Aaliyah C's Blog

History of the Infamous Penny Dreadful Origins and content Immersing in the 1830s, the penny dreadful, quickly became infamous. As the population's literacy grew, so did the rise of these books. Being cheaply made on flimsy paper, penny dreads were easily disposable and accessible to the masses. (Anderson) Seeing as these booklets were only a penny a piece, as little as a twelfth of the price of an installment of Charles Dickens. (Anderson)           The first ever penny dreadful was published in in 1836, L ives of the Most Notorious Highwaymen, Footpads, & c . It contained over 60 issues and packed with illustrations. (Mystery Tribune) Penny dreadfuls featured the works of writers for, both the suited States and England, being inspired by authors like Edgar Allen Poe, Brahm Stoker, and Conan Doyle. Surprisingly, Louisa May Alcott also contributed to the genre! Her short story was titled "Lost in a Pyramid; or the Mummy's Curse" , featuring a cursed flo...