The Tragic Ending

 

This graphic novel depicts a hero traveling a fictional city. There is a kind of minimalist, futuristic design to the city juxtaposed by Chinese pagodas and ancient Greek temples. The setting is meant to be maximalist, overwhelming, and impossible in the world today. As the hero approaches our point of view, he unsheathes his sword. His wardrobe is mysterious, yet he is clearly a warrior. His hood and flowing cape distinguish him in the composition, as well as his central location. Intricate details in his sword handle and sheath show that he is no beginner. His armor and biomechanical enhancements become apparent as well, compounding on our previous assumptions of him. The next frame shows an unclothed face, screaming in horror with dark liquid splattered on his right side. The final shot reveals the back of our hero, standing in front of a fruit stand. One of the pieces hanging from the ceiling has a flat bottom, juice still dripping out of the bottom from when our hero sliced it. 

This story merely exists for my entertainment to misguide you a little bit. While you may look to that last panel expecting violence, a gruesome beheading or amputation, you're left with a silly fruit stand man with juice on his face. The anticlimax is meant to make readers feel this kind of let down, but also look inwards to why they desire images of violence. Our world is flooded with conflict and violence, especially realistic, gruesome scenes in video games and movies. We react in horror to these yet have the desire to consume more. Perhaps after seeing this comic and being let down, readers will reevaluate why they feel this way.