Written by Jonathan Wojcik

NIGHTMARE MENAGERIE 2017: PART THREE

WITH GUEST ART BY SKINCOATS

THE CUBE MEN

While this was more of a "strange" than "frightening" dream, it certainly seems like a setting where most people would have had a nasty one. Maybe this is where other dreamers have their "late for work" nightmares, and the cube guys are just trying to keep that running smoothly.

THE TIME IMP

This one has a great overall concept to it. I like the idea that these things are essentially little grim reapers possibly responsible for all death as we know it, except for one weirdo who does just the opposite. These would fit marvelously into a role playing campaign or some other gaming scenario.

THE ICE DEMON

Wildly original and full of personality, this is one I was almost going to draw myself but wasn't picturing half as delightful as this in my head. The most interesting thing about the ice demon, of course, is that it's "real mouth" that it speaks from is its peeled-open underbelly.

THE KING OF ALL REALITY

Oh. My god. This is...well, it's epic. It's an epic, incredible tale with a villain design worthy of a video game's final boss battle. Imagine battling those eleven other kings first, too, and then this asshole shows up out of the sky and shows you those stomach contents.

But the real kicker here is that this particular dream is only half over, and continues with our very next monster:

THE STORYTELLER

Holy shit. HOLY SHIT. After facing down The King of All Reality and his stomach full of all the other kings and his feast of poison candy you find out he still wasn't the ultimate being in your adventure, but that everything's just part of a "story" told by this thing despite the fact that she ain't even sapient.

I...don't think I can fanboy any harder for things people's unconscious brains keep pulling out of nowhere. I think I'm going to be spending the rest of my life under the headcanon that all other dreams come from The Storyteller. This is it. The final boss of nightmares.

...And we've still barely started this series for the year!