This might not be much of a throwback, since Tony DiTerlizzi's version of this turn-of-the-century tale only came out 10 years ago, but I don't care! I'm giddy to finally have my own copy of DiTerlizzi's "The Spider and the Fly". Lusciously lugubrious black and white gouache illustrations bring vintage thrills, chills and giggles to the poem.
Seriously, look at this artwork! You can learn everything there is to know about composition and value just by soaking your brain in these pictures. The grays and rich blacks are so rich and glossy in their black and silver duotone. I feel like I should be wearing gloves to turn the pristine blackened pages. DiTerlizzi fuses inspiration from 1920's Hollywood with creepy-crawlie details that feel like something from the Tim Burton or Edward Gorey oeuvre.
Everyone should have a copy of this book.
I infinitely prefer this elegant version of the story to the one I actually did grow up with. It wasn't a book. It was a Max Fleisher short cartoon called Cobweb Hotel and it absolutely terrified me. Talk about Stranger Danger!
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