#john whitcomb

"KEEP 'EM WORKING"

The sky is slowly turning purple like a bruise, cloud the colour of dark fruit. It’s pretty, Josh thinks, and then feels silly for thinking that. Things like that always sound different when Zach says them — it gets really pretty when it snows.

SUPER DARK TIMES (2017) DIR KEVIN PHILLIPS

Who's That Man On Page 34?

Another striking illustration by John Whitcomb.

Balloon party, John Whitcomb, 1950s. This fabulous century

“Whatever,” Josh says, sighing it out like he’s exhausted. Like Zach’s exhausting him. And when he gets like this there’s really nothing that can pull him out of it. Since they were kids Zach kind of thought of it as quicksand. It pulls him down and holds him there, and just keeping his head above is about all Josh can manage. Like it’s not really something that either of them can help. “Just don’t—” Just don’t leave me. But of course, that’s an impossible thing to say to your best friend. It’s too big; it means too much. Josh doesn’t know how to drop all his defences like that, just sometimes he fucking wishes he could, wishes he could just say it and leave all this weirdness behind them. He can’t though. He can’t even get his mouth to begin to shape the words, so he finds the other strap of his backpack and says, “See you, man,” instead.

before they knew Times were about to get Super Dark