La Sustancia (The Substance)

“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect...”

I am not only a fan of comic art, but also an avid horror fan. I believe by now, most who have paid attention to my CAF are more than aware of that.

A Suspiria original has been on my radar for quite awhile, however, I always assumed it would come in the form of a cover quality Twin Peaks commission. Welp, save that damn good idea for down the road. This cover quality take on Coralie Fargeat's “The Substance” serves as my first piece from Suspiria, and it's a monster! If you are unfamiliar, this horror film came out recently on streaming service MUBI and features Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. It is without question one of the most innovative, unique, and disgusting horror films in recent memory, and clearly a shoe-in for best of 2024.

The first time I had seen any of Suspiria's art I not only loved it, but my initial reaction was that her name is the same as the quintessential Dario Argento film! There was an immediate recognized horror appreciation! I had previously ventured into the 70's/80's Giallo films and have always loved the stylized presentation. Argento is the absolute master of the genre, and he did that primarily with signature reds and blues throughout the course of his films. The effective use of those colors in horror is unprecedented to this day.

And talk about effective use of color. The composition and color here is outstanding! In order to fully grasp the idea you need to see the film. Suspiria literally pulls all of the components together and her overall vision for the piece is stunning. That was not an easy task when you really look at balancing everything out right. She also blends so many colors! She killed it! It makes for a piece that is beautiful, bright, putrid, disgusting, and colorful all at once. You can clearly see that a lot of time and effort went into this and I absolutely love it.

The finishing touches are the hand lettering which evoke a 70's movie poster feel. It brings the piece together wonderfully. The title shines in red and black. Last but not least, how cool is the green substance dripping down from director Coralie Fargeat's name? It's such a wonderful movie related touch!

Would like to send the sincerest of thanks to Suspiria for this horror film stunner!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Peace and love,
Monstro Elisasue

12x16 Mixed Media