Adam Blatner

There is indeed a species of not-too-scarey monsters called “m’nonsters” and this is one of them. They like to play boo, and scare, but don’t really want to scare-scare, just play-scare. They love all the Halloween spooky stuff that’s been coming out. They love the Pixar-Disney 2003 movie, Monsters, Inc., and want more play adventure. They say that the playwrights are right, that laughter generates far more psychic energy than fear-screams. There is a fear-delight scream that is particularly appealing that happens not only at Halloween, but in all games of tag. (Psychologically, kids like mastering their fear by subtle de-conditioning, not-too-scarey but just scarey enough in various amusement park rides, roller coasters, haunted houses, etc. They also enjoy being the one who scares or grosses out—little boys are more prone to grossing out, but I suspect the gender imbalance will be lessened over the years.

This is Nyaghrorwr—which is also the sound he makes, sort of a gnash-teeth-roar. The proper response is “eek!” His form is a bit ambiguous, but then again he is more of a spook than a fully materialized creature. Spooks travel transdimensionally, so they can slip into closets or under beds without having to ring the doorbell or otherwise move through ordinary spacetime like poor 3-D critters such as hooman beans. Do you have anyone Nyaghrorwr can play with?