Although the modern lore of Jack the Reaper began in the 1980s, his story dates back centuries with dreaded warnings scratched in the dark corners of rooms claimed to be haunted, in the ramblings of men certain they’d seen death itself. Some claim he’s the devil's right hand, some a relic of the damned, some the thing underneath your bed, and others worship him as the embodiment of all things Halloween. There are claims that he bested the king of demons in a game of chance to harness his power and now Jack can see every soul's worst fear with his glowing red eye. However, one thing we know is true if the sky begins to glow orange, the sound of bats swirls about your ears and you hear Jack’s voice - you best have your affairs in order because you won’t be long for this world or the next! 

Years ago, three boys — Ethan, Caleb, and Noah — disappeared the same night a traveling carnival shut down without warning. When the fairgrounds were searched at dawn, a small striped swing ride still stood in the center of the empty lot, its canopy slowly turning in the cold morning air. Beneath it, the boys were found seated on the hanging swings, perfectly still, their hands folded neatly in their laps and their smiles stretched unnaturally wide. Their eyes were open… glossy… unblinking. There was no power running to the ride, yet it creaked as if something invisible kept it moving. The carnival was never seen again, but the ride remained. Now, when the Clown Go Round is activated, tinny music crackles through the air and the suspended figures begin their slow, endless spin — and if you look closely, one of the clowns always seems to turn toward you… as though waiting for another boy to take a seat.

Barnaby never fit in with the other cubs. They were terrified by his wicked attitude and glowing eyes that looked like fresh blood. His mother decided her cubs would be safer without him, so she banished him from the den. Barnaby found a more suitable shelter behind a campground dumpster. He watched humans from afar and found entertainment in mimicking their two-legged movements. One day, a traveling carnival Ringmaster caught him balancing on a dumpster lid and snatched him up. He taught Barnaby all sorts of death-defying stunts to captivate a crowd. Unfortunately, after the curtain closes, Barnaby performs his favorite trick of rolling his ball over unsuspecting stragglers to hear them scream! 

The day his mother left him wrapped in a blanket under the big top's entrance was the best and worst day of Carnival Creeper’s short life. He was saved by a Ringmaster that almost tossed him away until he tried to bite his finger off. The little act of violence made the Ringmaster realize he'd fit right in. When he got bigger, he began contorting his limbs into wicked shapes and crawling sideways across the ceiling – his daring creepy moves were so odd they became the inspiration for his name. Every night while the circus plays on, Carnival Creeper slips under the seats and uses his special gifts to take care of anyone who doesn't enjoy the show. 

Halfway Harry was once nothing more than a friendly skeleton. He wandered among humans without fear, always willing to lend a helping hand, share a laugh, or guide someone who had lost their way. Harry never wanted to hurt anyone. In fact, he believed humans and monsters could live together peacefully. But one night, a group of humans decided they didn't want him around. They threw a burlap sack over his head, beat him, and left him hanging helplessly above a wooden chair, his legs separated from the rest of his body forever. Harry survived, but something inside him changed. The kindness he once had was replaced with hatred. Now he despises humans and the thought of sharing a universe with them. All he wants is to get back into his legs—and when he does, the people who took them from him will finally learn what happens when you push a friendly skeleton too far.