Line #25 Main/GothSpirals


1	[[quoteright:300:[[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nightmare_Before_Christmas.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:Instant Spooky, Just Add Spirals.]]
3
4	It's the little spiraly design that seems to come up so often in cartoonier media influenced by Goth culture, which itself was heavily inspired by the feel of ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' (pictured). The popularity of this film has influenced an entire generation of young artists with dark proclivities (see Platform/DeviantArt) and seems at times so common that one wonders if all one needs to add a bit of gothic appeal to their work is to add a few little spiral designs here and there.
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6	Contrast (or [[NightmareFetishist some]][[DarkIsNotEvil times]] compare) EverythingsBetterWithSparkles.
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8	----
9	!!Examples
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11	[[foldercontrol]]
12
13	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
14	* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', the spooky, UberWald-esqe island where Zoro, Perona, and Mihawk end up has several spiraly mountains as a ShoutOut to ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''.
15	* ''Manga/{{Uzumaki}}'', which turns the humble and ubiquitous spiral into horror beyond imagination.
16	[[/folder]]
17
18	[[folder:Comics]]
19	* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'':
20	** Death is portrayed with a small spiral design under her eye. Although she is indeed a PerkyGoth, this is more an Egyptian motif (probably the Eye of Horus) in keeping with her habit of wearing an ankh, although the ankh is much more symbolic.
21	** Delirium's sigil is a spiral or a bunch of spirals (at least in the [[{{Animesque}} manga-esque]] ''At Death's Door''), although they're less goth, more [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} insane]].
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
25	* In ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheSecretDoor'', while the world of Zinnia is bright and cheery, the kingdom has a ''lot'' of spirals in its architecture, cliff designs, and plant life.
26	* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. Interestingly, the trope picture is photoshopped to [[RuleOfScary look spookier]]..
27	** And much of Creator/TimBurton's work; he seems to like them. In fact, the logo for the exhibit on him at the Museum of Modern Art was a spiral.
28	[[/folder]]
29
30	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
31	* ''Film/DarkCity'' made a repeating theme of spirals: spiraling staircases, spiral patterns carved into victims, spiral rat mazes, spirals drawn by a madman. A good chunk of the movie is devoted to this trope. As seen from the Strangers' map, the entire city is arranged as a spiral.
32	* Pretty much the entire filmography of Creator/TimBurton.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Literature]]
36	* The font used for the ''italic'' words in Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's ''Literature/TheStrain'' contain spirals.
37	* The title UsefulNotes/{{font\|s}} of ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' is this. And sparkly.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
41	* There's a pretty big spiral motif in the artwork for ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost''.
42	* Tharizdun is one of the big, nasty evil gods who has been featured prominently in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. An evil [[TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu Lovecraftian]] god, his "holy" symbol is none other than a black spiral.
43	* ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'' had a group of evil corrupted werewolves as one of its main villain types. Their name? The Black Spiral Dancers.
44	** The primary initiation ritual for the Dancers is to walk a literal one, which looks like a harmless spiral in the floor but will bring you face-to-face with the [[EldritchAbomination Wyrm]], and [[GoMadFromTheRevelation you don't want to come face-to-face with the Wyrm]].
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Video Games]]
48	* Found all over the place in ''Death Jr.: Root of Evil'', most prominently in the character designs.
49	* Ditto for ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}''.
50	* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', Scourge and Forsaken buildings quite often have small spirals on them.
51	* In ''VideoGame/{{Eversion}}'', the flowers become deadly spiked spirals after many eversions. So do the face blocks in World 7. And a lot of spirals can eventually seen in the background in HD version.
52	* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', anything associated with Twilight is going to have these, from the TronLines on portals, monsters and Midna to the markings on Zant's robes (even the emblem on the front part of his outfit, which is interesting considering that it's [[spoiler:[[HijackedByGanon a stylized version of the previously non-spirally Gerudo symbol]]]]).
53	* Some types of heartless in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' have spirals in their design.
54	** And, obviously, The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the recurring worlds.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Webcomics]]
58	* This is also all over ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', especially in vapor and hair. It's particularly associated with the Donlan family.
59	* Secret from ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'' has a small spiral under her eye.
60	* Dot from ''Webcomic/GothOz'' wears eye makeup spirals.
61	* Many of the pages in ''Webcomic/VariousHappenings'' are adorned with spirals, swirls and other similar markings in the filigree appearing around them.
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Western Animation]]
65	* Ember of ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' sports a spiral design under her right eye in her role as something of a Gothic (undead) rock star. It may be a ShoutOut to Gaiman's Death.
66	* Perhaps not everywhere in ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', but at least two examples can be seen: One being in ''[[HalloweenEpisode Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom]],'' [[EvilTwin Nightmare Membrane's]] lab coat ends with strangely swirling mist, and Nightmare Gaz's hair is shaped like squared spirals. In ''Door to Door'', the specter of [[PunnyName Poop Dogg]] (wearing a black robe, a la Ghost of Christmas Future) has the same swirls as Nightmare Membrane.
67	* Skyclone, the BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/SkyDancers'' wears a spooky spiral on his shirt.
68	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GothSpirals