🔪The Numbers Game
Shadowy Figures Like Stormy Nights
Every episode of Into the Storymaze features writing tips or a work-in-progress; a creative something I’m digging; a highlight from my comics-writing credits; + a quote that’s got me thinking.
Just in time for Halloween: something of a treat, I hope. Couple episodes back we spent “A Dark and Stormy Night” together: a few pages from a script for a comic book anthology that the publisher never brought together. (At least not to my knowledge.) However, the complete script — titled The Numbers Game — was ably illustrated by Noel Tuazon. So I took the art that was sent my way, and added in my captions and dialogue with Comics Life: a fun little program that’s certainly not a pro-lettering package, but made it possible for the likes of me to get the story together. (Apologies to my true letterer pals!)
I make no claims to Noel’s art, and if he’d prefer I take it down, I certainly will. But figure it’s better that things have a chance to breathe than gasp for air trapped on hard drives.
Know someone who’d have fun in the Storymaze? Ask them to join us…
“Folk horror” are tales that ask, “What if the old ways remained in power?” The old ways being the danger of the countryside, unchecked power, fear of female ascension, pagan rituals, dread and good ol’ fashioned nihilism. You can recognize these in films like The Wicker Man, Midsommar, and The Witch. But the dark magic is also at work in urban monster myths like Candyman — even among the ancient alien terrors dug up in Quatermass and the Pit.
Folk horror is celebrated in glorious form in Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched, a 3 hour documentary that, despite its length, is engrossing and seductive in its exploration of these themes and its “unearthing” of strange, unsettling films of this type from around the globe. The expert commentary from authors, filmmakers and historians is varied and compelling throughout, made more so by the construct of the documentary itself: eerie sounds, otherworldly music, ghostly animations and haunting montages from those movies.
You may find yourself starting your own journey into the unknown, to discover their uncanny power for yourself. And recognizing the signs of the old ways in more places than you expect…
I caught it on an online film festival, and it’s on sale now for release in December.
Got a tale of folk horror or documentary praise? Jump in…
Bouncing about the interwebs and was delighted and honored to see that one of my Hellraiser tales was held up as one of the “best horror comics around.” Thanks to creator Gabriel Hernandez Walta, for recognizing a fun collaboration with Mike Mignola we called Dead Things Rot.
Celebrating Hellraiser creator Clive Barker’s talent for combining fearful & beautiful, Gabriel writes, ”Mignola and Chichester totally nailed (no pun intended!) the same mood with this short comic. I also love that in only fifteen pages they managed to develop a whole story with awesome character design, great use of TV as exposition device and a wonderful ending.” Check out the article at cbr.com — you can find the full tale of Cenobites and serial killers in the original Hellraiser #13. (How appropriate.)
And Happy Halloween everyone!
“Let me say it again: You must not come lightly to the blank page.” ― Stephen King
Amazing Times
Thanks for taking a break from the dark web to check out this share-out of projects I’m working on, plus things that have me jazzed. I’m D.G. Chichester. If that looks pretentious, feel free to just call me “Dan.”
I earned my word-cred writing comic book titles like Daredevil, Terror Inc., Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, along with years of digital widgets in the world wide web of advertising. I keep my storytelling cred by trying new things — many featured in this newsletter. I like weird tales, so if things here bend that way — now you know why!
Folks seem to like the comic book adventures I’ve written, so if you haven’t checked one out — please do. Many are now available in fab collected editions.
For the lonely moments between newsletters…
@dgchichester — 280 characters from the Twitterverse
@dgchichester — images via Instagramland