Neil Gaiman betrayed us all

 A quick note about the horrific prolonged SA cases that have come out around Neil Gaiman. I have been reading his work since the age of 11. I knew 0 about his character aside from what he wrote in introductions, and wikipedia's then small background tab.

Gaiman preyed on fans, people like you, people like me. He was not who anyone thought he was. 

I have talked about Coraline (2002) as its original novel, animated film, opera, and stage versions. I can do so no longer. Whilst the posts will remain on this site I will pin to each the article by New York Magazine on Gaiman's crimes, which I will link underneath this post. 

I believe every victim who has come forward.

LINK: THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

WHAT IS THE USE OF A BOOK ASTHETICS: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

 

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

These things- even the things in the cellar- were illusions, things made by the Other Mother in a ghastly parody of the real people and real things at the other end of the corridor. She couldn't truly create anything, decided Coraline.

Photomontage by me for Neil Gaiman's Coraline.

Sources: 

• P Kwang (this is the earliest source I could find) 
• eatdrinkbscary (earliest source found) 
• HELENE ATHANASIADIS 
• SoldOut 
• Brendancer97 
• Scaredybats 
• Scarlet Raven 
• Pinterest
• Dave Mackean's illustrations (altered by me) 

Neil Gaiman's Coraline, illustration by Adrián D. Solis.

I adore how accurate to the original book this illustration is! 

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Coraline and cat by Jullianna Swaney for Neil Gaiman's Coraline. 

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Illustration for Neil Gaiman's Coraline by art-of-kitty-blake

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Illustration for Neil Gaiman's Coraline by lizzie-whizzie

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Benjamin Lacombe's Coraline illustrations have been cancelled....

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

*sigh* This would have been so good... 

Not honestly sure entirely what has happened, but it appears Benjamin Lacombe's illustrated edition of Neil Gaiman's Coraline has been cancelled or dropped.

Sometimes, even if it’s a little disappointing , you got to let down some projects. Because it’s not the right moment, because you don’t feel it deep inside, because the stars aren't aligned.This is what is happening with my illustrated version of Coraline. 

However Lacombe did post a illustration for Coraline so we aren't entirely missing out...  

Here is one image I did for this project (it’s not completely finished)

Mark Anthony Turnage's Coraline Opera gets MAJOR new 2019 production

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

This in from the excellent Opernhaus Zurich, playing from the 16th of November - April next year:

Coraline discovers a mysterious door, gathers her courage and crawls through. At first glance, the Other world in which she ends up feels very familiar: Actually, everything is like home. But Coraline's parents are suddenly terribly nice, cook delicious meals and are ready to fulfill all their wishes. However, there is one condition: to stay here forever, Coraline would have to swap her eyes for two buttons ...

 Coraline’s fantastical and sinister experiences are reminiscent of literary classics such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland or E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Sandman, yet tell a very modern coming-of-age story. 

 And cast announcements (via Operawire) 

Nina Russi will lead the new production with Ann-Katrin Stöcker as conductor. The cast will include Deanna Breiwick and Sandra Hamaoui alternating the title role, while Irène Friedli, Judith Schmid will play Mother. Other cast members include Ronan Collett, Robin Adams, Iain Milne, Spencer Lang, and Sen Guo, among others.

Opernhaus Zurich is one of Austria's biggest Opera companies, and has a working relationship with DVD distributors ARTE and Accentus Music. 

As Coraline is one of the biggest announcements for Opernhaus Zurich's new season, a DVD is highly likely!  

As always will report if there's any news on this! 

Coraline Illustrations by Projecto Gráfico

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I WROTE THIS PIECE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Projecto Gráfico is an Brazillian illustration collective. In 2018, they put together a theoretical set of illustrations for Neil Gaiman's Coraline.

Their work can be found here (along with a lot of Neil Gaiman's text translated into Portuguese!) 

Intriguingly as the content of the book gets darker tonally, the illustrations start turning from white to grey to black! 

NOTE JANUARY 2025: NEIL GAIMAN IS AN ABUSER, I POSTED THIS IMAGE FAR BEFORE ANYONE KNEW. PLEASE READ THE SIDE OF NEIL GAIMAN HIS FANS NEVER SAW, BY LAUREN STARKE (TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLY)

Coraline (After Dave Mackean) by Lorenzo Aguillo