Monsterkind

Best-selling author Roscoe LeBeoux is a destroyed man. The death of his 8-year-old son has
left him an empty shell, a recluse with a strained marriage.

His Monster City novels have turned darker. His monster-hunting protagonist, Johnny Atlas,
fails for the first time to save an innocent citizen, Florence Crumsey, from the razor-sharp fangs
of a blood-sucking drac.

Florence’s distraught husband, Max Crumsey, escapes from the pages of Roscoe’s novel, to
seek revenge in the real world. He confronts Roscoe at a book signing, then later attacks him in
his home, kidnaps Roscoe’s wife, Janie, and drags her back into the world of Monster City.

Roscoe tracks them to a boarded up subway station, and with the help of a magical subway
token, finds his own way to the dangerous back alleyways of Monster City. He’s immediately
attacked by rock trolls, but saved at the last second by Johnny Atlas and his young sidekick
“The Kid”. Roscoe is shocked to learn that he subconsciously based The Kid’s appearance on
his own dead son, Alex.

Roscoe doesn’t reveal to them his true identity as the creator of Monster City, but manages to
convince Johnny and The Kid to help him rescue Janie and stop Max Crumsey.

Meanwhile, Max is using information gleaned from a copy of one of Roscoe’s novels, obtained
during his brief time in the real world, to manipulate all the monsters of Monster City: Dracs,
Rock Trolls, Big-Bads, Grabbies, Zombies and Zwambas, into following him, and helping him
defeat Roscoe and Johnny.

We learn of Johnny Atlas’s tragic secret origin. How he saved a baby Deathbringer from
drowning, an event that led to the untimely death of Johnny’s father at the hands of the
creature’s mother. At that moment, Johnny’s seething hatred of all monsters was born.

After meeting with Monster City’s zombie crime boss, Max discovers a reanimated Florence
attacking a homeless man in a dark alley. Their reunion is joyous, but she’s clearly having
trouble adjusting to her new role as a Drac. Victims are abundant, but it seems finding a vain
can be a challenge.

Roscoe, Johnny, and The Kid manage to defeat Max’s army of monsters. Desperate for a new
plan of attack, Max explores the swamp outside the city to find the only monster that’s
guaranteed to strike mortal fear into Johnny’s heart: a Deathbringer.

In an epic battle, our trio defeat the Deathbringer, but at the cost of Johnny’s life. Roscoe and
The Kid, distraught, muster up the courage to confront Max and his army one last time. During
the battle, the zombie crime boss realizes how Max has manipulated the monsters into doing
his bidding, and sends his men to gun Max down in the street. Near death, and seeing no other
option, Florence bites deep into Max’s neck.

Roscoe and Janie are reunited, and in The Kid she sees her son’s face for the first time since
that terrible night years ago. They drive to the subway station to return to the real world, but
are confronted by a monster army ten times larger than before. All seems lost, until Johnny
Atlas appears, reanimated by Monster City’s own version of Dr. Frankenstein. Johnny holds
back the teeming hordes as Roscoe, Janie, and The Kid escape into the train station.

But The Kid can’t leave. As the battle rages above, he knows he belongs at Johnny’s side.
Finally accepting the death of his own son, Roscoe tearfully hugs The Kid goodbye. Taking
Janie’s hand, the couple board the train for the journey home.

A week later, Florence dutifully waits at Max’s graveside and witnesses his reanimation as a
Drac. After knocking fangs, they fly off together, happily ever after.

On a wintry Manhattan street corner, Roscoe and Janie, arm in arm, pass a trio of Christmas
carolers. He glances up at the skyscraper towering above them, half expecting to see an army
of Dracs swan diving towards them, but Janie gently takes his face in her hands, and kisses
him back to reality, and their very own happily ever after.