I will tell you a fairy tale of how a cat smoked a pipe ... This quote is obviously not from Neil Gaiman's collection of short stories, Creatures of the Night , but note that the stories of this British artist are no less twisted. You will find out about it for sure by reaching for his texts (some of them have not been published in Poland so far).
Dry facts
The collection of short stories, Creatures of the Night and Other Stories, has been re-issued this year. The volume consists of: Harlequin and Valentine’s Day (drawings: John Bolton), Murders and Mysteries (script and drawings: P. Craig Russell, colors: P. Craig Kindzierski), Creatures of the night (drawings: Michael Zulli): Cena , The Owl’s Daughter and two short stories: The Facts About Miss Finch’s Departure (screenplay adaptation: Todd Klein, cartoons: Michael Zulli ) and Forbidden Fiancées of Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of a Night of Terrible Desires (script adaptation and drawings by Shane Oakley) .It should be noted that some of the stories have previously been published, incl. in the volume of things fleeting. Cuda i fantasies and the anthology Dym i lustra. Stories and illusions .
With details
Gaiman draws the reader into his world and turns everything that has been arranged so far upside down. Uses myths, legends and parables. He builds his stories taking into account the smallest details. And no, you will not find any of the author’s comic book stumbles in The Nightmare . It’s a real masterpiece! The first photorealistic story, Harlequin and Valentine’s Day, is extremely interesting, as it introduces us to the atmosphere of the collection. It should be noted that this is a modern version of the comedy dell’arte, in which the Harlequin decides to give his heart to his beloved. Later it is only better and… different. Gaiman doesn’t teach us his style, but shows that he likes to juggle it. A different line, different colors, a different atmosphere – that’s how the comic is organized. And that’s good, because otherwise we would read 256 pages in one gulp, and so we can share the pleasure without neglecting the content. Murders and Mysteries is an American-style investigation, Creatures of the Night gain in the opinion of beast lovers, and the facts of Miss Finch’s departure show what influences human decisions.The forbidden brides of faceless slaves in the secret house of the night of horrible desires is a story as unusual as the rest, but drawn using a different technique. Egmont publishing house filled the collection of stories with additions. After reading the titles, it is worth reading an interview with Neil Gaiman (from which we will learn, among others, who is the Harlequin and what is the dell’arte comedy ), read the short story entitled Outlined in the Dark , and finally see the Brides’ sketchbook in darkness .
I get this idea
The collection of stories under review is one of the most beautiful books in my collection. And not only because of the captivating illustrations that adequately reflect the moods of the characters. The author’s content and message as well as his creative concept are also important. Gaiman’s stories are undoubtedly magical, and it is this magic that makes them impossible to forget. Today, tomorrow, sometime. Undoubtedly, the overtone of this collection is negative (human weakness, inhuman suffering, inevitable crime, delusion of desire). However, reading can also have a positive effect – looking at ourselves, we will see something more than an empty shell. The comic book is ideal for readers who do not have other volumes by the author in their collections. Remember that some of the stories have been re-released, and you probably wouldn’t want to to duplicate each other? After all, bookshelves are always too small.
