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Black is the New Black: The Best Goth Characters

Liam Smith Leave a comment

They’re creepy and they’re kooky – mysterious and spooky. It’s… the best goth characters in fiction.

Goths are rarely the main characters in books and films, but they’re persistent scene-stealers, grabbing attention with killer fashion sense and morbid jokes. What makes a good goth character? Well, apart from a complexion that a Victorian recluse would envy, you can expect brooding philosophies, gallows humour and decadent lifestyles, in any combination. Gothic characters are great avatars for seeing the world through a darker lens, for indulging our dark sides and for ignoring what everyone else thinks.

Let’s shadow our eyes, lose our smiles (unless there are pointed teeth behind them) and meet the best goth characters in films and books.

Wednesday Addams – The Addams Family, Charles Addams

Drawn by Charles Addams, Played by Christina Ricci and Voiced by
Chloë Grace Moretz

The Addamses are all creepy and kooky, but it must be said the girls of the family fly the gothic flag the highest. But while Morticia could have topped the list with her funeral-ready chic, it’s her Wednesday that out-goths the rest of her clan.

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From Childhood’s Hour: Why I Write Horror Fiction

Liam Smith 2 Comments

What makes any of us what we are? I think most people – myself included – reckon it’s a combination of nature and nurture. Our tastes in things – the days out we like to go on, the kinds of people we like to hang out with, the kind of books we like to read – these are all influenced by the way we are as well as the things we’ve experienced. And we can examine what might inspire a horror writer.

I like writing about all things dark, fantastical and horrifying – you can read my books about witches, folksy cults and haunted carnivals for yourself. I’m pretty sure the groundwork for my interest in horror was laid from an early age. Here’s a few memories that I think may have been the most resonant.
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