A new fan project based on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is in need of crowdfunding! Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror is an attempt to revive the long-dormant series of children’s books, which will launch on Kickstarter October 1st. With the recent release of both the major film and the feature-length documentary about the book series, there couldn’t be a better time for Scary Stories to rise from the grave. From the creators of the project:

“As kids, Curt and I were traumatized in the best way by the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark books. They horrified and delighted us. We waited, hopeful that some fourth volume would be released. By early 2016, we decided if anyone was going to make another Scary Stories book it would have to be us.

We have spent hundreds of hours analyzing the writing style of Alvin Schwartz and the art of Stephen Gammell. This project is the culmination of that effort.

Our goal in making this book was simple; to scare ourselves. We made this book because we wanted it. We knew that if we didn’t feel like it was an authentic Scary Stories experience, then no one else would either.

The stories are written but need professional editing. Many of the drawings are finished. The bulk of the work is done. Now we just need your help getting the word out. We hope that you’ll join us in that effort!”

I’m normally very leery of both fan projects and Kickstarter in general, but I’m optimistic about this one, largely because the art is absolutely on point. Stephen Gammel’s original art played a huge part in making the series memorable and it’s clear that Shane Hunt has deeply studied Gammel’s style. Here are a couple of pieces which really stood out to me:

I’m interested to read a few sample stories and see if Curt Tuckfield is as adept at emulating Alvin Schwartz’ writing. For more information and additional illustrations for Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror check out the official website, and if you’d like to guarantee yourself a copy of the book please consider donating to the Kickstarter campaign!