Exclusive Preview of the “Relentless, Escalating Punishment” of R.L. Stine’s STUFF OF NIGHTMARES: THE CAT IN THE COFFIN

2026/07/07 14:02:46 +00:00 | Jonathan James

First kicked off in 2022, Stuff of Nightmares has been R.L. Stine's Tales From the Crypt. It's a comic book series geared toward adults, with Stine giving a new take on iconic creatures and horror legends, and has him teaming up with all-star artists to bring his nightmarish visions to life:

“AT LAST I’m free to let my most horrific fantasies out! Hey, kids– stay away from STUFF OF NIGHTMARES... It’s my first horror comic book work for grownups. Ghastly, gory, and I hope, good stomach-churning fun!”

Stine returns this August for an all-new terrifying tale with artist Matthew Dunn, titled "The Cat in the Coffin." Just for Daily Dead readers, we have an exclusive preview of Stine's latest Stuff of Nightmares:

From horror legend R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street) comes a fresh, one-and-done nightmare framed by the Nightmare Keeper, with chilling visuals by comics artist Matthew Dunn.

A broke dad steals a “valuable” stuffed black cat from his mother’s coffin, dumps her three real black cats at the pound, and gets hunted by the kind of bad luck you can’t outrun.

Harvey Goodwin is unemployed, desperate, and convinced his late mother’s antique stuffed cat, Lucy, is his ticket back to stability. Hazel asked for two promises: care for her three black cats and bury her with Lucy. Harvey breaks both.

Pocketing Lucy during the funeral, caging the cats, and leaving them at the pound, the haunting starts. Cat cries flood his car stereo, his ears bleed, and reality begins to “swap” out from under him. A darkly funny cautionary tale about what people do when they feel cornered by money, responsibility, and loss, it taps into the evergreen horror pleasure of “the curse that fits the crime,” with black-cat folklore turned into a relentless, escalating punishment.

Published by BOOM! Studios and distributed by Penguin Random House, Stuff of Nightmares: The Cat in the Coffin #1 will be released on August 26th, with an FOC (pre-order deadline) on July 13th. To keep up with Stuff of Nightmares and all of the great horror titles from BOOM! Studios, visit: https://www.boom-studios.com/

WRITER
R.L. Stine

ARTIST
Matthew Dunn

COVER ARTISTS
CVR A - Francesco Francavilla
CVR B - Reiko Murakami
CVR C - Adam Gorham
CVR G - Ito
CVR I - Francesco Francavilla

  • Jonathan James
    About the Author - Jonathan James

    After more than a decade as a consultant in the entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his passion for horror. He takes immense pride in Daily Dead's talented team of writers, who passionately explore and celebrate horror as a respected art form capable of telling complex, character-driven stories with deep emotional and cultural impact.

    Over the course of his career, Jonathan has written more than 10,000 articles and hosted panels at major conventions, including New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con. He is also consulted with as an expert on horror and pop culture, offering insights on horror history and the latest trends through media outlets, film festivals, and conventions.

  • Jonathan James
    About the Author : Jonathan James

    After more than a decade as a consultant in the entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his passion for horror. He takes immense pride in Daily Dead's talented team of writers, who passionately explore and celebrate horror as a respected art form capable of telling complex, character-driven stories with deep emotional and cultural impact.

    Over the course of his career, Jonathan has written more than 10,000 articles and hosted panels at major conventions, including New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con. He is also consulted with as an expert on horror and pop culture, offering insights on horror history and the latest trends through media outlets, film festivals, and conventions.