Jump to content

Goosebumps HorrorLand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jsd007 (talk | contribs) at 00:11, 26 November 2008 (→#10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Goosebumps HorrorLand is a horror novella series by R.L. Stine, a spin-off of his popular Goosebumps books.

Overview

R.L. Stine is writing a twelve-book series titled Goosebumps HorrorLand. The series, based loosely on One Day at HorrorLand (sixteenth in the original series) and Return to HorrorLand (thirteenth in the Goosebumps 2000 series), is the first Goosebumps series where each book is part of the same plot:

The new series will be an immersive storytelling experience welcoming fans to HorrorLand, a vast theme park which R.L. Stine describes as “the scariest place on Earth.” In a Goosebumps first, the new series will be a serialized adventure, and the story won’t end on the final page of book one, Revenge of the Living Dummy. Instead, the spine-tingling and funny bone-tickling adventures will continue on the Internet and in books #2-12, each of which can also stand alone. The first nine HorrorLand books all will feature a combination of frightful new faces as well as the vilest villains from the original Goosebumps series. Ordinary kids are being summoned to HorrorLand—but why? Readers are in for the ride of their lives as the cast of characters trapped in the theme park grows larger with each book, and their situations become more and more perilous.

Books #10-12 will take place entirely in HorrorLand. Who—or what—is behind the evil plot to assemble these kids? The answer will be revealed in the final book. Soon after the debut of books #1 and #2, Scholastic also will begin to reissue original Goosebumps books—ten bestselling titles that tie in with each new story as it unfolds in HorrorLand.
Also launching in April will be a dedicated Goosebumps HorrorLand website (www.enterhorrorland.com) that, with the publication of each book, will further the narrative and provide corresponding clues to help readers unlock the secrets to HorrorLand. In addition, the web site will offer readers original HorrorLand material not available in the books—including ten free internet-only related stories, bonus downloads, interactive games, and more.

[1]

Each book has two stories.[2] The purpose of the first story is to introduce the villain and protagonists; the second story shows what happens to the protagonists when they get to HorrorLand, and are united with the other characters. The books also include a case file that links to material on the EscapeHorrorLand.com tie-in website. The final three books in the series will serve to wrap up the 'HorrorLand' plot in a single climactic storyline.

Scholastic's reprints of classic Goosebumps titles to accompany the series have all-new covers and bonus material. They are known as "collector's editions," and are marketed under the title "Classic Goosebumps."[3]. Since not all the books in Goosebumps HorrorLand are connected to classic books, some of the reissues relate to the ongoing Enter HorrorLand storyline. For example, the seventh HorrorLand book is My Friends Call Me Monster, but the seventh classic reissue is Be Careful What You Wish For.

Format

Each book is split into three sections.

Section 1: The Story

This is the main section of the book, lasting approximately 100 pages. Since it reads identically to a classic Goosebumps book, readers will be most familiar with this section.

Section 2: Enter HorrorLand

Technically a continuation of the first section (as well as a continuation of the previous books' "Enter HorrorLand" segments), this 30-40-page mini-story finds the book's characters at HorrorLand, meeting up with other books' protagonists and villains. Each HorrorLand segment ends with a "cliffhanger" ending, to be continued in the next book's HorrorLand segment, and likely to be concluded in the ninth book (after which the series is to be set entirely in HorrorLand).

Section 3: Fear File

Only a few pages long, each book's Fear File contains fictional maps, brochures, menus, etc. pertaining to the section of the theme park featured in that book, along with a hand-drawn map of the area. Each book also includes a fictional advertisement to its featured park area on the front page of each book. Most of the advertisements feature web addresses for EnterHorrorLand.com and EscapeHorrorLand.com.

Other Features

Some books feature single-chapter previews of the books on which they were based. For example, Creep from the Deep features a single-chapter preview of the original Deep Trouble. In addition, the back of each book shows half of a HorrorLand map token on either edge of the book. When two books, such as #1 and #2 are placed next to each other, the two halves match up and show a complete token; in this case, it features Slappy the Dummy. Following this pattern, the second book shows half of a coin that will only be complete when placed next to the third book, and so on. Each token has a unique message, written in mirror writing, around the edge. The tokens form different messages depending on whether they are placed against the following book in the series, or their corresponding companion reissue, which also bear half-tokens; for example, placing Revenge of the Living Dummy and Creep from the Deep together gives the message "Find This Token Online," but Revenge of the Living Dummy and the reissued Night of the Living Dummy spell "Find This Dummy Online."

The Books

#1 - Revenge of the Living Dummy

File:01 - Revenge of the Living Dummy.jpg
Revenge of the Living Dummy
Main article: Revenge of the Living Dummy
  • Release Date: March 2008
  • Number of Pages: 1288
  • Goosebumps series: Night of the Living Dummy
  • Companion reissue: Night of the Living Dummy - featuring a new interview with R.L. Stine and other bonus features created by Joshua Gee (the author of Encyclopedia Horrifica).
  • Plot: 12-year-old Britney Crosby and her friend Molly have to put up with bratty cousin Ethan, who's causing trouble with his new dummy Mr. Badboy. But is there more to the dummy than meets the eye? When it seems the danger has passed, Britney and Molly receive a special invitation to the popular theme park HorrorLand - but there they suffer the revenge of the living dummy.
  • Featured HorrorLand Area: Stagger Inn
  • HorrorLand Token: Slappy
    • Classic message: Find This Dummy Online
    • HorrorLand message: Find This Token Online
  • EnterHorrorLand map release: February 14, 2008
  • Note: The first chapter can be read online at Scholastic.com/HorrorLand.

#2 - Creep from the Deep

Main article: Creep from the Deep
File:02 - Creep From the Deep.jpg
Creep from the Deep
  • Release Date: March 2008
  • Number of Pages: 137
  • Goosebumps series: Deep Trouble
  • Companion reissue: Deep Trouble - featuring a new interview with R.L. Stine and other bonus features created by Matthew D. Payne.
  • Plot: Billy and Sheena must once again defeat a creep from the deep, in the shape of a group of zombie pirates led by Long Ben One-Leg. Even if they succeed, a surprise invitation to HorrorLand is drawing them into another deadly situation.
  • Featured HorrorLand Area: Black Lagoon Water Park
  • HorrorLand Token: Zombie pirate ship
    • Classic message: Beware of Hungry Sharks
    • HorrorLand message: Beware of the Black Lagoon
  • EnterHorrorLand Map release: March 25, 2008

#3 - Monster Blood For Breakfast!

File:Monster blood for breakfast ! cover.jpg
Monster Blood For Breakfast!
  • Release Date: May 2008
  • Number of Pages: 137
  • Goosebumps series: Monster Blood
  • Companion reissue: Monster Blood
  • Plot: Top student Matt despises Bradley "Worm" Wormser, who copies everything he does. Bradley orders a container of Monster Blood from a website in order to become big and strong like Matt, but a prank gone wrong leaves Matt with Monster Blood for breakfast. Even in HorrorLand he can't escape the evil ooze - and neither can his new friends.
  • Featured HorrorLand Area: A street with the Monster Police Office, Crocodile Cafe and Dr. Twisted's Science Lab
  • HorrorLand Token: Monster Blood
    • Classic message: Panic at the Sight of Blood
    • HorrorLand message: Panic at the Sight of Mirrors
  • EnterHorrorLand Map release: May 16, 2008
  • Note: Early promotional materials indicated Matt's sister, Livvy, would accompany him in HorrorLand, but this was not the case in the published novel.[4]

#4 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask

File:04 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask.jpg
The Scream of the Haunted Mask
  • Release Date: July 2008
  • Goosebumps series: The Haunted Mask
  • Companion Reissue: The Haunted Mask
  • Plot: Menaced by the scream of the Haunted Mask, Carly Beth starts to delve into its past - searching for a way to escape it. She uncovers a terrifying tale about an old stable she works near, but the mask isn't the only threat. At HorrorLand, she and her friend Sabrina team up with the other Very Special Guests, and overhear a disturbing plot to dispose of them all.
  • Featured HorrorLand Area: Zombie Plaza
  • HorrorLand Token: The Haunted Mask
    • Classic message: Avoid the Trick-or-Treater
    • HorrorLand message: Avoid the Tricky Theater
  • EnterHorrorLand Map release: July 12, 2008
  • Note: Early promotional materials gave a different plotline, involving Carly Beth spending a night in a house full of haunted masks.[5]

#5 - Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz

File:05 - dr. maniac.jpg
Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz
  • Release Date: September 2008
  • Goosebumps series: This book follows a formula similar to Attack of the Mutant, about a comic book fan who discovers that the characters are real.
  • Companion Reissue: One Day at HorrorLand
  • Plot: Robby Schwartz publishes a webcomic featuring the villainous and superpowered Dr. Maniac, but reality and fiction collide when Dr. Maniac gets into the real world! Soon enough it's Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz, but there's the added threat of a summons to HorrorLand waiting for Robby, where many more enemies are out for revenge.
  • Featured HorrorLand Area: Werewolf Village
  • HorrorLand Token: HorrorLand rollercoaster
    • Classic message: Luke and Lizzy Were Here
    • HorrorLand message: Luke and Lizzy Are Near
  • EnterHorrorLand Map release: September 15, 2008
  • Note: Early promotional materials described Sam as Robby's older brother and the creator of Dr. Maniac; in the published version, Robby is the older brother and Dr. Maniac's creator.[6] Because this book does not follow a classic Goosebumps series, its companion reissue is related to Enter HorrorLand.

#6 - Who's Your Mummy?

File:06 - who's your mummy.jpg
Who's Your Mummy?
  • Release Date: November 2008
  • Goosebumps series: The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb was the first of several Goosebumps books featuring mummies.
  • Companion Reissue: The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb[7]
  • Plot: Abby Martin and her little brother Peter are staying with their Egyptologist uncle Jonathan in a strange old village - but what strange secrets is he hiding from them? Later, Abby finds herself in HorrorLand, where she meets another Very Special Guest, Michael "Monster" Munroe, and the Horror named Byron. But can he really help them out?
  • HorrorLand token: Pyramid
    • Classic message: Unwrap the [incomplete]
    • HorrorLand message: Unwrap the Horrors' Mystery

#7 - My Friends Call Me Monster

File:07 - my friends call me monster.jpg
My Friends Call Me Monster
  • Release Date: November 2008
  • Goosebumps series: The plot is reminiscent of Creature Teacher or The Girl Who Cried Monster, in which educational staff turn out to be monsters. It also features elements of Calling All Creeps!, in that the "monsters" are actually aliens planning to turn others into beings like them.
  • Companion Reissue: Be Careful What You Wish For[8]
  • Plot: Michael "Monster" Munroe has had it with his teacher Mrs. Hardesty. But during an attempt to get even, he discovers her true nature... and a giant monster egg in her attic. Later, Michael visits HorrorLand and meets two other Very Special Guests, but is it really safe for him to try and leave by way of the mysterious Panic Park?
  • HorrorLand token: Fortune-teller
    • Message: Wish You Were [incomplete]
  • Note: Early promotional materials indicated this book would feature an "evil curse" which was not present in the published story.[9] Because this book does not follow a classic Goosebumps series, its companion reissue is related to Enter HorrorLand.

#8 - Say Cheese - And Die Screaming!

File:08 - say cheesee and die screaming.jpg
Say Cheese - And Die Screaming!
  • Release Date: March 2009[10]
  • Goosebumps series: Say Cheese and Die!
  • Companion Reissue: Say Cheese and Die![11]
  • Plot: A picture is worth a thousand screams... especially one taken by Julie's new camera, which has the bizarre power to predict a nasty future for anyone in its way. If that's not scary enough, a trip to HorrorLand is also in Julie's future... and if she's not careful, she could meet a sticky end at the bottom of the Tunnel of Screams.[12]

#9 - Welcome to Camp Slither

File:Goosebumps Camp Slither.jpg
Welcome to Camp Slither
  • Release Date: April 15, 2009[13]
  • Goosebumps series: There is a long tradition of Goosebumps books taking place at a camp, beginning with Welcome To Camp Nightmare.
  • Companion Reissue: The Horror at Camp Jellyjam[14][15]
  • Plot: Spooky legends aside, animal-loving siblings Boone and Heather can't wait to get to camp, but an infestation of snakes isn't the best welcome to Camp Hither. Even if they can get to the bottom of the trouble, more danger awaits when they get to HorrorLand.[16]
  • Note: Plot synopses for the audiobook edition name the protagonists as Joel and Zoey rather than Boone and Heather, and refer to the camp as "Camp Slither" rather than "Camp Hither."[17] The HorrorLand series will feature a villain called "Mister Slither", who is most likely to appear in this book.[18]

#10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!

  • Release Date: April 15, 2009 [19] [20]
  • Companion Reissue: How I Got My Shrunken Head[21] [22]
  • Plot: Twins Jillian and Jackson need help - they have the strange power to hear everyone's thoughts, and someone else wants to control that power... They can't trust anyone - especially in HorrorLand, where one of the trapped kids might be a traitor helping the bad guys.[23]Goosebumps|frame|Cover

File:Help! We Have Strange Powers.jpg

#11 - Escape From HorrorLand

  • Release Date: June 2009 [24]
  • Plot: This isn't the first time kids have had to escape from HorrorLand. Lizzy and Luke Morris did, and since then they've dared to investigate the creepy goings-on in the evil park from their website, EscapeHorrorLand.com. But soon, they could find themselves lured back to HorrorLand itself... This time, they're prepared. Aren't they?[25]
  • Featured HorrorLand area: Vampire Village[26]
  • Note: Early promotional materials named this book as Streets of Panic Park, but this title was later given to the following book.[27]

#12 - Streets of Panic Park

  • Release Date: August 2009 [28] / September 2009 [29]
  • Plot: Will the kids find the answers they seek in the mysterious streets of Panic Park, or will the monsters finally take their revenge?
  • Note: Early promotional materials named this book as The Last Horror.[30]

Companion websites

The series is complemented by companion websites.

Enter HorrorLand

The website EnterHorrorLand.com is a "gameplay experience which immerses fans in HorrorLand itself"[31]. It is based around twelve map sections corresponding to each HorrorLand book, each of which includes numerous mini-games. The premise of each map section is that the antagonist of the corresponding book is trying to take over that area of HorrorLand; the minigames tell the story of each antagonist's defeat by the player. The player is frequently represented by Mr. Wood, the main antagonist from Night of the Living Dummy. Guidance and help is provided by an automated fortune teller named Madame Dome. The front page features two short animated movies, "What to Expect in HorrorLand" and "An Interview with Slappy." The site opened on February 20, 2008[32].

Escape HorrorLand

The website EscapeHorrorLand.com and is a "serialized, story-driven, fact-finding experience" hosted by the protagonists of One Day at HorrorLand.[33] It is ostensibly a blog that seeks out and post evidence and information about the HorrorLand theme park[34], written by Luke Morris of One Day at HorrorLand[35]. His sister Lizzie also contributes to the site, largely in the form of extracts from a "Welcome to HorrorLand" guidebook[36]. Luke's friend Clay is also mentioned.[37] Since the story began, Luke and Lizzie have received HorrorLand correspondence from Madame Doom[38], the mysterious "MONSTER-X"[39], who may be Byron from the series proper and who tells the Morrises that HorrorLand has changed,[40] and Slappy the Dummy[41][42]. Several of the correspondence props appear within the HorrorLand books themselves. The site opened on February 14, 2008.

Video game

Scholastic Book Company released a Goosebumps HorrorLand video game on October 28, 2008 [43][44][45] to tie into the series, on the Nintendo DS[46], Wii[47], and PlayStation 2[48] platforms. Developed by Gusto Games in Derby, the plot follows a young boy and his friends trapped in HorrorLand, where they must make their way through challenging levels to escape the evil theme park. Reports indicate the game is similar to the original Goosebumps Horrorland game Goosebumps Escape From Horrorland, in which you had to beat the minigames of various levels to reveal who was behind events in the park and get back home. The official website reveals that HorrorLand in the game will have five main areas: Vampire Village (which serves as a hub connecting all the others), Mad Labs, Terror Tombs (an Egyptian-themed area), Fever Swamp, and the Carnival of Screams.[49] Several of these areas are references to classic Goosebumps books or previous depictions of HorrorLand.

References

  1. ^ Scholastic Launches Goosebumps HorrorLand by R.L. Stine, Bone Chilling New Book Series
  2. ^ Reading Is Fundamental | Reading Planet | Book Zone | Meet the Authors and Illustrators
  3. ^ Amazon.com: Haunted Mask (Classic Goosebumps): R.L. Stine: Books
  4. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  5. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  6. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  7. ^ Amazon.com: The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (Classic Goosebumps): R.L. Stine: Books
  8. ^ Amazon.com: Be Careful What You Wish For (Classic Goosebumps): R.L. Stine: Books
  9. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  10. ^ Amazon.com: Say Cheese - And Die Screaming! (Goosebumps HorrorLand): Books: R.L. Stine
  11. ^ Amazon.com: Say Cheese And Die! (Classic Goosebumps): Books: R.L. Stine
  12. ^ Amazon.com: Say Cheese - And Die Screaming! (Goosebumps HorrorLand): Books: R.L. Stine
  13. ^ Amazon.com: Welcome to Camp Slither (Goosebumps HorrorLand): R.L. Stine: Books
  14. ^ One Day at HorrorLand collector's edition (bonus material)
  15. ^ Amazon.com: The Horror at Camp Jellyjam (Classic Goosebumps): R.L. Stine: Books
  16. ^ Amazon.com: Welcome to Camp Slither (Goosebumps HorrorLand): R.L. Stine: Books
  17. ^ Amazon.com: Welcome to Camp Slither - Audio (Goosebumps HorrorLand): R.L. Stine: Books
  18. ^ Night of the Living Dummy collector's edition (bonus material)
  19. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  20. ^ Amazon.com: Help! We Have Strange Powers! (Goosebumps HorrorLand): R.L. Stine: Books
  21. ^ One Day at HorrorLand collector's edition (bonus material)
  22. ^ Amazon.com: How I Got My Shrunken Head (Classic Goosebumps): R.L. Stine: Books
  23. ^ Amazon.com: Help! We Have Strange Powers! (Goosebumps HorrorLand): R.L. Stine: Books
  24. ^ Amazon.com: Escape From Horrorland (Goosebumps Horrorland): R.L. Stine Books
  25. ^ Amazon.com: Escape From Horrorland (Goosebumps Horrorland): R.L. Stine Books
  26. ^ One Day at HorrorLand collector's edition (bonus material)
  27. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  28. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  29. ^ Ute Körner Literary Agent
  30. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  31. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  32. ^ Enter HorrorLand
  33. ^ Scholastic International Rights
  34. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Thursday, February 14, 2008
  35. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Thursday, February 14, 2008
  36. ^ Ebook index
  37. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Thursday, March 20, 2008 - "My friend Clay is here, and we’re gonna play soccer in the backyard."
  38. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Thursday, March 6, 2008 - "We opened it carefully, and inside were two fortune-teller cards with the words “MADAME DOOM” printed on them. One of the cards also had BOTH OUR NAMES printed on it!"
  39. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Monday, May 12, 2008
  40. ^ "“HorrorLand is NOT what it used to be!”"
  41. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Friday, July 11, 2008
  42. ^ Escape HorrorLand - Friday, August 1, 2008
  43. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Majesco-078073111312-Goosebumps-HorrorLand/dp/B001CLG6TK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1217368736&sr=1-2
  44. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Majesco-078073111299-Goosebumps-HorrorLand/dp/B001CLG6TA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1217368755&sr=1-3
  45. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Majesco-078073111282-Goosebumps-HorrorLand/dp/B001CLG6TU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1217368808&sr=1-4
  46. ^ http://store.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Goosebumps+HorrorLand+NDS+Game_29508_-1_10052_10051 Goosebumps Horrorland NDS game
  47. ^ http://store.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Goosebumps+HorrorLand+Wii+Game_29510_-1_10052_10051 Goosebumps Horrorland Wii game
  48. ^ http://store.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Goosebumps+HorrorLand+PS2+Game_29512_-1_10052_10051 Goosebumps Horrorland PS2 game
  49. ^ Goosebumps HorrorLand video game
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goosebumps_HorrorLand&oldid=254123649"