Spooky Action at a Distance

Self Initiated, 2021
Editorial, Print, Web Design, Copywriting, Art Direction
Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD, After Effects

The Challenge

Create a bi-annual publication exploring strange phenomena throughout history.

The Solution

Spooky Action at a Distance (SAAADMAG) is a bi-annual publication exploring strange phenomena throughout history. Written from the perspective of fictional paranormal investigator John Hawkins, this first issue explores a case of Mass Hysteria that affected Mattoon, Illinois in the 1940s, during the WW2 Blitz in London.

This issue involved a masked fiend nicknamed ‘The Mad Gasser of Mattoon’, who would attack people in their homes as they slept, spraying gas into their windows and caused them to fall violently ill. The publication is designed to reflect the subject matter, using contrasting colours and bold typography to elicit a tense atmosphere.

In essence, this publication is an exploration in narrative-driven design, using the themes of the subject to reflect the overall design, and touching on a multi-layered narrative that includes historic investigation and scientific context to give it layers of depth.

Patrons of the Strange.

Myths and folklore have been the bedrock of our society. With stories being told and lessons learned of heroes, maidens, dragons, and witches—these stories seek to teach us a specific lesson: “Don’t fly too close to the sun” and “Beware of strangers”. These remind us all of the lessons we were taught as children, lessons passed down through generations of oral history and tradition.

In our modern-day culture, there is little if any room for tales of mythological creatures. Yet, throughout industrialisation and modernisation, strange stories have prevailed. Stories of hauntings, of bizarre phenomena, and alien abductions. Through it all, society has kept in touch with its roots, retelling strange happenings through oral tradition.