Join us on an epic journey to Hawkins, Indiana, to explore the roots of Netflix's smash hit show and to celebrate its monster success. Taking the world by storm when it first dropped in 2016, Stranger Things combined all the best bits of sci-fi, horror and ’80s nostalgia to create a world that had viewers gripped from the very start. In this bookazine, we revisit Netflix’s smash-hit show and celebrate its monster success. You’ll find profiles of the series’ much-loved – and some less so – characters, meet the horrifying creatures of the Upside Down and discover in-depth, episode-by-episode breakdowns of the four seasons so far. This edition has been updated for 2025, now including The First Shadow stage show, plus a look ahead to the fifth and final season of this phenomenal series.
Welcome to the Upside Down
The Ultimate Guide to Stranger Things
Eerie Indiana • HOW A PAIR OF BROTHERS BLENDED SECRET CIA EXPERIMENTS, A CAST OF RELATIVE UNKNOWNS AND A LOVE OF ’80S MOVIES TO MAKE A SMASH-HIT TV SHOW
The Characters
Eleven • THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL AT THE SHOW’S CENTRE, ELEVEN HAS BEEN THROUGH MORE IN HER SHORT TIME THAN MOST GO THROUGH IN A LIFETIME
Mike Wheeler • LIVING PROOF THAT AN IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAN SAVE LIVES
Dustin Henderson • THE BEATING HEART OF THE GROUP IS UTTERLY LOVEABLE IN EVERY WAY
Lucas Sinclair • AS THE DUNGEON AND WEAPONS MASTER, LUCAS IS THE LEVEL-HEADED TACTICIAN OF THE GROUP
Will Byers • THIS POOR BOY HAS ENDURED MORE THAN PEOPLE TRIPLE HIS AGE, BUT HIS ROCK‑SOLID RESOLVE NEVER WAVERS
Joyce Byers • MEET THE MOTHER WHO WOULDN’T GIVE UP ON HER CHILD
Jim Hopper • IRRESPONSIBLE? MAYBE. VIOLENT? POSSIBLY. HEROIC? CERTAINLY. POLICE CHIEF JIM HOPPER IS ABSOLUTELY HAWKINS’ NUMBER-ONE LAWMAN
Steve Harrington • FROM HIGH SCHOOL ZERO TO BRAVE-HEARTED HERO, STEVE’S STORY IS ONE FOR HAWKINS HISTORIANS
Nancy Wheeler • WHETHER SHE’S ARMED WITH A BASEBALL BAT, FIREWORKS OR A TAPE RECORDER, YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO BET AGAINST NANCY WHEELER
Max Mayfield • A VIDEOGAME VIRTUOSO, STAR SKATER AND FIERCE FRIEND, MAX WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK
Karen Wheeler • THE WHEELER FAMILY MATRIARCH BALANCES HER CHALLENGING FAMILY WITH HER YEARNING FOR SOME EXCITEMENT IN HER OWN LIFE
Jonathan Byers • “DO YOU WANNA BE NORMAL? DO YOU WANNA BE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE? BEING A FREAK IS THE BEST. I’M A FREAK!”
Dr Martin Brenner • PAPA’S RUTHLESSLY AMBITIOUS APPROACH TO SCIENCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CHAOS INFLICTED UPON HAWKINS
Bob Newby • HIS STAY ON THE SHOW WAS SHORT-LIVED, BUT NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET BOB NEWBY SUPERHERO
Billy Hargrove • THE GANG’S FORMER TORMENTOR BECOMES SEASON 3’S MAIN ANTAGONIST, ONLY TO TRAGICALLY REDEEM HIMSELF
Murray Bauman • STRANGER THINGS’ UNOFFICIAL LOVE DOCTOR IS ALSO THE SHOW’S UNSPOKEN HERO
Dr Sam Owens • WHEN IT’S GAME OVER FOR DR BRENNER, UP STEPS DR OWENS
Robin Buckley • THE SCOOPS AHOY EMPLOYEE COVERS HER TRUE FEELINGS WITH A VENEER OF SARCASM
Erica Sinclair • THERE’S MORE TO HER THAN JUST ANNOYING HER OLDER BROTHER
Eddie Munson • THE MISUNDERSTOOD METALHEAD TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE WHO GOT TO KNOW HIM
Henry Creel • BEFORE HE EVOLVED INTO VECNA, HENRY CREEL’S FACADE OF INNOCENCE FOOLED EVERYONE… UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE
Argyle • JONATHAN’S STONER BUDDY PROVIDES THE TRANSPORT – AND THE SUBSTANCE(S) – IN THE FOURTH SEASON
Creatures of the Upside Down • THIS WORLD IS HOME TO SOME DANGEROUS RESIDENTS. YOU BETTER HOPE YOU DON’T MEET THESE CREEPY CREATURES ON A DARK NIGHT
The Seasons
Season One • MEET THE CAST – AND CREATURE! – THAT STARTED IT ALL. DO YOU DARE ENTER THE UPSIDE...