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Notes on a Case of Melancholia, Or: A Little Death
Death arrives in this darkly humorous and brilliantly illustrated tale created by Nicholas Gurewitch, author of The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack !
Death becomes a patient of a recently-bereaved psychoanalyst. The topic of discussion? His frolicsome child, who has no apparent interest in grim-reaping! Featuring an unfathomable number of lines which have been hand-chiseled into inked clay, this labor of love by Nicholas Gurewitch invokes the morbid humor of his comic strip ( The Perry Bible Fellowship ) and the spooky silent-film qualities of the late Edward Gorey.
Death becomes a patient of a recently-bereaved psychoanalyst. The topic of discussion? His frolicsome child, who has no apparent interest in grim-reaping! Featuring an unfathomable number of lines which have been hand-chiseled into inked clay, this labor of love by Nicholas Gurewitch invokes the morbid humor of his comic strip ( The Perry Bible Fellowship ) and the spooky silent-film qualities of the late Edward Gorey.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published March 31, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
October 26, 2020
A father seeks out a psychiatrist to unburden himself of his fears for his child - do they have what it takes to follow in his, and his family’s, footsteps? Also the father is DEATH!
Like he did in his previous book The Perry Bible Fellowship, Nicholas Gurewitch adopts the artistic and storytelling style of a recognisable comics talent - in this instance Edward Gorey - for his latest comic, Notes on a Case of Melancholia, or: A Little Death.
I’ve never understood the appeal of Edward Gorey and can’t say I’ve enjoyed any of his books but I quite liked Gurewitch’s pastiche of his style here. I loved the art so damn much - it’s a gorgeous-looking book, perfect for the season. Scratchy, spindly, spidery-black art fill the pages - the gothic look of this one is perfect. The whole book looks like this:
And it’s a good thing the art’s so good because that’s pretty much all there is - this is a mostly silent comic so there’s not much to read! The designs of Death’s family members were cool, Little Death was very cute and the use of the colour purple was masterful.
Nicholas Gurewitch’s Notes on a Case of Melancholia, or: A Little Death is a very darkly amusing tale which you can read in no time at all, both of which fit with Gorey’s style, and may not leave much of an impression story-wise but the art... is to die for(athankyew)!
Like he did in his previous book The Perry Bible Fellowship, Nicholas Gurewitch adopts the artistic and storytelling style of a recognisable comics talent - in this instance Edward Gorey - for his latest comic, Notes on a Case of Melancholia, or: A Little Death.
I’ve never understood the appeal of Edward Gorey and can’t say I’ve enjoyed any of his books but I quite liked Gurewitch’s pastiche of his style here. I loved the art so damn much - it’s a gorgeous-looking book, perfect for the season. Scratchy, spindly, spidery-black art fill the pages - the gothic look of this one is perfect. The whole book looks like this:
And it’s a good thing the art’s so good because that’s pretty much all there is - this is a mostly silent comic so there’s not much to read! The designs of Death’s family members were cool, Little Death was very cute and the use of the colour purple was masterful.
Nicholas Gurewitch’s Notes on a Case of Melancholia, or: A Little Death is a very darkly amusing tale which you can read in no time at all, both of which fit with Gorey’s style, and may not leave much of an impression story-wise but the art... is to die for(athankyew)!
January 17, 2021
Death is off his game because he's concerned about his offspring, so he talks to a shrink. This clever little trifle is nearly wordless except for a listing of character names and takes mere minutes to read, with a quick re-read or two to absorb it all.
July 31, 2020
Notes on a Case of Melancholia or A Little Death is just a perfect little gem. The art is a wonderful love letter to the late Edward Gorey. What a treat.
5 stars
5 stars
May 29, 2020
With deep black images with drawings reminiscent of Edward Gorey’s work, this story about Death talking to a psychologist about Death’s child who’s reluctant to take on the family business is dark and darkly funny.
March 6, 2021
Want to rip out the picture and hang them on my wall. A perfect, clever little tale with teeth and PINK. Five stars.
January 9, 2023
Here I was, thinking that Little Death was so sweet and adorable, and then he went and made his father proud.
Morbidly funny. In other words, right up my alley.
Morbidly funny. In other words, right up my alley.
May 11, 2018
When it comes to webcomics it’s hard to find a better equalizer than Nicholas Gurewitch’s Perry Bible Fellowship. I’ve been reading it for more than 10 years and am still genuinely in awe of how this webcomic consistently excels both in its writing and art. Clearly, PBF is the creation of a disturbed mind, and as far as comedy comics are concerned, the current gold standard in my book. Even more impressive is how Gurewitch has laid low (voluntarily or not) for the past several years, almost abandoning his wildly popular webcomic, to focus on an ambitious new project: Notes on a Case of Melancholia. It’s taken years for him to complete it but the results are downright astounding.
Notes on a Case of Melancholia is a short and straightforward story, full of Gurewitch’s twisted sense of humor. It is most definitely a dark book, and for fans, it’s a perfect extension for the dark content you find in his comics. But really, it’s the artwork we should be talking about here. It took Gurewitch years, but he painstakingly carved the artwork of Notes on a Case of Melancholia onto woodblocks. Every page is to be studied to truly get the full effect. The detail is incredible. Although this book deserves a better format of larger and embossed pages (if possible), you can still make out every scratch on each panel. This unusual approach has fantastic results and gives the book a gothic, almost carnal, feel. My wrist started hurting thinking about the hours he spent carving these blocks. Why would anyone do this to themselves?
I’m hoping now that this book is finished, it will mean Gurewitch’s return to PBF full time. But his absence wasn’t for naught. Notes on a Case of Melancholia is truly an impressive book on all levels. Once again, Gurewitch has raised the bar for the medium. Pity the rest of us.
Notes on a Case of Melancholia is a short and straightforward story, full of Gurewitch’s twisted sense of humor. It is most definitely a dark book, and for fans, it’s a perfect extension for the dark content you find in his comics. But really, it’s the artwork we should be talking about here. It took Gurewitch years, but he painstakingly carved the artwork of Notes on a Case of Melancholia onto woodblocks. Every page is to be studied to truly get the full effect. The detail is incredible. Although this book deserves a better format of larger and embossed pages (if possible), you can still make out every scratch on each panel. This unusual approach has fantastic results and gives the book a gothic, almost carnal, feel. My wrist started hurting thinking about the hours he spent carving these blocks. Why would anyone do this to themselves?
I’m hoping now that this book is finished, it will mean Gurewitch’s return to PBF full time. But his absence wasn’t for naught. Notes on a Case of Melancholia is truly an impressive book on all levels. Once again, Gurewitch has raised the bar for the medium. Pity the rest of us.
October 31, 2018
It was a three-year wait from the original Kickstarter until the book arrived.
Totally worth it.
I can't imagine the amount of work that went into handscratching every little line in these drawings, but Nicholas Gurewitch (the Perry Bible Fellowship guy) has created a beautiful book that is not only one of the purest love letters to Edward Gorey that has ever been created, but a wonderfully touching -- and twisted -- story.
I can't get over the artwork. I want to study this book.
Totally worth it.
I can't imagine the amount of work that went into handscratching every little line in these drawings, but Nicholas Gurewitch (the Perry Bible Fellowship guy) has created a beautiful book that is not only one of the purest love letters to Edward Gorey that has ever been created, but a wonderfully touching -- and twisted -- story.
I can't get over the artwork. I want to study this book.
March 4, 2024
Tek kelime ile harika.
Adı ilgimi çektiği için okumaya başladığım ve beni kısacık öyküsü ile gülümseten nefis bir kitap. Hikaye genel itibari ile öldürmeyi beceremeyen bir ölüm meleğinin, öldürmeyi istemeden öldüren oğlu ile olan derdini anlatıyor.
Basit, eğlenceli bir kitap. Çizimler kazıma tekniği ile oluşturulmuş. Thomas Ott külliyatını okuduktan sonra benzer teknikte, çok farklı bir hikaye okumak ilginç oldu.
Çocuk kitaplarını ve çocuk kitaplarına benzeyen resimli yetişkin kitaplarını seven okuyucu için biçilmiş kaftan.
Adı ilgimi çektiği için okumaya başladığım ve beni kısacık öyküsü ile gülümseten nefis bir kitap. Hikaye genel itibari ile öldürmeyi beceremeyen bir ölüm meleğinin, öldürmeyi istemeden öldüren oğlu ile olan derdini anlatıyor.
Basit, eğlenceli bir kitap. Çizimler kazıma tekniği ile oluşturulmuş. Thomas Ott külliyatını okuduktan sonra benzer teknikte, çok farklı bir hikaye okumak ilginç oldu.
Çocuk kitaplarını ve çocuk kitaplarına benzeyen resimli yetişkin kitaplarını seven okuyucu için biçilmiş kaftan.
December 28, 2024
Notes on a Case of Melancholia, Or: A Little Death is a short graphic novel written entirely in illustrations; no text or dialogue.
The Grim Reaper finds a shrink to discuss his concerns about his family lineage and if his gentle child is up for the task of continuing the family business.
The black and white illustrations are absolutely amazing and perfectly detailed. I'm a sucker for stories told through art, especially black and white illustrations with pops of color to emphasize a plot. It's a beautiful book and a funny little family-dynamics story too. I highly recommend to graphic novel enthusiasts and anyone looking for a quick read.
The Grim Reaper finds a shrink to discuss his concerns about his family lineage and if his gentle child is up for the task of continuing the family business.
The black and white illustrations are absolutely amazing and perfectly detailed. I'm a sucker for stories told through art, especially black and white illustrations with pops of color to emphasize a plot. It's a beautiful book and a funny little family-dynamics story too. I highly recommend to graphic novel enthusiasts and anyone looking for a quick read.
February 11, 2021
Didn't realize it didn't have words
December 14, 2021
Bought this today from kinokunya
April 27, 2020
Gorgeous Gorey homage.
April 27, 2024
O śmierci, która poluje na człowieka, i o jej niesubordynowanym dziecku. Trochę za krótkie, ale jak to jest narysowane i wydane!
January 30, 2021
Beautiful art that tells a darkly wonderful story.
April 15, 2020
Πραγματικά ένα μικρό Αριστούργημα!!!
December 29, 2020
Death is struggling to concentrate at work. Although grim reaping's been in the family business for generations, their child just doesn't seem to be all that interested in reaping souls. Desperate, Death seeks help from a recently bereaved psychiatrist. Just what is Death doing wrong? And will Little Death ever be fit to take up the family mantle?
This witty, adorable little book (~50 pages long) was a Christmas present from my partner. Originally a Kickstarter, Nicholas Gurewitch's beautiful etched illustrations are deliberately reminiscent of the late Edward Gorey (of the abecedarian 'The Gashlycrumb Tinies' fame). The story is told through the medium of gothic, black and white scratched images with minimal text prompts and no dialogue whatsoever. It's a storytelling method that works incredibly well, and everything is very easily understood despite these limitations.
There is one exception to the monochrome rule however, and that is the subtle, darkly hilarious—and quite frankly genius—use of the colour pink...
I devoured this book in the space of about 5 minutes and have perused its pages several times since opening it on Christmas morning. It's adorable, clever and morbidly pertinent to modern times. More than once I caught myself chuckling aloud at Little Death's antics, and after I'd finished, I handed the book over to my partner only for him to do the exact same thing.
I thoroughly recommend this delightful story to goths, little goths and the morbidly inclined everywhere!
ℭ𝔚𝔰: Content which readers may find upsetting. Feel free to DM me for details!
This witty, adorable little book (~50 pages long) was a Christmas present from my partner. Originally a Kickstarter, Nicholas Gurewitch's beautiful etched illustrations are deliberately reminiscent of the late Edward Gorey (of the abecedarian 'The Gashlycrumb Tinies' fame). The story is told through the medium of gothic, black and white scratched images with minimal text prompts and no dialogue whatsoever. It's a storytelling method that works incredibly well, and everything is very easily understood despite these limitations.
There is one exception to the monochrome rule however, and that is the subtle, darkly hilarious—and quite frankly genius—use of the colour pink...
I devoured this book in the space of about 5 minutes and have perused its pages several times since opening it on Christmas morning. It's adorable, clever and morbidly pertinent to modern times. More than once I caught myself chuckling aloud at Little Death's antics, and after I'd finished, I handed the book over to my partner only for him to do the exact same thing.
I thoroughly recommend this delightful story to goths, little goths and the morbidly inclined everywhere!
ℭ𝔚𝔰: Content which readers may find upsetting. Feel free to DM me for details!
January 25, 2021
TL;DR: A Modern Edward Gorey tale -- in every sense of the word.
This is a very cute (and quick) comic that is almost entirely without words, in glorious and dramatic black wood-cuts. I really cannot say enough praise for Gurewitch's art: the strokes are masterful, the background both sparse yet full of little details.
The story is simple: Death is a little off his game, and after nearly killing a (grieving) psychologist, he winds up sitting down for a little heart-to-heart. Turns out, Death is worried about his child, who isn't taking up the family duties with the same gusto one might expect.
My only mark down is that I think at points it is difficult to tell what is going on without flipping backwards as one gets new information. For example, I thought at first that Death was complaining about their own childhood, only to realize toward the end of this slim tome that such is not the case. I think they could have made this a bit clearer with just slightly more labels, though I understand why they wanted to keep this by and large wordless (and I do think this mostly works for this purpose).
I really enjoyed this slim little comic, but I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it another year, and while that's not the book's fault, it did weigh on me more than it usually would . I'm not downgrading the rating for that - but I do think it's worth mentioning that anyone whose having a hard time with 2020/2021 life might enjoy this more if they put this easy read on a TBR for next year.
This is a very cute (and quick) comic that is almost entirely without words, in glorious and dramatic black wood-cuts. I really cannot say enough praise for Gurewitch's art: the strokes are masterful, the background both sparse yet full of little details.
The story is simple: Death is a little off his game, and after nearly killing a (grieving) psychologist, he winds up sitting down for a little heart-to-heart. Turns out, Death is worried about his child, who isn't taking up the family duties with the same gusto one might expect.
My only mark down is that I think at points it is difficult to tell what is going on without flipping backwards as one gets new information. For example, I thought at first that Death was complaining about their own childhood, only to realize toward the end of this slim tome that such is not the case. I think they could have made this a bit clearer with just slightly more labels, though I understand why they wanted to keep this by and large wordless (and I do think this mostly works for this purpose).
I really enjoyed this slim little comic, but I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it another year, and while that's not the book's fault, it did weigh on me more than it usually would . I'm not downgrading the rating for that - but I do think it's worth mentioning that anyone whose having a hard time with 2020/2021 life might enjoy this more if they put this easy read on a TBR for next year.
April 1, 2021
Charming slice of macabre done in stark black and white drawings with a splash of magenta just for fun. No words necessary in this tale of the Grim Reaper who consults a sad shrink about his kid. The proverbial apple seems to have rolled far, far from its deadly papa tree and papa tree needs a friendly ear to discuss this. Because, you know, everybody needs somebody sometime.
The entire story takes literally five minutes to get through, though having finished I immediately reread it for a more profound understanding of it, because there was no text and I was sleepy. And yeah, the reread definitely helped. Cute book for your inner goth. Lovely art. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
The entire story takes literally five minutes to get through, though having finished I immediately reread it for a more profound understanding of it, because there was no text and I was sleepy. And yeah, the reread definitely helped. Cute book for your inner goth. Lovely art. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
July 29, 2020
Bezslovná kratučká jednohubka ktorá proste vyvolá zmes emócií zhrnutelných do jednoduchého :_)
September 17, 2020
Dark and macabre, with fantastic artwork. I loved it!
October 10, 2020
It was sooo sweet
Absolutely loved it
Absolutely loved it
Read
December 4, 2020eye-popping illustrations
December 31, 2020
Roztomilá, kratičká záležitost beze slov v krásném (skoro) černobílém kabátku aneb jak to dopadne, když Smrťák dostane depresi.
Díky Dark Horse reprintu jsem si to mohl domů na poličku postavit i já.
Díky Dark Horse reprintu jsem si to mohl domů na poličku postavit i já.
March 4, 2021
I kdyby to bylo příběhově sebehorší (a že není!), tak
ta kresba!
Dechberoucí. Kochám se už několik minut. A paradoxně? Zahřálo mě to u srdíčka :D
June 18, 2021
GORGEOUS!! This is my aesthetic from start to finish. No words but wonderful storytelling!!
November 14, 2021
Little Death is a menace to society I love it
May 16, 2023
Come for the gorgeous, spindly Gorey-esque art if not the story, which is as dark & sketchy as the illustrations. Strange and beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews