If Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, then Halloween is the most magical. Tricks, treats, potions, spells, whispering winds, haunts, and now, Spoops! Imagined and brought to life by voice actor AJ LoCascio (X-Men ‘97), Spoops are mercurial little spirits born of the smallest gourds in the pumpkin patch. They help bring the spooky season to life – coloring and crisping leaves, spreading spooky cheer, and sometimes granting worthy wishes wished upon a jack-o-lantern.
Though the Spoops started as hand sculpted figures straight from his imagination they now have the beginnings of their lore in their first story penned by LoCascio, illustrated by Laurie A. Conley, and published by TopShelf Productions (an imprint of IDW Publishing). Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween follows Holly Hollowell, a little girl born passionate and obsessed with all things spooky, especially Halloween. The only problem is her parents are BOTH dentists and don’t approve of celebrating a holiday that promotes sticky sweet cavity causing candy. Left alone on Halloween night she wishes upon a jack-o-lantern and meets the Spoops who band together to make the magical night of her dreams while also helping her parents understand both her and the holiday better.
Speaking to LoCascio at NYCC it was easy to see why he gravitated toward creating these whimsical little spirits and writing this wonderful children’s tale. We spoke at length about Halloween and our childhoods; loving seemingly sad inanimate objects like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. These days Halloween is often dominated by the more adult side populated by Halloween Horror Nights, gore, and horror films (adults after all are the ones with money to spend). These things are great and an absolute blast but personally I love whimsy, magic, childhood innocence – the aspects of Halloween that seem a bit vintage and neglected.
Enter the Spoops. Written in lovely, story dense verse, Spoops lends itself to being orated; dramatically, even. Indeed, LoCascio spoke about writing by consistently reading out loud to himself and crafting the verse around the way he would speak it as opposed to being more technical and adhering to a rigid structure. Chatting further about his collaboration with illustrator Laurie A. Conley, I got the impression that he’s a very visual communicator which makes sense considering the physical Spoops came first. He shared how he would sometimes draw over Conley’s own drawings to show how he envisioned small details, circling, and notating to get his point across. When Conley would ask a question like “What’s underneath this Spoop’s shroud?” he’d reply, “I don’t know,” we don’t see it so just don’t draw it. He was effusive in his praise for Conley’s talent and her openness to merging their visions. The result of this writing style and harmonious illustrative communication is cinematic and propulsive storytelling. Writer and artist, perfectly matched.
There is not an ounce of cynicism in LoCascio’s writing. It’s earnest and enchanting without eye-rolling schmaltz. It deftly walks a very fine line. Holly’s parents aren’t evil or even craven capitalists looking to make a buck on the teeth rotted from too much trick or treating. They simply do not get it. They stubbornly see things from their own perspective. Maybe they’re blinded by their love of teeth and oral hygiene. Maybe their imagination has simply atrophied as they grew up. Whatever the reason, when they see how their own ignorance has hurt Holly – seeing a child sitting alone in a shut up house on Halloween is devastatingly sad – they apologize and make amends. LoCascio’s story has depth and nuance. This isn’t just a holiday whim, it’s the foundation of a lore that can last the test of time; a story that can find its way into annual tradition. Likewise, Conley’s illustrations, in black and white with shades of orange, are vibrant and kinetic. They bring the story to life in the truest and purest sense of the word. There’s a quixotic quality to them that, with their sketchy, small penstrokes, and limited color palette feels as if the Spoops could simply dance off the page. It is the best kind of visual storytelling.
While the story, its illustration style, and the heartfelt nature of both have a vintage vibe, it doesn’t feel like a relic. It’s nostalgic but not dated. It’s crisp, sharp, and fresh; a welcome gust of autumn air. Without straying too far into the dramatic it feels hopeful and invigorating. In a world that can be so dark, so anxiety ridden, so joyless at times, there is still room for light, fun, understanding, and most of all, magic. There’s still room for childlike wonder if you let the little Spoops who wield it, in.
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween by AJ LoCascio is available now wherever you buy books.
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