Rare that I'll buy a book before I have finished reading about it, but after seeing the first two illustrations I was on AbeBooks quick as you could blink. I blame you entirely. Great article!
Love this beautiful exploration of a unique artist. Another knock-out article, Dr. King! The style and atmosphere of Gorey (nominative determinism in action, perhaps!?) reminds me of Junji Ito's work. But if we want to talk about the scariest picture book ever, we need look no further than "Mr. Wrong" by Robert Hargreaves. No more sinister or terrifying tome exists.
Thanks so much Joseph! And two such excellent suggestions, I’ve only recently got into Junji Ito and he’s one of my new favourites. The one with the window absolutely chills me… It’s funny you mention Mr Wrong, I didn’t have that one growing up but I remember finding Little Miss Curious really creepy.
I wrote a novel about 3 years ago, Guilt Edged, which starts with a man fearful of something unseen and unknown beyond a slightly open door into the next room. Unsettling.
It’s available from Amazon as a paperback or Kindle book. I’ve published 3 books in the series: Guilt Edged, Perpetual Locomotion and Royal Blackmail. Number 4 is finished but unpublished yet. Just started 5.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a standout scary …well it’s not a picture book, but it is a chapter book for young readers with highly unsettling illustrations.
There's a fun proof of concept version on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uCxXLsLac The black doll appears in a panel of The West Wing and in another set of images which will come later in the series!
Just dug out my copy and flicked through the intro. Gorey had some interesting ideas for his ideal director: Werner Herzog, Lars von Trier, Pedro Almodóvar, Francis Girod (never heard of him), Jean-Pierre Mocky (never heard of him either), or Stephen Elliott - who made Priscilla, Queen of Desert!
Made me think of /recall Mervyn Peake's drawings in his Gormenghast (brilliant 1954 book)
Yes! I need to do a reading list of creepily illustrated books…
I definitely don't know enough about Gorey, this looks astonishing.
I only got into him recently but he’s now one of my all time favourite illustrators!
Rare that I'll buy a book before I have finished reading about it, but after seeing the first two illustrations I was on AbeBooks quick as you could blink. I blame you entirely. Great article!
Amazing, thanks so much Finbarre! You won’t regret it, I promise.
Oh, I love this macabre tale, good choice, Rebekah! I’ve always been partial to The Beastly Baby. 😁
I nearly included The Beastly Baby in the series but I had a few too many entries on Gorey's depiction of children!
Wild!
Love this beautiful exploration of a unique artist. Another knock-out article, Dr. King! The style and atmosphere of Gorey (nominative determinism in action, perhaps!?) reminds me of Junji Ito's work. But if we want to talk about the scariest picture book ever, we need look no further than "Mr. Wrong" by Robert Hargreaves. No more sinister or terrifying tome exists.
Thanks so much Joseph! And two such excellent suggestions, I’ve only recently got into Junji Ito and he’s one of my new favourites. The one with the window absolutely chills me… It’s funny you mention Mr Wrong, I didn’t have that one growing up but I remember finding Little Miss Curious really creepy.
Maurice Sendak's The Nutcracker is very unsettling (and very enjoyable lol). If Gorey is a silent film, Sendak is Hammer Horror.
ooh I’ll have to check it out, I love Where the Wild Things Are
Gorey's work is masterful, but the Velveteen Rabbit is the scariest picture book ever.
You might be right!
I’m def getting a copy for myself after reading this!
Had to grab a copy for myself after this!
You’re in for a treat, David!
I wrote a novel about 3 years ago, Guilt Edged, which starts with a man fearful of something unseen and unknown beyond a slightly open door into the next room. Unsettling.
Amazing idea, where can we find it?
I have just started serialising Guilt Edged on my Substack: Serials. The Prologue today. Chapter 1 next week.
It’s available from Amazon as a paperback or Kindle book. I’ve published 3 books in the series: Guilt Edged, Perpetual Locomotion and Royal Blackmail. Number 4 is finished but unpublished yet. Just started 5.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a standout scary …well it’s not a picture book, but it is a chapter book for young readers with highly unsettling illustrations.
One of my favourites! I've been considering doing an article where I rank my favourite stories ./pictures from it.
Have you read his screenplay The Black Doll? I'd love to see that turned into a movie.
There's a fun proof of concept version on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uCxXLsLac The black doll appears in a panel of The West Wing and in another set of images which will come later in the series!
That was odd. Not much of Gorey's screenplay in there after the introduction.
I think they didn’t get enough funding to do the full thing!
Just dug out my copy and flicked through the intro. Gorey had some interesting ideas for his ideal director: Werner Herzog, Lars von Trier, Pedro Almodóvar, Francis Girod (never heard of him), Jean-Pierre Mocky (never heard of him either), or Stephen Elliott - who made Priscilla, Queen of Desert!
Werner Herzog’s narrating voice would be PERFECT
I'd like to see what the HPLHS team could do with it. Have you seen their Call of Cthulhu? If not, do - best Lovecraft movie ever by far.
I’ve heard good things but haven’t yet seen it!
Oh.... it's glorious. Their Whisperer in Darkness is pretty good too.
Ooooh - thank you!
Sorry. Not another word. But I shall definitely be awaiting its appearance.
Could be his pefect creation, though the final frame of ‘The Curious Sofa’ runs it hard.
Shhh that’s on its way later in the series…