It’s one of our earliest fears, the boogeyman in the closet. This creature goes by many names, but a few things remain the same: he is a shadowy entity who preys on children.

Books:

It by Stephen King has a boogeyman, who can take many forms, including a sinister clown named Pennywise…

The Boogeyman by B.W. Battin is a killer who calls himself “The Boogeyman” and leaves cryptic messages at the crime scenes in purple crayon.

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich was titled The Creeper Man in the UK. There’s a Slender Man figure who seems to be haunting the forest outside the decaying house where two sisters have come to live.

Movies:

The Boogeyman (2005) is about a grown-ass man afraid of the Boogeyman. Granted, he did witness the Boogeyman taking his father when he was a child…

The Babadook (2014) starts out as a sinister children’s story that slowly comes to life, as denying its existence only makes it stronger.

Slender Man (2018) is a modern-day boogeyman. Slender Man only comes when summoned, and mostly torments teenagers.

There are plenty of movies with creatures similar to the boogeyman. Freddy Kreuger, the Candyman, the Mothman – the list goes on and on. Do you have a favorite “boogeyman”?