Tales From The Crypt GN Vol. 08 Stinky Dead KidMedia Release -- Sick of dopey diaries from countless whiny wimps or never-ending sappy vampire romances? Well, so is The Crypt-Keeper, and in the all-new TALES FROM THE CRYPT Graphic Novel from Papercutz he retaliates with "Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid" and "DieLite," two painfully funny parodies of these putrid pop-culture trends.

"Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid" features the hand-drawn and scrawled diary of a recently deceased suburban boy named Glugg (or at least we think that's his name – zombies aren't all that easy to understand). Glugg's post-life experiences include discovering who actually killed him, and who brought him back from the dead. Diary entries deal with such mundane matters as how to get your best friend to help you reattach your arm:

"Once I promised not to eat his brain… he ran all over the house, got needle and thread, crazy glue and duct tape, and tried to stick it back on."

As well as more esoteric musings:

"So here I am stuck in the cemetery just because the neighbors complained about the 'strange' smell. I tried showering, but pieces of me kept coming off."

He also gets into a wicked game of Guitar Demon, but that's literally another story that fortunately is also included in TALES FROM THE CRYPT Graphic Novel #8. Both stories are by writer Stefan Petrucha and artist Rick Parker.

In "DieLite" Lou Anne Lugosi becomes the unwelcoming object of Dedward Collins's affections. While Dedward may think he's all that, Lou Anne doesn't think so. She's suddenly stalked by the pretty-boy vamp at home and at school and can't get rid of him until she resorts to drastic measures and is able to Twilight Zone him out for good.:

"…despite her initial hesitancy she now recognizes the deep longing in her heart that only a living corpse can fill! She wants to meet me in a deserted church in a garlic field! How sweet! And she gave me a bottle of sun tan lotion! How thoughtful!"

Written by Stefan Petrucha, Maia Kinney-Petrucha and painted by Miran Kim.

Also included in this monster mash-up is "Carrier" a different type of werewolf story by writer John L. Lansdale and artists James Romberger and Marguerite Van Cook.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #8 "Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid" from publisher Papercutz continues to offer up scare-fare suitable to readers 10 and up, in the tradition of the original EC Comics horror comicbook that combines thrills, chills, and satire in all-new, full-color, 96-page volumes available in both paperback ($7.95, ISBN 978-1-59707-163-5) and hardcover ($12.95, ISBN 978-1-59707-164-2) editions. Publication: 11/10/09.