The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall

By Drew Weing. Published by First Second. 

Softcover, 128 pages, Colour, 2021.

In this second volume of The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo, graphic novelist Drew Weing delivers a fresh and funny take on the age-old battle between kids and closet-dwelling monsters.

Charles meets a lot of monsters in his line of work. While assisting Margo Maloo on her assignments, he’s had close encounters with trolls, ghosts, imps, and ogres. And lately, they’re all saying the same thing: living in Echo City is getting harder.

As the human population of the city grows, monsters are being forced to abandon their homes. Teenagers are creeping into their territory, smartphones in hand, eager to photograph paranormal activity. Some monsters are tired of hiding and ready to fight. How can Margo and Charles keep Echo City’s monster community a secret, when it’s teetering in the brink of war?

"The graphic narrative points out that different is not necessarily bad and that humans and monsters are afraid of one another primarily because of misinformation and miscommunication—a valuable lesson for human-human relations as well." —Kirkus

"Weing's artwork further adds to the lighthearted fun: his detailed backgrounds, jewel-toned color palette, only slightly spooky monsters, and stylish character designs give this lots of visual appeal. Fans of the first installment won't want to miss this sequel." —Booklist