Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Roots Blamed For Stabbing

Over the years, I've seen my Roots scarecrow mentioned in a few Slender Man web pages and in a couple of youtube videos. 
Here he is in a New York Post story about the latest Slender Man craziness.

http://nypost.com/2014/06/09/2nd-teen-stabbing-attack-linked-to-slender-man-meme/





















Thanks, Sara, for the heads up.

17 comments:

Mantan Calaveras said...

Why did they credit to photo to YouTube?

Gippo!

Rot said...

That image is in the first minute of the embedded youtube vid... thinking they just grabbed it.

Colleen said...

They can just use images without permission???

Damian Michael AKA HalloweeNut said...

Bastards. The scapegoating of the horror genre continues. People are always looking for something to blame (since they can't take responsibility for their own actions) so they look for something that's easily blamed, whether it's Slenderman, horror movies, Marilyn Manson, Heavy Metal, the Goth culture, Paganism; you name, if it's somewhat scary looking, someone is going to blame it. Meanwhile the forces of "Good" (the Church, the government, the police, etc.) create much more real damage on a daily basis, and no one lifts a finger to stop them. I can only hope that there isn't another a witch-hunt as a result of these killings.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Halloween Nut. I remember back in the 1980's they tried to blame suicide on heavy metal. Just plain stupid.

I think you should do a slender man prop. Would be interesting and cool to see your version of it.

Willow Cove said...

Surreal. So this can be the plot of Mr. Jones two. Scarecrow artist's work is blamed for getting into people's heads and causing act of violence.
Art influencing life, influencing art, influencing life,yadda yadda yadda....
I agree with HalloweenNut, and Jay's Shadow.

Terrormaster said...

Jay, I did a take on Slenderman in 2013 while drawing a little inspiration from Rot's work (http://faegoria.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/P1030019.jpg). Although Rot could easily do a far better take on it than mine without even trying.

I read about the incident about a week ago. I've been contemplating whether I should bring him out again this year or just recycle him into something else like I'm doing with 90% of my other props.

Anonymous said...

Great Slenderman prop, Terrormaster. LOVE the long fingers.

Countess VonRauber (Heidi) said...

Yep, another witch hunt. It's interesting that they used your picture though. Kind of a double edged blade in that it's flattering that they used your picture, but disconcerning because of the content of the article. How do you feel about it Rot?

SaraB! said...

Good grief Terrormaster, how do you live with that thing lurking around your house? It's amazingly unsettling, I love it.

LabyrinthCreations said...

HalloweenNut said it perfectly...gotta' blame somebody or something. At least you know that your art stikes terror and fear into the narrow-minded masses. How unfortunate that so many of them just don't get it...

Terrormaster said...

Thanks Jay, was aiming for this organic ever shifting shape kinda thing. Perhaps Slenderman is another form of Nyarlathotep.

Sara, all of my character props except Aegothotep are in the basement/dungeon. My landlord refers to them as "the demons".

Rot, any concerns about them using the image in that context? Or at least crediting you?

HalloweeNut, I believe CreepyPasta (source of 99% of the Slenderman fiction and mythos) ended up puting a disclaimer on their site to the effect of "everything here is fiction and we're not some creepy cult brainwashing people into committing murderous acts". I haven't much more about this from the media so hopefully our favorite genre will fall out of their crosshairs.

Rot said...

Since they aren't really selling the image, I can totally live with this showing up this way.

Rot said...

Heidi,
I'm fine with it.
I found it interesting that they grabbed Roots rather than the true Slender Man design...

Someone at work told me what goes around comes around...and that this will most likely result in me being stabbed. As if I had anything to do with posting that image to the story. I found the comment annoying.

I bet I end up with a knife in my back. As I'm dying I'll invoke Slender Man.

Countess VonRauber (Heidi) said...

Haha, your co-worker sounds like a real gem. You should make a prop out of them ;)

Amy said...

You have been getting a lot of publicity lately ;)

Willow Cove said...

When someone at work says something stupid like that again, just whip out a pocket notepad and act like you're writing their name down, look at or note the time, and smile creepily!