Edward Gorey

Edward St. John Gorey (February 22, 1925 – April 15, 2000) was an American artist and writer of little illustrated stories and experimental plays. 
He was known for his own illustrated books as well as cover art and illustration for books by other writers. He designed sets and costumes for "Edward Gorey’s Dracula" in 1977. That play won two Tony Awards in 1978. One was for Best Costumes.
Gorey was born in Chicago, Illinois. From grade 9, he was a successful student at the Francis Parker School. He was drafted into the U. S. Army when he was 18. In 1946 he went to college at Harvard University. He was the roommate there of poet Frank O'Hara. They both worked in the Poets Theater in Cambridge. 
Gorey's first book was "The Unstrung Harp" in 1953. Different from comic books, it was an early kind of graphic novel. It used both words and pictures to tell the story.
From the 1950s on, Gorey was well-liked as an illustrator and designer of other people's books. Many people know his work by watching the animated opening for public telelvision's "Mystery" series.
In 2000 he died of a heart attack at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
Books.
Some of Gorey's books are very hard to find. These four books collect many of them. Because his books are very short, these collections may contain 15 or more in each volume.