When I was 10 years old I needed to do a book report for the 4th grade. I didnt know what do it on. I was not the avid reader I am today and comic books had not entered my life yet.
When I went to the Library if my elementry school I discovered The Figure In the Shadows a childrens book about a young Orphan living with his aunt in uncle in a old gothic mansion. What I didnt know was it was part of a larger collection of books for young adults and children by an author who had would pass away in 1991. When I discovered his other books it was the first time I learned of artist Edward Gorey. His art didnt apear in figure in the shadows but did apear in the first book The House With a Clock In its Walls. John Bellairs has become one of my favorite authors of all time.
Eli Roth director of Hostel and Deathwish and Eric Kripke creator of the tv series Supernatural have turned Clock into a movie coming this Fall. Staring Cate Blanchet from Thor Ragnarock and Jack Black from Goosebumps.
John’s books really help me get thru a lot of crap in my child hood and was the first book series I ever latched onto as a kid to really embrace. Stories of teennage kids teaming up with an old mentor to stop a doomsday weapon surrounded by Supernatural forces black magic and more really apealed to me. The cover jackets and front page had some of the best art by the late Edward Gorey I ever saw and loved it.
If you keep an eye on my Radio of Horror youtube channel you can check out history of John and Edward and some mini reviews of Johns books in the months to come leading to the release of the movie.
Recently I learned about a tour you can take for the House the one in the book is based on.
chrisdsav
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