The Horrorweb Inquirer #3

HORROR FOR KIDS

There is some horror media that aren't made for children, but some of them can be. If you're a parent of a child who happens to be a fan or horror, but don't want them to see any films that's not made for children, then I got you covered with some of the horror properties that your kids can check out. Here are 5 of them. I'm going to start with some TV shows I can recommend. Most of them are anthologies.

GOOSEBUMPS

The first one I'm going to tell you is something that I have watched. Goosebumps is a book series by author R.L. Stine, that focus on a different story in each of them. One of the most notable books of all time is Night of the Living Dummy. This story is about two girls who discover a ventriloquist's dummy that comes to life if you say a specific chant. Another one in the series I can recommend to you is The Haunted Mask, which is a story about Carly Beth as she obtains a really scary mask. When she puts it on, she finds that she can't get it off. I won't give away much of the endings in those stories, but there are others to check out.

Another thing to note is that the book series also spawned a TV show that aired from 1995 to 1998. It also had some spin offs like Give Yourself Goosebumps. A series where the reader can choose their adventures and make some decisions. There's a different ending each time you read it. Another one is called Tales to Give You Goosebumps where each of the books contains a collection of many different spine tingling tales. Even if you or your child hasn't read the books, this series is worth checking out.

THE HAUNTING HOUR

This is another series from R.L. Stine. The Haunting Hour is yet another anthology series that isn't based on any of his books, but it is similar to Goosebumps, but only in it's darker tone. The series aired from 2010 to 2014. There are some episodes I have watched like Afraid of Clowns, Catching Cold, Game Over, and Headshot. My favorite one would actually have to be Afraid of Clowns. It's about Chris who has a feeling that he is being watched by Clowns. The ending has a twist, but I won't give it away for the sake of avoiding spoilers.

COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG

This animated show follows the adventures of Courage who lives with an elderly couple in Nowhere, Kansas. Each of the episodes consist of a different adventure that can either be supernatural and paranormal. One of the most scariest episodes to ever watch is Perfect. This episode is about Courage who is being taught by a ghostly schoolteacher to become a perfect dog. There is one dream sequence that might be too frightening to young kids, so it's recommended that you watch it with your little ones.

SCOOBY-DOO

The animated mystery TV show is about a group of four teens and one dog as they solve myserties involving supernatural creatures. The original series aired back then in 1969, and it's still going on with movies and many different shows, even to this day. This show is enjoyed by many kids, and adults alike. I myself have watched a few episodes, and they were great. This is something that your entire family will enjoy.

CREEPED OUT

The British-Canadian children's anthology series is like a kids version of Black Mirror. Throughout the series, a figure known as The Curious can appear in the beginning and the end of stories, telling morals or lessons to be learned. For example, in two of the episodes, there are lessons about the dangers of AI technology. In Marti, Kim receives a new phone with an AI assistant that threatens to ruin her life. The second one called Help, follows two siblings named Crispin and Molly as they are home alone with yet another AI assistant named, Ava, who is a smart home device that controls their house. They become trapped and must answer questions. If a single one is answered incorrectly or if they run out of time to answer them, their stuff gets deleted.

There is one episode I've enjoyed. The episode is called The Many Place. This episode is about three kids named Nita, Max, and Jett who are spending their vacation is Australia during the rainy season. When entering the elevator, they somehow end up lost in a series of hallways that lead to alternate universes. It's something worth checking out if you haven't yet.

That's going to be all. If there are any more horror stuff that's perfect for kids, share some. I will be covering some horror films that are perfect for children in the next issue. So please, don't hesitate to share some if you want.

CYBER PHANTOM'S MOVIE REVIEWS

Backrooms (2026)

"It's like a maze. It just goes on and on."

Last week, I have been writing about the news about The Backrooms movie hitting movie theaters. I've seen the movie too. If you missed out on the last issue I wrote, the story follows a furniture store owner who goes by the name, Clark, who discovers a doorway to the backrooms located in the basement. The films stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Mark Duplass. There is so much that I want to talk about right now.

The acting is phenomenal. I have to say, I have been waiting for a few months after hearing about this, and I've bought the tickets. This is a masterpiece that I will watch again. Not to mention that the set design for the movie is excellent. Oh, and the soundtrack really sounds great. I got to give kudos to Kane Parsons for bringing his film making talents to the big screen. This is a start for a new generation for filmmakers. If you don't like the Slenderman movie from 2018, then you might find the Backrooms movie way better than this. It's something that deserves to be seen.

HORRORWEB TRIVIA

The original title for Comic Beasts was apparently called Sketches and Ink. However, the name was changed at the last minute because the original name of the story didn't fit the stories narrative. This story was about a comic book artist who's characters come to life. This episode is also a nod to the episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark called Tale of the Ghastly Grinner.

POLLS OF FATE

You're at an abandoned gas station just on the other side of town. It's somehow dark inside, so you grab a flashlight. You see a ghost behind the cashier's desk. What do you do?

WHAT'S THE SCOOP THIS WEEK?

The low budget Sci-fi film This Is How the World Ends is coming out on VHS, making it the first ever straight to video release for the first time in over 20 years.

The newest film that came out yesterday, Scary Movie 6, is being criticized for a scene that is offensive towards the LGBTQ+ community. If you are a fan of horror, I advise you to please do not see this movie and look for other films to watch.

TWO SENTENCE TALES FROM THE HORRORWEB STORIES

A collection of five two sentence stories

I just baked a cake. I swore it had teeth

I'm not going to prom tonight. People will noticed my very sharp teeth that I just grew this morning

First, I'm going home. Second, I'm staying there until this zombie apocalypse is over.

I tried to go to bed. But I couldn't because there is a monster under there.

Maybe this is a bad idea. I thought I could hide from the vampires if I masked the scent of my blood with body spray.

WHAT'S SUMMERWEEN?

Looking to start spooky season early? Look no further, because summer is the best time to do so. What's summerween? It's a cultural phenomenon that takes place in the summer months. But where did it come from? Believe it or not, the term actually comes from an episode of the TV show, Gravity Falls, where the characters of the show celebrate Halloween in summer. Since then, the concept was adopted in the early 2020's, for parties, social media posts, and gatherings too. What do you think of Summerween? Are you planning on celebrating it?