CSBG Archive
The Scariest Comic Books of All Time! – The Braille Encyclopedia
A reader named Chris S. suggested that I devote October to the scariest comic books of all-time, as suggested by you readers out there! Sounds like a plan to me! So all October-long, I’ll be featuring 31 comic book tales of terror, based on YOUR suggestions! So e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com your scary suggestions! Here is an archive of all the comics featured so far!
Commenter Jackson Edge suggested I feature an adaptation by Eric Burnham and Ted Naifeh of a Grant Morrison short story, “The Braille Encyclopedia.” It appeared in 1994′s Verotika #1. Note the name – Verotika. There is some graphic stuff to be seen here if you keep reading. Be forewarned!
Enjoy!
This disturbing little tale follows a young blind woman who has lived a sheltered life. While on a tour of France, she meets a man known as L’Index and he enthralls her with tales of the Braille Encyclopedia. She has led such a barren existence that she embraces the life he offers and she disappears.
She is holed up in a mansion along with a seemingly captured (and castrated) angel. She offers herself up to L’Index in some graphic sex scenes where we discover that L’Index’s whole body is tattooed – in braille!
This brings us to these pages…
Disturbing stuff.
13 Comments
Laurence J Sinclair
October 18, 2011 at 5:22 am
Similar in concept to Clive Barker’s Book of Blood.
Pam Harrison
October 18, 2011 at 5:46 am
AAUUGGHH!!! That IS disturbing.
Nik Holman
October 18, 2011 at 6:46 am
Started reading this and I was like, “This looks like Glen Danzig stuff.” Then I went back and saw the Verotika. Man, haven’t seen that name in ages.
chad
October 18, 2011 at 6:52 am
omg that is a really disturbing pick for this list. the ones who adapted this thing had guts.
Jackson J Edge
October 18, 2011 at 9:42 am
Still a big mass of creepy bummer. I picked this book up when I was 13 because the Biz did the cover, and I am still scarred for life.
Dominic
October 18, 2011 at 10:25 am
Always good to see work that encourages reading…
Omar Karindu
October 18, 2011 at 11:40 am
Within Morrison’s work, there was the boy in an early Doom Patrol arc whose body was the sacred book of an evil cult.
JayPhonomancer
October 18, 2011 at 12:54 pm
This seems like a properly disturbing story. Great pick. You say this is an adaptation of a Grant Morrison short story so where was it originally published? Was it in the Lovely Biscuits compilation?
Brian Cronin
October 18, 2011 at 12:58 pm
It was included in the Lovely Biscuits compilation. It’s been collected in a few different horror collections, as well. Most notably Best New Horror Volume 3.
David Fullam
October 22, 2011 at 4:34 pm
You should also have included nearly every title in the Tapping the Vein series of Clive Barker adaptations.
esenem
November 21, 2011 at 6:36 am
nah
Tia
February 11, 2012 at 9:30 pm
I remember years ago when I believed nothing could scare me I picked up a compilation called “Hotter Blood.” This was the very last story…it haunted me for days. It’s been years since then, and here I am, googling to see if I remember it right. Turms out I do…lol
Jason
April 15, 2013 at 6:31 am
Not sure if this made the list, but “A Taste of Cherry” from, i believe Verotika #4?, definitely scarred my fragile teenage mind back in the day. More disturbing than scary perhaps, but Dammmmnnnn!!