Well, it’s Halloween, and the closing date for my Edgar and Allan Poe Trick or Treat competition.
To recap on the task:
In the book the Poe twins, Edgar and Allan, play a spectacular Halloween prank on the local bullies, turning their home into a haunted house and inviting the bullies round for a terrifying party.
Your task is to create and draw your very own Halloween trick or trap – it can be as crazy, complicated or simple as you like, but it has to get me cackling evilly.
I’ve had some brilliant entries sent in, outlining some truly fiendish Halloween traps, and there has been much evil cackling. Thank you also to everyone who sent in a letter with their trap, it’s always nice to get a letter. Choosing the winners has been really difficult but after much sifting I am pleased to showcase 6 entries that particularly stood out (and on the basis of the terrifying imaginations at work here I have decided not to set foot outside for any trick or treating of my own tonight). Click on the images to enlarge.
1. Liam

Liam has booby-trapped his entire house with a range of traps, from the state-of-the art (lasers at the windows) to the tried and tested (a lit fire in the grate to catch anyone coming down the chimney). Nice work Liam!

2. Catherine

Catherine’s trap involves a trapdoor and a sticky gloopy mixture. I liked the recipe she included for how to make the goo, and the extra details like the Pumpkin moon. Nice touch!

3. Natalia

Natalia’s trap came on a huge unfolding poster and I loved that sense of scale, not to mention the escalation of chaos that followed anyone caught up in the mischief: ghosts, shark’s skin and vampire teeth – truly the stuff of nightmares.

4. Max

Max made a strong case in his letter for why he should win, and he also gave my artwork a generous score out of 10 – a sure-fire way to gain favour. The sheer ingenuity and complexity of his trap appealed no end, I could almost see it unfolding before me.

5. Simon

Simon also had some encouraging words for me and my artistic aspirations… His trap features gloop, ghosts and tripwires – a deadly combination. And I loved that Edgar and Allan themselves are there in the middle, overseeing the fun. Thanks Simon!

6. Monica

The effort that Monica has put into her trap is plain to see, as the letter she wrote highlighted. I thought the 3D collage elements were great and I certainly wouldn’t want to get caught at the wrong end of that giant boot…

Very very well done guys, signed copies of The Tell-Tale Start are on their way to each of you, along with my hearty congratulations and cautious respect – we clearly have some fiendish geniuses in the making out there.
Happy Halloween!