From the Deepest Darkest Corners of the Internet

"Deep Dark Fears" by Fran Krause (@frankrause)

Do you like humor?

Of course you do.

Are you afraid of entirely irrational horrifying things that could never actually happen but oh god oh god what would you do if they did?

Of course you are.

Well one comicsmith has combined these two things in a single brilliant, hilarious, terrifying webcomic: "Deep Dark Fears".

Each installment either illuminates something I was already irrationally afraid of or reveals to me something I hadn't previously thought of that I should absolutely have already been irrationally afraid of. Very educational.

Proof of its usefulness? Google "deep dark fears" right now and no psychologists' websites pop up. Only the webcomic!

Seriously now. "Deep Dark Fears" is brilliantly executed. It truly does plumb down deep into the strange part of the human brain that creates every-day scenarios just on the edge of believable and makes you laugh while doing it: What would happen if juuussst the edge of a speeding car clipped a part of your body? Is that sharp thing juuussst the right shape to really screw me up? What if I'm tired and fall asleep on my feet at juuuusssssssttttt the absolutely wrong moment? What if we're surrounded by ghosts all the time and we don't even know it?!

You'll be immediately impressed by Krause's cartooning:

The economy of line used to show you a closed eyelid and a set of pursed lips is awesome. THAT'S good cartooning. (Can you see where this strip is going?)

The one about video game logic applied to real life struck me because I've had nearly the exact same thought in the same context (a contender for best comics of 2013):

THAT'S hilarious.

Then there's the one about ghosts, that is so simple and so wonderful that it's already on the Long and Shortbox best comics of 2012 list.

"Deep Dark Fears" is worth a look because it's holding a mirror back at your crazy, needy, terrified, over-active subconscious and being funny while doing it.

Or maybe that's just me? EEP!

"Deep Dark Fears" appears weekly and is hosted on Tumblr here.
The comicsmith Fran Krause maintains a website here.

~ @JonGorga

No comments:

Post a Comment