Cute Little Dead Girl

Lenore and Company

So this series is one of my all time favourites.  I love everything about it.  Writer/illustrator Roman Dirge is a genius.  In addition to writing about the hilarious exploits of Lenore and her buddies, Roman (we’re on a first name basis) throws in some side stories with some other very interesting characters, as well as some short strips of humorous anecdotes from his own embarrassing experiences.

So Lenore is a little girl who died when she was 10, from pneumonia, around early 1900’s.  Through some kind of weird embalming incident, Lenore becomes undead.  She lives in a creepy , old mansion with her friends Ragamuffin, a 400 year old vampire who was cursed by a witch and turned into a stuffed rag doll, and Pooty, a demon from the Underworld who was sent to bring Lenore back to Hell.  That doesn’t work out, so he decides not to return, and to live with Lenore instead.  She has an ardent admirer named Mr. Gosh, who tries relentlessly to win her affections, despite all the mean and painful things she does to him. Lenore speaks her mind, completely unfiltered.  Ragamuffin tries to keep her in check, and their dialog is hysterical.

The story lines are so funny, while being morbid and disturbing.  The illustrations set the tone perfectly.  It is adorably twisted.  Roman throws in great tattoo pics, paper dolls, board games, and other fun stuff as the end pages.

The series had 5 volumes:  Vol. 1 Noogies, Vol 2 Wedgies, Vol 3 Cooties, Vol 4 Swirlies, and Vol 5 Purple Nurples.  As of this post, I have discovered that a new book has been published. HOORAY!  It is called Lenore:  Pink Bellies.

This is a perfect read for those of you with a love of dark, twisted, macabre humor.  These books seem like they were written especially for me, but I’m willing to share them with you.  You won’t regret it.  If you do, Lenore will stop by and accidentally impale you on a tree limb or something equally awkward.

Lenore and Mr. Gosh

Who Are You Graphic Novel Girl?

So you may have noticed that my likes are a little quirky.  That’s because I am.  It’s true.  My mother’s maiden name was Quirk, in all seriousness.  I was always a little disappointed that she and my Dad got married because I wanted my name to be Quirk.  Can you imagine that, Graphic Novel Girl Quirk?  That’s such a cool name.

So besides being a librarian, and reading graphic novels and comic books, I love lots of other things too.  I love all things creepy and scary.  I love horror movies, good ones and bad ones.  Also, really, really bad ones.  I spend a lot of time reading scary stories on Reddit.  I adore the website Sixpenceee.  There I read terrifying stories, watch short, independent horror films, look at creepy pictures, and check out stuff about serial killers, abandoned asylums, and all forms of oddities.  I have an obsession with memento mori, photos that Victorian era people took of their deceased love ones.  So yes, I’m looking at a bunch of dead Victorian babies.  Many times the deceased have open eyes painted on their eyelids so that they appear to be wide awake.  Often the surviving siblings are photographed with their deceased brothers or sisters.  Sometimes multiple family members died at the same time and are posed together.  It’s not just kids.  It’s adults too.  It’s all so interesting.  The dead were sitting up in chairs, or propped up on stands to be photographed standing up.  I told my family that I want a family photo taken around my coffin when I go.  I’m not gonna make them all sit around me on the couch.  You must go on Pinterest to see these because I can’t describe just how awesome they are.

So, to juxtapose my dark side, I love anything sparkly.  If it’s got sequins, sparkles, glitter, or jewels, you know I want one.  I love purple.  I consider it one step below black on the color spectrum.

I’m chatty.  This is why I love to blog.  I can talk whether or not anyone out there cares to listen.  I have lots more LOVES, like cartoons, video games, puzzles, and books, Hello Kitty, and fro yo.  This might be more than anyone really wants to know about me.  I don’t care.  I will tell you regardless.  If anyone wants to share, I’d like to learn about you, reader.  I love to talk, but I’m a great listener too.