Caitlin Plovnick

Caitlin Plovnick is the writer and artist of Eye Contact and today we discuss her story and thoughts about the horror genre.

I can’t begin an interview without my favorite question: What are scarier, thunderstorms, roller coasters, or clowns?

A roller coaster if it turned out to be a giant centipede-like monster and then it ate you.

I hate when that happens.

What is your favorite type of horror?

My favorite type of horror is when anything monstrous or horrible is made to seem normal. I find it much creepier to think about being a monster or being responsible for horrible things than when the horror is a clearly defined outside threat that can be escaped or defeated.

What inspired you to write this story?

I was having one of those days when everything I did or said seemed to come out excruciatingly wrong. I thought it would be funny to try to elevate that kind of awkward discomfort to the level of horror.

Artistically, what were you looking forward to drawing?

I wanted to draw a pile of eyeballs.

What storytelling medium do you think serves horror best

It's hard to compare mediums - they provide such different experiences and require different skill sets. Maybe TV, film and video games are better for making the audience flinch while prose and comics are better for telling unsettling stories. Nah, I have no idea. It really depends on the story being told and how well it is told.

Interesting answer. What is your favorite horror story and why?

I don't know if it's right to call it a horror story, but Hans Christian Andersen's story The Shadow gives me the creeps. A man's life is gradually stolen by his shadow and then it ends on a really bleak note. I like that it unfolds gradually - he slowly but inevitably loses everything and the reader has to helplessly go along with it.

What was your first exposure to horror?

I don't remember. Michael Jackson's Thriller? Does that count?

Sure.

What do you like best and least about the horror genre?

I like that it demands a reaction from you. To be effective, it has to scare, startle or unsettle you. I don't like it when gore, violence and/or rape are used as a substitute for decent storytelling.

Do you have a horror guilty pleasure?

The Dario Argento film Phenomena - there are dramatic swarms of bugs, I love it.

Who do you consider a master of horror?

I really like Hino Hideshi's horror manga. His comics are the perfect blend of gross and horrible and absurd while being disarmingly casual at the same time. They smack you in the face.

Is there anything you want the readers to know about your story?

It is not based on a true story.

That’s good to know! Are clowns ever funny?

Yes, sometimes.

Thanks Caitlin for your creepy story and taking the time to talk with the Hellbound 2 blog!