Ye Olde Fiction Website Too Pretty to Actually Read

Dollar Dreadful

Okay, I’m doing an asinine thing: blogging about this fiction website called Dollar Dreadful, despite the fact that I’ve not read a single piece of writing on it. I’m not even going to try to fool you guys; I don’t think I’ve read more than 5 words on this page since I first discovered it over a year go. I come back to this website again and again with the full intention of reading the stories, but the layout just hypnotizes me. Before I can download a single PDF, the brain starts going: “DESIGN! Must look up fonts! Need to buy vintage Sears catalogue on Ebay!” and then before I know it, I’m on Flickr drooling over somebody’s grandma’s scanned corset ads. Also, I love the fact that they designed the ads at the bottom in the same exact style as the rest of the page. If only all websites worked this way!

8 Responses to “Ye Olde Fiction Website Too Pretty to Actually Read”

  1. Vivacious G Says:

    I especially love the “V” in Vanbeater (besides, what a great word, Vanbeater!) and the muccatypo….

    P.S. I love the paperdolls in the magazine. LOVE them.

  2. Daniel Says:

    It does have that sort of hypnotic effect to it. I keep looking at it… having difficulty reading… way too alluring!

  3. Zoetica Says:

    It is sort of like staring into a money bill. So much information and detail!

  4. Warren Ellis Says:

    The work of the wonderful Will Staehle, who designed the cover for CROOKED LITTLE VEIN (among many many other things, including THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN’S UNION).

  5. six06 Says:

    goes to show you how much the economy has changed.

    clever. and hypnotic. :)

  6. R. Says:

    That is the kind of site that will have me staring at it, mesmerized by its layout. Eventually I’ll get to the reading bit…eventually.

  7. Tequila Says:

    Beautiful…quite the inspiration for those of us trying to figure out how to do more non traditional web design. Total font junkie wank material…It’s so nice though I don’t want to click on anything!

    Reminds me of Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth in terms of how much the design becomes an art style unto itself.

    Read somewhere that not too far off in the future Fonts will be able to be downloaded like other web content on sites. This would allow for sites to use fonts beyond the standard “safe” ones without them having to have been already installed on a users machine.

  8. Nadya Says:

    Warren, thanks for the tip! I *LOVE* this man’s work. The Yiddish Policemen’s Union stood out to me, way before it hit the bestseller’s list, precisely due to the beautiful, beautiful graphic design. This guy knows color and type. Especially type. I’m in awe.