In The Curse of the Eel, odd and horror go hand in hand. Connie is tired of getting bullied every day at school. She knows she’s a bit of an outcast, but the torture she suffers daily, specifically at the hands of her enemy, Rachel, is just too much. When she is chased into a house rumored to have ties to the occult, she accidentally summons an eel-like creature straight from the pages of a Lovecraft novel. Except this eel is quite articulate and craves Chinese takeout. And also gives really great advice.
Created by Jorge Santiago Jr. (Spencer & Locke) the black and white webcomic is a mix of horror, comedy, and drama. Every episode deftly captures each genre with ease, offering gross monster panels alongside humorous dialogue.
From the beginning, you sympathize with Connie as the bullied victim, but when you learn more about mean girl Rachel, you kind of feel bad for her, too. Both girls don’t really fit the mold that is expected of them, but how they respond to their circumstances is what drives the narrative forward.
As for the eel creature, well, it’s a magical, frightening beast that looks like it should slobber goo on its prey. Instead, it is well-spoken, compassionate, and protective while it tries to teach Connie to be her own advocate when facing a difficult situation (which is more than some of the adults in her life have ever done).
The Curse of the Eel is a fun read, especially if you like your horror tinged with a little humor. Each of the 212 available episodes is about one page in length, with a few pinup style pages mixed in, making it easy to dive into the series and catch up quickly. The comic is available for free on Tapas. Click here to start reading.
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