In October 2005, Slave Labor Graphics released a new bimonthly comic book series based on the classic Disneyland attraction, The Haunted Mansion. Each issue has roughly four or five separate stories, as well as a piece of the overarching story "Mystery of the Manse", which recounts the life of Master Gracey. Each issue, except for #3, features a cover by Roman Dirge.
A second, unrelated miniseries by Marvel Comics created for their "Disney Kingdoms" imprint, was released in March 2016.
October 2005 Issue #1
"Room for a Thousand" written and illustrated by Eric Jones. This follows one new ghost as he enters the mansion, is frightened by the guests such as Madame Leota, the Hatbox Ghost, and the Bride, at first, but eventually joins them, when he learns he can scare humans like his ghostly counterparts.
"Blueprint for Murder" written and illustrated by Jon Hastings. This is the story of how Master Gracey's first two guests, architects Mr. Davis and Mr. Coats (a reference to original Haunted Mansion designers Marc Davis and Claude Coats), were hired to build the house. But Master Gracey favored Mr. Davis' work more than Mr. Coats' work, causing Mr. Coats to lead Mr. Davis astray in the mansion then trapping him tightly in a casket. But Mr. Davis who was the only one who knew how to navigate the mansion caused Mr. Coats to get lost for eternity within the gloomy darkness of Gracey Manor. In the end Mr. Davis became the ghost trying to break out of the coffin in the conservatory and causing Mr. Coats to become the invisible ghost that carries a candelabra.
"While the Fifi is Away" written and illustrated by Roman Dirge. This is a brief story of the ghost pets from the mansion's pet cemetery. Fifi, a poodle belonging to the bride, wishes to be reunited with her master. A ghost cat tries to help Fifi get over it, but realizes he still has one life left. Fifi steals this life and intends to go into the house, but is killed by the bride's falling ring before opening the door.
"The New Groundskeeper" written and illustrated by D.W. Frydendall. The man who currently owns the Gracey Mansion fires groundskeeper Horace Fusslebottom, and makes his own nephew the new groundskeeper. The nephew only wants to find the treasure rumored to be hidden inside, but is scared off by the mansion's undead occupants, who wonder where old Horace is.
"Mystery of the Manse, Pt 1" written by Dan Vado and illustrated by Mike Moss and Brian Belew. This is the first part of the life of Master Gracey. As a first mate on the trade ship Pomona, William Gracey discovers that Captain Pace is secretly a gun-runner. Angered by the captain not telling the crew about this dangerous cargo, he confronts the captain during a storm, but to no avail. A lightning bolt sends the mast down on the captain, and William Gracey proceeds to behead him. From that day on, he was known to the crew as Captain Blood, the pirate.
January 2006 Issue #2
"The Groundskeeper's Secret" written and illustrated by Christopher. In this tale, the singing busts recount the reasons for Horace Fusslebottom continuing his job as groundskeeper, despite being a coward. His wife is in fact buried in the cemetery, and he spends his dinner break with her ghost. The story is written to the tune of Grim Grinning Ghosts.
"Lenore Meets the Haunted Mansion" written and illustrated by Roman Dirge. Lenore, whose house is next to the Gracey Mansion, is awakened in the middle of the night by the partying going on next door. She heads over to the mansion, only to throw the entire order of things out of whack. After complaining to the organist, she begins to play the organ...for 999 hours.
"The Woman in Black" written by Serena Valentino and illustrated by FSc. This story tells of May, a woman in black said to be sitting on the grave of her dearly departed son. An old man met her ghost as a small boy, telling how she came to enter the mansion. The boy had gotten lost in the swamps, knowing the stories of a woman who would steal children. After meeting her, he ran into the mansion and met a ghost boy named Victor. Madame Leota tells the boy to face his fears, and he leaves, only to meet the woman again. It turns out she is Victor's mother and has been looking for her son. The boy helps the lady to the mansion, and continues to take ghosts there to this day.
"The Big Nap" written by Jon Hastings and illustrated by Jon Morris. This story recounts how Gus, the Lovable Cuss, or better known as the shortest of the hitch-hiking ghosts, went from being a poor shepherd wanting to take a nap, to an accidental prisoner that escaped during a pirate raid, to becoming a ghost, and finally a resident of the mansion who still can't get a quiet nap in, and decides to hitch-hike a ride elsewhere.
"The Mystery of the Manse pt 2" written by Dan Vado and illustrated by David Hedgecook. In the second part of the story of Master Gracey's life, we discover that Master Gracey, now known as Captain Blood, has followed in the footsteps of his former captain by becoming a gun-runner. However, he became too good and resorted to plundering villages. After Port Royal was destroyed, he decided to quit being a pirate, and became William Gracey again. But not before betraying his crew and leaving them to be executed by the authorities. This story deliberately ties the Haunted Mansion to another classic Disneyland attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean.
May 2006 Issue #3
"Night of the Caretaker's Dog" is written by Chris Reilly and Steve Ahlquist, with art by Crab Scrambly (in a style similar to that of Tim Burton). In it, Horace's dog digs up the legs of the ghost 'Topper McGurk who fell in a mixer at work', who discovers that the dog also took the arm of 'Ethyl White impaled on a kite'. He goes to complain to Horace only to find he's wearing earplugs to sleep. Topper and Ethyl soon discover that the dog is in fact taking care of his puppies, who sleeps on the grave of their mother.
"The Mummy's Curse" is written and illustrated by Christopher. In it, the mummy recounts to his hard-of-hearing friends how he came to be here. He tried to steal an artifact from the temple of Anubis, and was given the curse of 1000 curses, ranging from the seven year itchy scratchies, the curse of the stinky cheese feet, and the curse of the amorous camels. The only way to remove these curses was to pass them on to other people. He did so, and feels he may have been responsible for the problems of the Gracey family. His deaf friend's only reply is "What, a sale on purses at Macy's?"
"The Peppermint Girl" is written by John Habermas and drawn by D. W. Frydendall. In it, a pair of boys named Hawley and Winslow fall for a lonely ghost girl named Mirabelle who smells of peppermint. They offer to dance with her, but since she is doomed to be alone at the dance, they can't. Then they argue over who's going to kill him and dance with her. They thwart each other's plans, and Mirabelle wishes they would realize they're already dead from eating poisoned peppermints.
"Mystery of the Manse pt. 3" written by Dan Vado and drawn by Mike Moss. In this third installment, William Gracey tells how he met a hook-handed lawyer named Brian Belew in New Orleans, who is a confidant of New Orleans' famous pirate defender Jean Laffite. After telling Belew he wants a house, Belew takes him to a mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans that is said to be cursed. Even the designers are said to have disappeared after its completion. Not believing this, Master Gracey walks into the house and eventually realizes the house is in fact haunted. Upon this epiphany, all he can do is laugh and realize he has found the perfect home. This tale slightly contradicts the tale of "Blueprint for Murder," since here Master Gracey doesn't ask for the house to be built and doesn't set the designers against each other. In fact, the house is already occupied by a number of ghouls before Master Gracey buys it.
August 2006 Issue #4
"The Interview" is written by Dan Vado and drawn by Drew Rausch. In this story, a young woman named Sarah arrives late for an interview for a maid position at the Gracey Mansion. There she meets a maid, who informs her of the house's primary residents, as well as saying she is the only person in the house not a ghost. She introduces Sarah to Madame Leota, who informs Sarah that she ran her car off the road on the way there and is now a ghost. However, Sarah is saved by an emergency crew and is rushed off to the hospital, leaving the mansion short a new housekeeper.
"Big Game" is written and drawn by Aaron A. and tells the story of adventurer Lord Dunswallop through the eyes of his biographer Perkins. Lord Dunswallop has hunted and killed every known foul monster and animal with his bare hands, save one: a ghost. So he enters Gracey Manor hoping to catch one of the barrel fisted "Gracey Ghasts," for his trophy collection. When Perkins asks him how he intends to do it, since ghosts are incorporeal, Lord Dunswallop reveals that he has taken some poison and intends to return to his body later. After leaving his body and entering the grand hall, he is greeted by the ghosts with glee for they now have ghost #992, leaving Perkins unemployed and dragging Dunswallop's massive body outside.
"Night of the Ghost Fleas" is written and drawn by Roman Dirge. This continues the story of Fifi, the ghost dog, and his troubles. He is being plagued by ghost fleas and in a state of panic, runs into the hearse and bumps his head, not understanding this, he then proceeds to wail about his problems until Freddie the ghost bat points out a ghost flea circus on top of the hearse. Fifi then proceeds to destroy the circus, not realizing they have quickly set up shop--on top of his head.
"Mystery of the Manse pt. 4" is written by Dan Vado and drawn by Mike Moss. In this, our ghost host Master Gracey recounts how he met Emily De Claire, with whom he instantly fell in love. They planned to marry, but William couldn't think of letting her live in a haunted house. Desperate, he calls on Madame Leota, who promises to relieve him of his troubles and "make me happier than I had ever been." Spurning her advances, he demands she complete her task and leave. That night, during a storm, Madame Leota discovers the ghosts are the crew of the Pomona, whom Master Gracey had betrayed. She decided to make his home even more appealing to other ghosts instead of ridding it of the current ones. After this, Master Gracey prepares for the wedding, not knowing that in the attic, his former captain is preparing to become the infamous Hatbox Ghost.
November 2006 Issue #5
"A Dynamite Party" is written and drawn by Devon Devereaux. In this, a man named Steve is invited to the Gracey Mansion and goes (despite his wife's nagging) without pants. Upon entering, his glasses are stolen in secret by a ghost, leaving him blind as a bat. Not realizing the house is haunted or where he's going, he finds himself standing on top of a barrel of dynamite, thinking it's smoked pickled pigs' feet, thus becoming one of the 4 stretching portrait ghosts.
"Blue Loup Garou" is written and drawn by Ben Towle. Here, the Mansion's lone werewolf Bisclavret, or Biscuit, is howling at the moon once again. When asked why, he tells how he and his fellow Loup Garou worked for their demonic vampire-like soul gambler of a master, and did the work of greedy men who bargained their souls for lives of leisure. As Biscuit's master left Biscuit to go make a meal, the evil man claimed his next soul, turning a man who sold his soul, into a werewolf slave. At this time Biscuit made a run for it and hid at the mansion for the night. The next day instead of going to be a human again, he found that he would be trapped at the mansion forever as a wolf, as a punishment for running away. He doesn't mind except he can't get a decent bite to eat. Even the fish are ghosts!
"The Follow-Up Interview" is written by Dan Vado and drawn by Drew Rausch. This short piece is a continuation of last issues "The Interview". Sarah tries to convince her boyfriend Steve that she's not crazy when she talks about ghosts. Now she longs to return to the afterlife she was pulled from.
"Pickwick Capers" is written and drawn by Jon "Bean" Hastings. Here we learn that Pickwick, seen hanging from the chandelier in the ballroom, was in fact scared of heights in his mortal life. He became something of a mole burglar, until he comes to America, upon hearing of Gracey Manor's pirate treasure, he decides to sneak in through the last resting place of "M. T. Tomb". However, he is done in by the madness of the stretching room, only to find he has lost his fear of heights.
"Mystery of the Manse Pt. 5" is written by Dan Vado, drawn by Mike Moss, with lettering assistance by Eleanor Lawson. On the eve of Master Gracey's wedding, his bride to be goes in search of "something old" in the attic. She finds the Hatbox Ghost, Gracey's former Captain Pace whom Madame Leota summoned, who reveals that her beloved husband to be was a murderer. Master Gracey rushes up to the attic to find his new bride newly deceased, either from fright or a broken heart. The Hatbox Ghost reveals that Madame Leota is responsible for his new life going awry, and leaves him with the ghosts of his crew whom he sent to their deaths. Master Gracey murders her in a fit of rage. With his new life in shambles, Gracey hangs himself from the ceiling, hoping to end his misery. As always at Gracey Manor, all is not what it seems.
May 2007 #6
"Doom of the Diva" is written and drawn by Alice Price and Andy Price. It tells the story of Baronessa Elda, a famous opera singer who was eventually fired for her ego. She received an invitation to sing at Gracey Manor, which she graciously accepts. However, once she figures out her audience is made up entirely of ghosts, she runs out frightened and falls over a landing, her braid acting as a noose. Now she lives among them as the Viking Ghost, leading them all in song. This story is unique in referencing both the new black widow bride and the Haunted Mansion Holiday.
"Mystery of the Manse Pt. 6" is written by Dan Vado, drawn by Mike Moss, with lettering by David Hedgecock. In the final chapter, Master Gracey explains how since Leota was killed so quick mid-trance, her soul never realized she was dead. And now ghosts from all over the world heard her cries and came to Gracey Manor. The only living thing in the house was the maid Michelle, who decided to keep her master's treasure safe and continue playing maid. She even hired numerous other girls, one of whom inherits the house and fortune when Michelle dies to join the party. Master Gracey eventually learned how to leave his body so he could keep watch over the house. However, no one, not even the ghosts, dare to go to the attic where Emily lies.
"The Final Interview" is written by Dan Vado and illustrated by Drew Rausch. In the last chapter of the potential maid Sarah, her boyfriend Steve arrives at the mansion planning to stop her from killing herself. She arrives after him, and runs into Dick the groundskeeper (named Horace in previous stories) and his dog, Boney. He tells her that the party is not as fun as she expects, and that she must have something to live for. Meanwhile, Steve sees her outside and tries to reach her, only to be literally scared to death, making him spirit #1000. Upon this turn of events, the devil clock strikes 13 and the entire house and grounds are swallowed into a void, leaving only Sarah, the maid, Dick, and Boney. Dick's last line is "Well...I didn't see that coming," creating stares from the survivors.
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The Haunted Mansion is a 2003 American supernatural horror comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff and written by David Berenbaum, based on Walt Disney's theme park attraction of the same name. The film stars Eddie Murphy as a realtor who, along with his family, becomes trapped in a haunted mansion. Terence Stamp, Wallace Shawn, Marsha Thomason, and Jennifer Tilly appear in supporting roles.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 American comedy horror film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, the town dunce and a newspaper typesetter who spends a night in a haunted house, which is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas. Don Knotts' first major project after leaving The Andy Griffith Show, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken uses a similar small town setting and involved a number of alumni from the sitcom, including director Alan Rafkin and writers Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum. It was a box office success, paving the way for a string of other Knotts-fronted comedy films. The working title was Running Scared. The title is presumably a humorous variation of the film The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947).
Eleanor Audley was an American actress with a distinctive voice and a diverse body of work. She played Oliver Douglas's mother, Eunice Douglas, on the CBS sitcom Green Acres (1965–1969), and provided Disney animated features with the voices of the two iconic villains: Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950), and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). She had roles in live-action films, but was most active in radio programs such as My Favorite Husband as Liz Cooper's mother-in-law, Mrs. Cooper, and Father Knows Best as the Anderson family's neighbor, Mrs. Smith. Audley's television appearances include those in I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mister Ed, Hazel, The Beverly Hillbillies, Pistols 'n' Petticoats, and My Three Sons.
Phantom Manor is a dark ride attraction in Frontierland at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris. Phantom Manor is the park's version of The Haunted Mansion attractions at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris, although it is designed to be darker in tone compared to other Haunted Mansion rides. It opened with Euro Disneyland on April 12, 1992.
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"Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song)" is the theme song for The Haunted Mansion franchise and its attractions at Disney theme parks. It was composed by Buddy Baker, with lyrics written by X Atencio. Its melody has been adapted for numerous uses since its composition in the late 1960s.
Haunted Mansion Holiday is a seasonal overlay of The Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland that blends the settings and characters of the original Haunted Mansion with those of the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Taking inspiration from "The Night Before Christmas", the attraction retells the story of Jack Skellington visiting the Haunted Mansion on Christmas Eve, leaving holiday chaos in his wake.
Jason Surrell is a former show writer and producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, the division of The Walt Disney Company that designs and builds for Disney's theme parks and resort hotels. Surrell also is a show director for Walt Disney Entertainment. In June 2014, Surrell left Walt Disney Imagineering and is now with Universal Creative.
Banchō Sarayashiki is a Japanese ghost story (kaidan) of broken trust and broken promises, leading to a dismal fate. Alternatively referred to as the sarayashiki tradition, all versions of the tale revolve around a servant, who dies unjustly and returns to haunt the living. Some versions take place in Harima Province or Banshū (播州), others in the Banchō (番町) area in Edo.
The Haunted Mansion is an action-adventure video game released in 2003 from North America and 2004 in Europe and Japan by High Voltage Software. The game is based on the Disney ride of the same name, rather than the eponymous film, which was released shortly after the game. However, some elements and set designs from the film are incorporated into the game.
The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion is the eighteenth volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series published by Grosset & Dunlap, and was first published in 1941. The original text was written by ghostwriter Mildred Wirt Benson, based upon a plot outline from Stratemeyer Syndicate co-owner Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. The book's title was changed to Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion when it was revised in 1971, because the story is completely different and not much of the investigation takes place at the title location. In the original, many plots and much investigation all tie back to the same house deep in the forest, while Nancy helps her father locate an heiress, expose an impostor, investigate a murder, and look into strange screams at the mansion; none of the action in the original story took place in River Heights.
Susanne Blakeslee is an American actress. Her notable roles include the voices of Wanda, Anti-Wanda, and Mrs. Turner on The Fairly OddParents; and as the voices of Cruella de Vil, Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine and Maleficent for various Disney media.
HalloWishes was a fireworks show that took place during "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party" at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park from 2005 to 2018. It was loosely based on the popular Haunted Mansion attraction and includes vocal appearances by Disney Villains. It was replaced by Disney's Not So Spooky Spectacular!.
The Hatbox Ghost is an animatronic character that appeared originally in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland but was removed shortly after the attraction's debut in 1969. Located formerly in the ride's attic scene, the figure is described as "an elderly [male] ghost in a cloak and top hat, leaning on a cane with a wavering hand and clutching a hatbox in the other." After 45 years of absence, the character was returned to the attraction in 2015.
Sapphire Battersea is the 2011 sequel to Hetty Feather, written by English author Jacqueline Wilson. It is the second installment in the Hetty Feather Trilogy. The story continues where Hetty Feather left off. Hetty, now 14 years old, is discharged from the Foundling Hospital and begins life as a scullery maid.
Granby Manor is a privately owned haunted house in Yorktown, Virginia. The walk-through attraction places its guests in an 1800s haunted manor, haunted by the Granby Family. The concept for the haunted house is loosely based on Disney's Haunted Mansion.
Leota "Lee" Toombs Thomas was an American artist and Imagineer at WED Enterprises, who worked on several original attractions at Disneyland Park. She had an extensive career at The Walt Disney Company, beginning in the company's Ink and Paint department in 1940 and later transferring to the Animation Department, where she met her first husband, lead animator Harvey Toombs. Toombs is best known for serving as the model for the character Madame Leota in the Haunted Mansion attraction. She was officially named a Disney Legend for her contributions in the categories of Attractions and Imagineering in 2009.
Haunted Mansion is a 2023 American supernatural horror comedy film directed by Justin Simien from a screenplay by Katie Dippold. It stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Rideback, it is the second theatrical film adaptation of Walt Disney's theme park attraction The Haunted Mansion, following the 2003 film of the same name. In the film, Gabbie (Dawson) and Travis enlist the aid of a team to help exorcise the ghosts around them.
Muppets Haunted Mansion is a 2021 American comedy Halloween special based on the Disney properties The Muppets and The Haunted Mansion. It was released on October 8, 2021, via Disney+. It is the Muppets' first Halloween special. The plot stars Gonzo and Pepe as they face the challenge of staying in a haunted mansion for one night. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
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