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The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History (2015)

Edited by Stephen Jones
Foreword by Neil Gaiman

(a) Elephant Book Company Limited/Applause Theatre & Cinema Books/Hal Leonard, USA • hc • $40.00
ISBN 978-1-4950-0913-6
(2nd Printing, 2016 [not indicated as such] • $40.00)
(3rd Printing, 2019 [not indicated as such] • $40.00)
[Note: Corrected edition.]
The Art of Horror
Cover by Virgil Finlay

A celebration of frightfully fearful images, compiled by some of the biggest and most respected names working in the genre. From early engravings, via dust jackets, book illustrations, pulp magazines, movie posters, comic books and original paintings, to today’s artists working entirely in the digital realm, there are over 500 images presented in The Art of Horror, from the shockingly lurid to the hauntingly beautiful. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, devils, serial killers, alien invaders, and many more: every aspect of the genre is represented in all its gory glory. Multiple award-winning editor Stephen Jones and his stellar team of over 100 contributors—both writers and artists—have sourced visuals from archives and their own private collections, ensuring an unprecedented selection (including many rarities and a number of previously unpublished pieces) which, alongside the authoritative text, builds into a unique and fascinating history of horror. With an exclusive Foreword by Neil Gaiman, the award-winning author of The Sandman comic book series, and the novels American Gods, The Graveyard Book, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

FOREWORD: THE THING WE DON’T TALK ABOUTNeil Gaiman
INTRODUCTION: THE ART OF DARKNESSStephen Jones
THE BLOOD IS THE LIFEDavid J. Skal
THE DEAD THAT WALKJamie Russell
IT’S ALIVE!Gregory William Mank
EVEN A MAN WHO IS PURE IN HEARTKim Newman
MORE THINGS IN HEAVEN & EARTHRichard Dalby
WE ALL GO A LITTLE MAD SOMETIMESBarry Forshaw
HALLOWE’EN HORRORSLisa Morton
THE OLD GODS WAKENS.T. Joshi
GIANT BEHEMOTHSBob Eggleton
KEEP WATCHING THE SKIESRobert Weinberg
CONTRIBUTOR BIOS 
INDEX 
PHOTO CREDITS 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
  • (b) as Histoire Illustrée de L'Horreur Elephant Book Company Limited/Éditions Le Pré aux Clercs, France • slipcased hc • 49€ ISBN 978-2-84228-571-5
    The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History (2015)
    Cover by Virgil Finlay
  • The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History (2015)
    Slipcase cover by Hannes Bok
FOREWORD: THE THING WE DON’T TALK ABOUT Neil Gaiman
INTRODUCTION: THE ART OF DARKNESS Stephen Jones
THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE David J. Skal
THE DEAD THAT WALK Jamie Russell
IT’S ALIVE! Gregory William Mank
EVEN A MAN WHO IS PURE IN HEART Kim Newman
MORE THINGS IN HEAVEN & EARTH Richard Dalby
WE ALL GO A LITTLE MAD SOMETIMES Barry Forshaw
HALLOWE’EN HORRORS Lisa Morton
THE OLD GODS WAKEN S.T. Joshi
GIANT BEHEMOTHS Bob Eggleton
KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES Robert Weinberg
CONTRIBUTOR BIOS  
INDEX  
PHOTO CREDITS  
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  

Reviews

  • “Elegantly designed and laid out, this glorious exploration of horror should be top of every true horror fan’s shopping list. It not only encapsulates the horror genre but goes some way to explaining its fascination and, without doubt, shows it at its very best. Hats off to every contributor in this tome and especially to Stephen Jones who once again shows that when it comes to horror, there is no greater exponent of its heart.”
    —John Gilbert
    Fear, Issue 37, August 2016
  • “Mixing black comedy and fantastic erotica, weirdo disgust and devilish visions, it’s an exceptional showcase for horrors beyond words.”
    —Tony Lee,
    INTERZONE #262, Jan-Feb 2016
  • “A good coffee table book for horror aficionados but will also be enjoyed by beginners to the subject.”
    —Chris Hick
    FILMWERK, January 18, 2016
  • “A must-own for any horror-head.”
    —HOME CINEMA CHOICE #255, January, 2016
  • “In order to fully realize this title’s ambitious scope, it would take an experienced and dedicated editor who could assemble an unparalleled roster of writers, editors, film-makers and artists to offer fascinating and detailed essays richly illustrated with hundreds of images of rare artwork. Stephen Jones and his collaborators have done just that, producing a book that will most likely come to be regarded as the essential volume.”
    —John L. Coker III
    SCIENTIFICTION New Series #46, 4th Quarter 2015
  • “The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History is one of those perfect books that showcase great artists and their works while shedding light on the cultural implications of the decade those works were created . . . It’s the perfect gift and a must-have for any lover of art or pop culture historian that deals within the realm of horror.”
    —J.P. Fallavolitta
    BIFF BAM POP!, December 18, 2015
  • “Often labeled as trash by the mainstream, The Art of Horror proves otherwise; this showcases superb work by immensely talented people, and richly brings your fears to life . . . This is a serious celebration of the genre, and a must-have for those who love things that go bump in the night.”
    —Rich Wilson
    EXQUISITE TERROR, December 17, 2015
  • “The essays are insightful and entertaining and the needed context for newbies and hardcore fans alike. There’s even a foreword by Neil Gaiman, who writes about the hidden joy and beauty found in the horror genre . . . Beautifully designed, intelligently written, The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History makes the perfect gift for any horror or art fan.”
    —James Aquilone
    SF SIGNAL, December 8, 2015
  • “The pictures here are, so to speak, to die for . . . This beautifully produced books is, in short, the stuff that nightmares—on Elm Street or before Christmas—are made of.”
    —Michael Dirda
    THE WASHINGTON POST, December 7, 2015
  • “Stephen Jones’ illustrated history on The Art of Horror is the very definition of an unputdownable book . . . a comprehensive and compelling compendium of horror art through the ages . . . for fans of horror (be it cinematic or literary) this illustrated history makes for an essential purchase.”
    —Jon Lyus
    HEYUGUYS, December 1, 2015
  • “Whatever your sub-genre of choice, this book is absolutely packed with fantastic images . . . It’s a beautiful piece of work and you absolutely must buy it immediately.”
    —Jonathan Hatfull
    SCIFINOW, November 30, 2015
  • “A wonderful book that looks far more expensive than it’s pricetag suggests, just holding it in your hands feels like something truly special, a wonderful item that compliments a wonderful genre.”
    —Sean Evans
    BACK TO THE MOVIES, November 27, 2015
  • “This collection does more than just show, it also tells, with detailed information on the imagery, from the earliest film posters and book illustrations to more modern digital art pieces. The chapters tackle their specific topics with reverence and an appreciation of what the horror genre across all media does for its audience . . . This broad examination of powerful, vibrant, glorious reproductions from works of horror art is a treasure for any fan of the macabre.”
    —Rob LeFebvre
    SHELF AWARENESS, November 27, 2015
  • “As a horror super geek I found that this book provides so much enjoyment. The old foreign movie posters and the cover art
    from anthology sets like Weird Tales and Astounding Stories were just so cool to see. This will remain a vibrant feature of my coffee table for years to come. Anyone into horror, classic cinema, or art history will love this added to their collection.”
    —Dr. Zaius
    GEEKS OF DOOM, November 25, 2015
  • “Great gift for genre lovers! Here is a book that reprints horror imagery going back to the 1900s. Horrific fairy tale art, dust jacket covers, movie posters, comic books, pulp novels and paintings are all included.”
    —Quint
    AIN’T IT COOL NEWS, November 24, 2015
  • “Jones did a superb job of bringing together some of the foremost authorities on horror and matching them to their particular specialties. This is a book that any horror connoisseur will want to add to their personal library . . . A must-own coffee table book for any fan of horror films, literature, or comics.” [Five Stars]
    —Timothy Janson
    SCIFI MOVIE PAGE, November 22, 2015
  • “The mother of all creepy coffee table books, Stephen Jones’ The Art of Horror is a jaw-dropping collection of art charting the illustrated history of the genre in art, film, literature and international popular culture. The wildest collection of odds, ends, essentials and esoterica I’ve ever seen collected in one place”
    —Chris Alexander
    SHOCK TILL YOU DROP
  • “Editor Stephen Jones leads us through the art history of horror in a nutshell (from cave paintings, via the Egyptian hieroglyphics, the ancient myths and legends, to the horror releases of today), and what follows is a review all of the major manifestations of the art of horror . . . all this is presented in an elegant hardcover and on glossy paper. As I said: the perfect gift.”
    —Bartholomew Paszylk
    GRABARZ POLSKI, November 3, 2015
Steve Crisp, Joe Roberts, Jim Burns, Les Edwards, Barry Forshaw, Kim Newman, Graham Humphreys and Dave McKean, Stephen Jones flanked by Elephant Book Company's Laura Ward and Will Steeds
Signing The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History of Fearful Images at the RETURN OF THE GREAT HALLOWE’EN HORROR SIGNING
at Forbidden Planet’s London Megastore on October 31st, 2015.
Back row, left to right: Steve Crisp, Joe Roberts, Jim Burns, Les Edwards,
Barry Forshaw, Kim Newman, Graham Humphreys and Dave McKean.
Front row: Stephen Jones flanked by Elephant Book Company’s Laura Ward and Will Steeds.
Bruce Pennington
Bruce Pennington