Horror icon Bunnicula gets a graphic novel

Bunnicula graphic novel (Image credit: Simon & Schuster)

The famed vampire rabbit that's haunted children for over 40 years will return in a new format this summer. Simon & Schuster's kids imprint has announced Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel, which adapts the first book in the classic children's novel series by Deborah Howe and James Howe.

After Toby Monroe finds a rabbit in the movie theater during a screening of Dracula, he brings it home and his family adopts it. They name the rabbit Bunnicula, because of his origins, and it becomes an oddly fitting name in more ways than one.

The family dog, Harold, and the family cat, Chester, become increasingly convinced that Bunnicula is actually a vampire. As it turns out, Bunnicula does have fangs, but he just uses them to suck the juice out of vegetables; he's hardly a blood drinker.

The story is told through the eyes of Harold and Chester as they team up to determine what's really going on with the newest Monroe family pet. Although the Howes never reveal whether Bunnicula is actually vampiric, beyond his vegetable-sucking preferences, the character has been a horror icon for years.

The original Bunnicula series boasts seven books, published between 1979 and 2006, though the first book is by far the most famous. Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel is a direct adaptation. James Howe co-wrote the script with Andrew Donkin, and the illustrations are by Stephen Gilpin.

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel interior art by Stephen Gilpin (Image credit: Simon & Schuster)

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel will be available August 30.

If you're looking for something scarier than a vampiric bunny, check out the best horror comics of all time.

Samantha Puc (she/they) is an editor at Newsarama and an avid comics fan. Their writing has been featured on Refinery29, Bitch Media, them., The Beat, The Mary Sue, and elsewhere. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction at The New School.