Deadman Humour: Thirteen Fears of a Clown

In a world of shadows, joyful colours are an act of heroism.

Modern tales are filled with clowns who invoke fear not laughter: painted grins covering fanged maws; baggy costumes concealing unspeakable horrors; malevolent parodies of nature.

But the tools of a clown work for good as well as ill: only a trickster could tweak a monster’s nose; make-up is war paint for the modern age; the devil cannot tempt a happy soul.

What if, instead of being the demons of urban legend, clowns were the victims...