"The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History" Book Review

When I first heard about the book The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History, I wasn't sure what to expect. The book could contain a million different things. Movies, comics, posters, paintings. It turns out to have all of those and more.

First and foremost, it's a gorgeous volume measuring a big ten by eleven inches. It features heavy gloss pages designed with stunning images and well-researched topics for each chapter. But it's certainly the art that you'll buy it for, and it's well worth it. As a long-time fan I've seen a LOT of horror, but this book is packed full of images and artists I've never heard of.

Sure, you'll get the occasional piece you've seen before (but who minds when it's something as great as Bernie Wrightson, for instance?), but page after page will reveal new images that you probably haven't seen. An artist I had never heard of but who could count me as a fan if he were still alive is Luis Ricardo Falero. Go ahead and google image search his name and "witch" to see some examples of his incredible art.

Neil Gaiman provides a foreward, and there's also an introduction by editor Stephen Jones. Sections are split up by horror subject like Vampires, Werewolves, Man-Made Monsters, Zombies, Halloween Horrors and more. Each section features some incredible artwork with accompanying information about the artists and subject.

At $40 you might think this book is expensive but The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History is well worth it, and a great addition to your coffee table or bookshelf.