Ep 9. The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner

In this episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, the Midnight Society gathers around the campfire to share a tale of horror. This time, the storyteller is Ethan, a budding comic book artist who has always idolized his favorite artist, a man named Pickford. When Ethan enters a contest to meet Pickford and have his work evaluated, he must find a way to stand out from all the other entrants.

Ethan's luck seems to run out when he loses his comic book to a bully at school. But his fortunes take a bizarre and terrifying turn when a strange comic book appears on his doorstep, seemingly sent from Pickford himself. The book is called The Ghastly Grinner, and it features a hideous, grinning creature with the power to make people laugh uncontrollably.

As Ethan reads through the comic book, he's amazed to find that the villainous Grinner is somehow able to come to life. But the laughs quickly turn to screams when Ethan realizes that the Grinner isn't content with existing inside the pages of his comic book - it wants to take over the real world.

With the help of his sister, Ethan sets out to stop the Grinner before it's too late. But defeating this monster won't be easy - as more people fall under the Grinner's spell, it becomes stronger and stronger, feeding off their laughter like a vampire feeds off blood. Ethan must use all his wits and bravery to outsmart the Grinner and save his town from descending into madness.

The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner is a spine-tingling episode that's sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. With its creepy comic book theme and unforgettable villain, it's one of the scariest and most unforgettable entries in the Are You Afraid of the Dark? series.