CEREAL: THE ADULT VIEW OF BREAKFAST CEREAL MASCOTS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED

Mark Russell seems to have a knack for writing books that I would normally never even consider opening. Some of his best work is steeped in our collective childhood nostalgia, such as his remarkable Flintstones series at DC, his interpretation of the Wonder Twins, the Pink Panther (Snagglepuss), and so on. His aptitude for social satire is also evident in his series Second Coming and Billionaire Island at Ahoy Comics (also publishers of Cereal). Additionally, Not All Robots, published with AWA/Upshot, offers a satirical take on artificial intelligence, robotics, and their potential for violence...  Scratch that: I would definitely read this!  But I digress...

A Unique Graphic Novel

Cereal is...  Well...  A satirical Victorian horror pastiche that essentially amounts to a shared universe of most if not all the breakfast cereal mascots you ever encountered in your misspent youth, but centered around Count Chocula (now renamed Marquis de Cocoa, most likely to avoid litigations I assume)...  It is as absurd as it sounds, yet, somehow, imbued of a poignant and touching humanity...

Here is the official synopsis (with italics in parenthesis my own, for clarification and enlightenment):

The Marquis de Cocoa (Count Chocula, natch!), recently transformed into a vampire, emerges from his castle's crypt to face a deadly ordeal: He must brave the agony of sunrise and host another of the sumptuous breakfast parties he is known for, lest the townsfolk suspect what he has become and drive a stake through his heart. Other abominations — a creature composed of cadaver parts (FrankenBerry, re-natch!), a specter (BooBerry!), a lycanthrope (Fruit Brute!  Poor thing barely hecked out an existence in our reality before being discontinued), a leprechaun (Lucky Charms!) — arise to threaten dangers of their own in this epic comedy of terror and tragedy caused by the obsession of a certain General Mills, who grows stronger by the day... and the mastermind, General Post.  And not to forget, Captain Crunch...

A Dark Twist on Childhood Mascots

"Cereal" is not just a horror pastiche; it is a darkly humorous and heartfelt journey that combines elements of horror, comedy, and tragedy to create a story that is both engaging and surprisingly emotive.  It also contains a lot of puns, Easter eggs and other trivia for fans of breakfast cereals of all ilk.

Russell and Snejbjerg manage to infuse these cartoonish figures with genuine depth, transforming what could have been a mere visual gag into a narrative filled with heartbreak, drama, and, quite unexpectedly, a touch of historical romance. The story evolves from simple satire to a more complex exploration of themes like redemption, revenge, and the quest for peace. This evolution is reflected in the increasingly literary style of the dialogue, hinting at influences from Gothic literature and adding depth to the characters' portrayal​.  I am willing to bet that you did not expect that from a graphic novel that spans a measly 128 pages, did you?

Origins of the Monster Mascots

For those unfamiliar with the highly glycated mascots of General Mills, clearly designed to inspire wanton children to harass their genitors until they put at least one box in their grocery shopping cart (it worked!), only to be met with hyper sweetened cardboard textured flakes with the only saving grace of savoury, coloured marshmallows in the effigy of the said mascots saving them from utter and  total disgrace (but most certainly outlining a diabetic future), those cereals where a true display of the power of marketing, if there ever was one.  For more on their origin, we highly recommend this well researched video:

For those more interested in the sinister and shameful ascendance of Count Chocula, Food Theory presents us with their hypothesis on the true lineage of the brown ghoul with a breakfast obsession:

Artistic Collaboration: Russell and Snejbjerg

The collaboration between Russell and Snejbjerg is particularly noteworthy. Snejbjerg, who did not grow up with American breakfast cereal ads unlike the rest of us, brought a fresh perspective to the illustrations.  Russell provided Snejbjerg with reference pictures and descriptions of the characters, but much of the visual representation and atmosphere is credited to Snejbjerg's creative input​​.  He actually talks about being approached to draw this in the graphic novel, and his approach to the material, as one of the added bonuses.

Snejbjerg's artistic style brought a certain level of realism to the proceedings, adding a touch of Mike Mignola and Bernie Wrightsonto the already strange mix, contributing significantly to the gothic grandeur and unique aesthetic of the tale.

Like many of Russell's work before, Cereal took us by surprise ina  good way.  It is a creative and unexpected graphic novel that embraced its weirdness and brought us places we never knew could be so touching.  A big thumbs up, as far as we are concerned.

Cereal by Mark Russell & Peter Snejbjerg.  Published by Ahoy Comics.