Black Cocktail, Jonathan Carroll & Dave McKean.  Another fortuitous browse in the horror section turned up this novella, a collaboration between two of my favorite literary folks.  McKean's black and white illustrations are satisfyingly sketchy, almost soiled, like some of his covers on the 'Preludes and Nocturnes' arc of Sandman.  Carroll's story matches them well, weaving a subtle horror that evokes tales from his collection The Panic Hand.  It's short, beautiful, and takes on themes like the division of soul and eternal stagnation with aplomb.


Read April 2007