I love me some awkward things, and Pictures for Sad Children certainly fits that description. John Campbell writes and draws an awkward webcomic exploring death, confusion, odd social trends, human and inhuman interaction, and confusion. He does this in the most peculiar way possible, but doesn’t manage to alienate the reader. At least, that’s been my experience with it.
The comic appears in black, white, and gray, which I happen to feel is perfect for the tone of the humor. Even its title, Pictures for Sad Children, captures in the feel of the series. Many times we encounter a very bizarre setting wherein there is a bit of a troubling scenario playing out; whether it be some grand natural phenomenon or a rather depressing yet uncommon suicide attempt. No, Pictures for Sad Children is not actually a comic that should be read by children, unless you happen to want those children to lead defunct, damaged lives into their teens leading them to begin writing their own strange comic strips.
So the stories go in a rather unpredictable way. Things like job loss, marriage troubles, prejudice, misunderstandings, and discomfort seem to be the norm, yet there always remains the uncertainty of how the characters in the strip will deal with said situations. As long as you have the power to laugh heartily at the sorrow of little round-headed stick people, you should have a healthy enjoyment of this comic. The comedy is sometimes derived from the surreal, sometimes from the deadpan, sometimes both. But really, it’s just a fun, cute, mildly depressing comic.
You can visit the site here.
