#the mystery of the sinister scarecrow

[all-action-all-picture]

Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators - 29.

1982 UK Armada paperback edition of Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators: The Mystery of the Sinister Scarecrow.

Written by M.V. Carey (Mary Victoria Carey, 1925-1994) and based on characters created by Robert Arthur (1909-1969). Cover by Peter Archer (1933-2018).

[chronivore]

"A Bit More Mystery"

[romchat]

Ripe Town Ep. 1 visuals: Under the cover of light

I am absolutely LOVING the historical crime drama Ripe Town. It's moody, nicely paced, and has really solid acting. The show reminds me of a grimmer, more ruminative A League of Nobleman, and its restrained but equally masterful cinematography caught my eye from the first scene. If you're looking for a prestige drama, this is it.

I wanted to share some of the cinematography choices the show makes in its first episode that help set the perfect tone for a crime drama. Film nerds, there are so many goodies in this show.

Under the cover of light

What a great cold open.

The show drops us (literally) in a farm field with our main character, Qu Sangeng, and his partner, Gao Shicong. They are bailiffs who have been sent out into the fields to investigate the mysterious appearance of a scarecrow, and they soon discover it's the dead body of Sangeng's mentor, Captain Leng.

(Side Note: There's something intriguing about the way the camera lingers on this sea of gold as it swallows and propels Sangeng and Shicong toward the scarecrow. It's almost like the field is its own character with its own memories. I don't think this will be the last time the plot returns us to this location.)

We learn at the coroner's that Captain Leng had not only been strangled but also pierced with a wooden rod bearing the Confucian quote "My principle is unified." This inscription paired with the theatricality of the body's staging (in broad daylight, in an open field) lends a deeper meaning to the murder. As an officer of the law, it is Captain Leng's duty to uphold justice, so why else would the murderer distort a classic work of philosophy if not to indict Leng of some moral malpractice?

And to a certain extent, we can understand that indictment by how the show portrays Captain Leng and Sangeng's colleagues in the criminal court system. Just look at how these officials are introduced:

They're filmed in darkness or shadow, the use of low-key lighting giving each a suspicious air. The strategic use of props further reinforces our first impression of them as sinister, incompetent, and corrupt men.

It makes you think about what other crimes have been committed in these rooms under the guise of justice.

The virtuous (but unstable) lone cop

Given how the show portrays the police and court system, it's notable how our main character, Sangeng, is often blocked in relation to them. As a bailiff, Sangeng is intelligent and principled. When we look at the composition of his scenes with men in power, he is often positioned towards the other end of the screen with the vertical lines of beams or doors physically demarcating his separation from them. He doesn't share their ethics nor does he tolerate their power plays.

And yet in Episode 2, we see the usually stoic Sangeng display a startling amount of violence and abuse of power, similar to a colleague he had criticized for the same behavior during this episode. I'm curious to see if and how this investigation continues to unravel him.

If these walls could speak

Ok, my favorite part of this show's cinematography is its use of dirty framing. Look at these gorgeous shots:

Dirtying the frame is when the camera crew uses things like architecture, objects, or even people in the foreground to add depth to a shot. Ripe Town constantly uses windows, plants, etc. to frame our characters as they discuss the case, which is such a smart way of upping the show's creepy factor. It feels like there is always someone (possibly the killer?) watching from beyond the frame

But maybe even cooler is the constant use of background action:

Check out how often there are people in the background near enough to our main characters to observe but far enough to not be intrusive (or helpful). Throughout Episode 1, we see farmers, bailiffs, and other workers stand around as Sangeng works the case. Like with the dirty framing, there's a sense of surveillance but this time from the townspeople as a whole. It's the classic small-town mystery trope where you suspect everyone knows more than they let on.

I wonder if this notion of surveillance will become one of the show’s major themes: are people watching because they’re trying to protect a secret or are they watching because they're hoping someone will reveal and take accountability for those secrets?

Together, these filming techniques create a fascinating world where murder is committed during the day and secrets are revealed in the dark. I can't wait to see how the story continues to deliver more and more interesting visuals as its mysterious plot unfolds.

[masteroffearshusband49020]

As a late birthday gift to @autisticgxb2 :

Ebenezer Laughton meets BTAS Scarecrow

A mysterious portal opened up in Jon's lab. He jumped when he saw it right next to him. He began frantically hiding away all his tools to protect them and swiftly dawned his Scarecrow costume with some fear gas bombs at the ready. Eventually someone came out of the portal. A stalkier Scarecrow with a green shirt emerged.

"Wow! Hello... me...?" The figure asked.

"What is your name?" Jon asked cautiously.

"Ebenezer Laughton, I am the Scarecrow." Ebenezer boasted.

"You're not me, but we share a name. I am the Scarecrow." Jon.

"Interesting..." Ebenezer let out.

"What is your Gotham like? Have you defeated the Batman?" Jon asked.

"Gotham? Batman? What are you talking about?" Ebenezer asked.

"Where are you from?" Jon asked.

"Rhinebeck, New York. You?" Ebenezer asked.

"Georgia." Jon said dryly.

"Oh wow, a Southern Scarecrow." Ebenezer said in a fake Southern accent.

"Yes yes, very funny." Jon rolled his eyes. "Do you make fear toxin?" Jon changed the subject.

"Fear toxin? I have fear gas, but not toxin."

"How on Earth do you have fear gas without fear toxin??" Jon demanded.

"I produce pheromones that trigger people's panic responses." Ebenezer bragged. "It's useful, for I can feed off of people's fear." Ebenezer explained.

"Fascinating!" Jon marveled.

"I don't scare you?" Ebenezer asked.

"Hah! No, but I would love to study you. I have a degree in the psychology of fear and make various fear toxins in my free time. Your abilities could benefit my studies greatly! If you'd be so kind as to allow me to run you through some tests...?" Jon asked.

"I'd be delighted. So you scare people with chemicals?" Ebenezer asked.

"I can, but I don't need them in order to strike fear into the hearts of my enemies. I have a degree in the *psychology* of fear. I know how to get into people's heads." Jon said with a sinister grin.

"You don't scare me." Ebenezer let out.

"... Not yet..." Jon teased.

[allwaswell16]

Could you please share some dark Halloween October fics please (I know it's September)

Hi! I'll give you a few recs here as I'm assuming you just want a few fics. My to do list for longer fics goes into March lol so wouldn't be the best time to give you creepy Halloween fics. I'm gonna start with some shorter ones because they're the creepiest ones I know. But then I'll add a couple others, too.

Neighbor by @juliusschmidt

Harry shares a few kisses with his neighbor on Halloween.

a treat for a trick by neptune rising / @thelesserneptune

To celebrate his breakup from a man that did not love him, Louis brings back to his place the hottest man at the pub, who seems just as eager to get a taste of him.

Foreshadowing by @neondiamond

Alone at home on a rainy Friday night, Harry reads a story that resembles his own life a bit too closely…

head all full of stuffin' by @lhhome

“I don’t!”

That’s what Louis had said on live television a little over a month ago when asked whether he thinks scarecrows are sentient creatures. He is severely regretting that right at this moment.

The Skeleton Key by photo41 

Harry Styles, a good-natured nurse living in Manchester, quits his job at a hospice to work for Violet Winston, an elderly woman whose husband, Ben, is in poor health following a stroke.

When Harry begins to explore the couple's rundown mansion, he discovers strange artifacts and learns the house has a mysterious past. As he continues to investigate, he realizes that Violet is keeping a sinister secret about the cause of Ben's illness- and tries to convince the Winston's estate lawyer, Louis Tomlinson, that he really isn't going insane.

Loosely based off the movie of the same name.

I guess this next one isn't Halloween, but it came to mind...

Tonight's the Night by @jaerie

Tonight’s the night. The night Harry has been waiting for. Everything has been carefully planned, nothing left to chance, the scene set and waiting for their arrival. It’s time.

Harry lives a double life. During the day he's Harry- trusty blood spatter analyst, at night his darkness comes out to play. So far he's been able to act his way through a normal life without drawing attention. What happens when that is no longer the case?

Or a Dexter AU where Harry is Dexter, Liam is Doakes, Niall is Masuka and Gemma is Deb.

ALSO, here are some other recs that might have some things for you...

🌸 Dark Harry Fics

🌸 Halloween Fics

🌸 Spooky Fics

🌸 Vampire Fics

🌸 Werewolf Fics

🌸 Horror/Spooky Fics

lol I should have just checked my recs first

[twistedtummies2]

Top 15 Portrayals of the Scarecrow

A while back, I did lists for what many would consider the four key villains of Batman: Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and Riddler. I recently updated those countdowns, should you wish to go back and revisit them. However, lately, I’ve been on sort of a kick for another great antagonist of the Caped Crusader…that being the Master of Fear himself, Scarecrow.

Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. Scarecrow, is perhaps one of the most analogous villains to Batman himself in the Dark Knight’s Rogues Gallery. While all of Batman’s best villains tend to parallel the hero in some fashion - either acting as a dark reflection of the Caped Crusader, or as a direct contrast to him - I would argue the Scarecrow is the one who most obviously and directly has this comparable element. Batman’s entire modus operandi revolves around intimidation and fear; he dons the trappings of a mysterious creature of the night and behaves in seemingly ghoulish ways as a means of frightening his opponents. He is also a being of great intelligence and cunning, using his scientific and deductive reasoning to outwit and pursue his antagonists.

The Scarecrow mirrors this quite directly: Jonathan Crane is a psychiatrist, a brilliant man, who wears a creepy costume and uses a variety of weapons to instill fear and spread terror and horror throughout Gotham City. The most notable of these weapons is his patented Fear Toxin: a hallucinogenic substance that causes people to experience their worst fears with shocking realism. The difference is that while Batman uses his mind and his scare tactics to mortify criminal scumbags, the Scarecrow is far, FAR less moral: abused and tormented constantly as a child by his family and his peers, Crane is an out-of-control sadist who wants nothing more than to see all of Gotham City scared quite literally to death. Sometimes he uses the excuse of furthering the cause of science as his motivation, but it’s always clear that Crane is simply a cruel man lashing out at what he perceives to be an equally cruel world. In a way, he is the most obvious example of who Bruce Wayne could have become if he’d allowed his heart to be twisted to evil.

The Scarecrow is a villain who has had a steady sort of rise in popularity over the course of his long career in comics. He’s more popular nowadays than he probably ever has been, but he’s not quite as iconic as characters like Joker or Catwoman. Still there’s been some decent reinterpretations of  him beyond the comics. So, today, I’d like to give attention to my favorites! Without further ado, here are My Top 15 Portrayals of Scarecrow!

15. Dave Wittenberg. Wittenberg provided the vocal effects for the Scarecrow in the first LEGO Batman Video Game. (In the first game, none of the characters actually spoke, they just…sort of made noises. XD ) In the first game, Batman has to take down three separate groups of allied villains, each with their own sinister plots to foil. The Scarecrow is one of several villains - including Harley Quinn, the Mad Hatter, and, of all people, Killer Moth - who joins forces with the Joker in the third chapter of the game. He agrees to help in an elaborate scheme that will destroy Gotham Cathedral, and spread a deadly gas all across the city. Scarecrow serves as a playable character on the villain’s side of the story, as well as in the “freeplay” mode of the game; for the hero side of the story, he is the designated “vehicle boss” for the Joker’s chapter of the game, as he uses a suped-up crop duster to spread his Fear Toxin across the city. The heroes thus have to hop into the Batwing to stop him. The character would later reappear in other LEGO titles, but this was the only major role he ever really played. Playing as the Scarecrow - even in LEGO form - is a lot of fun, and the biplane boss is pretty cool, too; ultimately, I just feel other Scarecrows are more impressive.

14. Jim Meskimen. Meskimen voiced the Scarecrow in the gloriously wild crossover film, “Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same title, the story focuses on Ra’s Al Ghul and the Shredder working together in a mad scheme to - of course - destroy Gotham City. As part of their elaborate plan, the two villains make a deal with the Joker, who releases several of the inmates inside Arkham Asylum, and then douses himself and them with the mysterious green goo called “The Ooze,” causing all of them to transform into human/animal hybrids. In the case of Jonathan Crane, he transforms into - what else? - a giant crow, and does battle with both Leonardo and Batman himself. Scarecrow turns out to be one of the more prominent rogues of the bunch to appear, as the haunting images he forces Leo to see under the power of his Fear Toxin come back to haunt the leader of the TMNT later in the picture…however, I’ve never really liked the look of Crane prior to his transformation, and his role is ultimately just too small for him to get any higher placement.

13. Don Messick. Messick was one of the earliest depictions of the Scarecrow in other media to exist. He played the character in the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon series “Challenge of the Superfriends,” an early incarnation of the Justice League. In the series, Scarecrow is one of the (unlucky) thirteen villains who make up the nefarious Legion of Doom: a coalition of supervillains, led by Lex Luthor, who have banded together with two simple goals in mind. First, destroy the Superfriends…and second - you guessed it - take over the world. Messick’s Crane was a wonderfully creepy character, with a very off-putting design and a disturbingly raspy, sinister voice; he was one of the most unsettling villains of the whole group. Oddly enough, the Scarecrow did NOT use his signature Fear Toxin as his weapon of choice; instead, he apparently had control over a flock of trained crows, which he used to help him spy on people, commit robberies, and do all sorts of other dastardly deeds. I have a lot of nostalgia for this show, and I do love the look and the voice for the Scarecrow. However, much like with the previous two versions, there just wasn’t enough time devoted to the character for him to be a truly grand interpretation.

12. Andre Stojka. Stojka played the character in a follow-up series to Superfriends, entitled “Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.” The series took place in the same continuity as the earlier Superfriends show, but by now, the Legion of Doom had disbanded, and its villains were working all on their own. Scarecrow appeared in one of the most well-known episodes of the show, “The Fear,” which delved into the dark and tragic origins of Batman. It was here that we met the Scarecrow’s alter-ego of Jonathan Crane for the first time outside of comics, and it was also the first time the Scarecrow’s signature tactics of making his foes’ worst fears come to life was finally put to use. In the episode, Crane masquerades as a well-meaning psychiatrist, attempting to help the police and cure Batman of his mortifying fears…while, in reality, he commits daring heists as the Scarecrow, using not Fear Toxin but “Fear Transmitters” to bring to life the horrors of his nemeses. While I personally feel Don Messick’s voice and appearance were more frightening, Stojka’s Crane - despite getting only one episode to his name - has more layers to his character, and more time to shine, as well as having his signature gimmick in some fashion. This was the first time the Scarecrow really started to come into his own in other media, I would say, and this episode served as a template for basically every future introduction to the character.

11. Dee Bradley Baker. Baker’s Scarecrow is perhaps the quintessential example of the character just not having enough time to fully come into his own. Baker played the character in the TV series “Batman: The Brave and the Bold;” in the series, most of the episodes were opened up with a pre-titles teaser (similar to a James Bond movie, for example), which would usually be disconnected from the rest of the episode’s story. The Scarecrow served as the antagonist of the teaser for one of my favorite episodes of the show, “Trials of the Demon.” In the teaser, Batman teams-up with Jay Garrick - the original Flash - to combat both Scarecrow and an original villain, Scream Queen (a sort of evil Black Canary). It’s Halloween, and Scarecrow has somehow managed to infect all the pumpkins in Gotham City with a special form of his Fear Toxin. While Flash and the Scream Queen have a merry chase throughout the city, with Garrick using superspeed to gather all the pumpkins before it’s too late, Batman does battle with Scarecrow and his goons directly. Baker’s voice was glorious, and I love the design of Scarecrow here, as well as the way he’s depicted as a strong physical fighter, along with his Fear Toxin’s effects. This easily could have been one of the greatest interpretations of the character in animation…but unfortunately, this Teaser (along with a non-speaking role as a villain in the video game based on the show) was really the only role Scarecrow had in the entire series. I really wish we could have seen more of him.

10. Christopher S. Field. Field plays the Scarecrow in the online game “DC Universe Online,” where he serves as one of the mission bosses. The mission is one for the heroes’ side of the game: the Player is sent on a mission to rescue Batwoman, who has been kidnapped by Crane. Both the Player and Batwoman end up trapped by Scarecrow in a huge arena, flooded with a special form of his Fear Toxin. The battle involves multiple stages, as Crane uses the Toxin to bring to life numerous hallucinations, all based around specific phobias. It’s a fun boss fight, and Field delivers one of the better vocal performances of the game. His Scarecrow is theatrical and over-the-top, but also genuinely creepy at some points. Definitely an underappreciated portrayal of the character, in my opinion.

9. Robin Atkin Downes. Downes played the Scarecrow in the two-part animated adaptation of one of my all-time favorite Batman stories, “Batman: The Long Halloween.” This classic tale takes place at an odd sort of “middle time” in Gotham’s history: on the one hand, many of its famous supervillains - like Joker, the Mad Hatter, Catwoman, and, obviously, Scarecrow - already exist and are active. However, they are still very much “on the rise,” with Gotham’s gangster families - the Falcones and Maronis - being the real major threat to the Gotham populace. The story, in a way, tracks the fall of Gotham’s old guard of criminals, and the takeover of the supervillain; an evolution in the way crime works in Gotham City. The film is a pretty faithful and solid adaptation, in some places even improving on the book. Downes plays a truly creepy take on the Scarecrow, with a dangerously dark voice. He first appears in the second half of the film, where he escapes from Arkham Asylum and teams up with the Mad Hatter, the pair of them, in term, joining forces with Carmine Falcone in a plan to kill Batman. The visuals for Scarecrow, as well as the actor’s vocals, are really fantastic, and I’m glad that the film jettisoned the bizarre writing tactic Jeph Loeb used in the book of having the Scarecrow speak almost entirely in quotes from Nursery Rhymes. (He does something similar with the Hatter, but him speaking in Wonderland quotes is one thing; Scarecrow talking in Mother Goose language never really made sense to me.) However, once again, the Scarecrow is just a supporting player in the events that unfold; he’s fun to watch, but other versions just do more with the character.

8. Charlie Tahan & David W. Thompson. This is where things with the Scarecrow, in my opinion, start to get REALLY good. In the TV series “Gotham,” we get a great new interpretation of Jonathan Crane’s beginnings. In Season 1, Jonathan Crane - played by Charlie Tahan - is still a teenager, living with his abusive father: a scientist named Gerald Crane, who is experimenting with a chemical formula that will one day become Jonathan’s own patented Fear Toxin. At the end of Jonathan’s story arc in Season 1, he ends up exposed to these chemicals, which causes him to go completely insane as he begins to hallucinate visions of a demonic scarecrow monster chasing him around. Later, in Season 4, Jonathan returns, and a series of events causes him to completely lose his grip on reality, thus becoming the Scarecrow. Tahan left the show at this point due to scheduling conflicts, so for the remainder of Season 4 - as well as into the 5th and final season - the Scarecrow was played by a new performer, David W. Thompson. It was interesting to see a younger version of the Scarecrow, effectively just seeing the character get started on his evil path, and the reimagining of his origin story - inspired by the incarnation from the New 52 continuity - was pretty well-handled. The only reason this Scarecrow doesn’t get higher on the list, is that - while I personally think Thompson’s Scarecrow costumes were better than Charlie Tahan’s, and he had a more menacing voice to accompany them - the character sort of takes a downgrade after Tahan’s departure, as he ultimately just ends up playing second fiddle to other villains, like the Valeska Brothers and Bane. Once again, they didn’t really DO much with Scarecrow in his later appearances. Still, it was always cool to see him, and I do like what both performers did with the part.

7. Dwight Schultz. Schultz played Jonathan Crane in the direct-to-video Halloween special, “Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!” The film focuses on the Mystery Inc. Gang trying to stop a horde of man-eating monsters, and features no less than three special guest characters: Bill Nye the Science Guy, Elvira...and, of course, the Scarecrow. The Scarecrow is the secondary antagonist of the film, as he starts off as a red herring figure, seemingly the villain behind the evil goings on. However, it’s later revealed he’s not responsible, and he actually joins forces with the heroes to stop a greater threat. There is so much that’s AWESOME about this Scarecrow that it’s hard to list everything succinctly. It bizarrely shows the strength of the character by surprisingly NOT having him team-up with Batman (the Dark Knight never even appears in the story), and by having him never use his patented Fear Toxin. He has to stand up on his own terms, without any of his usual support structures. I also like that the special actually takes Crane pretty seriously; there’s humor involved, make no mistake, but neither Schultz nor the writers turn the Scarecrow into a joke. He’s a bit of a ham, and is revealed to actually be a sort of fanboy for Elvira, but he’s also able to be legitimately threatening and dangerous. Finally, it’s really neat to see Crane go from villain to reluctant hero in this story. He doesn’t help out of the goodness of his heart, but seeing him work together with the heroes - ANY heroes - is just something I don’t think has really been done before. I never would have expected a Scooby-Doo Halloween special, of all things, to give us one of the most fascinating depictions of the Master of Fear to ever exist in animation…but by Gadfrey, these mad fools found a way to do it!

6. Henry Polic II. The portrayal of the Scarecrow in the first three seasons of “Batman: The Animated Series” seems to be somewhat polarizing. I personally think this is a great interpretation. While ultimately not especially frightening on his own accord, Henry Polic II gives us what I would argue is one of the most comic-accurate renditions of the Scarecrow to date, with some of the most fun episodes to his name. This take on the Master of Fear would prove rather influential; performers like Dwight Schultz, Christopher S. Field, and Dee Bradley Baker all seemed to take a leaf out of this man’s book, with Scarecrow voices that were able to be both creepy and quite melodramatic. There’s really not much to say about this version; in my opinion, it’s a classic interpretation.

5. Robert Englund. In the fighting game “Injustice 2,” Scarecrow appears as a member of a reimagined version of the classic Legion of Doom, this time led by Gorilla Grodd rather than Lex Luthor. While, much like in Superfriends, he actually doesn’t have that much to do in the actual main story of the game, Injustice’s Crane wins major points largely due to the medium he’s being presented in, combined with his voice actor. As far as the former goes, Crane is a playable character in the freeplay and Arcade modes of the game, as well as a recurring boss in the main story; this means we get a lot more time to enjoy him when compared to Superfriends or some other interpretations. Heck, the aforementioned Arcade mode basically gives you a special story with Crane as the villain protagonist, which ends with him on track to become a veritable God of Fear intent on spreading terror to the entire universe: that’s more than a great consolation prize, in my opinion. The way Jonathan Crane is allowed to work in this kind of medium is also pretty imaginative: the Scarecrow pictured here, you see, is actually a monstrous hallucination that appears as a result of the Fear Toxin. The real Crane (who has a design inspired by the Nolanverse version of the character) is a much shrimpier and less physically imposing individual; the Nightmare is what we are really fighting. Speaking of Nightmares…you can’t really go wrong with Freddy Krueger as the voice of the Scarecrow, can you? Disregarding previous forays into the DC Universe, playing such characters as Felix Faust and the Riddler, Robert Englund basically already played a depraved Master of Fear and made his bloody career out of it. If making him the Scarecrow wasn’t the most ingenious vocal typecasting I’ve ever heard of in my life, I’d like to know what else would fit that description.

4. Cillian Murphy. I actually revisited these films recently, and I have to admit…I was a little torn on whether or not Cillian Murphy’s depiction of the Scarecrow really deserved this high a place in the ranks. In some ways, upon revisiting the character in these films, he’s better than I remember, and in other ways…I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s WORSE, but he’s more underwhelming. The reason why is very simple: I think the actual DEPICTION of the Scarecrow is a pretty solid one. Interpreting him as a corrupt doctor at Arkham Asylum itself was a nice new twist to the origin story of Jonathan Crane, and I personally think that Cillian Murphy - while by no means an OBVIOUS choice for the role of the Master of Fear - delivers an absolutely spellbinding performance across all three pictures. There’s also a lot of great visual moments and scenes for the character, in general, that just sort of collect in one’s mental soup and stay there. This is especially true in the first film: the sequence where he reveals himself to Falcone, the scene where Batman gasses him right back, the imagery of a fire-faced Crane racing through the misty streets of Gotham on horseback a-la “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” all of it is just breathtaking to see in action. And, of course, there’s definitely credit to be given with the fact that Murphy’s Jonathan Crane is the only antagonist who appears in all three movies of the trilogy, and - aside from Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in the DCEU, perhaps - he’s the only cinematic Batman villain to HAVE that distinction. The real issue with Murphy’s Scarecrow is simply that, like so many other versions of the character, he never really gets to shine in the spotlight. He’s always working in the shadows of other, more prominent antagonists. In the first film it’s Ra’s Al Ghul, in the second film it’s primarily the Joker, and in the third film it’s mostly Bane. I feel like if Murphy had been given a starring role in a movie, at some point, he could have been one of the greatest cinematic Bat-Rogues of all time, and easily could have made my Top 3.

3. Jeffrey Combs. When “Batman: The Animated Series” entered its fourth season, entitled “The New Batman Adventures,” the decision was made to revamp a lot of elements of the show. The most notable change was in the visual style; all of the characters were redesigned to fit the new aesthetic. While some of these redesigns were fairly minor in their adjustments - such as with Two-Face, Clayface, and Harley Quinn - a lot of them were quite drastic in how they changed the characters. With the Scarecrow, not only was Jonathan Crane given a newer, much more horrific design - apparently inspired by Leatherface from “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” - but also a new voice artist to replace Henry Polic II. Who better to tackle the Master of Fear than Lovecraft’s Reanimator, Jeffrey Combs? For many fans, this was the first truly frightening version of the Scarecrow put to the screen. Much like with Andre Stojka, Combs really only got one major appearance in the part, but it was certainly a memorable one: in the episode “Never Fear” - inspired by the comic book story “Fear For Sale” - the Scarecrow uses a new form of his Toxin that, rather than instill fear, takes fear AWAY from the victims. It doesn’t sound so bad, right? Well, here’s the thing: fear is largely what gives people self-preservation and common sense. We typically avoid doing dangerous or illegal things at least partially because we fear the consequences of such actions. Without fear, we have far fewer inhibitions. Scarecrow thus plans to plunge Gotham into a state of chaos, unless he’s paid for the antidote. This Scarecrow would reappear briefly in another episode, “Over the Edge,” but he was really more of a background presence there. He would also return, complete with Combs’ voice, as the first villain featured in the beat ‘em up video game “Rise of Sin Tzu,” where he uses a variant of his Fear Toxin to summon ghostly visions of some of Batman’s other enemies to help him do battle during his boss fight. This, to me, is still one of the greatest versions of the Scarecrow ever made. Once again, the only real issue with him is one wishes we could have seen even more of him…and I’m very grateful to report, that is the last time I have to say that phrase. It certainly does not apply to my top two choices.

2. Dino Andrade. While “Batman The Animated Series” and the Dark Knight Trilogy were instrumental in introducing the Scarecrow to a broader audience, I think many would agree the Batman: Arkham Games were what officially cemented his popularity as a character. Until these games came out, while I heard a lot of people say the Scarecrow was one of their favorite Batman Villains, I almost never heard any of them say he was their ABSOLUTE favorite. But, ever since then, it seems like almost any time people name their favorite Bat baddies, Scarecrow is at least in the Top 3, if not number one. Dino Andrade played Crane in the first game of this series, “Arkham Asylum,” and most people agree that the Scarecrow Nightmare Sequences were probably the best part of the whole game. Andrade described the character as “essentially a demon” and “a Shakespearean villain,” and his performance definitely matches both these descriptions: much like some other Scarecrows on the list, it’s a vocal set dripping with melodrama…but unlike such performers as Henry Polic II and Dwight Schultz, there is absolutely NO humor to Andrade’s diabolical and deranged Prince of Panic. He’s a truly unhinged, nightmarish figure, easily one of the most frightening versions of the Scarecrow ever created. While Scarecrow is not the main villain of the game, this is a case where I actually don’t think he’s underutilized at all. Partially due to the nature of the story and the medium its presented in, Crane feels as if he really does get his just dues in this interpretation, neither overstaying his welcome nor coming across as glanced over. Andrade would reprise the role in a spin-off game of the series, “Arkham Underworld,” where players were actually able to play AS the Scarecrow, along with a few other villains (namely Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, and Riddler). His work there is just as magnificent.

1. John Noble. After years and years, and numerous interpretations, of the Scarecrow being a character who occasionally stole the show but never really claimed the spotlight, “Arkham Knight” finally gave the character the break he’d been needing. In the third and final major game of the Arkham series, Crane returns not just as a supporting antagonist, but as the main villain of the story. While the Joker certainly has a role to play, and the actual main ANTAGONIST is the titular Arkham Knight, the Scarecrow is the rogue whose actions and desires really drive the plot forward. He is the mastermind behind all the misery befalling Gotham City in this tale. John Noble - an actor renowned for his dark and sophisticated voice - plays Crane with urbane frostiness, presenting a more intellectual and manipulative Scarecrow than the one in Arkham Asylum. The game even offered updated reinventions of the Nightmare sequences from the first game; instead of stealth-based platforming sections, they instead became obstacle courses and action sequences in the Batmobile, but with the same hellish and depraved scope. While I wouldn’t say Noble is my definitive Scarecrow, I would say he was, at the same time, the Scarecrow who had a little bit of everything: able to use fear not only through his Toxins, but simply through psychological warfare, and with truly frightful appearance and a performance to match. I fear there is no doubt in my mind that he is My Favorite Portrayal of the Scarecrow.

[after-witch]

I don't know if it's just me (hopefully not) that was rooting that Ollie stayed with The Smiling Man in Empty Smiles. Idk throughout the whole series he's been my favorite character, I always saw his character as this mysterious, scheming (and extremely fine) man?? i don't know what else to refer to him as, but he just seemed lonely in the last book. Especially when we figured he wasn't able to go into the funhouse with all the mirrors because he was always alone (and there was a high chance he was afraid to go in for it would show his true fear) anyways, do you think he was just trying to add Ollie to his collection of servants or?? opinions?

Spoilers for Empty Smiles!

No, it's not just you. The entire time my brain was just:

But I've always wanted characters to do the wrong thing in those types of scenarios with antagonists, because I find the hypothetical aftermath to be the most interesting part.

I knew logically Ollie wasn't going to say yes, and Coco wasn't going to say yes, but I'll be darned if I wasn't immediately wondering what if they did.

"anyways, do you think he was just trying to add Ollie to his collection of servants or?? opinions?"

We never get a clear answer and it's agonizing. I do think that his original offer, made the first evening he shows her around the carnival, was his attempt to make sure she can't "win" by being rescued by her friends. It was the easiest way out, to make Ollie herself agree to stay, therefore nullifying the original deal which would have given her friends a chance to save her.

Would she have been his servant if she agreed? I don't know... Assuming he wasn't hiding some tricky horrible Fate Worse than Death behind his offer, and I don't think he was since he did say she wouldn't get turned into a doll or scarecrow, I almost get the impression that she might have become someone like him in time?

Maybe he would have showed her around behind the mist, helped her explore, then eventually she might have the same tasks as he does. Not in any sinister way--like "mwahaha now you must do my job!"--but as a natural progression of being someone who exists behind the mist not trapped as a scarecrow or as a ghost who can move between the mist & regular world, but as herself. She would help keep the way open, too.

I don't think he would have turned around and like, forcibly turned her into a servant akin to the scarecrow or anything like that, though. It doesn't seem his style.

I think it's telling that the carnival car she was staying in had clothes that belonged to someone else. She's not the first person who has traveled the carnival with him. Who were they? Why were they there? Did they escape the smiling man (not something that happens often) or did he make them a similar offer--agree to stay--and they took it? Or did they turn into a doll, a failed escape? How many others have been in something akin to Ollie's position?

While I do think the original offers to stay were designed to make her give up leaving so he could win, I think Ollie was spot on when she wondered if he was lonely and he would have--in the end, especially after she made comments about "friends don't lie to each other at all" and he seemed affected by it--wanted companionship.

For instance, when he offered for the three of them to stay after they'd already gotten the keys, maybe partly it was "I am obliged to try to stop them" but I do think, in some ways, he would have been interested in having them stay behind the mist with him because they have proven themselves worthier than the countless other people he's tricked.

As for what would have happened to them, exactly... it's so murky. But perhaps it's best that way, we can come to our own conclusions.

[fragwuerdiger-episodenguide]

(032) Die drei ??? und der Ameisenmensch

Klappentext

Eine Vogelscheuche erwacht plötzlich zum Leben und stürzt sich auf alles, was ihr in die Quere kommt. Letitia Radford beginnt zu verzweifeln. In ihrer Todesangst beauftragt sie die drei Detektive, das Rätsel der wandelnden Vogelscheuche zu lösen. Justus, Bob und Peter nehmen den Auftrag an und geraten unversehens selbst in Lebensgefahr.

Veröffentlichungshistorie

Buch (Random House): 029, 1979, M. V. Carey, The Mystery of the Sinister Scarecrow Buch (Kosmos): 031, 1983, Leonore Puschert (aus dem Amerikanischen übertragen) Hörspiel (Europa): 032, 1983

⁉️ Allgemein

Handlungsort

Rocky Beach

Kategorie

Spuk, Diebstahl

Figuren

Justus Jonas

Peter Shaw

Bob Andrews

Patrick

Charles Wooley, Doktor der Entomologie / Insektenforscher

Larry Conklin, arbeitet bei Safety System

Letitia Radford

Mrs. Chumley (😈)

Mrs. Burroughs, Haushälterin, Frau von Mr. Burroughs (😈)

Mr. Burroughs, Haushälter, Mann von Mrs. Burroughs (😈)

Gary Malz, Kustos im Mosby Museum (😈)

Mr. Agnier, Schwimmbadreiniger

Kommisar Reynolds

🏖 Rocky Beach Universum

Orte

Die Berge bei Rocky Beach

Chapparal Canyon

Küstenstraße

Einrichtungen

Mosby Museum, Kunstmuseum im Chapparal Canyon

Villa Radford

Sonstiges

Mosby Museum wird jedes Jahr in den letzten beiden Augustwochen geschlossen

🛼 Sonstiges

Lustige Dialoge

*Das Auto kracht und rumpelt* Peter: "So ein Pech! Wir sitzen im Graben!"

Justus: "Aber der Stein in Ihrer Hand!" Dr. Wooley: "Ich hätte dich bestimmt nicht geschlagen! Ich wollte nur wissen, wer du bist."

Larry Conklin: "Dein Freund Peter hat Recht, Justus, wenn er sagt, dass du die Vogelscheuche nicht sein kannst. Du bist zu stämmig." Justus: "Soll das heißen, dass es diese wandelnde Vogelscheuche wirklich gibt?" Larry Conklin: "Ja, ich hab sie gesehen. Ich heiße Conklin, Larry Conklin."

Letitia Radford: "Das … das müsst ihr unbedingt Mrs. Chumley erzählen! Bitte!" Justus: "Was können wir ihr schon sagen, dieser Mrs. Chumley?" Letitia Radford: "Dann verschwindet! Ihr habt hier nichts zu suchen!"

Phrasenschwein

Fat shaming Justus wird beleidigt

Breaking the Law! Justus bricht das Gesetzt.

🏳️‍🌈 Queer/diversity read

Shippy moments

-

Diversity, Political Correctness and Feminism

Eine Frau sitzt im Rollstuhl; Erzähler: "Die behinderte Frau." und später "Sie ist ja gar nicht behindert!"

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Murder At The Bonfire by Penny Blackwell

I read the first book in this series, The Cherrywood Murders, earlier this year and like its sequel, it was a fun, slightly cheesy ride. Thank you to Felicia at Headline for inviting me on to the blog tour for it.

In the small Yorkshire village of Cherrywood, Bonfire Night is around the corner and celebrity DJ Ade Adams is judging the local Penny for the Guy trail. But when a dead body ends up on top of the bonfire, barmaid Tess and PI Liam suspect that it didn't end up there by accident. Together with their friends Raven and Oliver, they team up once again to examine the clues and solve the mystery of yet more grisly goings-on in Cherrywood.

I had never heard of a 'penny for the guy' trail but I have since learned that it's a regular thing in some small, traditional English villages. It sounds incredibly eerie and I can't imagine living in a place where there are creepy scarecrow-like dolls everywhere for days on end. It really set the scene for some sinister happenings, which is the exact direction the story took.

Tess' internalised misogyny occasionally rears its head and it really did when Ade's much younger, most recent wife Leonie Abbott first shows up. It transpires that she has a legitimate reason for disliking her due to some very dark, shared history and this was revealed gradually, which I really appreciated because my interest was fully kept, as I tried to figure everything out.

The humour that Blackwell introduced in the first instalment was back in the second. It's not laugh-out-loud funny but it did make me smile several times. Oliver is still my favourite character but I didn't love the path that his love life took in this book. It just felt a bit unnecessary and it took me by surprise, which if it was meant to be, probably shouldn't have been the case!

Murder At The Bonfire is a compelling, twisty story and I definitely preferred the mystery in this book to that in The Cherrywood Murders. However, I was a bit taken aback by some of the characters' choices and to be honest, the ending was a bit of a let down. I understand the message that Blackwell was trying to convey and it's a really commendable one but with so much build-up and possible avenues it could have gone down, it felt a little flat at the very end. I did enjoy the British soap opera vibes that these books have and the cosy (yet still very dark) feel to the story.

[mediamixs]

Dark Harvest: David Slade's new horror film

Dark Harvest is an upcoming American fantasy horror film directed by David Slade and written by Michael Gilio, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Norman Partridge. The movie is set in a cursed town where the annual harvest becomes a brutal battle for survival. On Halloween 1963, Sawtooth Jack, a terrifying legend, rises from the cornfields, threatening the town’s children. Groups of boys unite to defeat the murderous scarecrow before midnight. Richie, a rebellious outcast, joins the run, motivated by his brother’s previous victory. As the hunt progresses, Richie makes a shocking discovery and faces a pivotal choice to break the relentless cycle. The movie stars Casey Likes, E'myri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Elizabeth Reaser, and Jeremy Davies. The film was previously rated R for “Strong horror violence and gore, language throughout, and brief drug use . The movie is set to release in theaters for one night only at Alamo Drafthouse Theaters on October 11, 2023, before heading to digital on Friday, October 13, 2023. The trailer of the movie shows two teens fighting a sinister monster called Sawtooth Jack.

Dark Harvest is a novel written by Will Jordan, also known as The Critical Drinker, a popular YouTuber famous for his savage critiques of bad movies. The book has received positive reviews, with readers praising its fun and intense storytelling and the author's ability to weave military action and a historical event with an air of mystery. The story is set in a world where a deadly virus has turned people into zombies, and a group of survivors must navigate a post-apocalyptic landscape to find safety. The novel showcases The Critical Drinker's talent for writing, proving that he knows what he's doing and can throw curveballs when needed.

The story is about Sawtooth Jack, a terrifying legend, emerges from the cornfields on Halloween night, threatening an entire town. As several young people band together to defeat the chilling figure before midnight, an outcast teenager discovers what he could be.

[professorambrius]

Scooby-Doo Halloween Monster/Ghost/Ghoul Countdown #12

The 12th spot on my Halloween countdown of favorite Scooby-Doo Monster/Ghost/Ghoul goes to the most sinister of figures to ever haunt among the corn stalks, Cornfield Clem.

Cornfield Clem appeared in the third direct-to-video Scooby Doo short movie, “Scooby-Doo! and Spooky Scarecrow”.

Cornfield Clem wore a red shirt, slightly tattered brown pants and a head made out of a burlap bay. Both his arms and legs were made of straw. He wore brown gloves and once a brown hat at times. Straw stuck out from his shirt and mask. Clem was extremely agile and had the ability to extend his straw arms to great lengths. was extremely capable at wielding a scythe. His eye glowed red and spoke in a gravelly voice.

According to local legend, Cornfield Clem was the result of a curse laid down on the people of Cobb Corners by a witch who was run out of town. Cornfield Clem would appear every Halloween and haunt to local cornfield, terrorizing anyone who dared to enter it.

Cornfield Clem was a very deadly ghoul who did everything he could to keep people out of the cornfield he claimed was his. He would scare people by growling at them and threaten them with harm as he wielded his scythe. When Scooby and Shaggy were trapped in the hay wagon being pulled by the horse Clem was riding, Clem cut them lose so they would crash. Later while chasing Scooby and Shaggy in the cornfield, Clem tried to run them down with a combine.

While Mystery Inc, has come across several spooky scarecrows, Cornfield Clem is by far the most sinister. He has no issues with using threats of violence or physical harm against innocent people. Cornfield Clem is an effective ghoul because it doesn’t appear like he’s someone wearing a scarecrow costume. Thanks to his ability to extend his arms, agility and how he moves about with legs made of straw, it does look like he’s an actual scarecrow brought to life. Him using a scythe is a great touch as the implement has become synonymous with scarecrows and their unofficial weapon of choice. Maybe the thing I like best about Cornfield Clem is how he bares a resemblance to the Scarecrow from “Batman the Animated Series.”

[male1971]

Made-For-TV Horror Movies

Those of us who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s know it was the heyday of the TV movie. Of course, I was drawn to fantasy, horror, and science fiction. And some of those films still stick with me today, leaving a lasting impression on my young psyche.

In honor of October, here are a few of my favorite horror TV movies from that time:

Gargoyles (1972) An anthropologist and his daughter stumble upon a hidden colony of ancient gargoyle-like creatures in the desert. As they study the creatures, they become caught in a battle between the humans and the gargoyles, who seek to rebuild their population and reclaim the world.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1982) After a mentally disabled man is falsely accused of harming a young girl and is killed by a group of vigilantes, strange events begin to occur. A mysterious scarecrow appears in the fields, and the men responsible for his death start dying under suspicious circumstances, suggesting supernatural revenge.

This House Possessed (1981) A famous rock singer recovering from a breakdown moves into a high-tech, fully automated house. Soon, he and his nurse begin to experience terrifying supernatural events as it becomes clear the house has a mind of its own and deadly intentions.

Curse of the Black Widow (1977) A detective investigates a series of bizarre murders in which the male victims are found dead, apparently drained of blood. He uncovers a terrifying truth: a woman cursed with the ability to transform into a giant black widow spider is responsible for the killings.

Salem's Lot (1979) Based on Stephen King’s novel, this two-part miniseries follows a writer who returns to his hometown only to find it being slowly taken over by vampires. As the town’s residents fall prey to a centuries-old vampire, a small group of survivors fights to end the curse.

Invitation to Hell (1984) A family moves to a new town, where the husband gets a job at a high-tech company. Soon, his wife and children join an exclusive country club that seems perfect on the surface but is actually a front for a sinister cult. He must stop the cult’s leader from dragging his family into a hellish alternate dimension.

Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (1979) A group of teenage girls regularly hitchhike around town, despite warnings from their parents and the authorities. As they continue the risky behavior, a serial killer begins preying on young hitchhikers.

Duel (1971) A businessman driving across the desert is stalked and terrorized by a mysterious and malevolent truck driver in this tension-filled thriller.

Trilogy of Terror (1975) An anthology of three horror stories, with the most famous segment featuring a killer Zuni fetish doll that comes to life and terrorizes a woman.

Crowhaven Farm (1970) A couple moves to a rural farm where the wife begins having disturbing visions, and they discover a centuries-old witch’s curse haunting the land.

Satan's School for Girls (1973) A young woman investigates her sister's mysterious death at a private girls' school, only to find out it’s a front for a satanic cult.

The Initiation of Sarah (1978) A shy college student discovers she has telekinetic powers and becomes the target of a sinister sorority with occult leanings.

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978) A couple moves to a rural village with mysterious customs and learns the dark secrets of the community’s harvest festival and its connection to fertility rites.

Cry for the Strangers (1982) A psychologist and his wife move to a small, seemingly idyllic coastal town for a fresh start. However, they soon discover that the town hides a dark secret: a history of strange deaths and drownings linked to an eerie local legend.

Burnt Offerings (1976) A family rents a large, isolated mansion for the summer, believing it to be the perfect getaway. As they settle in, they begin to notice strange occurrences, and the house itself seems to regenerate with each passing day. (I know this one wasn't a made-for-TV movie, but it was aired like it was and it still haunts me to this day!)

The Other (1972) Set during the Great Depression, twin brothers Niles and Holland Perry live on a family farm where a series of tragic accidents begin to occur. As the mystery deepens, the unsettling bond between the brothers takes the story in a chilling direction. (Same as above, I know it's not a made-for-TV movie. But I first saw it on TV!)

[vector-art-bundles]

Halloween Night and the Symbolism of Witches: A Journey Through Fear and Magic

Halloween night, known for its eerie atmosphere, glowing pumpkins, and spine-chilling decorations, has long been associated with witches. These enigmatic figures have captured the imagination for centuries, symbolizing both fear and power. From folklore to modern pop culture, the image of the witch remains an enduring icon of mystery. This symbolism is vividly represented in our Female Scarecrow Witch: Halloween Night Vector Pack, where the dark elements of Halloween come to life through art.

The Origins of Halloween and the Witch Symbolism

Halloween, derived from ancient Celtic festivals like Samhain, was a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was said to blur. People would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off wandering spirits. Among these costumes, witches began to take center stage. The image of a witch, often portrayed as an old woman with dark powers, became a powerful symbol of fear during these celebrations.

In medieval times, witches were associated with evil magic, often blamed for misfortunes in society. They were thought to be in league with the devil, capable of casting curses and spells. The pointed hat, broomstick, and cauldron we now associate with them have deep roots in folklore, representing wisdom, transformation, and rebellion.

The Power of Witches in Modern Halloween Celebrations

Today, witches are not only figures of fear but also symbols of feminine power, independence, and connection to nature. Their image on Halloween is a blend of terror and intrigue, embodying the thrill of the unknown. Whether they’re depicted as evil sorceresses or misunderstood beings, witches maintain a central role in Halloween's visual and cultural identity.

This dichotomy of fear and fascination is precisely what inspired the creation of our Female Scarecrow Witch vector illustration. The artwork brings together the unsettling presence of a scarecrow with the mystical aura of a witch, creating a striking representation of Halloween’s dark allure.

Focus on the Female Scarecrow Witch Vector Design

The Female Scarecrow Witch vector illustration is the perfect representation of Halloween’s essence, combining the traditional symbols of a scarecrow and a witch. Standing in a dimly lit field on Halloween night, this design captures the eerie atmosphere of the holiday. Her glowing green eyes, ragged clothing, and haunting expression bring to life the unsettling nature of Halloween.

This vector pack is ideal for a variety of creative projects. It comes with SVG, AI, EPS, PNG, JPEG, and PDF formats, ensuring versatility for both digital and physical applications. Whether you’re designing Halloween t-shirts, spooky murals, or eerie decor for mugs, tattoos, and even glass or wood decals, this witch-themed artwork is ready to elevate your Halloween creations.

The Symbolism Behind the Female Scarecrow Witch

The scarecrow, typically a figure meant to guard and protect, becomes something far more sinister when combined with the dark mystique of a witch. This blending of two symbols represents both protection and danger. The scarecrow is no longer a simple guardian of fields; in this form, it is a keeper of secrets, perhaps holding the souls of those who have dared to trespass.

This duality aligns perfectly with the modern interpretation of witches during Halloween. They are protectors of the earth and wielders of magic, but also creatures capable of terrifying feats. In our Female Scarecrow Witch design, this tension between good and evil, safety and fear, is palpable.

The Perfect Halloween Graphic for Any Project

The Female Scarecrow Witch: Halloween Night Vector Pack is more than just a simple illustration. It embodies the rich history and symbolism that have defined Halloween for centuries. Whether you’re looking to capture the traditional fear associated with witches or the empowered, mystical figures they represent today, this vector pack provides the perfect blend of art and meaning.

With a fully optimized set of files, you can easily incorporate this design into your Halloween projects, creating products that stand out. From t-shirts to tapestries, from stickers to home decor, the Female Scarecrow Witch will captivate and haunt, just as witches have done throughout the ages.

Halloween night is a time of transformation, fear, and the mysterious power of the unseen. Witches, as one of the most enduring symbols of this holiday, continue to represent the fear of the unknown and the power of magic. Our Female Scarecrow Witch: Halloween Night Vector Pack captures this duality, offering a unique and striking visual representation for your creative projects.

Embrace the haunting beauty of Halloween with this captivating design, and let the ancient symbols of witches and scarecrows inspire your next masterpiece.

[dyxtd21]

Hubnerite aesthetic moodboard!!

Hubnerite:

Appearance:

Hubnerite is the embodiment of terror and mystery, a living scarecrow haunting a ghost town where both locals and newcomers vanish without a trace. His entire being is shrouded in a pitch-dark black with ominous red accents, creating a truly terrifying sight.

Skin and Features: His "skin" is crafted from rough, pitch-black burlap, with red stitching creating a grotesque and unsettling pattern across his body. His face is a sack with hollow, glowing red eyes that pierce through the darkness.

Build: Tall and gaunt, Hubnerite stands at an imposing height with a skeletal, almost emaciated frame. His limbs are long and spindly, adding to his eerie and unnatural appearance.

Attire:

Scarecrow Garb: He wears tattered, pitch-black clothing reminiscent of a scarecrow's outfit, with frayed edges and patches of deep red fabric. His shirt and pants are loose and ragged, fluttering in the wind and adding to his haunting presence.

Hat: A wide-brimmed, pitch-black and red hat sits atop his sack head, casting a shadow over his glowing eyes and enhancing his sinister aura.

Gloves and Boots: His hands and feet are covered in tattered black and red, gloves and boots, worn and torn from years of haunting the ghost town.

Eight-Cut Gemstone: His gemstone, an eight-cut, is embedded on the back of his sack head. It glows with a sinister black and red light, adding to his otherworldly and menacing appearance.

Personality:

Frightening and Creepy: Hubnerite is the very essence of fear, his presence alone enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone who encounters him. He thrives on the terror he instills in others, enjoying the thrill of their fear.

Mysterious and Elusive: He is a master of evasion and deception, often appearing and disappearing without a trace. His motives are shrouded in mystery, and his actions are unpredictable.

Silent Observer: He rarely speaks, preferring to observe his prey from the shadows. When he does communicate, it is through cryptic whispers that echo in the wind, adding to his eerie mystique.

Malevolent and Mischievous: Hubnerite delights in causing confusion and fear, often leading unsuspecting victims into traps or disorienting them with his haunting presence. His malevolence is tempered by a twisted sense of amusement, making him both terrifying and unpredictably playful.

[tomorrowedblog]

Friday Releases for April 5

Friday is the busiest day of the week for new releases, so we've decided to collect them all in one place. Friday Releases for April 5 include The People’s Joker, Monkey Man, Sugar, and more.

The People’s Joker

The People’s Joker, the new movie from Vera Drew, is out today.

This revolutionary DIY parody film and hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story follows an unconfident, closeted trans girl as she moves to Gotham City to make it big as a comedian by joining the cast of UCB Live - a government-sanctioned late night sketch show in a world where comedy has been outlawed. As mainstream success eludes our heroine, leading her to unite with a ragtag team of rejects, misfits, and a certain love interest named Mister J, “Joker the Harlequin” is born again as a confident (and psychotic) joker on a collision course with the city’s fascist caped crusader. Vats of feminizing chemicals, sexy cartoon interludes, scarecrow psychiatrists, CGI Lorne Michaels, and psychedelic gender dysphoria all play supporting roles.

Monkey Man

Monkey Man, the new movie from Dev Patel, is out today.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Dev Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Chicken For Linda!

Chicken For Linda!, the new movie from Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta, is out today.

Paulette feels guilty after unjustly punishing her daughter Linda and would do anything to make it up to her. Linda immediately asks for a meal of chicken with peppers, which reminds her of the dish her father used to make. But with a general strike closing stores all across town and pushing people into the streets, this innocent request quickly leads to an outrageous series of events that spirals out of control, as Paulette does everything she can to keep her promise and find a chicken for Linda.

Parachute

Parachute, the new movie from Brittany Snow, is out today.

From Director Brittany Snow, Parachute tells the story of Riley (Courtney Eaton) and Ethan (Thomas Mann), who must navigate blossoming love and friendship while trying to overcome combustible personal struggles.

Scoop

Scoop, the new movie from Philip Martin, is out today.

Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization gives an insider account of how the women of Newsnight secured Prince Andrew’s infamous interview.

The Beast

The Beast, the new movie from Bertrand Bonello, is out today.

The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely “erase” their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent “retribution.” Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates?

The First Omen

The First Omen, the new movie from Arkasha Stevenson, is out today.

When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

The Greatest Hits

The Greatest Hits, the new movie from Ned Benson, is out today.

Harriet (Lucy Boynton) experiences a unique connection between art and reality. She discovers that specific songs have the power to transport her back in time, driving her to relive various special moments with her ex-boyfriend (David Corenswet). Her time-traveling experiences begin to bleed into present day when meeting someone new (Justin H. Min). Throughout her journey, Harriet explores the mesmerizing link between music and memory, facing her with difficult decisions of whether altering the past is a choice worth making.

Baghead

Baghead, the new movie from Alberto Corredor, is out today.

Following the death of her estranged father (Peter Mullan), Iris (Freya Allan) learns she has inherited a run-down, centuries-old pub. She travels to Berlin to identify her father’s body and meet with The Solicitor (Ned Dennehy) to discuss the estate. Little does she know, when the deed is signed she will become inextricably tied to an unspeakable entity that resides in the pub’s basement – Baghead – a shape-shifting creature that can transform into the dead. Two thousand in cash for two minutes with the creature is all it takes for desperate loved ones to ease their grief. Neil (Jeremy Irvine), who has lost his wife, is Iris’ first customer. Like her father, Iris is tempted to exploit the creature’s powers and help desperate people for a price. But she soon discovers breaking the two-minute rule can have terrifying consequences. Together with her best friend Katie (Ruby Barker), Iris must battle to keep control of Baghead and figure out how to destroy her, before she destroys them.

The Old Oak

The Old Oak, the new movie from Ken Loach, is out today.

THE OLD OAK is a special place. Not only is it the last pub standing, but it’s also the only remaining public space where people can meet in a once thriving mining community that has now fallen on hard times after 30 years of decline. TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner) the landlord hangs on to The Old Oak by his fingertips, and his predicament is endangered even more when the pub becomes contested territory after the arrival of Syrian refugees who are placed in the village without any notice. In an unlikely friendship TJ meets a curious young Syrian Yara (Ebla Mari) with her camera. Can they find a way for the two communities to understand each other? So unfolds a deeply moving drama about their fragilities and hopes.

Sugar

Sugar, the new TV series from Mark Protosevich, is out today.

“Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.

Mary & George

Mary & George, the new TV series from D. C. Moore, is out today.

Mary & George is an audacious historical psychodrama starring Academy Award-winner Julianne Moore (Still Alice) and Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue), about a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of King James I.

Dinosaur

Dinosaur, the new TV series from Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie, is out today.

Created by Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie, Dinosaur follows Nina (Ashley Storrie), an autistic woman in her 30s, who adores living with her sister and best friend, Evie. They have a routine, and they understand each other like no one else could until Evie rushes into an engagement after only six weeks. Nina is forced to grapple with her sister’s impulsive decision whilst navigating love, sisterhood and her life as it’s turned upside down.

Parasyte: The Grey

Parasyte: The Grey, the new TV series from Yeon Sang-ho and Ryu Yong-jae, is out today.

When unidentified parasites violently take over human hosts and gain power, humanity must rise to combat the growing threat.

Virginia

Virginia, the new album from Pharrell Williams, is out today.

[lukaszmichal]

*cracks knuckles* Aw yiss, here we go, let the gates of my mlm webcomic treasury open wide~

Copper eyes

Alternative dystopian-ish universe, where the government has everybody take a drug that makes them unable to feel love, and, as a side effect, see colours. The protagonist skips his dose and realizes that his schoolmate has such lovely blue eyes…

It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Comfort tale about an artist wronged by life and a heartbroken corporate worker finding healing together. Lovely children book-like style and a world free of queerphobia.

Black Key Incubus

Young modern day wizard summons a demon, who [mild spoiler] turns out to be his soulmate. In the shadows infernal political games for the throne of hell take place.

Out of the Blue

A mermaid boy tries to woo a blind nostalgic janitor of the local dam.

Cupido

The protagonist is able to see invisible signs marking pairs of true soulmates. He does not see, however, any such signs on himself and his best friend, which makes him ask some questions.

Two Losers from Earth

Two strangers become travel buddies on a train, yes, you've read correctly, a train going to the Moon. Slow burn, vulnerability and such. A. Gorgeous. Art. Style.

The Prince of Southland

Big futuristic metropoly is ridden by issues of discrimination against cyborgs and exploitation of robots, while at the same time romantic relations between humans and androids are a strict social taboo. Celebrity protagonist is run into by a Mysterious Stranger chased by Evil People.

Electric Bones

Political and business games between the nighty of the decadent intergalactic age in a lovely, vaguely 80’s aesthetic.

Autophobia

School champion working hard to bottle up his crippling anxiety unexpectedly bonds with a local looser. The two and literally everybody else around seem to have a lot of personal sh*t to work through.

A Love Unafraid

A scarecrow comes to life and tries to win nis farmer’s heart. Ok, here's the deal: the scarecrow honestly seems minor-coded. but the author stated that she's not writing a “no no story” and he is about to mature before anything more serious starts between them.

On Thy Knees

[from now on tumblr’s editor refuses to render more hyperlinks]

If I had a nickle every time I get captured oy a gay love story involving a robot boy…

Ride Or Die

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Illegal street racing, sinister cults, bisexual awakenings, haunted car. What else to wish for?

Lies Within

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To learn that your friend with benefits is a vampire and get infested by a demon on the same evening seems like a lot, but luckily the protagonist is as cool as a cucumber 💅 On the downside, everyone seems to have the same face.

Wola

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Local fisherman from a Polynesian-like island and a lonely half-giant become close despite their differences. A fascinating piece of worldbuilding going on in the background.

Long Exposure

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[completed] A quiet nerd and his former school bully unexpectedly end up close when they both undergo an incident with radioactive waste and gain supernatural powers.

Life Outside the Circle

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[completed] A single dad and a hipster artist seeking for the inspiration in a countryside find love in the midst of the Finnish Lapland.

does anyone have any good webcomic recommendations?? specifically queer ones? i really like shit like castle swimmer, heir’s game (highly recommend that one if you haven’t read it), heartstopper, etc etc. i’ll take any recs tho!