
benjaminwesleyf thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
zaii They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s Ew, WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
rollinp They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... and thinks it’s WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
ashley king thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is WTF & Fail about a year ago ×
jubelb thinks They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... is Fail about a year ago ×
comicsalliance.com readers just made They're Ruining "Scary Stories To... hotter about a year ago ×
Vehura a year ago

I can only press Fail once. Fail.
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annad3 a year ago

I loved Brett Helquist’s work in A Series of Unfortunate Events, but come on. I just feel incredibly lucky that I got the anthology on Amazon for like 4.50 back around Halloween.
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Michael D. a year ago

Big deal. Who cares? Move on with your life. You’re an adult. Stop crying about children’s books.
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Drwholvr a year ago

Those illustrations are what made the books so awesomely scary in the first place! So glad I have my original box set.
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KipThunder: Class Act a year ago

Brett Helquist is a great illustrator, it’s a shame they had to replace the horrifying old drawings, they’re obviously better, that being said, I feel bad for Mr. Helquist. Hopefully the backlash will be attributed to the publishers and not to him.
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hueyrocks a year ago

“The Ghost With The Bloody Fingers” (original artwork on left and new artwork on right)
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Chickalupe a year ago

Nothing is sacred.
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thebestclint a year ago

I’m okay with this. Those old pictures were fucking horrifying.
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shanteld a year ago

This is because kids are too fragile now. God forbid they get scared.
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LionessFeathers a year ago

Just ordered my copy of the original. Screw this bullshit.
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RhiRiot a year ago

The one of the spider egg and the hairless rat STILL make me want to throw up. Good times.
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armadillorider a year ago

The prices of these are going way up on Amazon and such…I recommend getting them if you guys want a piece of the collectible action…
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stefaniflores101 a year ago

I like the old ones way better.
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MEOWBUENO a year ago

parents these days are so sensitive. it’s sad, really. they grew up with all the horrors they try to shelter their kids from now and they turned out fine. I grew up on these terrifying pictures and I will make damn sure my kids have that same privilege.
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ryethebread a year ago

I’m going to track down and buy the originals so my kids don’t have to look at the toned-down bullshit. I want my future spawn terrified just like I was!
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1. Original Title Page

2. New Title Page

3. Original

4. New

5. Original

6. New

7. Original

8. New

9. Original

10. New

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