Spooktacular! – Illustrators Special Edition #20 (book review).

For horror fans, it’s probably Halloween all year round. If it wasn’t, this special edition of ‘Illustrators’ would only be viable once a year, which is impractical for any publisher. Fortunately, Halloween isn’t that much of a requirement for this Illustrators special edition, just visual illustrative horror.

In contrast to the regular editions and other specials, this is not only a hardback but even has a decorative fore-edge painting. It’s the kind of book you would want to own.

Writer Grant Geissman looks at the history of Graham ‘Ghastly’ Ingels (1915-1991). When he joined EC Comics, he was drawing westerns and even a couple of romance stories before, by chance, he was put on horror and really shone. Much of his EC Comics work here shows his various depictions of the hostess witch. However, Ingels loved painting, and the examples here really show a master at work. Ingels never gave interviews and avoided any fame when there was an EC Comics resurgence. In later life, he also taught art, and the second piece here looks at a couple of his students. If Ingels was reluctant to be interviewed, they weren’t, and they give some insight into him as a teacher, determined that they should find their own talent rather than copy him.

The interview with Canadian artist Nik Poliwko shows elements of contrast. He plays with chiaroscuro to get his shapes. With his women, there is a tendency to use few lines so as not to age them, but it also makes them stand out in dark scenes. He prefers Clip Studio for his digital work, and I agree with him about its versatility. I love his painting of the Predator with a cup of tea, although I think he should have a straw to drink it.

British artist Shane Oakley is interviewed. He’s another stylised artist using chiaroscuro, with little in the way of middle tones. I found his art stark but effective. A lot of art depends on how it is perceived by the viewer and how much of it stays in your head. With horror themes, it’s the contrasts that shake you up.

American artist Tom Grindberg is also interviewed. He is mostly self-taught, although he thinks a formal education still has its worth, and certainly a course on business. He prefers to work the traditional way, using digital for colouring. There are samples of his cover work, his Tarzan newspaper strip and a personal project here. If I have to be objective, he gives his lady characters, even when they aren’t Asian, eyes with an upward slant to the lower line, which makes his art easy to identify.

Lastly, a look at the art of Basil Gogos (1929-2017). There are many rewarding pages here and also a comparison with his predecessor on the ‘Famous Monsters’ covers, Albert Nuetzell. The secret was really that Gogos’ choice of colours on his palette was not standard but exceptional for horror. For those of you who paint, try a different set of colours to express a portrait and it will still actually work. If anything, it shows what really sticks in a viewer’s head. The colours are just the way in, not the entire thing, but it works.

Are you going to buy this book? Of course you are. Horror art always sells.

GF Willmetts

November 2026

(pub: The Book Palace, 2026. 199-page illustrated large hardback. Price: £40.00 (UK), $62.00 (US) via Bud Plant. ISBN: 978-1-913548-75-9)

Check out websites: www.bookpalace.com and www.illustratorsquarterly.com