As you know if you come here often, the more off-beat and strange something is, the better I like it. I mean, anyone can do poser-weird: just walk into your local Spirit Halloween store any day in October and you’ll see a plethora of merchandise meant to temporarily convert an average suburbanite into a rampant Samhain-alian, if only for one night.

But it takes a special sort of twisted talent to create the truly and perpetually unusual, and those are people we are always on the lookout for here at Goth Chick News. Therefore, it is no surprise that we’ve decided to permanently cyber-stalk artist Charles M. Kline and forever affectionately refer to him as “Chas” – whether he likes it or not.

I first became acquainted with Kline’s art back in 2014 when I received his most recent work, Edgar Allan Paws and the Tell-Tale Tail Adapted From “The Tell-Tale Heart” By Edgar Allan Poe packaged in a coffin (yes, you read that right). You can learn more about that seminal incident here, but suffice to say I’ve been a rabid fan ever since.

Most recently Kline has brought his special brand of weird to bear on the holidays in the form of his first hardcover book, The 12 Frights of Christmas, which covers everything from “Mistletoe Mishaps” to “Egregious Eggnog.” Kline combines his unique drawing skills with an offbeat sense of humor that, while being rated PG, still has an undertone of commentary that I find hysterical. Especially in light of his latest holiday offering.

Christmas cards.

“Ceaseless Carol Crooning” (for my Dad)

Now, every family has their own stories of holiday mishaps which are inevitably told (over and over) each year when you all get together. You know the ones I mean – a lot of them have to do with one relative or other being overserved, or some colossal argument that ensued for no good reason other than it’s a risk when that many adults are forced together over fruitcake…

Kline’s Christmas cards pay a wink and nod to many such mishaps and therefore will either be the perfect inside joke when sent to the right sibling, or an equally off-handed and not-so-subtle reference when sent to a recent ex. Or, even without any double-entendres they’re simply the perfect, left-of-center holiday greeting cards to come from people like us.

“Santaclausephobia” (for my younger sister)

“Our Chas” (as we now like to call him) is packaging up the book and the greeting cards to pitch to potential publishers for the Christmas season, so we’re particularly enthralled to have an early set of cards to share with my own special recipient list. For now, check out the cards at Chas’ website where you can keep up on the latest availability news, or follow him on Facebook.

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