Curledup.com has a review of Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale by Serena Valentino and Crab Scrambly. Reviewer Lance Eaton appreciates it as a kind of horror that does not rely solely on gore for shock value in which the creators' "talents for narration and sequential art blend together to create a deliciously dark tale."

Eaton would like some clarification of what is based on fact and what is fictionalized by Serena in the story, so I'll give some details. In the 1830s Louis and Delphine Lalaurie were prominent, rich socialites in New Orleans, but their reputations suffered when it became clear that they mistreated their slaves. Enslaving a person in the first place is mistreatment of course, but Lalauries crossed even the standards of their time. Later, they were found to have conducted cruel and bizarre experiments on their slaves. The house has been rumored to be haunted ever since. You can read about it on the Wikipedia page for Delphine Lalaurie, though you can see there is trouble in accounting for what is true and what is rumor in the Lalaurie case from the heading that reads, "This article or section may fail to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction."

The story of 1140 Rue Royale takes place after these events, when an elderly woman named Victoria and her young niece Rebecca move into the house formerly occupied by the Lalauries. The background for the story is based in reality, but the events of the book are entirely fictional aside from some flashbacks that are based on the history of the Lalauries.

NOTE: This interview originally ran in SLG's sporadically-produced fan newsletter, In the Works. We'll post the interview with Serena tomorrow.



After six issues, the “1140 Rue Royale” story arc of Nightmares and Fairy Tales, written by Serena Valentino and drawn by Crab Scrambly is coming to a close at issue eighteen. Set in nineteenth-century New Orleans, this story of ghostly retribution, “1140 Rue Royale” has earned the praise of critics. Joe Hillard of PopThought commented, “[Valentino] has taken her writing up another notch herein, with the doubled-edged dialogue and the dream-like passages of introspection. She creates real characters, and yet they are singularly mythic as well. Crab Scrambly’s art only heightens the mythic feel: the long narrow faces, the encroaching shadows on the panels. Much of the book feels as though the reader too is trapped in this nightmare tunnel, burrowing deeper and deeper, inexorably forward....”

For some insight into the creative process that went into creating “1140 Rue Royale,” we spoke to Serena and Crab for the creators’ perspective. This month, we offer an interview with Crab Scrambly. Serena Valentino’s interview will run in next month’s ITW.

Crab Scramby has worked with SLG before, as artist on the Jhonen Vasquez-penned Everything Can Be Beaten and his own illustrated novella The 13th of Never, but his work on “1140 Rue Royale” was a new experience for him. We asked about the experience, and he shared a bit, but in typical Scrambly fashion, he ultimately remains enigmatic.

What was you favorite part about drawing “1140 Rue Royale”?
My favorite thing about drawing “1140 Rue Royale” was getting to drinking mass amounts of tea and other caffeinated beverages while I was working. I think painting the covers made me the most euphoric though.

Also... I’d like to say that working with Serena made the whole process more enjoyable. She really tries to cater to how an artist draws and that makes a difference. So remember everyone out there in comic book land... Serena rules with an iron fist!!!

Was Rue Royale your first comics-format book? What were the particular challenges in working in this format for you?
Yep... Rue Royale was my first venture into the filthy realm of sequential nightmares (no pun intended). It was particularly difficult fending away the giant Cthulhu that did not want me to finish the book....

What inspired the “look” of the comic book for you?
Hmmm... I’m mainly influenced by art outside of the sphere of comics. You know... things like cave paintings and cereal boxes.

What did you hope to get across to the reader about your story with your art? I was really hoping for the reader to just understand what was going on, and perhaps to leave them with a bit of indigestion afterward.

Hey! There's a new SLG trade paperback in stores today! Whaddaya know.

Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale
by Serena Valentino and Crab Scrambly

In Antebellum New Orleans, Delphine Lalaurie inflicted unspeakable acts upon her slaves in the house at 1140 Rue Royale. Now their torutred souls are seeking revenge on the house's new occupants, an elderly woman named Victoria and her young niece Rebecca.

Rebecca must fight for their lives as she learns of the house's horrifying past, encounters monstrous nuns with a deadly secret in the attic of their convent, and becomes possessed by one of the spirits in her new home. With the knowledge this spirit gives her, Rebecca realizes she must help the victims of Madame Lalaurie find peace.

Serena Valentino weaves a tale of horror and intrigue and Crab Scrambly illustrates with keen attention to detail and mood in Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale.
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We will have copies at APE, of course, but they are available to you now at comic book stores and bookstores as well

So you're not interested in shamelessly making fun of a poor child with comic book aspirations, either. What's with you kids? Are you all dead? There has to be something that you'll like. Are your tastes just that sophisticated? Well, let's see... what can I do to get a rise out of such connoisseurs? Hmmm... I will poke around in my repository of knowledge tidbits....

What's this? Tommy Kovac and Crab Scrambly are doing a signing! With Dame Darcy! Don't you all want to swoon in excitement?

Next Saturday, November 18, The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach, California will host Tommy, creator of Autumn and writer of Wonderland, and Crab, creator of The 13th of Never and artist on Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale, along with the very cool Dame Darcy, who is rumored to be bringing along her banjo for a little music-making. What  could make a comic book store signing better?

Well, according to Tommy and me, nothing. But we love banjos, not like high-toned people who prefer the mandolin or the lute so they can sing madrigals.

Whoops. I forgot to tell you about the new SLG comic that was in stores yesterday. Sooooooooo, without further adoooooo:



Nightmares and Fairy Tales #15 by Serena Valentino and Craby Scrambly
24-page comic book, $2.95

1140 Rue Royale continues...

Victoria and Rebecca are being tormented by malicious spirits, the victims of horrific crimes that were inflicted by the house‚s previous owner, Madame Lalaurie. Desperate for help, Victoria appeals to the sisters at the nunnery for assistance, putting all of their lives in grave danger.

Vampirella (which is "The World's Sexiest Horror Magazine," so now you know the answer to that question) has an artist spotlight on Crab Scrambly (Everything Can Be Beaten, The 13th of Never and Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale) in their "Sin Bin" section of their summer special #1 issue. Crab, according to this article, is "SLG's secret weapon." Hey, I'm not going to argue with that, except that these days he's not so secret. In fact, we're going to be dressing him in spangled outfits and parading him through the streets soon.

Tom Spurgeon reviewed NIL: A Land Beyond Belief at the Comics Reporter recently. I don't really understand why people call the deconstruction ship being named the Derrida a "cheap joke." I guess they would prefer or a more obscure reference, perhaps to Paul de Man or Michel Foucault. Or would Foucault be too obvious? But c'mon! Hegemonies! That's comic gold. Miss Void probably would enjoy Foucault's theories of sexuality, if you know what I mean. Eh? Nudge nudge?

I'm getting off track here. What I meant to say is that Spurgeon says of NIL: "It's a furious performance, odd and affecting and I'm dying to see more," and of course he will get to see more with Rex Libris. Ain't it great how things work out?