Little Comic Shop of Horrors

by R. L. Stine

  Hearing your name called, you look up. There’s a doorway at the other side of the room. And there are Jack and Cammie!

  “Come on!” Jack cries. “Let’s get out of here!”

  You could walk through the gloppy puddle. Or maybe you should try to edge around it, hugging the walls.

  If you walk straight through, go to PAGE 21.

  If you try going around, turn to PAGE 28.

  The footsteps get louder. Louder.

  And then one of Loudsnore’s horrible creations stomps in. It’s a dinosaur-like creature made of metal and plastic.

  And it looks a lot like your friend Wally.

  Loudsnore points at you. “Destroy this monster!” he orders the new creature. “But don’t hurt me.”

  “Don’t listen to him, Wally!” you shout. “He doesn’t really control you.”

  “Huh?” Wally’s glowing eyes look confused. “Hey! I’m not doing what he said. I guess he doesn’t control me.”

  You grin. “So, where were we?” you ask Loudsnore. “Oh, yes. You were giving me back my Super-Doer body — and de-monsterfying my friend, too.”

  Holding Loudsnore by the collar of his lab coat, you dangle him from your giant hand.

  “All right!” screams Loudsnore, clinging desperately to your fingers. “I’ll turn you both back!”

  Now he’s talking! Turn to PAGE 99.

  “Okay,” you tell yourself. “So I’m being followed through a dark maze. I should look on the bright side. Maybe whoever it is can show me the way out of here.”

  You turn back on your trail. As you do, you notice a nasty smell in the air. It reminds you of the time your uncle Mel left the bag of garbage in the kitchen when the family went on a two-week vacation. And it seems to be getting stronger.

  Uh-oh.

  You pop around a corner and into a room. Light pours through a second doorway. It throws a moving shadow on the wall.

  Maybe it’s Milo, or whatever the owner’s real name is.

  Then the figure arrives in the doorway.

  It’s not Milo.

  This guy is tall. And he doesn’t have a face like a rotten pumpkin.

  His skin is greenish-gray, like moldy cheese. Puckered scars run up his cheeks. A pair of big, metal bolts stick out of his neck.

  It’s impossible — but he looks like Frankenstein!

  When he sees you, he snarls, “NYAARGH!”

  Turn to PAGE 115.

  “Doc? Hey, Doc? Are you okay?” you shout into the hole in space.

  No answer.

  Taking a deep breath, you stick your head through the hole.

  You blink. You’re gazing at an everyday street — outside a very familiar comic shop. Dr. Doof is standing there, peering in the window.

  “What were you screaming about?” you demand.

  “This world is so different,” Dr. Doof replies. His voice shakes.

  You realize he’s used to the flat, bright universe of the comics. “Yeah,” you reply. “I guess the colors seem pretty dull.”

  “It’s a drab world,” Dr. Doof agrees. “But a whole new world for me to conquer!”

  Uh-oh! Hurry to PAGE 42.

  Dr. Doof spins you over his head like a baseball batter doing warm-ups. “Whoa! Yow!” you screech as you fly around in circles.

  “Oh, good. That’s good,” Doof compliments you.

  “I’m not faking it!” you try to yell. But you’re so dizzy, you can’t get the words out.

  Then Dr. Doof hurls you away!

  “Aiiiiieeeee!” you yell. You’re hurtling straight at a brick wall. Headfirst!

  “Tuck and roll, bug-brain!” Doof howls. “You’ll break your neck!”

  If you were a trained comic-book professional, you’d know what to do. But since you aren’t, you don’t … and this is

  THE (CRUNCH!) END!

  You dodge two more blasts from Dr. Doof, then zoom into a dive-bombing attack.

  Your Insecto-Electric Hornet’s Sting is built into your helmet’s antenna. The charge builds up all through your body. When you’re almost on top of Dr. Doof, you let it go.

  FZZT! A bolt of green energy leaps out of the antenna. It slams into your enemy’s chest, knocking him flat.

  “Hah!” you cry. You do a triumphant loop-the-loop in the air. “Take that, Doof!”

  Zoom to PAGE 55.

  “Please,” you beg. “I need help. My friends are trapped —”

  Still shrieking, the bug-people start backing away.

  “Noooo!” you shout. You run after them. But they jump like huge crickets — twenty feet at a leap! In a couple of blocks, the bug-people leave you far behind.

  But one of them can’t jump away. He — or it — is trapped under an overturned cart. It looks like a rolling hot-dog stand, except the franks are wriggling wormlike things.

  You lean over the trapped alien. “Listen to me —” you begin.

  The bug-person flops back. It’s fainted!

  Clearly, you’re not going to get any help here. You’ll have to go back to the basement and rescue your friends yourself.

  But — how do you get back? How can you find the alley where you arrived on this world? As you gaze around, you realize that all the buildings are identical. Hivelike.

  It seems you’re stuck on this strange world … a world where you’re the monster.

  Oh, well. Don’t bug out!

  THE END

  Ker-WHAM! You hit the wall with a tremendous crash — and keep on going! At least your cape is off your head now.

  Bang! Crash! You smash your way through other rooms in the building. But your superskin isn’t even scratched. Amazing!

  You thump through one more wall before you come to a stop. Time for a little payback! You rocket out through the series of holes you already made in the walls.

  Quick as a flash, you zoom back to the Wally-monster. POW! BOP! BIFF! You unleash your Power-Punch on Wally.

  “Hey! Ow! No fair!” Wally whines. “It’s not my fault. I didn’t want to be a monster. Tex Loudsnore turned me into one!”

  “Tex Loudsnore?” you repeat. Hmm. Not only is he the top villain in Super-Doer comics, he’s also a mad scientist.

  Just the guy you need!

  Move on to PAGE 57.

  You decide to try for Dr. Doof’s help. After all, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy, once you get to know him.

  “Look, Doc,” you whisper. “I have a big problem. I don’t really belong here.”

  You explain about the comic shop and what happened to you. Dr. Doof listens without saying a word.

  You wish he’d take off those goggles and the metal mask. It would be nice to see the expression on his face. What if he thinks you’re just a total nutcase?

  But you keep on, until you’ve told the whole story.

  When you run out of words, Dr. Doof stands there silently for a long moment.

  “I always knew we were doing some sort of entertainment thing,” he finally mutters. “But … comic books!” He shakes his head. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  Embarrassed?

  “Forget about that,” you reply impatiently. “Is there any way to get out of here?”

  Dr. Doof thinks it over.

  At last, he declares, “Yes!”

  Well, what are you waiting for? Go to PAGE 13!

  “Um, wait a second!” you cry. “I’m not sure —”

  But Tex Loudsnore has already started up the unconfrabulator.

  Trying to duck, you cry, “Guest sh —”

  A spear of brilliant blue light leaps from the device. It catches you right in the chest. Oh, the pain! You scream.

  Tex Loudsnore screams, too. “I told you to keep still! Now you’ve ruined everything. You’ll disintegrate. And I’ll be stuck with Super-Doer again!”

  You gaze down in horror as your body begins to crumple in on itself. You can’t scream again, though. There’s nothing left to scream with! You stretch out your hands and watch them grow fainter and fainter,
until they’re gone — and you’re gone! You’re nothing!

  It’s a shame. You always tried so hard to be cool.

  But now you’re a total zero!

  THE END

  The monster with Wally’s face and voice reaches the top of the building. You get ready … and jump!

  Whoops! You still need to get used to your new powers. You overshoot the building, speeding high into the sky!

  Spinning in midair, you charge back. The Wally-monster has reached the top of the unfinished building. Your fist goes back for your Power-Punch. This time you won’t miss!

  As you zoom down, the Wally-monster grabs a big steel girder that sticks up from the top of the building. Tearing the girder loose, he slings it over his shoulder. Like a club. Or …

  Whack! Too late, you realize Wally was holding the girder like a baseball bat. And he’s using you as the ball!

  You grunt as the steel beam strikes you. Even with your superskin and maximuscles, the impact knocks the wind out of you.

  Wally’s swing also knocks you out of the construction site. Tumbling helplessly, you streak toward the horizon like a line drive!

  Swoosh to PAGE 48.

  The colors fade away. Tex Loudsnore walks up and pinches you.

  “Ouch!” you yell. That hurt! You wish you were home in bed. You wish you were out of this comic.

  Of course, you could yell, “Guest shot!”

  But you don’t want to risk turning into an inkblot. Besides, your only hope of escaping from the Comic Books Universe is to get help from a mad scientist. And here’s one, right now.

  “Ah-hahahahaha!” Loudsnore gloats. “I’ve done it! You’ve lost your powers!”

  “I didn’t want them,” you reply. “Look, I’m not who you think I am. I’m really a kid in trouble. I need your help …”

  As you explain how you wound up here, Tex Loudsnore’s eyes narrow. “Incredible!” he exclaims. “Impossible!”

  “That’s what I thought, until it happened,” you say.

  “It sounds like an interdimensional hyperflux,” Loudsnore muses. “Very interesting. Let me see what I can do.”

  Hear more from the mad scientist on PAGE 82.

  You set Tex Loudsnore down. He runs over to one of the lab tables. While he mixes chemicals, you keep an eagle eye on him.

  Wally slides up to you. “Do you trust Loudsnore?” he whispers. “I mean, he’s a villain — a bad guy!”

  “He’s also a mad scientist,” you point out. “You said that’s what we need to get home again.”

  “You trust him if you want to,” Wally says. “I’m out of here.” He takes a deep breath, then hollers, “Guest shot!”

  But instead of disappearing, Wally clutches at his throat and screams! He falls back against the wall.

  Then his body begins to melt all over the rock!

  Horrified, you step toward Wally. He frantically waves you away. His screams turn to bubbling moans.

  “The blot!” he coughs out. “I tried to jump once too often. I’m turning into an inkblot!”

  It’s too horrible. You squeeze your eyes shut.

  When you open them again, all that’s left of Wally is an enormous stain running down the wall and onto the floor!

  Yuck! Go to PAGE 106.

  You hang back. You want to know more about this Doorway to Anywhere before you try it out.

  Dr. Doof steps forward. “Fascinating!” he exclaims, leaning into the black opening.

  Then, with a fearful cry, he’s sucked in!

  “Doc!” The cry bursts out of you.

  Dr. Doof clutches the edge of the black hole with one hand. He holds the other out to you. “Help me!” he shrieks.

  You don’t want to go near that hungry hole.

  But you’re supposed to be a hero, aren’t you?

  So you grab hold of Dr. Doof’s arm and pull. Your wings whine with the effort.

  The mad scientist suddenly pops out. He sprawls on the floor.

  The hole disappears with a sharp bang.

  And Dr. Doof grabs you by the throat, shouting, “Sucker!”

  Gulp! Go to page 119.

  “A werewolf!” you shriek. “Help! It’s got me!”

  Then you notice — your arm isn’t bleeding. It doesn’t even hurt.

  The creature has no teeth!

  Whining like an unhappy dog, the beast-man leaps away.

  “You were lucky,” Cammie says. “If that had turned out to be the Frenzied Flesh-eater …” She shakes her head.

  “The maze creatures are all from Milo’s horror comic,” Jack explains. “Frankenstein, Menes, Wolfie —”

  “No way!” you burst out. “Those things don’t exist!”

  “You saw them,” Jack insists. “It’s Milo’s magic.”

  Jack and Cammie start walking again. You tag after them. “Wait! If Milo is magic, why didn’t he save his comic book? Why is he stuck running that dopey shop?” you demand.

  You turn a corner and crash into your two guides. They’re frozen in the doorway of a big room. It’s full of kids — and facing them is …

  “Milo the Mutant!” you gasp.

  He hasn’t spotted you. Should you jump him?

  Or should you run?

  To tackle Milo, go to PAGE 123.

  If you’d rather get out of there, run off to PAGE 44.

  “School pal or not, you aren’t wrecking this building!” you cry.

  Flying down like an arrow, you aim for the Wally-monster’s nose. You already have your fist stuck out to deliver your Power-Punch.

  But when you arrive, Wally isn’t there!

  Desperately, you screech to a stop before you Power-Punch your way deep into the ground.

  You whirl to find the huge, prehistoric space-monster climbing up the building. Huge metal claws screech against the concrete walls as the Wally-monster pulls itself up. The noise is about ten times worse than the sound of fingernails on a blackboard. And since your super-ears are ten times keener than ordinary ears, it’s downright painful.

  “You’d better quit it, Wally,” you warn. “You’re beginning to annoy me!”

  Keep up the fight on PAGE 97.

  Your body feels as if giants have been using you for a game of tug-of-war. You’re sick and dizzy from the spinning. But you notice something is wrong. The world seems strangely flat. The colors are very bright. You peer up at an incredibly blue sky.

  Sky? Wait a minute! How did you get outside?

  An elbow jabs you. Someone steps on your foot. You aren’t just outside — you’re in a crowd. And what a crowd! You’re packed in so tightly, you can barely move. The person behind you is actually breathing down your neck.

  Could this be a parade?

  “What’s going on?” you ask.

  No one answers you. But a voice cries, “Here it comes!”

  A shadow falls across you. When you see what’s blocking the sunlight, your eyes grow big. It’s a gigantic tin can — with arms, legs, and a head. No — it’s a robot!

  “I don’t believe this!” you gasp in a strangled voice.

  You’d better believe it. That thing is as big as a skyscraper. And it’s striding straight for you!

  Go to PAGE 69.

  “Guest shot!” you yell.

  When you open your eyes, you’re standing beside an office tower that’s still being built. The crowd is gone. The robot is gone. You’re all alone.

  “This is bizarre,” you mutter.

  A voice suddenly yells, “Heads up!”

  Of course, you look up. A falling brick hits you right between the eyes.

  And bounces off!

  You goggle in disbelief. That brick should have killed you. But it felt like a leaf being blown against you!

  You look down at yourself. Hey! You’ve grown up. You have all kinds of muscles. And you’re wearing what looks like purple long underwear with a big yellow S-D on the chest.

  You not only switched comics, you turned into Super-Doer!

/>   Cool!

  “I’ve got to find a steel bar!” you exclaim. “Can I really bend it with my bare hands?”

  Go looking on PAGE 26.

  Using your superspeedy scramble, you rush forward to grab the flying test tube. But this is another new power for you, and you don’t quite get it right.

  Tex Loudsnore’s test tube flashes past your fingers and shatters at your feet. Whatever is inside bubbles on the floor. Then you’re surrounded by a cloud of red and green smoke.

  “You’ll need more than a smoke bomb —” you start to say.

  But that’s all you can choke out. Your eyes burn. Your lungs feel on fire. Even your skin hurts! It’s stretched so tight, you’re afraid you’re going to burst like a balloon!

  You’re in pain. You’re also confused. Nothing is supposed to be able to hurt you. You’re Super-Doer!

  Right?

  Find out on PAGE 98.

  Tex Loudsnore stares from you to the blot that Wally has become. “There must have been something wrong with that batch of creature creator,” he declares. “I’d better run some tests on you. We don’t want anything to go wrong when I change you back.”

  The mad scientist turns several weird instruments on you. He frowns. “My phenopticon is getting odd readings from you. My formula reacted very strangely with you.”

  “So?” you demand.

  Loudsnore licks his lips nervously. “Well, I can give you back your Super-Doer body. But to do the job, I’ll have to take your superpowers away!”

  “Well —” you start to say.

  “Trust me. I know what I’m doing,” Loudsnore assures you. He starts mixing ingredients. In about a second and a half, he has another test tube in his hand, ready to throw.