SoraRabbit Short Hop 008: That Time Freddy Had a Comic Book

In the 90s I found myself getting back into comic books in a big way. It wasn’t until around 1994 that I started getting Spider-Man comics every week, but before that I did snag some back issues here and there. Bongo Comics started in 1993, which brought the Simpsons to the printed page. (In its early days, Bongo was very creative.) For my birthday a friend gave me the first issue of the Simpsons and a holofoil copy of Amazing Spider-Man #375. The latter renewed my love for Spidey and started my interest in Venom. (Not to mention the art of Mark Bagley.) After this I found a comic shop in a nearby city and started frequenting it, picking up whatever caught my eye. Another friend had gotten me into Spawn and The Maxx. The Maxx was my favorite, but I found several other gems. Mirage Studio’s TMNT for one. Cerebus for another. I have mentioned Ultraman’s comic published by a company called Nemesis… this single issue I came across ignited my interest in Ultraman as a spark that would later become a fire. Another interesting thing I came across around this time was a little comic called Nightmares on Elm Street.

If you’ve been reading my blog you may have seen that I recently put out a Halloween post on A Nightmare on Elm Street Parts 3-5. You can consider this a companion piece to that post. (This one will make a lot more sense if you read the bigger post first.)

This is certainly not the only comic book Freddy Krueger has starred in, but it is the first one I came across. (And the only one I’ve read so far.) As I was researching the afore-mentioned post, I had a whim to revisit these comics, finally reading the issues I had missed. I had only been able to track down issues 3 and 4 before, but now with the wonders of the digital age, I was able to read the entire brief run. Which I did, in one sitting. As often happens these days, I decided halfway through to do a post about the series.

I’m sure they didn’t trace that Freddy… (Credit: Innovation Comics.)

Nightmares on Elm Street was a six issue comic book series published by Innovation Publishing between 1991 and 1992. Innovation had a handful of original series, but mainly focused on licensed properties such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Lost in Space, Dark Shadows, and more. Innovation filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and folded in 1994 after seven years in business. During their brief time of holding the Nightmare license, they put out three series. This post will focus on the first of those series.

Okay, this is pretty good. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Tony Harris)

Nightmares consisted of two story arcs. The first was two issues and featured painted art. The main focus of these two issues was a young woman named Cybil, former college roommate of Nancy Thompson (the main character from A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 1 who returned in Part 3.) Cybil studies Jack the Ripper and this is having an effect on her, causing recurring nightmares where she is stalked by Jack through shadowy streets. Also featured in these nightmares is Nancy’s old house in Springwood. (It is not explained how Cybil knows what Nancy’s house looks like, especially considering it is all run down and I doubt Nancy carried around photos of her house after it fell into disrepair. But whatever. Comic logic.) In her hunt for Nancy and answers, Cybil calls up their other roommate Priscilla. Priscilla’s only character trait is that she’s a lesbian and very sassy. Her other purpose in the story, besides providing zingers, is to be Freddy’s first victim in the comic book.

This is my first major issue with this story. How is Freddy able to invade the dreams of these people who have nothing to do with the Elm Street killings? Sure, in later movies he was able to branch out, but the only connection these women had to him is that they hung out with Nancy in college. The comic gives a weak explanation that he’s looking for Nancy, sensing she’s not dead, but the writer doesn’t expand on the "how” of the whole thing.

In Cybil’s investigation she calls up Westin Hills, the hospital where Nancy worked in Part 3 and Dr. Simms tells her that Nancy died years ago. She also reaches out to Doctor Neil Gordon, who knows all about Freddy and is eager to help. Freddy goes on to kill Cybil’s husband for no good reason. It’s pretty cool though… he’s thrown into a printing press and the newspaper comes out with a headline about his death. Cybil is rescued by none other than Nancy. (Yes, the dead one.)

Everyone is so shiny. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Tony Harris)

Nancy explains that before she died, her friend Kristen dreamed her into a “Beautiful Dream”. This kept her soul safe from Freddy. She’s sort of in limbo, dead but not. Freddy can’t find her. But then he can… he used Cybil to crash Nancy’s house, posing as Priscilla— who Cybil doesn’t yet know is dead. Nancy uses her dream powers to hold Freddy off so the two of them can escape.

Neil has rushed to Cybil’s house and wakes her. Cybil lets him know that Nancy is alive in the dream. Neil promptly hypnotizes them both so they can visit his old love interest.

I wish I was a Cosmic Good Dream Fairy. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Tony Harris)

Nancy explains that she’s a good entity to oppose Freddy’s evil. She’s just not powerful enough to face him yet. But having said that, Nancy immediately changes her mind and decides they all need to rush off right away to stop Freddy once and for all. (Side note: I know it’s dumb and nit-picky, but it really bugs me that they put Nancy’s gray hair on the wrong side in the comic.)

The trio wander off into a nightmare at the hospital, where Dr. Simms is forcing children to sleep, not caring that Freddy will kill them. One of her patients turns out to be Freddy, who rips off the top of her head and eats her brains. (The 90s was pretty big on brain-eating for some reason. Venom was always threatening to do that.)

Oh good, Freddy’s stopped forever… bwhahaha. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Tony Harris)

Nancy warps them away and they run into a blonde girl who says that Cybil is going to be her mother. Freddy wanders in and the little girl is angry, saying Freddy doesn’t belong there. She explains that this is a special place in the dream realm where unborn children live. Freddy tried to snatch Jacob from there years ago. (The Dream Child from Part 5.) The unborn kids all attack Freddy, making him burst into flames and doves.

This makes no damned sense. None. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Tony Harris)

After this Nancy returns to the Beautiful Dream and the others wake up. Or do they? It was another of Nightmare’s patented False Wakings! Cybil is attacked and seemingly killed by Jack the Ripper, which is… well… an ending, I guess. Yeah.

How do they still have fingers? What is Yvonne holding on to? And is Jacob just… hovering? (Credit: Innovation Comics.)

The second story arc is called Loose Ends and it features different artists and a new direction. Cybil does not appear… unless she’s the pregnant woman who is mentioned having died of eclampsia. That would be odd… I have no idea why they would build up the whole idea of her being pregnant with the little girl from the dream realm and then do nothing with it. But hey, the writer had a vision, I guess. (A vision that included Jack the Ripper suddenly killing the focus of the first story arc. Seriously. That made zero sense.)

Anyway, the second arc stars Alice and her son Jacob (from Part 4 and 5 respectively.) Five years after the events of Part 5, Alice returns to Springwood to deal with her father’s affairs after his passing. A new rash of teen killings have been happening, but these murders are happening while the kids are awake.

There is no excuse for that poor posture. These artists must have studied under Rob Liefeld. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

Alice and her son meet a new character, Devonne. She’s a blonde woman who sees everyone as skinless monsters. Jacob can read her mind, something his mother warns him to stop doing. (He can do it to her too. A side effect from his encounters with Freddy before birth.)

Yvonne (also from Part 5) is now a nurse… or doctor… they don’t really specify. Either way, she’s attending to Dr. Gordon, who got in a car wreck on his way back from helping the pregnant woman I mentioned earlier who may or may not have been Cybil. Gordon is in a coma, and Jacob tells them he’s happy. Nancy is keeping him safe and they can finally be together.

We learn that Devonne is Freddy’s helper in the waking world. She has been going around killing teens with a hammer so that Freddy can get his power back. She’s doing this in the desperate hopes that Freddy will give her control over her dreams for one night. You see, every night she has nightmares about an exploding house and her burning, skinless mother. Freddy of course forces her to relive this scene over and over so that he can control her. It’s a very Freddy sort of thing to do.

Alice dreams of her old boyfriend Dan— Jacob’s biological father. He tries to run over Jacob in the dream and Alice sees him change into the robotic monster he became when Freddy killed him in the movie. Now Alice knows for sure that Freddy is back.

Devonne lures Jacob away and they go to the graveyard so Jacob can see his dad’s grave. Devonne visits her mother’s grave and Jacob enters her thoughts, plunging them into a dream and learning her backstory. Devonne had an abusive father who in a fit of rage killed her little sister Denise. Her mother did nothing to stop it. Devonne turned on the gas, knowing her mother would light a cigarette. As expected the house exploded. Little Devonne saw her mother’s skinless, burning body. Her mother called out to her, still alive while burning. This caused Devonne’s mental troubles and also led to her seeing everyone as skinless living corpses.

While Jacob and his new friend are taking a trip down memory lane, Alice has awakened and realized her son is missing. The cops don’t help, so she goes to see Yvonne.

Freddy looks kinda sloppy. Well, sloppier than usual. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

In the dream realm, Freddy explains that Jacob is very powerful and Freddy needs the use of the boy’s powers. He gives Jacob and Dan some father-son time while he sends Devonne back to the waking world to deal with some loose ends. (We have a title!) Devonne has an uzi because it’s the 90s and everyone had an uzi back then. (Everyone.) At the same time, Alice and Yvonne wake up Dr. Gordon, knowing they will need his help.

They kind of overdo it with the Wonderland motif in this arc. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

Yvonne puts Nancy and Gordon under so that they can go get Nancy’s help in fighting Freddy. (Why did they bother waking him up? Padding!) While they’re doing this, Devonne is keeping herself busy with her bloody uzi rampage through the hospital. The women don’t notice this, even though it’s likely very loud.

Freddy at home. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

In the dream realm Freddy has an oddly human moment reflecting on how trapped he is in this town. Alice and Gordon go off in search of Nancy.

This is one of the most 90’s comics panels I have ever seen. And I used to read X-Force. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

Devonne blows away several people and also bashes in some heads with her trusty hammer. She’s finally stopped by Yvonne, who grabs the dead security guard’s gun and shoots her.

Told ya. But still, Freddy as a bunny is way cuter than it should be. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

In the meantime, the dreamers have their own problems. Alice is in Wonderland, chasing a bunny Freddy. Nancy meets up with her dad, who betrays her in the hopes Freddy will finally let him die. And Neil Gordon?

What is this, a crossover episode? (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

Gordon meets up with his former students, the Dream Warriors, who at first he thinks are out for revenge, but they really just want to help him. They explain that they’re trapped in the Dream Realm by Freddy and can’t get out. They say that dreams don’t go away when they’re not being dreamt. (Which is way more deep than I expected from this comic.) Will the Wizard Master gives Gordon a green stone with very little explanation, just saying that Jacob will need it to “see the truth”. During all this, Jacob is still with his dad, who says Freddy promised Dan could come back to life if Jacob helps Freddy. Jacob agrees so he can finally have a dad.

The comic jumps around, following each of these threads. Nancy is shot in the head by her dad, who immediately feels bad about it. Nancy starts glowing and now believes she can stop Freddy and set her father free. (Even though I think the writer forgot about this… her dad is never mentioned again.) Alice does more tired old Wonderland tributes and eventually they all end up in a cavern with Freddy. Devonne arrives in the nightmare world too. What follows is several pages of chaotic mess that I will do my best to run through for you.

There is way too much going on in this panel. (Credit: Innovation Comics. Writing: Andy Mangels. Art: Patrick Rolo and Raymond Kryssing)

Nancy arrives to warn Jacob not to trust Freddy. Freddy attacks Nancy, Gordon saves Nancy, Devonne attacks Gordon. Nancy tries to talk sense into the boy again and Freddy becomes a dragon for no good reason, holding Alice hostage. Dan stabs Freddy, Freddy betrays Devonne. Gordon gives the jewel to Jacob. Nancy attacks Freddy with a spear, assisted by Gordon and Devonne. They burst into light, their fate left unknown. Jacob uses the magical jewel to warp himself, his mom, and his dead dad out of there.

They find themselves back in the hospital room with Yvonne. (Who by my estimation has been freaking out about shooting Devonne for about an hour at this point.) Dan is now in Dr. Gordon’s body. Gordon decided to stay behind in the Beautiful Dream with Nancy. The truth Jacob learned is that in order for Freddy to escape the dream realm, he would have needed a body… and he planned to use Jacob’s. They know Freddy is not gone and maybe never will be, but they’re all leaving Springwood for good. The End.

So that’s the short-lived Nightmares on Elm Street comic. I’m not sure if it was meant to continue, or if they just wanted to do a few issues before jumping to the next miniseries. I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read. There are, of course, things that could have been done better… the weirdly shiny painted art in the first two issues… the confusing chaos of the last few pages of issue 6… but it was fine for what it was— total unashamed fan service. It was clearly created to cash in on the franchise and give fans a continuation of the dangling plot threads left by the movies.

The writing was okay… some things were overexplained while others were underexplained. The green jewel for instance was just a plot device given a physical form. Jacob magically just KNEW Freddy’s plan and was able to teleport with it? It was not logical at all. And was that Freddy posing as Jack the Ripper in issue 2? He bluntly states that he’s not Freddy, but that’s just what Freddy would say. I already talked about the weird abandoned pregnancy subplot in the first story arc. And Gordon was just in a coma with very little explanation. So much was sloppy. And speaking of sloppy, I didn’t much care for the art. Especially the first two painted issues. In the second story arc you could see the 90’s influence in how the women were drawn as pin ups with no realistic spinal support. Some of the art seemed rushed and sloppy. Some of the characters— especially Freddy and Nancy— bordered on Uncanny Valley as is often the case with real people depicted in comics. Other characters— Alice and Yvonne especially— looked nothing like their real life counterparts. It’s possible to veer too far in either direction when depicting characters based on real people. There should be some balance.

But with all that said, I did have fun reading these six issues, and I had fun talking you through them. There were some solid ideas… I especially like the whole Beautiful Dream concept. It’s nice to think Kristen managed to save her friend after all.

The whole thing was a lot like fan fiction, bringing back characters and plot points from the movies, combining them to create something new. Something that with a bit more polish and a few rewrites may actually have worked as a movie in its own right.

Thank you for joining me on this Short Hop through this mostly-forgotten licensed tie-in by a mostly-forgotten comic company. I hope you found it as entertaining as I did. Until next time… DON’T FALL ASLEEP!