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Specs

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A supernatural 80s throwback perfect for fans of Stranger Things via Killer Queens!

Small town. Ohio, 1986. All Kenny and Ted want is to not feel like outcasts. What happens when a pair of X-ray glasses mysteriously appear? The magic specs open a world of possibilities for these misfit teens through the granting of literal wishes! Things start out innocent, but when they wish that their bully would disappear, things take a cursed turn, with far darker consequences than they thought possible… In this mysterious and nostalgic tale from writer David M. Booher ( Canto, All-New Firefly ) and artist Chris Shehan ( House of Slaughter ), Kenny and Ted realize they’ve received much more than they bargained for… Collects Specs #1-4.

112 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2023

253 people want to read

About the author

David M. Booher

108 books35 followers

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5 stars
25 (10%)
4 stars
97 (39%)
3 stars
102 (41%)
2 stars
19 (7%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Ben Howard.
1,452 reviews227 followers
November 20, 2023
Specs is a pretty short graphic novel, but I really enjoyed it. The concept is simple but well done. The horror aspect not only being the specs but also the prejudices Ken and Ted have to deal with from their small town. I really enjoyed their friendship.

The art style is great and does a lot to add to the atmosphere and time that this is set.

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Kenny and Ted see an advertisement for magical specs in an old magazine. When the glasses show up without being ordered, they know something is up. But with it's promise to grant wishes they can't not try them out.

However, the wishes aren't granted how they thought and things quickly turn sinister. And when a seemingly innocent wish leads to one of their classmates disappearing, Ken and Ted's situation gets a lot more serious.

Profile Image for Mikala.
636 reviews220 followers
September 6, 2024
I enjoyed this horror graphic novel; it is essentially a "be careful what you wish for" story. It centers around a queer main character and deals with themes of being yourself, friendship, and the consequences of our actions. Trigger warnings for racism.

The story is contained within just 4 issues and could be read in a single sitting. I really enjoyed the art style and thought there were some fantastic immersive spreads. The only thing is with how short it was I did find that I didn't connect to it as much and wished it could have been a little bit more fleshed out in areas (for instance more time spent on the wish making in the beginning, or time spent getting to know the characters a bit more, or more time on the "skunk" character and what happened to him).

Overall I think this was a solid read and an enjoyable experience.
Profile Image for Michael J..
1,012 reviews33 followers
August 23, 2023
While I read so many novels compared to short stories and novellas, I have to admit that nothing beats a well-told short story: an engaging tale that makes its points and wraps up concisely, that can be read in one day or at one sitting. SPECS gets the job done in four issues. This is the kind of school-age memoir that Stephen King does so well (Stand By Me, It, Mr. Harrington’s Phone, etc) mixing a bit of nostalgia along with the horror and Twilight Zone-like twists.

On the surface, SPECS is a recollection of a 1987 high school year with Kenny and his best friend Ted, the only black youth in small town Summerton, Ohio. Booher knows how to sell the story as well as create memorable characters. He has a knack for writing realistic dialogue and setting up compelling scenes. The story is strongest in the first half. The art of Shehan is kind of minimalist but quite effective as it helps move the story along.

The story is told as a recollection thirty-years later by Kenny, who is still troubled by what happened in 1987: “Three and a half decades is plenty of time to strip the flesh off those memories and grind their bones to dust . . . . This story? It’s about wishes. The ones we make. The ones we don’t.”

   Kenny discovers a box of older brother Zack’s comic books, and he and Ted speculate with amusement over an advertisement for “Magic Specs” that grant wishes. Soon after, a package with the gadget arrives at Kenny’s doorstop in the middle of the night.

   Sure enough, as long as the wishes are small-scale, they are granted for both friends. They learn how to manage that to their advantage until one day, when a confrontation prompts a regrettable wish in the heat of the moment.

      After a violent confrontation with Skunk (the school bully) Ted uses the glasses to wish him away. But to where?  Kenny and Ted argue and debate about what to do when Skunk doesn’t show up. A missing persons investigation begins with Ted as the prime suspect.

As the story implied earlier, it’s about what Kenny and Ted do and don’t do, as events take an unexpected turn. There’s a supernatural encounter by Kenny that could have been explored further but works effectively to build the mystery and doesn’t detract from the main story. Booher could easily have turned the direction of this book into a full-blown horror tale but that would have ruined the nostalgic memory that is the heart of this series. There’s so much more underneath, a secondary story of prejudice and racism in a small town and suppressed feelings of homosexual love.

The final issue doesn’t end as expected and is bittersweet but serves as a satisfactory concluding event. It’s about what we don’t do.
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,199 followers
October 9, 2023
It's a sad tale if wishing but never getting what you want. The two main leads were solid and a nice love story/best friend romance happening. The art is solid enough thought not amazing. Overall, it's a solid read.
Profile Image for gina .
1,774 reviews9 followers
October 24, 2023
Solid 3 stars. Not one I'd buy, but I'd definitely check it out from the library. It focuses on two kids in high school who stumble upon a pair of magic glasses that grant them wishes, and just like you think it might- it starts to have disastrous effects. I was with it up until the very end when he's talking at Teds funeral TO THE WHOLE TOWN about the magic glasses. Uh, what? Eh... That kind of makes me want to lean back towards 2.5 stars, but 🤷🏻‍♀️ whatevs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nancy.
1,668 reviews51 followers
December 28, 2024
This supernatural horror story turned out to be surprisingly tender and poignant!

Told in flashback by Kenny, he and his best friend Ted are dealing with a violent bully in small-town Ohio in 1987. A pair of magic specs they had seen advertised in an old comic mysteriously arrives at Kenny’s doorstep. They soon discover it grants small wishes, but like the classic The Monkey’s Paw short story, be careful what you wish for!

When both boys are accosted by their bully Skunk, and Ted wishes him away, the bully is never seen again with no answer as to what happened to him. But the real world intrudes when Ted, as a Black teen, is accused of killing Skunk. Kenny knows the truth and has a mysterious other-worldly experience with a former victim of the glasses. Terrified the friends try to destroy the specs but to no avail. While Ted is eventually acquitted, his family moves away and the friends finally talk about Kenny’s true feelings towards Ted.

Author David M. Booher ends the story with a personal note, as he too was a conflicted gay teen in the 80s, minus the supernatural element. He gives a shout-out to artist Chris Shehan who realistically captured the look of the period, along with hints of the incoming grunge era. This too is complimented by colorist Roman Stevens who did not rely on the cliched- neon colors that the 80s are known for, instead he subtly colored the excellent artwork to give it dimension. The cover art by David Talaski between chapters was excellent, with the friends by their lockers in chapter two being especially well drawn.

As a Gen Xer myself, I felt this book authentically captured the time I grew up in and touched on some deep issues such as racism, sexuality, and the deep bonds of early friendship. I plan to look for more work from Booher!

This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2024/12/2...
Profile Image for Alyssa.
219 reviews
January 11, 2023
I wasn't really fond of the illustrations; it's reminiscent of 80s comics, which is what they were going for.

I enjoyed the story for the most part, but I don't feel compelled to read more. The relationship dynamic between Kenny and Ted is interesting, but I don't care about the problem being that they made their high school bully disappear.

I suppose there just wasn't enough of a compelling plot overall -- nothing that made me feel like I need to get the next issue and see what's going to happen.
Profile Image for Erica.
405 reviews11 followers
June 17, 2023
This story tried to provide commentary on social issues, through the power of magic wishing glasses, but it didn't earn it through its writing or it's artwork. Ultimately a big let down.
Profile Image for Maciej.
425 reviews18 followers
May 13, 2024
Komiks „Specs” autorstwa Davida M. Boohera, z ilustracjami Chrisa Shehana i kolorami Romana Stevensa, to fascynująca opowieść o przyjaźni, magii i konsekwencjach życzeń. Osadzona w małym miasteczku w Ohio w 1986 roku, historia skupia się na dwóch przyjaciołach, Kennym i Tedzie, którzy przypadkowo stają się właścicielami tajemniczych okularów “rentgenowskich”. Te magiczne okulary spełniają dosłownie każde życzenie, co początkowo wydaje się ratunkiem dla tych wyrzutków.

Narracja Boohera świetnie oddaje klimat lat 80., nawiązując do nostalgicznych mediów tamtej dekady. Pomimo początkowo niewinnych życzeń, chłopcy szybko zdają sobie sprawę, że magia okularów ma swoją cenę. Gdy życzą sobie, by ich prześladowca zniknął, sytuacja przybiera mroczny obrót, a konsekwencje okazują się znacznie poważniejsze, niż mogli się spodziewać.

Ilustracje Shehana w połączeniu z ciemnymi, nastrojowymi kolorami Stevensa tworzą niepokojącą atmosferę, idealnie oddającą grozę i tajemniczość historii. Kreska i kolory podkreślają emocje bohaterów, a sceny przemocy oraz homofobiczne komentarze przypominają, w jakim rodzaju opowieści się znajdujemy.

„Specs” to nie tylko horror, ale również opowieść o dorastaniu, miłości i akceptacji siebie. Kenny, który jest zakochany w swoim najlepszym przyjacielu Tedzie, musi zmierzyć się z własnymi uczuciami, podczas gdy magiczne okulary komplikują ich życie. Tematyka przyjaźni i zdrady jest tu wyjątkowo mocno zaakcentowana, a relacja między bohaterami jest centralnym elementem fabuły.

Komiks ten jest doskonałym przykładem, jak nostalgia i horror mogą współgrać, tworząc złożoną i wciągającą historię. Dzięki umiejętnemu budowaniu napięcia i wiarygodnym dialogom, „Specs” przyciąga czytelnika od pierwszej do ostatniej strony.

Przyjemność 4,2/5
Styl: 3,7/5
Historia: 3,8/5

Ocena 3,91/5
Profile Image for Chad.
10.2k reviews1,047 followers
October 7, 2023
A new spin on The Monkey's Paw. It's the Eighties and Ted is the only black kid in this small Ohio town. His best friend Ken is secretly gay and in love with Ted but never told him. They find an ad for a pair of X-ray specs in the back of an old comic and the specs mysteriously show up on their porch in the middle of the night. They discover that the specs grant small wishes. But when their high school bully finds them in the woods one day, something bad happens and that's where the story turns darker.

It's the kind of horror story I dig, like those Stephen King stories where an adult is reflecting back on something that happened back when they were kids and it slowly builds to the point where you forgot that something bad did happen and you're just wrapped up in the story. Booher is also the author of the terrific Canto series and at this point, I'd read his grocery lists.
Profile Image for OneMamaReads.
618 reviews6 followers
November 28, 2024
4.25 Stars

****

In a small Ohio town, in 1986, best friends Kenny and Ted just want to be accepted and left alone. Ted is the only Black student at their high school and Kenny is bullied daily (and he is hiding from Ted that he is gay). One of Kenny's comics advertises magic x-ray glasses that grant wishes. The boys laugh about it, but a pair mysteriously appear at Kenny's house the day after a bad fight between Kenny's bully and Ted. They try them out on a lark and they work. So, they begin to wish, at first just inane things that have no serious effects or consequences. But, Kenny's bully attacks the boys after Ted's baseball game and threatens to stab them, so they wish him away. They try to correct their mistake, after the bully poofed from existence. But each new wish makes things worse for the two boys, especially Ted. Now, Kenny must somehow find a way to save Ted from jail.

Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/boo...
Profile Image for Ya Boi Be Reading.
659 reviews3 followers
October 12, 2024
3.5. A solid monkey's paw be careful what you wish for story. It's compact, to the point, and a tad spooky. It's got an ounce of queer longing and small-town bigotry that adds a lot to the story. It also highlights the wishes that aren't made to show character growth or create strong memorable scenes which I'm glad was an included element.
I do wish the main character did a few less shitty things as I get he is supposed to be flawed but some things were a little extreme but still makes sense for the story David Booher is going for.
The art by Chris Shehan is fine. I really enjoy how he drew Skunk to the point I wished he was there more. He pops off a bit with the spooky moments that happen in issue 3 but sadly not enough supernatural stuff happens to really highlight what seems to be his strength.
Profile Image for Ανδρέας Μιχαηλίδης.
Author 60 books85 followers
January 30, 2024
Basically 2.5, but the comic chooses a theme and sticks to its guns competently, so round up to 3. It has no relation to Stranger Things whatsoever, that is false advertisement. It is Twilight Zone making a point about life and wishes.

***SPOILERS, I GUESS***

What I don't like is that the comic insinuates there is some broader evil, some engineering force behind the wishing glasses, but there isn't. The whole thing never goes beyond "careful what you wish for," or at least how you wish for it. The glasses are not inherently evil, but uncaring: the fulfill the wishes in any way they deem effective and yes, that can have deadly repercussions.

That said, it's not bad for an afternoon read.
Profile Image for Alan.
1,593 reviews95 followers
March 27, 2024
This mini-series is about two teen boys in the 80s who find an ad in the back of an old comic book for "magic specs." Though he doesn't order them, they show up at Kenny's door late one night. He and friend Ted start making wishes it, and so long as the wishes aren't extravagant, they tend to come true. When their high school bully corners them in the woods, Ted's wish sets in motion a dark path that will forever affect their lives.
While this story had nostalgia and relatable themes, it seemed a bit bare bones from what it could have been. Maybe a longer story would have felt drawn out too much, but as it was, it felt a bit shallow and was more about hidden feelings than the sci-fi/horror aspect that made me notice it in the first place. It was OK but could have had more depth.
Profile Image for Rahul Nadella.
586 reviews7 followers
October 27, 2024
After reading a spate of horror books due to Halloween, I wasn't really looking to take yet another walk on the scary side. Booher, Shehan and company have delivered a miniseries that intrigues, mystifies and carries the strength of the lead characters through that which they think they want. Grounded horror that has a supernatural tinge but otherwise feels realistic is always a fun situation to explore, especially when the world we're brought into feels so lived in and developed. Shehan delivers some great art in the volume. The visuals have a classic style to them and I love how the imagery captures the tone and mood of the plot and its characters. A must-read comic book for any fan of the medium, horror, or just stories about humans and the struggles we face.
Profile Image for Jennifer Zeman.
242 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2022
What if you really wanted your life to change, but couldn't. You think all your problems and worries would just disappear if you could wish them away. Magic glasses show up at your door that are as real as advertised. Again a cautionary tale of why wishes always come with a cost. Two outcasts think the glasses are the answer to their problems, but with one foolish wish they just created a giant one. New twist on a monkey's paw premise with racial and queer under tones. Hopefully next issue we get more background on their families and the fall out from their wish.
Profile Image for Chris Lemmerman.
Author 7 books119 followers
September 8, 2023
I can't even remember why I picked up Specs. Usually when I try something new it's because either the story has a big hook for me, or I really like some of the creative team, but at first glance, I really don't know what it was that drew me to it.

I'm glad it did though, whatever it was, because Specs is a fun, heartfelt little story about growing up, finding your true self, and the power of imagination. Plus there's a potentially magical pair of evil X-Ray specs that keep ruining people's lives, so that's always fun, and it's surprisingly queer too, which is handled with care.
Profile Image for William O’Pomegranate.
226 reviews3 followers
December 22, 2024
It’s a monkey’s paw horror story. The characters are good, the story is good, but the plot is weak. The author clearly wants you to recognize the paw as bad but never demonstrates this. Instead they display a bunch of strawman arguments in the form of carelessly made unbelievably ambiguous wishes that go wrong. It’s the equivalent of having a three-year-old who cut themselves with a kitchen knife and then deciding to legislate a universal ban on knives. Just because other authors have done the work in their stories doesn’t mean you get to be lazy.
Profile Image for Ross.
1,480 reviews
May 29, 2024
Mid 80's teen horror to give you that sense of dread...

Remember those X-ray glasses that would be advertised in the back of comic books? What if they showed up on your doorstep one day with the promise that, 'whatever you wish for will come true'. It's a small town with small town prejudices. Best friends (of differing races) band together and make a wish to save themselves.

...and the horror story begins.
Profile Image for Andy Hickman.
7,316 reviews51 followers
August 12, 2024
Specs, by Booher
Fun story set in 1987 about two young guys who discover a magic item (in this instance, a pair of spectacle glasses, like a genie lamp, or Bilbo's ring, etc of folklore and fantasy). A simple story told well makes it an enjoyable read. ****
#1- "Years later in college, I studied The Monkey's Paw. The story that warned you to be careful what you wish for."
#2- ".. You're under arrest."
#3- "Time strips the flesh off your memories and grinds their bones to dust."
#4- "... you gotta see these cool glasses I found!"
Profile Image for Raul Reyes.
571 reviews5 followers
April 12, 2025
The story was alright. I didn’t like the fact that Ted died, since to me it felt like a sloppy way to justify having the narration boxes. Although, I really like the line that said “I wished Ted would leave Summerton behind. I didn’t realize that I was part of Summerton too”. I also think that the avenue of people not wanting to be forgotten is much more interesting than what the actual book was dealing with, but overall solid book that had ocasional glimpses of greatness.
569 reviews
December 19, 2023
A great self-contained supernatural/horror/fairy-tale story about coming out and racism in small town America. It didn't get as dark as I was expecting, or as it hinted itself, but I think therein lies it's strength.
Strong art throughout and although it has an ending that could be expanded into something akin to The Silver Coin comics I hope they don't.
Profile Image for Bekka.
1,207 reviews34 followers
January 30, 2024
loved the creepy nature of this, but needed to be a bit longer to explore the consequences of the specs, which were heavily implied to be awful, but never fully explored in the four issues we got.
TW for violence, missing children, 80s era racism and homophobia, false arrest, funerals, grief, blood, bullying.
Profile Image for Matthew Ward.
1,043 reviews24 followers
August 19, 2023
3.5 stars. A really cool take on two tropes that I’ve always thought were really interesting: the monkey’s paw and the magical item found in the back of an old comic book. This was a quick one, but I definitely enjoyed the read.
Profile Image for Garth.
1,102 reviews
November 16, 2022
I expected just a little better from a comic with a cover paying homage to They Live. I’m going to hold out hope for something more than wishing someone into the cornfield.
Profile Image for Lizz.
143 reviews9 followers
April 28, 2023
Two stars for story but bumped to 3 cause the art was good
Profile Image for Johnnie.
19 reviews8 followers
January 17, 2024
2.5 stars

Sort of lost its way half way in. Sorta sad. Had potential to go somewhere.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews

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