Violet Grimm:"Some people will tell you that superstition is the religion of fools…Others may say that Religion is the superstition of fools…Well, let me tell you this…the post powerful Magicks were spawned by these very contradictions…’cause you always need a little friction to get a good spark."
Dan Schiffer
Dogwitch, written and illustrated by British artist Dan Schiffer, was first published in 2002 until 2005 ran for 18 issues on a bi-monthly schedule. The 18 issue run was broken up into three seasons dubbed: Direct to Video, Twisted, and Mood Swings. However, as of February 2020, the Dogwitch omnibus has been announced for launch later in the year. Thus, marking the 15-year anniversary of the series.
Issue zero 'Hot Spell' and issue one 'Nefariously Kinky' have been made free to read. Both can be found on Bleeding Cool's blog here. [1]
General Tropes:
- Alien Geometries: Played straight, Violet’s house is mentioned in one diary entry to change at will, including a seemingly normal length hall that takes over 30 minutes to walk through. The house's walls whisper and bleed.
- Bane is a multidimensional hub, with ever-changing streets and alleyways, humans are said to be mutated due to the drinking water being contaminated with ectoplasm. Demonic possession is also a common occurrence.
- Axe-Crazy: Played straight, many of Bane’s inhabitants tend to have some shades of this
- Always Night: Due to the black and white art style it’s difficult to ascertain the time of day, however, most panels showing the outside shows the sky as dark.
- Bloody Horror: The series plays homage to the nature of old B-splatter flicks of the late ’70s and ’80s, and blood and gore are abundant!
- Don't Go Into the Woods & Nature Is Not Nice: Played Straight with the Banewoods, the woods are a living entity that preys on the wear, and is home to various monsters, wild beasts, and a serial killer that lurk in the Banewoods.
- Extremely Dusty Home: The house Violet lives in is very decrepit and in disrepair.
- Hazardous Water: The Banewood’s water supply is heavily contaminated with ectoplasm, causing all sorts of unnatural mutations and derangements within the locals.
- Halloween Town: The artistic aesthetic has a very gothic vibe complete with Jack-o-lanterns, bats, runes, bubbling cauldrons, candles, and other spooky iconography scattered throughout the panels and artwork.
- Played straight: Violet lives in a stereotypical Haunted House, surrounded by a Creepy Forest, and you guessed it, a Creepy Cemetery located in the backyard!
- City of the Damned: Bane, as mentioned above, the town exists between the planes of existence, and more than a few demons make Bane and the surrounding woods a place to conduct business or feed on souls.
- Hot as Hell: Played straight, demons in this universe can make themselves appear attractive to mortals, and have no hang-ups about copulating with mortals. Additionally, both succubi & incubi exist as their own powerful sub-species within the demonic ranks.
Examples of Tropes by Episode
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Season One: Direct to Video
Hot Spell
Nefariously Kinky
Screaming Habdabs
Chronic Luscious
Splinters
Bondo Night
Black and Blue
Season Two: Twisted
Fusion Blonde
Pod
Souled Out
Thirty miles of Bad Road
Tentacles
Pretty Like Drugs
Season Three: Mood Swings
