After indulging in a summer of drawing new things and taking a break from writing little stories with each of my drawings, I have come back to my roots and have a clear mind now that the heatwaves aren’t pummelling it to mush. With that in mind, I knew that when it came to writing, I would need to slowly step back into the frame of mind rather than jump into the deep end. That is why I centred the theme of Stevetember this year around spooky season, focusing my energy within a genre that I am comfortable in, while also just having fun and bringing some festive cheer a little early.
Also, since my confidence with colour was shaky during what should have been World Watercolour Month, I decided to try out colour again to see how I’d feel. Honestly, it was a little tricky at first, but it helped to adapt to the mindset of just making it happen. If it turned out bad, I could learn from my mistakes, and if it turned out good, I would know what to do for the next one. In my opinion, it has been a great month, but I am biased since it has been all about Steve. Next month will also be a break from Inktober, as the prompt list appears to be too challenging to string together into a cohesive theme. Although if this trend continues, I already have ideas on how I will tackle it next year. In the meantime, enjoy what September brought, and I hope to see you again next month..
Day 1 – Billy the Puppet / Jigsaw
To kick things off, I’m starting with two icons from one of my favourite horror franchises, Saw. In case you haven’t already, Meet Jigsaw and his puppet companion, Billy! They are a dynamic duo consisting of an inventive trapmaker and a deadpan mascot who acts as his persona to the trapped. Will you be brave enough to escape, or fumble at the chance to survive? The choice is yours; otherwise, it is game over.
Day 2 – Freddy Krueger
When it comes to restless nights, it is always best to keep sharp and alert. Sure, there are many dangers to be aware of when you’re awake, but there is only one to fear while you sleep. Lurking in the dark corners of your mind awaits Freddy Krueger, eager to turn dreams into living nightmares as they make you the next victim of their finger knives. So if you hear eerie chimes and small children singing creepy nursery rhymes in your sleep, be sure to start acquiring a taste for quad-shot coffee if you wanna stay alive.
Day 3 – Xenomorph
In space, nobody can hear you scream. Then again, with how deadly these creatures can be, it would be rare if you could even let out a scream as their prey. These assassin-type beings are hybrid creatures that merge with the DNA of their host to become a specialist type of killer best suited for their own survival as well as the decreased survival of others. There is a large variety of Xenomorphs, but the example shown below is a warrior type that has been given the nickname of “Grid”.
Day 4 – The Fisherman
Thankfully, with the summer season coming to an end, the chances of a secret coming back for vengeance are getting slimmer. Unless you did do something unspeakable and made a pact with your mates to take that secret to your graves. If so, you’d best stay cautious when June rolls around again. You don’t know how much closer to those graves you’ll get if someone knows what you did last summer.
Day 5 – Pennywise
For centuries, it has always been a little bit off when it comes to a small town called Derry. Every few decades, a bunch of people tend to disappear without a trace, and none of the adults seem to care or bat an eye. However, the kids of the town soon become aware of the dangers that lurk in the dark recesses of this town. An ancient being born from fear itself, a sinister creature that can take the form of what you are afraid of most, just to give you that extra bit scared as a nice bit of seasoning. These forms tend to change, but one always makes an appearance, and that is Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
Day 6 – Chucky
The thing about buying stuff secondhand is that it’s always a gamble on what you’re going to get. Maybe it’s a book with some damaged pages, a piece of tech where the battery drains a little too quickly, or potentially, you could end up with a doll possessed by a serial killer hellbent on putting their soul back into a human form. I mean, that would be a parent’s worst nightmare, buying a toy only for it to end up swearing like a sailor and picking off your family members one by one. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like too much of an issue to me. I’d just punt the little guy through the window whenever they got the nerve to charge at me.
Day 7 – Dr Jekyll / Mr Hyde
There are always consequences when meddling with the laws of nature. Take the story of Dr Jekyll, for example, a well-respected scientist, but also meddled with darker elements. They explored ways to unlock what was buried deep within him, but rather than just cause those feelings to bubble up to the surface, it created a terrible monster. Through the consumption of a formula, Jekyll’s inner self would burst out in a violent transformation and take on the identity of Mr Hyde, as they caused murder and mayhem all throughout London. Even without the formula, once Hyde was born, he would just torment the doctor from within his mind, slowly turning him crazy, all in an attempt to be unleashed again. It was quite the toxic relationship.
Day 8 – Art the Clown
For those who are faint of heart, I suggest giving this tale a miss. When you consider beings of chaos and destruction, your mind usually turns to benevolent gods and looming beings of eldritch horror. However, none of them can send a chill down your spine quicker than seeing Art sitting playfully across from you. It always starts off like meeting a jester as they conjure up gags and mimes to hopefully appease you, but once you’re in his sights, you’re in for a night of agony and misery. No matter what, anyone on Art’s radar will always end up in a sadistic mess of viscera all for their own chaotic amusement. I’d suggest bringing a mop, but I feel like the strongest of power washers would still find it difficult to clean up the remains in their terrifying wake.
Day 9 – The Thing
Isolation is known to cause a little bit of hysteria; it’s a normal reaction when you’re away from civilisation in close quarters with nothing but desolate land surrounding you. However, what if your darkest fears that you’ve been passing off as your brain running wild have actually come true? What if one of your crewmates on this expedition wasn’t who they said they were? There is always a possibility that some alien creature has taken control and assimilated into a form that you have grown to trust and see as a friend. I’m not sure about your situation, but if I were you, I’d keep something to set a fire handy just in case.
Day 10 – Seth Brundle
When it comes to the world of Innovation, teleportation has been at the top of everyone’s lists for a long time. Just being able to be in one place one second and then across the globe in another would be a phenomenal advancement for science and the world. There are, of course, some drawbacks and a lot of theoretical science, especially in regards to teleporting more than one organic form of matter at once. Seth Brundle was sadly a victim of this, where they built their own teleporter and, due to their own ego, used themselves as a test subject and jumped straight into human trials. Unaware that a fly was also in the pod with him during their first test run, the DNA of Brundle and the fly merged and slowly over time, he became a jumbled mess of flesh. It got to the point where you couldn’t tell what was fly and what was Brundle.
Day 11 – Dr Frankenstein / Frankenstein’s Monster
Often confused with each other, these two come hand in hand, no matter who is thought of when somebody says Frankenstein. To help clear things up, they are both monsters in one way or another. It is just one of them has some form of a doctorate, not really sure in what. All I really know is that Dr Frankenstein was a mad scientist hellbent on figuring out all the dark secrets life could bestow, mainly devoting his research to resurrection. With the help of his lackey Igor, he managed to sew a medley of body parts together to make the behemoth known as Frankenstein’s Monster. After a bunch of lightning strikes and a horrific windmill fire, these two have stayed relevant for centuries, maintaining a beautiful cornerstone when it comes to classic horror monsters.
Day 12 – Jason Voorhees
On cold nights around the campfire, it is paramount that you always tell at least one scary story. Otherwise, you’re just wishing bad luck upon yourselves and, more importantly, not taking full advantage of the spooky ambience. A great one to tell is that of Jason Voorhees, the poor young boy who drowned at Crystal Lake because his counsellors were distracted by one another rather than doing their protective duties. Now the campgrounds are cursed, for every Friday the 13th, Jason awakens and seeks vengeance on those who are just like the counsellors who forgot about him that fateful day. However, he is always heartbroken when a Friday the 12th comes around. So close but not close enough. Maybe next time, momma’s sweet boy.
Day 13 – Sadako / Samara
No matter who you are or what your fear tolerance is, I believe that The Ring has changed your brain chemistry in one way or another. Whether it’s from hearing the crackling of TV static or a phone ringing, you’ll either have a chill run down your spine, or an eerie voice in the back of your head will whisper “7 Days”.
In case you’re not aware, the story follows a vengeful ghost of a young psychic who is the spirit that inhabits a cursed videotape. When you watch it, you have 7 days until this entity rocks up at your house and contorts your face into pulp while taking your soul. Although I do admit they are a terrifying threat, I find it difficult to believe they’d be getting many victims nowadays since I don’t know anyone who still owns a VHS or picks up the phone willingly without knowing who it is. I feel like if another reboot ends up around the corner, there’s a high chance the classic tape will end up on TikTok in one shape or form.
Day 14 – Ash Williams
Now I’m only going to say this once. If you and your buddies stay in a creepy cabin in the woods and find eerie recordings or a tome that looks like it was bound in flesh, don’t mess with it! There are plenty of tales that showcase the pain and viscera that come from the demons who arise when these ancient texts are spoken, but the most notable of them all are the ones helmed by Ashley J. Williams. A boomstick toting, chainsaw-wielding badass that has no problem sending Deadites back to the place they came from. Whether you’re staying at a waterfront trailer park or got sucked into a time vortex and trapped in a time forgotten by man, you’ll definitely want someone like Ash by your side.
Day 15 – Candyman
When it comes to urban legends, there are a plethora to choose from that can send a shiver down your spine. However, there isn’t one quite as striking as the Candyman himself. A vengeful ghost of an artist and son of a slave, Daniel Robitaille was a formidable entity that would appear after saying “Candyman” in front of a mirror 5 times, killing anyone who summoned him. With a sharpened hook for a hand and a body chock full of bees, he was an unstoppable force and will forever be a legend both in story and in life. Rest in peace, Tony Todd.
Day 16 – Count Dracula
Deep in the dark valleys of Transylvania, tales of a demonic creature of the night are used to deter travellers and keep their children safely tucked in at night. For when night falls, that is when the Count awakens from their slumber and they have an insatiable need to feed. Dracula loves his remote, gothic castle in the Transylvanian countryside, but that doesn’t stop him from going on countless adventures. Whether it’s embarking on a voyage to London or running a hotel for monsters, it is impossible to predict what the vampire will do next.
Day 17 – Zombies
The world of Zombies is a rich and expansive one. We’ve been coming up with stories about the undead, and there are so many unique variants on what a zombie is that exist within media. So much so that it’s difficult to just summarise them all. Whether it’s through supernatural reanimation or some form of viral infection that wipes out the planet, zombie outbreaks are something everybody either fears, has a survival plan all worked out, or both. For now, I’m just gonna stick with the classic reanimated dead flesh look, but if you ask me, it’s when the dead become mutated and you get all different kinds in the same species that is when it becomes the scariest.
Day 18 – Sam
With every passing Halloween, I feel like the holiday itself always gets overshadowed by Christmas more and more each year. Nothing against Christmas itself, but seeing all of the stock on shelves as summer ends and everyone saying we should just skip to December is a travesty. Clearly, they know nothing about Sam, the spirit of Halloween that makes sure everyone is treating the holiday with respect and celebrating it to its fullest. Failure to do so will fill Sam with a bloodthirsty vengeance. They may look small and cute, but don’t judge a book by its cover. To make sure you stay on his good side, all you’ve gotta do is give them candy and wish them a Happy Halloween. Is that so hard?
Day 19 – Beetlejuice
As much as I adore this guy, I know too well that I do not need their services. If I ever end up a ghost haunting my beloved home, feel like I’d take the Casper approach to stop it from getting turned into an abstract modernist trash heap. I feel like I know how to either be cordial enough to spook a family out or be horrific enough to make an exorcist’s head spin. So for me, I don’t see myself requiring to sign any dirty deals with this fiendish ghoul. Even if they do have a great scare factor, a suave charm and a degree from Juilliard, there is no way I’m saying their name 3 times and having them whirlwind into a mess up my situation any more. Only said their name once so that the people who didn’t know his iconic appearance would know who he is. Stay safe, ghosts.
Day 20 – The Phantom of The Opera
As the curtains fall and the dust settles, be sure to vacate the theatre immediately, as you don’t know who could be out there lurking in the rafters. The Phantom is a disfigured musical genius who looms within the Paris Opera House, stunned by the beauty of a young soprano. However, when his muse falls in love with another, his obsession takes a dark turn into a murderous rage, wishing them to be with them or no one can have her. A tragically beautiful story that I’m sure will keep you on the edge of your seats. Just be careful where you sit, since you don’t know what dangers could befall you.
Day 21 – Slenderman
On a quest to look for missing pages, you may get a chill down your spine as you notice someone or something lurking in the distance. With the thin limbs and slender frame, this entity has been known to hunt down people on the search for their mysterious pages. With each new page collected, their ferocity to track them down increases as they pursue you. Slowly getting closer and closer, fully intent on catching you and coiling you up in tendrils so tight that you start to see white noise. All you’ve got to do is just push through the fear, stay on task, and make as much distance as possible. Hopefully, then, you will survive the night.
Day 22 – Skeleton
I would say that if you say the word spooky to someone, their mind will immediately go to skeletons. A Halloween classic that I’m sure is strung up in most households whenever the season hits. Usually, these things are full of bones or have weird voices and glowing eyes. Since Steves don’t really have any of that junk, this is basically what a skeleton would be to them. It is really odd to look at.
Day 23 – Carrie White
Growing up as an outcast can be quite the traumatising experience. Being singled out, feeling exiled and that everyone else is either against you or rooting for your downfall. Carrie White is an example of being treated this way to the extreme. Not only was she bullied maniacally at school by her peers, but she’d have to return home to her religious nut of a mother, who believed she had been possessed by some devil if Carrie did anything wrong or rebellious. However, she did not fight back against any of it; she just bottled up all of the trauma and attacks, letting it bubble up deep within her soul. Festering and evolving into a psychosomatic mutation that burst from within her after being tricked into finally becoming equal with her peers, only to be embarrassed and laughed at by everyone. Soaked head to toe in pig’s blood from a cruel prank, she took out her vengeance via telekinesis, and the rest is legend.
Day 24 – Michael Myers
Known as the embodiment of evil, Michael has been a titular boogeyman for the town of Haddonfield for several decades. Most of his sprees jump from canon reality to canon reality, but one thing has always been certain in all of them: he will always be brutal when it comes to his slashing prowess. Notable for his painted white mask and dusty overalls, if you spot this mountain of a man peering at you from behind a bush, I’d say the best tactic is to leave town. Hell, leave the country and don’t look back. Nobody is safe from this silent, emotionless killer.
Day 25 – Hannibal Lecter
Hidden away in the dark corners of a high-security asylum, there he rests and waits for a chance to escape his captivity. A psychotic therapist with a taste for the finer things, but also a taste for something sinister. Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter is a mind within horror that has stuck with people for decades, whether it was from the written page or through his various portrayals over the years. He is a household name, how could he not be with a film that won all 5 major Oscars, which is only one of 3 films to have ever done that. It’s a shame that Horror doesn’t receive much recognition from the Academy, but that’s why I’m thankful we have others that do.
Day 26 – Leatherface
Deep in the backroads of Texas, there is a family of odd characters who like to prey on the travellers crossing through. Over the years, their names have shifted, so it’s hard to keep track of who is who, but one of them has always stood out amongst the rest, and that is Leatherface. A misunderstood boy raised under a sadistic father can turn anyone into a chainsaw-wielding psychopath. Especially if said psychopath has a passion for crafts, albeit sinister and unconventional crafts. So if you’re driving through Texas, heed this warning, think twice when considering picking up hitchhikers and never eat the chilli.
Day 27 – Jack Torrance
This is Jack, he’s a dull boy. He wasn’t always this way; he used to be quite a stand-up guy. A loving husband and dad, all he wanted to have was some peace so that he could write. I mean, I know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, but I have a slight suspicion it was the haunted hotel that pushed Jacky boy over the edge. Sane people don’t just go around having full-blown conversations with people who aren’t there, or slam axes into doors and introduce themselves with the wrong name. That’s just crazy person behaviour.
Day 28 – Pinhead
On the quest to find the ultimate form of pleasure, you may be brought a box known as The Lament Configuration. A puzzle box with all of your desires locked inside, but be warned, once you open the box, it cannot be taken back. The Cenobites, keepers of the box, will fulfil your wishes even though it won’t be what you expect. Leading them will be Pinhead, a stoic entity with a booming voice, eager to strike upon mortals who open the box. So next time you feel like you need something fresh to spice up your life, maybe stay on the safe side and pick up a new hobby.
Day 29 – The Gill-man
Lurking in the depths of the lagoons within the Amazon, an ancient amphibious species resides far from the dangers of humanity. Otherwise known as the Creature From the Black Lagoon, this scaled beast is the showcase of a historical connection between humans and fish, which is something scientists would be eager to get their hands on. So, when an expedition is led to these dark depths, their camp becomes a point of curiosity for the Gill-man, but rather than treat the creature with hospitality and wonder like scientists would, they instead treat it with fear and try to attack it. Whatever happened to kindness?
Day 30 – Ghostface
As horror evolves, there always has to be something within the realm that comments on the shifts. Whether it’s classic tropes or shifting through popular subgenres, you can always count on Scream to give its take and stick the landing. As far as villains go, you can’t get any more iconic than Ghostface. A mask that anyone can don to the point where the fear you feel is your own, since you have no clue who it could be under there. Well, now that this month is all well and done, all I have to say is What’s your favourite scary movie? Let me know as we take one step closer to spooky season as I attempt Drawlloween next month, so stick around for more spooks and scares.
Samuel Mathias 