By Sophie
Erik Kriek is a Dutch artist and illustrator, known to us at ABC for his comic books and graphic novels, though his art has featured on many surfaces that aren’t paper (skateboards, record sleeves, and sneakers, to name a few). He won the prestigious Dutch Stripschapprijs for his entire body of work in 2008 – and yet he continues to draw on, thankfully!
His drawing style is “often described as having a feel for ‘post-modern irony, infused with a retro-comic, pop-culture sensibility'”. Once you’ve seen his art once, you will recognize his work instantly in the future. He doesn’t just draw, however; he’s also a banjo player and a board game afficionado.
We are thrilled to welcome him back to our Amsterdam store on Friday 29 August! He will present his new book The Pit and give a talk about his influences and the importance of folklore on his work. In honor of this return visit, we want to highlight some of his works published in English, and hope you’ll join us on 29 August.
In the aftermath of personal tragedy, Hugh and Sara retreat to an old family home in the woods of the Veluwe in the hopes of getting their lives back on track. But can you run fast enough to escape the past? And what do those strange glyphs carved into the old beech trees really mean?
In the Pines – 5 Murder Ballads
“In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines and we shiver when the cold wind blows…”
For over a century, the murder ballad has held a prominent place in American roots music, although its origins lie in Britain and Scandinavia. These songs tell raw stories of unrequited love, betrayal, violence, life, and death. Inspired by classics of the genre such as “Pretty Polly” and “Long Black Veil,” as well as contemporary songs by Steve Earle, Nick Cave, and Gillian Welch, Erik Kriek has crafted five graphic narratives that embody the spirit of the murder ballad tradition and prove that the deepest darkness harbors tales that daylight would never tolerate.
Eerie, bloody, wistful, and strange, In the Pines will lead you down to the very heart of the forest – where the wild roses grow and where the ghosts wander, their long-buried secrets unfurling in song.
After seven years of exile, battle-hardened Hallstein Thordsson returns home to Iceland, only to find that old wounds haven’t healed. His stepmother Solveig and his half-brother Ottar are besieged by wood thieves, directed by her unwelcome suitor, Einar. The Exile’s presence disrupts the delicate balance and threatens to tip all of Iceland into violence.
A remarkable decades-spanning epic, The Exile is equal parts action “Western” and family drama, with a surprising story of violence and consequences at its core. Told in a naturalistic modern style but with tremendous fidelity to the historical period in which it is set, The Exile depicts the Viking age in all of its conflict, turmoil, and social structure, with every detail depicted vividly on the page.
Gutsman Comics vol. 1
Wordless, stylish, and sexy, this graphic novel playfully uses the imagery of mainstream comics to turn the spotlight on love affairs, despair, temptation and loss. A unique approach to comics.
(Sadly no longer in print. Some copies are still available through our supplier of second-hand books, for the die-hard collector. Please note, second-hand does not necessarily mean ‘cheaper’, as the bookstore selling the copy sets their own price…)
