What can we get for you?
There you are, please sit, sit.
We've been lounging around the fire, discussing the art and artists from some of the scary fantasy books that we loved when we were kids.
YES Edward Gorey, I know, I know. We dealt with that already.
We're mostly dealing with the lesser-known (or at least less-celebrated) artists from those spooky books. Right, like the Hitchcock books, good call...
During the latter half of his life and career, Alfred Hitchcock invented, endorsed, loaned his name to (and wrote a lot of forwards for) many series of wonderful books for young readers. I imagine most of us had at least a few in our childhood libraries.In my childhood home, there were two Hitchcock books that we read and reread, and whose images were the stuff of perfect nightmares... Ghostly Gallery (1962) and Haunted Houseful (1963)!
The ridiculously creepy and atmospheric images that graced these tomes was the work of the great Fred Banbery (1913 - 1999).
Inside cover leaf pages for Ghostly Gallery.With Ghostly Gallery in particular, I'd just stare at the shadows for what felt like hours, wondering what was hiding there. The long, skinny, rubbery figure running to the right in the above picture creeped me out like you wouldn't believe! So did the quasi-human form in the doorway on the cover. Pure ghostly evil. Inhuman. And therefore I had to stare for days!
Let's Haunt A House.
The Red-headed League.
The Wastwych Secret.
The Mystery of Rabbit Run.
Inside cover leaf pages for Haunted Houseful.That 'Water Ghost' woman and the white ghost in front of the old house were the killers for me. Wonderful!
The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall.
The Mystery in Four-and-a-Half Street.You can understand why they'd have an impact. Hiding as much as they show, filled with Charles Addams-esque humor, shivery and simply delightful.
When I was a little guy, anytime I heard a ghost story being told, or read a story which had no illustrations, the images in my mind were drawn by this fellow. The first time I heard 'Thump-Thump-Drag!' or 'Give Me Back My Liver!' or 'The Golden Arm', all those classic campfire tales, I saw it in monochromatic horror inked by Banbery. Oh the nightmares!
You wouldn't guess it looking at these images, but Fred Banbery also illustrated six of the world famous series of Paddington Bear books for children.
Banbery's work is known by many, but his name by few. Now, hopefully, a few more.
We'll get to the next artist soon. Perhaps later tonight; his work has its best bite after midnight.
But not right away. We have a few more visitors now, and everyone should stretch, mingle and have a bite, refresh your drinks.
Also, we all need to raise a glass and give a cheer to a fellow soldier in the Universal Monster Army, who goes by the name of Tom Smith Monsternut, for providing all the scans for this Banbery tribute. Thanks and Cheers, Tom!
Okay, mingle time. I'll put another log on the fire.
When I was a little guy, anytime I heard a ghost story being told, or read a story which had no illustrations, the images in my mind were drawn by this fellow. The first time I heard 'Thump-Thump-Drag!' or 'Give Me Back My Liver!' or 'The Golden Arm', all those classic campfire tales, I saw it in monochromatic horror inked by Banbery. Oh the nightmares!
You wouldn't guess it looking at these images, but Fred Banbery also illustrated six of the world famous series of Paddington Bear books for children.
Banbery's work is known by many, but his name by few. Now, hopefully, a few more.
We'll get to the next artist soon. Perhaps later tonight; his work has its best bite after midnight.
But not right away. We have a few more visitors now, and everyone should stretch, mingle and have a bite, refresh your drinks.
Also, we all need to raise a glass and give a cheer to a fellow soldier in the Universal Monster Army, who goes by the name of Tom Smith Monsternut, for providing all the scans for this Banbery tribute. Thanks and Cheers, Tom!
Okay, mingle time. I'll put another log on the fire.
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