Gorey, but not quite.

Even after his death almost eleven years ago, one man continues to inspire through the images he created. When Edward Gorey died at the age of 75 he already had a steady following of creative individuals, a number which has steadily grown since then. Gorey’s books showcased a variety of black and white images centered on illustrated images and dead pan remarks. The style of the comics themselves drew a line that enveloped Surrealism with Victorian true-crime set in a British place with times reminiscent of Victorian, Edwardian and the Jazz Age.

Gorey’s career entailed working for PBS and even Broadway. His playful illustrations would introduce the series “Mystery!” on PBS, but before that his drawings were used as set pieces for the 1977 version of the Broadway play “Dracula.” Despite these beginnings, he has inspired an array of individuals prominent in the spotlight today. Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler called himself a “complete rip-off of Edward Gorey” before anyone knew who he was referring to. (Now they agree wholeheartedly with Handler.) Tim Burton owes many a scene to Gorey, including that of Coraline and Alice in Wonderland. Neil Gaiman, the author of Coraline, said he originally wanted Gorey to illustrate the book, but Gorey “died the day I finished it.” Gaiman’s inspiration drawn directly from a Gorey drawing hanging on his wall. Established designer Anna Sui has drawn inspiration from him as well, saying that “he picked up on all those cultures and was inspired by them.” American Idol contestant Siobhan Magnus sported bicep tattoos of illustrations done by Gorey.

The market for Gorey’s merchandise has certainly grown in recent years. Book publishers merchandise demands have buoyed with increased interest in his comics. Even the Gorey House in Massachusetts has seen increased notoriety. Before an exhibition arrived in February, numerous individuals had arrived to the house.

Gorey aimed to provide a world based on the 1860’s with a deadpan, ironic worldview. His love of film, theater, and ballet inspired him, often causing him to create compositions that looked more like dramatic theatre sets. His crosshatched or stippled artworks were well composed to give you something new to look at every time you viewed them. “The philosopher Jacques Derrida might have said it is this very elusiveness — the sense that meaning can never be pinned down by language — that is Gorey’s overarching point.” (source)