Ah, sweet Alice. The original shock rocker has returned to the world of graphic novels. After last year’s Neil Gaiman-written The Last Temptation, Cooper’s homecoming is underpinned by one of his most famous album titles, the eponymous Welcome to My Nightmare.

Here Cooper, the self-proclaimed Lord of Nightmares, finds that he is tied into a seemingly unbreakable contract with Lucius Black, only for a relative of his nefarious agent to give a copy of an old Cooper LP to young Robbie. Although Robbie and his sister Emma are set upon by a bully named Bart and the LP snapped in half, the kids still manage to listen to it on a record player. By the record playing backwards, it pulls Alice out of the Nightmare Place and into the real world. Robbie realises that he can get Alice to do his bidding and decides to get his own back on Bart.

Of course it doesn’t go to plan, and Bart, Robbie and Alice end up back in the Nightmare Place, with Robbie taking the role of a supposedly younger Lord of Nightmares. Andronicus Black, Lucius’ brother, is trying to stir things just right so that he can take over the contract for our anti-hero.

Alice realises that he’s left Robbie and Emma in danger within the clutches of Clan Black, and so, teaming up with Bart of all people, he goes to rescue the kid.

It all comes down to a rock show, which it was always going to do, and Alice invites Clan Black to be amongst his audience. Lucius has grown tired of being undermined by his brother and sister, Ambrosia White, and so gives Alice some juicy information – what Andronicus and Ambrosia are scared of. With this data, Alice is able to destroy them and win his freedom, although he has to survive one last trial of self-doubt.

Included with this collection is the original 1979 Marvel Comics issue of From the Inside, based on the album of the same name. It’s a real chalk and cheese presentation when you compare the styles of the modern and more vintage art on show here.

Although you could argue that there is nothing of real substance in this release, it’s still fun to read. As a character, Alice Cooper is a bit dangerous, always willing to take things one step too far but not without a tongue pressed firmly within cheek.

If you like your horror comics fun then there’s plenty to enjoy here.

ALICE COOPER: WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE / WRITER: JOE HARRIS, BRANDON JERWA / ARTIST: EMAN CASALLOS, NACHO TENORIO / PUBLISHER: DYNAMITE / RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 3RD