Among them is the main protagonist Fern, a mother looking for her son, a noble goal. She is the character out of the cast that knows the least what's going on, but despite this she isn't a pushover. She is willing to fight if she needs to and even refuse to do what comments suggest if they start to get too absurd. As the comic goes along she starts becoming her own character outside of just an Audience Surrogate. One thing that is notable of her is that she is the most emotive of the characters, helped that she is one of the few that can properly express emotions. Because of this, it gives more personality to her.
Another stand out character is Dr. Phage, the head of the hospital and primary antagonist of the story. He is a walking virus with an ego complex that is only matched by his insanity. Yet he still straddles the line between non-threatening and threatening. His insanity is used both to show incompetence and at the same time a scary awareness that even a character like Fern lacks.
Other characters include a complaining Spleen, a runny Nose, and a bag of bio-waste in the shape of a humanoid, and...yeah this comic is weird. But despite this all the characters have their own personality and names that defines them beyond what just they are visually.
Not only are the character intriguing but also the world. Without spoiling much, there is a lot more to the setting than just the hospital itself. To the point where it wouldn't be out of place in a Cosmic Horror Story but also used in ways that play with expectations.
One thing that helps this is the medium. This web comic uses it's medium in unique and surprising ways that help show off the true nature of the setting and can give some disturbing foreshadowing. As a hint, be sure to make a habit of mousing over the strips when they fully load.
As of this review the comic is more than a year old and has a staggering 466 strips, with apparently many more to come. If you are okay with absurd humor and cartoonish gore, with a story that can get thoughtful at times, then you will be at home in Awful Hospital.
Absurd, grotesque, yet lovable.
Awful Hospital is an absurdly grotesque comic that switches back and forth from Surreal Humor to Surreal Horror, not too unlike a work from Jhonen Vasquez. Yet despite this, the comic builds a world of lovable characters that avoid Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy.
Among them is the main protagonist Fern, a mother looking for her son, a noble goal. She is the character out of the cast that knows the least what's going on, but despite this she isn't a pushover. She is willing to fight if she needs to and even refuse to do what comments suggest if they start to get too absurd. As the comic goes along she starts becoming her own character outside of just an Audience Surrogate. One thing that is notable of her is that she is the most emotive of the characters, helped that she is one of the few that can properly express emotions. Because of this, it gives more personality to her.
Another stand out character is Dr. Phage, the head of the hospital and primary antagonist of the story. He is a walking virus with an ego complex that is only matched by his insanity. Yet he still straddles the line between non-threatening and threatening. His insanity is used both to show incompetence and at the same time a scary awareness that even a character like Fern lacks.
Other characters include a complaining Spleen, a runny Nose, and a bag of bio-waste in the shape of a humanoid, and...yeah this comic is weird. But despite this all the characters have their own personality and names that defines them beyond what just they are visually.
Not only are the character intriguing but also the world. Without spoiling much, there is a lot more to the setting than just the hospital itself. To the point where it wouldn't be out of place in a Cosmic Horror Story but also used in ways that play with expectations.
One thing that helps this is the medium. This web comic uses it's medium in unique and surprising ways that help show off the true nature of the setting and can give some disturbing foreshadowing. As a hint, be sure to make a habit of mousing over the strips when they fully load.
As of this review the comic is more than a year old and has a staggering 466 strips, with apparently many more to come. If you are okay with absurd humor and cartoonish gore, with a story that can get thoughtful at times, then you will be at home in Awful Hospital.