Earlier today, the Paradox Space webcomic began its newest storyline. For many Homestuck fans, the comic has been a refuge during a twelve-month hiatus by series creator Andrew Hussie. It’s served as a sort of filler, an officially sanctioned set of side-stories that offers a return to the characters fans adore, through the aid of guest artists and content creators.
For those who aren’t sure of what Homestuck is, well… let me tell you about Homestuck.
So yeah… those grey trolls that are seem to grow in number with each passing anime convention? Pure Homestuck.
Goofiness aside, the latest Paradox Space chapter takes a heavy cue from master of horror Junji Ito. Titled “Damara”, this latest installment is a direct homage to Ito’s Tomie. Tomie is a 1987 manga series, which consists of a series of short stories that revolve around the titular character. She’s the ultimate destructive force in the world, the very embodiment of humanity’s ills, though she’s able to survive even the goriest of mutilations with nary a scratch.
In this light, Damara and Tomie aren’t too different.
At this point, only the first page is available. Still, the art style, the setting, even the characters’ poses mirror the iconic panels in Ito’s manga.
It will be interesting to see how “Damara” progresses. Given Ito’s penchant for the truly horrifying, and Paradox Space‘s general favoring of the light-hearted, there is plenty of potential for dark humor.
