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OUR FRIEND OF THE MISTS

This chapter analyzes the character of Misty herself. It summarizes the tradition of horror hosts and particularly the use of host characters in British and American comics, contextualizing Misty’s role as editor and guide. It proceeds to analyze the Gothic language and imagery used in her inside cover welcomes to each issue, and draws attention to key symbols and tropes that emerge, including the witch, mystery, nature, history and the body. Rather than simply noting the appearance of Gothic motifs in Misty’s image and language, the chapter considers their frequency, combinations and juxtapositions to argue for symbolic meaning. It suggests that the blending of references to nature, isolation, Otherness and the body is closely related to the trajectories of Gothic.