Something I never noticed as a kid, and which I can't help noticing now, is that McDonaldland characters are terrifying. Ronald is primo nightmare fuel in all his incarnations. The McNugget Buddies pose some profoundly disturbing (or very zen, depending on your outlook) existential questions. Grimace could easily moonlight as a cosmic horror. And Bernice is a ravenous and baffling entity resembling a cross between a rat and Mr. Snuffleupagus turned inside out.
Interestingly, the "villains" of McDonaldland seem more human and relatable than the "heroes." I can't begin to imagine what bizarre motivations compel Ronald, or what Grimace's or Birdie's or Mayor McCheese's dreams and aspirations could possibly be. They're like some strange seraphim or demons, their motives inscrutable to mortals. But Hamburglar just wants hamburgers. Captain Crook wants Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. And they're willing to steal to get them. That may not be admirable, but it is relatable! It also begs the question: why do these characters have to steal? Is there really a shortage of hamburgers and fish sandwiches in McDonaldland? Or is the ruling class just selfishly hoarding everything? Are Hamburglar and Captain Crook kleptomaniacs? Or are they just starving? Meanwhile, I get the distinct impression that Ronald and the other Elder Beings in the pantheon are hungry for more than just food.
So here's a Supersized helping of nightmare fuel. The color sketch was created in notebook, and the black and white draws were created in the Miiverse sketch utiliity, both on the Wii U. Happy Halloween all! :D
