The Chuckling Whatsit

Name: The Chuckling Whatsit
Brand: Unknown
SKU: 9781683966975
Price: 56.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Sala

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3.97

( 437 ratings, 58 reviews)

Summary

The Chuckling Whatsit by Richard Sala is a masterful blend of gothic cartooning and melodramatic murder mystery. The story follows Broom, an unemployed writer caught in a web of intrigue involving astrology, ghouls, academia, and outsider art. As Broom delves deeper, he encounters the mysterious outsider artist Emile Jarnac, the shadowy Ghoul Appreciation Society Headquarters (GASH), and the elusive Mr. Ixnay. Sala’s unique art style, influenced by Hollywood monster movies, Dick Tracy, German expressionism, and Grimm's fairy tales, perfectly complements this noir-horror-comedy hybrid, creating a tension-filled and darkly comic narrative.
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Format: Hardback

$56⁹⁹

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The Chuckling Whatsit

$56⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who enjoy gothic horror, noir mysteries, and graphic novels with a darkly comic edge. Fans of Edward Gorey, Charles Addams, and intricate, atmospheric storytelling will find this a captivating read.

The 1997 magnum opus of the late Richard Sala, master of graphic noir, has been out of print for years and is now available in hardcover for the very first time.

Description

Sala weaves the gothic cartooning traditions of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams with a melodramatic murder mystery involving astrology, ghouls, academia, and outsider art. Part noir, part horror, and part comedy, this labyrinthine tale of intrigue follows an unemployed writer named Broom who becomes ensnared unwittingly in a complex plot involving mysterious outsider artist Emile Jarnac, the shadowy machinations of the Ghoul Appreciation Society Headquarters (GASH), and the enigmatic Mr. Ixnay.

Sala's deadpan delivery makes this ingeniously layered narrative a roller-coaster ride of darkly pure comic suspense. Sala's drawing style also reveals the influence of everything from Hollywood monster movies and Dick Tracy to German expressionism and Grimm's fairy tales. It's a style that's perfectly suited to the narrative, constantly flirting with Sala's fascination for the grotesque and lending palpable tension to the gruesome riddle of The Chuckling Whatsit.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A recent review from The Beat hails this new edition as a timeless and towering achievement in both the spooky thriller genre and graphic fiction medium, highlighting Sala's skill in delivering dark suspense with deadpan humour.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781683966975

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 17 January 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Fantagraphics

Illustration: 200 Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 186.0mm

Height: 262.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 200

Collections

Adult Graphic Novels Fiction Graphic Novels Richard Sala

About the Author

Richard Sala (1954-2020) grew up in Chicago. He had an MFA from Mills College, created over a dozen graphic novels, collaborated with Lemony Snicket, and illustrated a Jack Kerouac script. He spent most of his adult life in Berkeley, CA.

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