one of my personal favorite horror directors, dario argento, was known to include explicitly queer characters in his 70s horror films without linking queerness to the horror - it just existed as a natural part of his film worlds.

carol j. clover’s men, women and chainsaws builds an argument that in the horror films up to the 70s and 80s at least, the final girl trope encouraged male viewers (female viewers, too) to identify with female characters.

horror heroines make it clear that femininity and proximity to femininity is not weakness, it’s strength. we see our favorite horror final girls defeat male killers without sacrificing their femininity, rather showing how it is heroic and strong.

that is exactly the crux of will’s character, at least to me. will’s sensitivity is his strength, a theme that climaxes in sorcerer and when he comes out.

still thinking about this drawing i made before the catastrophe that was volume 2 and 3 💔

And while you devour my heart,

I am on my knees in front of you.

Looking up to you and praying for your love.

excerpt from this poem