By special request, it's time to take one last look into the original 62 Goosebumps books and give my personal ranking of the cover art. I've often said that the strength of the success of Goosebumps came more from the cover art than the content within. Not to say that kids didn't read the books. Many obviously did. But I feel the cover artwork is what led the books to be so heavily sold. And, when it comes to cover art that can scare as well as it can please the eye, very few did it as well as Goosebumps and artist Tim Jacobus. So, let's take a look at the 62 covers once more and see what stands as the scariest and which stands as the least scary. I'm judging these based on my own experience with Goosebumps. What covers scared me as a kid, and what covers stuck with me over the 26 years of the series existence.
#62. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
We start with a non-Jacobus cover from artist Stanislav Fernandes. And while it's not fair to knock the work of someone else besides the series regular, I just never found this cover to be as effective as the others in the series. The colors are a lot more dull, lacking the vivid vibe of the other works, and the face of Sam Byrd just looks really off. Unfortunately, if you wished for a stronger cover for this book, you're out of luck.
#61. MY BEST FRIEND IS INVISIBLE
In what I feel is Tim's worst cover conceptually, My Best Friend is Invisible's cover just feels like the cover that tries the hardest to be the least scariest cover in the original 62. Again, I get it's hard to sell the concept of invisibility as scary for a book cover, but everything from the cat's reaction to the pizza just leaves this as more goofy than frightful.
#60. BAD HARE DAY
This cover feels really goofy. Like it tries really hard to sell the scariness of a bunny rabbit with it's crooked teeth and giant monster jaw. It falls flat to be honest. I don't think this was one that caught me as a kid, and even all these years later, I just can't take it seriously.
#59. MONSTER BLOOD III
I don't hate this as much as I hated the book, mainly because I do like the foliage and the colors. Plus stories about giants are things I've always enjoyed in fiction. It just doesn't feel as scary or as imaginative as you'd hope for from a cover like this. Unless you find the thought of gigantic Converse sneakers to be super frightful.
#58. BEWARE, THE SNOWMAN
Much like rabbits, trying to make a scary snowman is a difficult task. And while I like the details of the sky and trees and snowy atmosphere, it just comes off as a super silly cover with how menacing this snowman is trying to be, complete with the edgy scar on its face. It's a silly cover that gets a cold reception.
#57. LET'S GET INVISIBLE!
The colors are nice, and it does a decent enough job of selling the concept of someone going invisible, but the cover never feels genuinely scary or creepy. Unless the goofy face the kid (presumably Max) is making on the cover is enough to creep you out.
#56. GO EAT WORMS!
The worms are creepy looking, I'll give the cover that much, but like I said before, I wonder if this was always meant to be called "Go Eat Worms!" as I think it would have served much better (and much creepier) to have worms crawling around in food, like spaghetti. Worms crawling in textbooks doesn't have the same effect of revulsion.
#55. THE GIRL WHO CRIED MONSTER
I like the colors for the shadows, and I like the detail on Mr. Mortman. This guy is definitely about to eat that fly, that's for sure. I even like that it doesn't reveal Mortman's monster form, leaving that up to the imagination of the reader when it's revealed in the book. I don't like that Lucy's hair is wrong, and the cover, while creepy, doesn't really feel super duper scary. Good attempt though. Also #JusticeForMortman.
#54. THE GHOST NEXT DOOR
This is the first cover to use a few of Tim's most well known traits. Aside from the Converse sneakers that popped up on Say Cheese and Die first, this is one of the first to use checkerboard tiled floors and warped perspective. And while they look fine, they don't really lead to a scary cover. Though I do respect that the cover doesn't reveal who the ghost next door actually is, which earns it some points.
#53. LEGEND OF THE LOST LEGEND
The least scariest cover of the bunch, but unlike My Best Friend is Invisible, it still manages to work as a cover to sell the idea that this is more an adventure than a horror story. I liked the detail and design of the buff viking woman, and I'm always a sucker for the details on the trees and hazy skies. Not amazing, but far from a worst cover.
#52. MONSTER BLOOD II
Just like trying to make a bunny rabbit scary, I can't imagine it was easy for Tim to do the same with a giant hamster, but fair dos to him, he tried. It just leaves us with a cover that's not really scary, and kind of a mess with all the warping and the really ugly tiled ceiling. Still, better than the book at least.
#51. MY HAIRIEST ADVENTURE
I always seem to find the covers that show the kids on the front to be the weakest. Mainly because they always make such goofy shocked reactions. Granted, hairy palms would be a good reason for that. But that reaction, mixed with the gigantic Dumbo ears really makes this one too silly to take seriously. Nice detail on the bathroom objects though.
#50. REVENGE OF THE LAWN GNOMES
The gnomes are creepy enough, and even the lawn flamingos look sinister enough. But I don't know, there's not much of a scare factor to make this one come off as super memorable. I do think they should have left the nose picking gnome instead for added gross out.
#49. HOW I LEARNED TO FLY
If you didn't read the book, you'd think this book had a scene with evil seagulls. Unfortunately it doesn't, but it is one of the better slice of life stories. I like the look at the ground below, with so much wonderful foliage. It just feels like it tries too hard to make for a scary cover.
#48. THE BEAST FROM THE EAST
I called this cover Tim Jacobus getting high and looking at a Lisa Frank sticker book. I stand by that as the vivd colors of the Beast's jungle look so out of this world. And there's the beast which doesn't look scary, but also not like someone who'd want to give you a hug. Maybe he would to squeeze your organs out through your mouth. It's a fine cover, but the nipples still creep me in the wrong way.
#47. THE CUCKOO CLOCK OF DOOM
This cover gives us a great use of perspective and a rather sinister looking bird, but that's really it. I can't say it serves as the most super engaging cover of them all. But considering the story is more about time travel than an evil clock bird, I guess it still does the trick.
#46. IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SINK!
Another really good use of perspective, but unless sinister eyes and cleaning products bring a chill down your spine, than it doesn't serve as a super memorable cover. I do like that it doesn't spoil what the evil is beneath the sink at least.
#45. CHICKEN CHICKEN
The cover is better than the book, but also feels too silly for its own good. From Krystal's goofy expression, to the random and pointless lightning in the background. It feels like it tries too hard to be scary when it just comes off as mediocre at best.
#44. DEEP TROUBLE II
I like some things about this cover. The shipwreck on the bottom, the billowing light above, the fact that Tim can make even underwater plant life look vibrant and alive. It's just that the giant fish looks really goofy. Not scary in the slightest. Which is a shame for a book that is much better than its original.
#43. THE HEADLESS GHOST
This cover never scared me, which is why it's so low, but that doesn't take away from how really nice it looks. The broken staircase, the cobwebs, the general feel of how old and dead Hill House is. I also like the design for the headless ghost himself. He doesn't look like a threat, but he does still come off as someone you don't want to mess with. It's a fine enough cover.
#42. THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN OF PASADENA
I love this cover for its great Californian feel with the palm trees and the sunny sky. I like the design of the rampaging abominable snowman. I just wish this actually happened in the book and we didn't get a bait and switch about magic snowballs. So, while it did help sell the book, I don't like that it was all for a lie.
#41. PIANO LESSONS CAN BE MURDER
I like the scary concept within this cover with the severed hands playing the piano. I just don't like anything else really. I don't care for the weird warped perspective of the piano, nor do I like the red background. With some covers, the lack of a busy background is a good thing. Here, it just makes the cover feel more like a rush job, which is a shame.
#40. THE BARKING GHOST
Aside from the somewhat derpy look in its eyes, I do like this cover. The dog does look violent and deadly, and the colors help make it look ghostly and otherworldly. It serves its purpose, even if that purpose is to sell one of Stine's worst books.
#39. MONSTER BLOOD IV
I wish this cover didn't associate itself with the worst Goosebumps book, because it's not that bad a cover, all things considered. We get to see a lot of these slimy slug monsters doing all sorts of silly things in a bathroom, and the one inflating on the shower head is genuinely hilarious. It evokes memories of movies like Gremlins or Critters and I really appreciate it for that. Again, it's unfortunate that it's a cover for the absolute worst of the original 62.
#38. CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB
The mummy looks really cool, and I love the detail, but I also wish this cover felt a bit more alive. I said it before in the review, it's less like a creature out to get you, and more like a mummy waiting to get his driver's license photo. Iconic, but not scary.
#37. PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM
Another cover that never really scared me as a kid, but I always liked nonetheless. I liked the design of the phantom, how he covers his face with his arm to further the mystery. I like how the green light reflects off him. It's a nice cover, even if it doesn't produce much for nightmares.
#36. HOW I GOT MY SHRUNKEN HEAD
I'll never not find the "UNIVERSITY" banner hilarious, which earns this covers some points. But my issue is with the shrunken head. I like how creepy it looks, but it's not shrunken at all. It's pretty normal sized for a head. Regardless, it's still pretty effective and works to sell the cover.
#35. VAMPIRE BREATH
Great to see a vampire in one of these books, and the cover we get for it works pretty well. I like that he looks so worn out and frail, like he hasn't had a "bite" for centuries. I like the wafting of the Vampire Breath itself. It's not one that scared me, but it is a memorable cover nonetheless.
#34. RETURN OF THE MUMMY
This cover does a better job at selling a mummy story than the other cover in my opinion. I like the addition of the sarcophagus, the wafting odor of death emanating from within, and the mummy reaching out to get you. It's the action I wanted from the original, and it works great. Wasn't a cover that scared me either (I guess I'm immune to mummies), but it still comes off great.
#33. ATTACK OF THE MUTANT
Jacobus nails a perfect comic book pose with how dynamic the Masked Mutant looks in this shot. I love the garishness of his headquarters with the pink and green design, making it feel like something that came straight out of an old comic book. It's not a scary cover mind you, but it still sells the book extremely well.
#32. HOW TO KILL A MONSTER
Great details like the monster's claws and the dark, shadowy feel of the background, but other than that, it does feel a bit too similar to Stay Out Of The Basement's cover for its own good. Regardless, it does a good job at being minimal and not giving away too much about the book itself. A perfect middle ground cover.
#31. WEREWOLF SKIN
This cover doesn't buck the trends of other covers. We have warped perspectives, random banners, and a room that looks like any other room in the series. It's the werewolf skin itself and how creepily detailed it is that steals the show here. It's a freaky sight, leaving you to wonder what will befall whoever puts it on.
#30. DON'T GO TO SLEEP!
While the book was pretty mediocre, I do love the cover for how intense this scene comes off. The giant monster hand rising above the bed, ready to drag Matt into god knows where. Even the random lightning works to sell this as a nightmare. I just wish this actually happened in the book itself to make it feel more effective.
#29. CALLING ALL CREEPS
I see a lot of people give this cover flack, and I don't think it's fair. Even if the scariest thing about it is how nineties their clothing is, I still like the design of the creeps, giving them the alien reptile vibe that the book intended. Add in the great use of light bouncing off the phone booth to give this cover an even more alien vibe. It's a better cover to sell the concept of Goosebumps than it's often given credit for.
#28. THE HAUNTED SCHOOL
What makes this cover work so well is that great use of the familiar mixed with the creepy and unexplained that many of the best Goosebumps covers do so well. In this case, a regular looking school locker filled with strange gray items. There's so much going on in this that you may not catch the creepy eyes staring into your soul at first glance of this cover. But when you do, those eyes will never leave your mind, ever. One of the best final covers for sure.
#27. WELCOME TO DEAD HOUSE
The cover that started it all. While I have never really found the cover to Welcome To Dead House scary, I still appreciate it for selling the concept of Goosebumps right out the gate. The idea of the quaint mixed with the scary and unexplained. Case in point the creep in the window on the right. I love the colors, the atmosphere, the old and dying look of the house itself. If you wanted to get readers in early, it's hard to think of a better cover to do so.
#26. WHY I'M AFRAID OF BEES
This cover uses the goofy expressed kid face perfectly as the situation lends itself to it much better with poor ol' Gary still trying to grasp his very well detailed bee body. It's works well at selling the horror of the entire situation. Plus, the background of trees and the beautiful orange sunset doesn't distract from our bee buddy here. Not the scariest, but works perfectly to sell the bizarre situation nonetheless.
#25. THE HORROR AT CAMP JELLYJAM
I like this cover for the fact that it doesn't really reveal anything about the actual book, or the real monster within Camp Jellyjam. Yet Jacobus still manages to give us a really creepy lasting image with Buddy here. His intense looking eyes and that nightmarish smile. It speaks of a guy who knows something and isn't too eager to reveal what it is.
#24. WELCOME TO CAMP NIGHTMARE
Speaking of camp books, up next is the first camp book. Another book cover that doesn't reveal the true horror of the story, but gives us a much better working misdirect with Sabre reaching into this camp tent, ready to strike. What also works is that you don't see any of the campers, or any flora and fauna despite the dead looking trees. It kind of makes everything look other worldly, which given the big twist at the end, really helps make this cover all the better.
#23. SAY CHEESE AND DIE - AGAIN!
While it doesn't reach the heights of its predecessor in terms of art (and story), the cover for Say Cheese and Die - Again still manages to be a solid continuation of the skeleton family motif. It just isn't as scary or vivid as the original. Like I said in the review, the eyeballs, the lipstick, the fact that it feels so cramped just give it a lot less of a lasting image in your head as opposed to the original. Still, at least it's not as bad as the story itself, I'll give it that one.
#22. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY II
Aside from the creep factor of Slappy, and the general innocence of the room itself, I still feel this is the weakest of the three Dummy covers. I hate the warped perspective and the color scheme which hurts my eyes more than invites me to another dummy adventure. It still feels scary, but not to the level of the covers that came before and after it.
#21. I LIVE IN YOUR BASEMENT!
This cover does a great job in not full selling the bizarre nature of this book. But what we do still get is Keith writing on the floor, looking as gross and monstrous as the book describes. Again, I love the use of color, the perspective rally works, and the whole situation feels scary and dangerous. It's the last great cover of the original 62 bar none.
#20. THE BLOB THAT ATE EVERYONE
Speaking of slimy monsters, I Live In Your Basement is unfortunately trumped by The Blob That Ate Everyone and it's gross, pulsating mass of pink evil. So much detail in this one, from the blob itself, to the wreckage under its wet, gross tongue. To the great use of the suburban landscape to sell the idea of quaintness mixed with the unexplained. I've brought that up so much in this ranking, but it stands to reason that that is usually the formula for the best looking covers in the series.
#19. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY III
Slappy's back and he brought some of his freaky friends. This cover is much better than Dummy II in that it feels a lot more easy on the eyes, while still giving us more of that dummy freakiness that we want from this cover. They push Slappy back a bit too far, but he still looks just as evil as we know him to be. Add in great perspective and the cold, darkness of an attic, and you have an excellent piece of art.
#18. A NIGHT IN TERROR TOWER
Tim Jacobus has said that he didn't like how this cover came out. I tend to disagree as I still feel that it's an effective cover. I like how menacing the executioner is, wielding his axe. I like the look and feel of the tower. It's always been one of my favorite covers, and even when I was scared of them, this was an exception because I always thought it looked really cool. Not a scary one to me, but a personal favorite nonetheless.
#17. DEEP TROUBLE
This cover is both beautiful and frightening, giving us a daunting situation as the kid above (presumably Billy Deep) is seconds away from being torn to shreds by this deadly looking hammerhead shark. The detail on the shark, including it's deadly set of teeth, really sell this book, along with the great color off the coral below. Shame this is less what the book is actually about though. But I guess a mermaid is harder to make scary.
#16. THE HAUNTED MASK II
While not as effective as its older sister, the sequel cover still manages to give us more freaky mask action. This time with a face that looks like it's dying slowly with how ragged it looks. I especially love the background with how Halloween it feels. The pumpkins on the doorstep, the hazy, cold night. It evokes childhood memories and for that, it deserves a lot of respect.
#15. A SHOCKER ON SHOCK STREET
#14. ATTACK OF THE JACK O'LANTERNS
I love this cover for how it evokes memories of Halloween and the frights that come with it. I also like that despite the goofy expressions on the pumpkins, these kids (and their little dog too) still look menacing, like you don't want to trick or treat near them. Add in great colors and a creepy looking owl and you have an instant classic.
#13. GHOST CAMP
This cover works. I like the freaky feel of the ghostly clothes walking to the camp, and the freaked expression on the girl's face (a situation where it works well). Though why it's a girl when the protagonists are boys confuses me. Even the random lightning somehow manages to work in this situation. It's an underrated gem of a cover art.
#12. EGG MONSTERS FROM MARS
What's interesting about Goosebumps is despite the covers being scary and weird at times, rarely did they try to gross you out. Egg Monsters however gives us easily the grossest cover art of the bunch with the oozing egg monster leaking all over the kitchen counter. It's also a cover where the warping effect actually works in its favor, giving the cover a more alien vibe. It's oozy, it's weird, it's a perfect cover.
#11. THE SCARECROW WALKS AT MIDNIGHT
This cover is good and creepy in the right way. I like the freaky face the scarecrow has and the colors of the moonlit night. The oranges bouncing off the plants. I wish the scarecrow looked like he was walking a bit more, but what we get is still a striking and memorable Goosebumps cover.
#10. MONSTER BLOOD
The best Monster Blood book thankfully gets one of the best covers in the original 62. It's a simple looking cover with the green goo oozing down the stairs, with the glasses on one step, a sign that there's something more sinister to this slime than it appears. It's a gross cover, but beautiful in it's use of oranges and blues to represent the light and darkness. It's a perfect cover to represent what Goosebumps is.
#9. STAY OUT OF THE BASEMENT
Jim Theisen's lone Goosebumps cover still stands as one of the most striking of the series. A lot of detail on everything from the door to the freaky plant hand, sticking out of the darkness, giving vivid ideas of what could truly be down there in the basement. One of the finest covers in the series, and one of the rare occasions of a cover that works better than what Tim could come up with.
#8. THE WEREWOLF OF FEVER SWAMP
I love everything this cover does. I love the detail of the howling wolf, the strewn clothes to represent that this is a werewolf. I adore the moonlit swamp water, leaving a haunting green reflection. The beautiful purple sky, the trees, the fog. It all serves to deliver one of the finest pieces of artwork ever given to us from Goosebumps.
#7. GHOST BEACH
Ghost Beach makes it high on the list not so much for super scariness, but just being a beautiful piece of artwork. I love the details of the graveyard in the moonlit night with the gathering patches of clouds above the cold, blue waters. I also love the design of the ghost, coming forward with a menacing pose, his face shrouded in darkness. It's a wonderful piece of work for an otherwise mediocre book.
#6. THE CURSE OF CAMP COLD LAKE
One of the last great covers of the original series. I love everything about this one. From the hazy sky, the ripples of the green and blue water, the canoe in the background, oh and the scary as hell skeleton poking their head out of the water. Where Say Cheese and Die - Again couldn't get the eyes to be creepy, here is a different story with how blood shot and intense they look. This book feels like it would have fit better in the early age than the later series, but it can't be understated how amazing it is.
#5. YOU CAN'T SCARE ME!
#4. ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND
One Day at Horrorland isn't up this high for being a scary cover. I really didn't find it scary as a kid. But what it does right is be an engaging cover. The beautiful darkness of the setting sun as it falls behind the wondrous amusement park that just looks so inviting. And then you feast your eyes on the giant monster sign for Horrorland, giving you vivid thoughts of "just what horrors are there in this amusement park?" It's the right kind of creepy and the right kind of cover to sell Goosebumps.
#3. THE HAUNTED MASK
The Haunted Mask as a book represents one of the finest Halloween tales that Stine put to paper. And thankfully, Tim came up with a perfect cover to represent it. The innocent look of Carly Beth with her face being covered by the demonic mask with its glowing eyes, evil fangs and drooling mouth. It's the perfect representation of the idea of Goosebumps. The normal and simplistic mixed with the monstrous and unknown. It's also a perfect use of minimalist work, with nothing in the background but purple. The focus needs to be on Carly Beth and it does a fantastic job in doing so.
#2. SAY CHEESE AND DIE!
#1. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY
When it comes to the idea of what sells Goosebumps, the scarier the cover, the more memorable it will be. And no cover delivered on that better than book #7. You're minding your own business, looking at some books, when suddenly this creep's face stares at you from a book cover. It's hard not to jump back in horror the first time you see him. Every little detail helps to solidify the scares. From the use of shadows and light to add to the alien, wooden feel to the intense green eyes, the sinister smile, the feeling that this isn't any ordinary dummy. This one's alive, and what he has planned for you can't be good at all. Slappy represents that childhood horror of "what if your toys were alive when you didn't notice? What if they aren't friendly? What if they had it out for you?". It doesn't hurt that this book came around the time of the Child's Play franchise, so killer dolls were already something that the kids knew and feared. Slappy represents everything that Goosebumps covers should do. The seemingly familiar mixed with dark and scary, leaving you with engaging and intense thoughts in your mind. It's no wonder why he became the franchise mascot, because nobody will ever forget his first impression. The scariest, and best, Goosebumps cover is hands down Night of the Living Dummy.
And that' s the original 62 covers ranked. Next up, I'm not quite ready to cover the books that followed yet, but maybe it's time to stroll down another avenue. Another part of the franchise itself that's just as memorable as the books themselves.
And that' s the original 62 covers ranked. Next up, I'm not quite ready to cover the books that followed yet, but maybe it's time to stroll down another avenue. Another part of the franchise itself that's just as memorable as the books themselves.
Let's start talking about Goosebumps TV... next time!
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