Vintage Comics - Black Magic, Issue #2: The Scorn of the Faceless People, The Cheerful Old Lady in Black (Cover-Pg. 17)

Recall the classic episode of the Twilight Zone wherein a man is haunted by his dreams (okay...maybe there was more than one), and he sought aid from a doctor only for the woman of his dreams/nightmare to pursue him to his death. Then recall the one where the man traveled through time in his dream on a train. This first story seems to open like both, until it turns into a very peculiar bit of dream analysis. Some pretty fun imagery, and I'll admit it took me a bit by surprise. The second story uses one of my favorite tropes--death on a joyride.

Featured Fear: Hypnophobia (fear of sleep)

It would be so obvious to start this off with a rhyme from my favorite horror franchise, but I know you may already be thinking of it and humming along in your head without even meaning to. While water is pretty much inescapable, we all know we can just pretend it's not in any other drink, or act as if adding flavoring to it suddenly changes the nature of that fear altogether...but sleep?

Without sleep, which can't be disguised as anything else...you'd die. In fact, without sleep, you'd end up doing the 'bigger' sleep. As Poe once said, 'ah, sleep, those little slices of death. How I loathe them.'

Actually, there's no real evidence he ever said that, but it's a fun line. Plenty of people hate sleep. They see it as a waste of time, something that somehow hinders them from doing anything valuable with the hours they have no control over...and sleep does make you vulnerable. In fact, when you're sleeping, you're at your weakest...no way to defend yourself, little if any awareness of your surroundings. The more I think about it, the more I think...maybe I should have another cup of coffee?

Everyone sleeps. Everyone dreams. I'd say half of the fear of sleep owes to the fact that we dream, actually. Not only are you vulnerable to the world around you, but you're vulnerable to your own subconscious at well. It is the ultimate assault on one's will and body, and yet...at the same time...sleep does make us stronger. I suppose that's because it doesn't kill you, if you're lucky.

Since I didn't use a rhyme, I think today I'll leave you with a poem instead. For what indeed is more poetic than sleep?

To Sleep

By John Keats

O soft embalmer of the still midnight,

Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,

Our gloom-pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,

Enshaded in forgetfulness divine:

O soothest Sleep! if so it please thee, close

In midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes,

Or wait the "Amen," ere thy poppy throws

Around my bed its lulling charities.

Then save me, or the passed day will shine

Upon my pillow, breeding many woes,—

Save me from curious Conscience, that still lords

Its strength for darkness, burrowing like a mole;

Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,

And seal the hushed Casket of my Soul.

A Short Video: Purgation

I did not produce this one, nor did I write it. In fact, I wasn't even a member of this group in film directing, because mine was a crazier project I've already shared here, but...I did play a minor role in this one as the aunt. Though it does take a few viewings to catch the whole story, the director (Jason Litman) is incredibly talented. His videos were always some of the best in that class, so I thought it would be a good idea to share this one with my readers. 

A young girl visits her aunt, and goes into the basement, then reads a book that causes strange things to happen. Is it a dream, or is it reality?