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First off …I don’t have much confidence that I will like it due to:

1. Being out of the age range of “YA” (I still like some of it, but it’s not guaranteed).

2. The writer comparing it to two shows I didn’t personally care for.

3. It sounds like it will be in the same G1 continuity as the Once Bitten, Twice Dead novel and that novel screams NOT FOR ME (it honestly sounds like my least favorite YA fiction tropes: overly angsty and dark…and in a cringy way to try and make it sound more adult. Like CW shows! Or that cancer live action Power Puffs reboot/ continuation). It’s not continuing the G1 MH canon I was personally connected to.

4. Despite all the artists having great looking artwork in their instas, I personally do not care for the artwork….or maybe the layout…both…(?) in the comic. I think it looks a bit generic looking (where is Frankie’s boxier head, Clawdeen’s larger nose, Cleo’s sharp angles?!). Like, it’s not necessarily bad, but the art style just doesn’t grab my attention in this comic (maybe it was rushed…?).

I will probably check out the first full floppy volume for this run, but otherwise I don’t collect floppies (single issue released comics) because they’re so fragile and it’s more affordable for me to get their collected versions. 

5. I am not the biggest western-comics fan and generally prefer independent graphic novels or manga/manhwa due to their stories feeling more cohesive (I generally don’t have to worry about different runs being picked up or dropped by different artists and writers) and I like knowing the inside/panel art will look very similar to the quality of the cover art (generally different artists will work on ongoing western comic series and I find it disappointing to pick up a comic with a beautiful cover to only be met with a different art style inside -like this comic-). 

Soooo taking that all into consideration, let’s delve in:

The opening letter is from Headmistress Bloodgood (using her original G1 signature, what a fun detail). Remember how Bloodgood would fight for her students and was a fair, but lightly strict Headmaster? Maybe the school board gave her absolutely no choice.

Speaking of Bloodgood, is she a reanimated normie? Or does she come from a long line of headless monsters….ghosts?? I’m pretty sure Hexiciah is mostly human (besides the little bit of fairy blood in him), and Victor Frankstein is most definitely human….

I would be surprised if Jackson/Holt are going to be in this continuity. Their mom definitely broke the “no romance with normies claws” to have made them and Jackson is often considered a normie. I’m guessing the Ghouls Rule movie didn’t happen in this continuity either…

This letter is alluding to a bunch of fuuuuuun (aka dark angsty shit with normies) that went down in Once Bitten and that this comic series is going to be dealing with the blowback from that.

Geeze, for being the most “inclusive and accepting school for monsters” it is hardcore against the real monsters….THE normies. DUN! Dun! DUUNN!

I feel like these “no normie rules” are influenced by G3’s NO NORMIE policy; or the Lisi Harrison books. I’m getting a whole lot of vibes reminiscent of the Lisi Harrison books. Woof…

“”The School Board has voted to more stringently uphold these claws moving forward.”” I do find it funny that the Monster High Universe seems to be run by Monster High’s school board.

If the artwork in the corner is anything to go by, it looks like the G1 CGI movie version of the school will be used for this iteration. 

I might have to re-upload the comic pages without the speech bubbles for copyright reasons, but since this one was a free issue, I thought it would slide:

Page 1:

The actual comic starts off with a very distraught Frankie wanting to spend time with her dad this summer, but he declines. He’s too busy with his research into trying to make a perfect reanimating process….?

Whoaaa buddy I’ve got some bad news for you. I think you are a bit late to the party.

G1’s Victor Frankenstein reanimated you and your wife, I believe you guys both made Watzie for Frankie, Frankie created Hoodude and the gingerbread boy and that’s just the Steins. Hexiciah Steam created Robecca, and I’m sure some of Monster High’s Zombies were reanimated and not born naturally!! Another change in this comic, they decided to call Viktor Stein (Frankie’s dad) just Frankenstein. Aaaand make him both conventionally attractive and constantly in partial shadow (is he going to be super broody in this??). I remember him being a lot more playful towards Frankie in the diaries and liking dumb puns.

And, I mean, I’m not against more dilfs in MH (Hexiciah *cough cough* and G2’s Dracula *cough cough*), but I was kinda hoping for a more interesting/fun-take on the monster-y design.

MH already has these designs kicking around!

A small nitpick: they used a distractingly large/thick brush to ink-in the black parts of his hair, and I don’t like how it messily covers the finer lines of hair.

““The day I sewed your parts together and zapped you to life was the best day of MY life.””

From this line, it sounds like G1’s Viveka Stein is going to be MIA in this series as he doesn’t mention her at all in creating Frankie. This man is either taking all the credit here or Viveka was taking a snooze or something…

Pros: Frankie looks very cute in the second panel (except for the fingers which look a bit off) and Siobhan can draw hot older men VERY well.

Page 2:

“Frankenstein” explains to Frankie that he’s too busy trying to get his (redundant) research ready for the “World’s Scare Science Exhibition.” Frankie interrupts and sees that her ghouls need her. Frankenstein once again alludes to this version of G1 being a melodrama “let me know how they’re faring.”

I find Frankenstein’s: “I could never create another you my dear. You’re one of a kind.” Kinda silly.

Alivia has entered the chat (shhh I know she’s G2).

“What I am doing here is something different. Something that’s never been done before.” Again -Vik- Frankenstein, you’re a bit late to the party there.

Personal Nitpick: Why use “Scare Science Exhibition,” when you’ve been using the “Mad Science” pun in G1 already. IMO, I think it also sounds better.

Pro: Frankenstein’s face looks well drawn (especially in the fourth panel-ignoring his blotchy, black hair streaked- look at his cute little bolt eye-glasses).

so does his armchair in the first panel,

and Frankie’s face in the first and second panel.

Con: I think all of their hands look off (especially the fingers). I don’t know if it’s the line work or the coloring, but they all read as awkward and oddly sharp (Frankie’s thumb in the first panel, and whole left hand in the third panel).

Page 3:

Sounds like the ghouls are fighting again, Frankie is caught in the middle, and Draculaura is dealing with the brunt of the shit show from the “Once Bitten” book.

Personal Nitpick: Draculaura is drawn REALLY tall in this photo (in the webisodes and CGI movies, she is teeny).

Pro: Frankie looks great in the first panel, I like her and Clawdeen’s smile in the photo, and her expression in the fourth panel. Con: Frankie’s hands look janky in the first panel.

Page 4:

Apparently Frankenstein remembered electricity being vital to reanimation, and rushes to find his notes (that were apparently not on his desk). But his notes are missing. Dun! Dun!! I wonder who the brains in the jar belong to?? Perhaps Vivika and Victor Frankenstein are in this version of G1 after all…

Pro: I liked his exclamation: “by Mary Shelly’s ghost.”

I really liked how Frankenstein is drawn in the third panel and how he breaks out of the frame of the panel too. It just feels a lot more “alive” and energetic.

The lightning bolt is drawn well and the toppled mug of coffee in the background of the fourth panel is a nice addition. Page 5 (the last of the paneled comic in this preview):

A super eeeevillll person suddenly sprouts up from nowhere (was this guy squatting down in the corner of the room; waiting for Frankenstein to figure out the key to reanimating life) and grabs Frankenstein’s “life’s work;” threatening to destroy it, unless he agrees to work with him. Frankie-boy agrees. Meanwhile, Frankie is still talking to her boos, while flipping through her photo album.

I also wonder if the ghouls are not allowed to fang out during summer break and can only see each other during the school season?? Otherwise, why can’t they all fang out. :/ Personal Nitpick: how did that burglar get into that room?? Was he there the whole time (pretending to be a table) or did he sneak in after Frankie left?

Frankenstein’s “life’s work” is entirely made up of a two whole envelopes(?) and two spiral notebook pages. That’s it Frank?!? That’s all?!? And is Lagoona not part of the main squad in this version of G1 (maybe she WAS actually boiled alive in the previous book)?

Pro: Frankenstein’s hand (once again breaking the panel’s outline) looks very well drawn. Frankie mostly looks great in the last two panels (I love her pose in the fourth panel

and her cute smile in the last one). Con: Cleo’s face doesn’t look like herself in the last panel (where did all of her sharp facial angles go)??

They gave Frankie yaoi-sized hands in the fourth panel. Haha! They’re huge!

This is the last “comic page” in this FCBD preview. There are four Monster Net profiles of the main ghoul, a Schedule (I covered this earlier), an interview with the author (also covered earlier), and another picture of the cover art. The Monster Net is a clever G1 upgrade, I like these and the details that went into them (even if I don’t like the implication of what written here). The artwork is done by the cover artist: Luciannys Camacho, and looks great.

In Frankie’s her dad is confirmed to be her only parent… :/ Boooo!!!

Draculaura’s profile is just…very sad. The poor ghoul apparently has had a bad year with her dad (who may or may not be dead) making her drink blood (to save her life…? Was it a ritual..? He was begrudgingly okay with her vegan life style beforehand) and going to meetings (is she taking over a business, is she being called in to testify what happened the last year at MH)? I am so not looking forward to what’s going down in “Once Bitten”….

I guess that her new step mom from the Diaries Series (Ramoanah) is also not a thing in this either (none of these ghouls get moms). Draculaura also looks super cute in this artwork!!

Clawdeen’s bio really plays up her being a fashion influencer and I think that perfectly works for her. Her bio is also hinting at everyone being sad, distant, and off. It confirms she has a girlfriend: Toralei….which I have mixed feelings on. I really like G3 Clawdeen and Toralei and I have seen REALLY cute artwork for G1 Clawdeen and Toralei. But that’s about it. Besides their dog/cat theme, I haven’t been swayed to ship them just yet (Toralei did some horrendous things to the ghouls and while I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers they haven’t done enough flirting with each other for me to hop on board yet). I assume they will have their relationship built up in “Once Bitten” and not just “Summer Fangout” (because that still just felt like it was skimming the surface).

Her artwork also looks great (her outfit especially looks well drawn).

Cleo’s profile is also fine. But WHY did the newest Monster High Diaries (from the Haunt Couture line) and THIS comic want to break up G1 Cleo and Deuce?!? They are a great power couple and have already gone through so many ups and downs in G1 to prove that they love each other. Since when does Cleo care about who Nefera has dated (apparently Nefera has dated someone in another dimension….is she dipping into the fairy tales and dating someone at Ever After High or the Barbie verse? Is this what happened to Blaine after Barbie dumped him to be with Ken again?!?).

Final Thoughts:

Well, that was certainly a preview of what’s to come and I’m super wary of it. :/ Again, I might’ve just aged out of G1’s YA melodrama that they’re leaning into. But I was hoping for a semi-proper continuation of the MH G1 continuity. Maybe see the ghouls graduate (after following them around their senior year) and head to college…? See some of their family members start MH…? G1 Monster High has some good bones and ideas to play around with (it’s far from perfect-I already mentioned how confusing the lore is). Plus, writers now can be inspired (or know what to avoid) by what’s happened in G2 and G3.

I already stated that this fits into the last category of MH G1 Lore “It’s Own Thing,” and this IS just a peak into it, and MAYBE I’ll be swayed, but so far, I’m just not super impressed. I give this preview a 5.8/10. The artwork is mostly pretty good, the paneling is not groundbreaking, but also not bad, it flows well. The story is what’s holding me back (but it is a free issue and it got me to finally go into our local comic book shop for Free Comic Book day).

Anyways, those are just my thoughts. What do you think of the story so far? Are you excited about “Once Bitten”/IDW MH comics living their best alternate G1 lives? Are all of my takes awful? Let me know!

Main Spelldon questions C. Spelldon’s theory on the imposter being another Spelldon. He’s suspicious C. Spelldon has another idea on whom it might be, but C. Spelldon won’t reveal it until everything is fixed (look at that sassy look C. Spelldon is giving his Main self).

After arriving back to his home, C. Spelldon agrees this is BAD. Worse than anything under his predecessor (I would love to get some more lore on that). He takes the four pieces of the Atlas and tells them to stay in the front room, he’ll fix this, and get them back to their timeline - but as he pulls back the curtain, he’s interrupted by a sassy imposter leaning on his Atlas’ desk

(I just know he was practicing for that reveal) asking if they are his “Gore Dash” delivery (new monster pun!)? Murk double crosses his master, transforms into a bird, and yoinks the Atlas pieces to the imposter. C. Spelldon and the imposter start trading blows (both the physical and the dialogue sort

-Megamind would love their back and forth). C. Spelldon seems to know exactly who the imposter is and starts blaming him for EVERYTHING.

The Imposter claims that he had told them not to touch anything, but they were never good at talking to other monsters or doing what they were told and anyways, blaming HIM for the end of the world is being a bit heavy handed. C. Spelldon trips the Imposter, but Murk grabs his master and throws him partially into a time rift.

Both Mains are watching the fight (Main Valentine calls C. Spelldon a jerk, “no offense” to Main Spelldon, but his boo fully agrees) and agree they should stay out of it…yup…totally…until they both can’t help themselves and they jump in!

Main Spelldon magically kit-bashed a bat from a spiked cuff, a scroll, a candle and its holder, and a telescope to try and wail on the guy (the Imposter avoids it and mentions he should be on the graveball team).

Main Valentine shoots hearts and stars, all of which the imposter shrugs off (and tells him he would make a good fearleader - Main Valentine acknowledges this is TRUE and says he WOULD). (PS, are these Valentine’s new powers? I know the 2025 Pride Issue also had Valentine conjuring little hearts and chibis of Spelldon - but I’m not going to lie, his vampire powers seemed to be stronger…and a bit cooler looking… when he was evil).

C. Spelldon leaps out of one of his lava lamp-esque portals to take down the imposter from behind (I love the expressions and body language used in this comic).

Both Mains are stunned and watch the pair roll around

(and flirt -oh does that Imposter flirt- while C. Spelldon is trying to get him to reveal why he would do all this. -he definitely knows who this masked manster is at this point- And, again, look at the emotion this artist portrays on C. Spelldon’s face, how he frustratedly grips the Imposter's cloak while grabbing his wrist away from it almost reaching up and stroking his face- look at the attention to the hand and the tendons and how the forearms are drawn and how well the Mains’ frantic running after the Atlas pieces in the background is portrayed).

The Main Mansters put the Atlas pieces back on its magic table (Valentine says he needs to stop skipping his Phys Dead class) and they have a (great) heart to heart

(and both Cartographers fighting in a looney tune cloud of smoke behind them - I loved the parallels). Main Spelldon looks overwhelmed at the weight on his shoulders to fix the Atlas, but is pulled out of his deep thoughts by Main Valentine gently grabbing for his hand (with his sprained wrist - a nice reminder of what Spelldon was afraid of at the beginning of this journey). Main Spelldon admits he’s afraid he’s not strong enough, but Main Valentine assures him he is. This is just a lot for him to try and fix. He also apologizes for ruining Spelldon's internship, and admits that he still has a hard time believing that anyone would actually want to be with him, and if given the chance to be away from him Main Spelldon wouldn’t come back to him.

Main Spelldon tells his boo that he was upset at himself for not being able to keep Valentine safe. Thinking on the fly and being intuitive with his magic doesn’t come easy to him and he had hoped that his internship would help him with it.

Main Valentine tells him that it did though. Main Spelldon saved a whole train of monsters and guided himself and Val through the obstacle course that was the Drain (Main Spelldon laughs, and mentions Main Valentine missed out on the pirates). All of the worlds were better with a Spelldon in them and his world in particular. They were together in all of them…but strangely not in this one

(they look behind them to see the Imposter deeeeefinitly not holding hands and straddling C. Spelldon -and teasingly yanking his hood over his eyes - I mean, look at that look he is giving him!!!). Main Spelldon tells his boo that he is here and that’s the most important part. Main Valentine corrects him and tells him they’re BOTH here and look lovingly into each other’s eyes (they are SO. CUTE.) as C. Spelldon goes flying across the background.

The Imposter comes up behind them and informs them that the Cartographer has been taken care of and everything is on Main Spelldon’s shoulders now (no pressure).

C. Spelldon brushes himself off, and the Imposter taunts Main Spelldon, asking him if he needs his textbook??

Main Spelldon takes a deep breadth, holds his love’s hands, thinks back to the previous worlds, and snaps his finger to fix the Atlas, send the ghouls to the right worlds, and close the rifts

(we see Vampire Lord Valentine and Vampire Hunter Spelldon in the graveyard noting that they must have saved the worlds, Regency Val and Spelldon waving goodbye to Sir Deuce and Sir Cleo and the dragon, Steampunk Venus, Rochelle, Frankie, Spelldon, Valentine, Robecca and Robot Backgrounder waving to Pirate Vandala and Lagoona, and the IDW Mains all wondering what happened -Cleo tells them it wasn’t her, she left her cursed amulet at home- and Lagoona mentions that maybe they shouldn’t take the Summer Arts and Bats elective). Main Valentine blushes and congratulates his

manster (and tells him he is “sososososohot”) using his magical abilities. C. Spelldon is (still) annoyed and denies the magical feeling to the situation. All the worlds were nearly extinguished due to their silly argument (Main Valentine stands up for Main Spelldon and says that it was both of their faults). C. Spelldon then concedes and tells him..yeah he guesses it was pretty magical, he saved everyone despite his rudimentary form, he needs a bit of work that he would be happy to teach him. After all, he is known to make a mistake on occasion and the internship is still his,

but Main Valentine has to go home and he also still needs to catch that darned imposter. Main Valentine acquiesces and him and his boo forever after walk outside hand in hand. Main Valentine gives Main Spelldon back his black rose (Valentine would never let the apocalypse ruin his boo’s most iconic accessory - even if he deserves so much more, like red roses or purple roses -to go with his hair- or maybe even pink roses -to go with his own hair). Main Spelldon says he loves black roses (even if Valentine teases him about it not being his funeral), all because Valentine gave it to him (see the 2024 Pride issue). Main Valentine calls him a big sap, he’s going to do great on his internship.

They both lovingly kiss (eeeeeeeeeEEEEEeeeeeee), say they love each other, tell each other they will see each other at home and wave goodbye as Main Valentine leaves through one of C Spelldon’s portals (their faces and soft hands on each other is just so sweet, their glances at each other too…ugh, it’s such good stuff).

Bird Murk flies off of Main Spelldon’s shoulders to rejoin his master (he flies past the ark of the covenant).

His master is not pleased with him (look at that grumpy and stiff pose) and looks over his thrashed room (the rug’s patterns still look so off and even the fold on the left side look poorly added). The Imposter emerges from the shadows and tells C. Spelldon it wasn’t Murk’s fault, he loves them both. C. Spelldon turns on him and asks him WHAT HE WAS THINKING?! The Imposter says he had faith they’d fix their mess and he wanted to give both of them a chance. C Spelldon questions this timeline change. After all, they didn’t break the Atlas during his internship, instead they-

The Imposter removes his mask to reveal (what we had kinda known) another Valentine (his hand looks weird in this panel too). - just broke up.

Imp. Valentine flatly tells C. Spelldon (look how tensely they are both standing) that C. Spelldon completely poured himself into his work after that day. He strengthened the worlds and made THAT Atlas. Why?

C Spelldon continuously glares at Imp. Valentine coldly tells him that maybe he wanted the separation from the reminders of what he didn’t have.

The glaring doesn’t work on Imp. Val and he muses that with Spell’s glares he wonders why they even broke up. C. Spelldon snaps that Imp. Val had followed him there, and nearly ruined his chance at interning that day.

Imp. Val tells him he had felt the need to follow him because he had completely shut down and wouldn’t talk to him AT ALL. C. Spelldon angrily accuses that Valentine was scared and didn’t trust him. Imp. Valentine doesn’t flinch and tells him that no, Spell was the scared one. He ran away from what they had…so he guesses they’re even…

C. Spelldon softens for a moment and asks if he regrets their break up…?

Imp. Valentine finally admits he does…that’s why he guess he did this. To give his other versions a better chance. The Main versions that just saved the world? They were so much like them when they were younger. He wanted them to have a chance they could survive the hard times and be happy…

C. Spelldon asks if Imp. Valentine is happy…

He thinks that maybe someday. They don’t have to punish themselves forever for their young and stupid mistakes. Their Main selves survived the apocalypse, so he wants them to try again. He removes his hood, and holds out his hand to his guarded ex. He introduces himself: “Hi, I’m Kieran Valentine. I like long walks under a blood moon, meddling shadow-creatures, and romantic comedies (very fitting). It’s nice to meet you.”

C. Spelldon looks from Imp. Valentine’s outstretched hand, back up to his face, and removes his own hood. His face softens and he introduces himself, “My Name is Spelldon Cauldronelllo and…it’s nice to meet you, too.” He shakes Val’s hand as Murk snakes their hands together and makes a heart from its body). THE END.

(ps, that full page with all the Spelldon and Valentine versions was so great! C. Spell and Imp. Val, Steampunk, Regency, Western, Vampire Hunter and Vampire Lord, Pop Group, Elderly (and Elderly Valentine has his Pop versions’ photocards), and the IDW Mains

I didn’t mean for this one to be more in-depth and closer to my full break downs, but I just really enjoyed this one and wanted to share EVERYTHING. I noticed there are no adverts for any upcoming IDW Monster High comics, there was no 2026 MH Pride Comi (although, I guess this run could have counted as that) the winning poll for what the next Pride comic should explore was Kiyomi, so maybe that was for 2027??? If the rest of the IDW Monster High Comics were focused on the side character stories that focused more on their relationships with one another (and had really great artwork -the anatomy, body language, and expressions, like this one -minus the white washing, which may have been starting to right itself towards the end…slowly…very slowly…and a bit too late).