Do you enjoy grimdark?

[Bardock 139]

I love Cheerilee's Garden and the sequel, Scarlet Harvest.

 

Other than that, though, I'm not a huge fan of it. It's a neat genre, but barely any authors have really done something worthwhile and special with it from what I've seen. Cupcakes had an interesting concept, but the execution wasn't that great. Understandable though, considering how the author didn't really take it seriously and wrote it just because he was sick of seeing Pinkiedash shipping. Rainbow Factory had a nice story to go with it, and it was better written than Cupcakes, but again, the execution could've been better.

 

I couldn't even finish Sweet Apple Massacre. Not because I couldn't handle it, but because the writing was just so bleh.

[Toastypk 923]

I don't really care for it.

There's a bunch of types of it though.

I don't mind it if it's in bits and pieces/to make a dramatic/serious point in something, even with that it has to be done right, like something out of an RPG or something. But really I don't care for it much though.

I've read synopses/descriptions of some stories like Sweet Apple Massacre without actually reading the story, that's usually enough. I get a real WTF? out of it, but it probably wouldn't offput me as much as reading the story, which sounds bad.

 

I do like Story of the Blanks though.

[HushedWren 33]

It depends, actually.

 

I'd never really been that into grimdark before I joined the fandom. 'Cupcakes' is still a personal favorite because of the multitude of way bronies have twisted and stretched that concept into something phenomenal. 'Story of the Blanks' did nothing for me, whilst 'Rocket to Insanity' made me whistle in appreciation (seriously, man, I love Pinkamina). 

 

'Rainbow Factory' was actual quite brutal to me, but really enjoyable, 'Sweet Apple Massacre' was absolutely gruesome and I hated it. I have a sweet spot for Big Mac and I was disgusted by how the gentle giant was portray, but hey, to each their own. And, I know this sounds terrible, but Jay's 'Little Miss Rarity' tumblr actually made me like Rarity more.

 

It's a preference thing, and it all depends on peoples likes and dislikes

[BlackShardNixium 277]

I didn't get into Grimdarkness until I read Homestuck. I didn't even know what it was really, until Rose went insane O_O it was kinda creepy, but in a cool way. It was also sad OnO

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

I avoid grimdark like the plague.  It's just not really my cup of tea, particularly with a show that's portrayed as innocently as this one.  I can't really see how one means to keep these characters in-character while turning them into bizarre serial-killers at the same time.  I could certainly be proven wrong though, but I would rather not go through the trouble of finding out.

[Honestly2awesome 24]

To be perfectly honest...

Grimdark is the reason I became a brony, and that may seem bad to some people but...

My best friend sent me a large amount of Lil Miss Rarity, and Pinkamena, and i never really watched MLP, but i got interested in it pretty quick, and watched the first season a few days later...

So, yeah.

I adore grimdark.

[Hook Echo 10]

I kinda like it if it's handled properly and, particularly if gore shows up, it doesn't get too detailed or dragged out too long. Cupcakes honestly didn't affect me much beyond some sympathy winces. Rainbow Factory was alright, that one really made me sad at the end honestly.  Aside from Rocket to Insanity, I haven't read any of the really notorious grimdark fics, unless you count Story of the Blanks.

 

I'm actually planing on writing a fic that basically adapts Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni to the MLP universe once I finish the anime.  That series is mostly mystery/suspence mixed into slice of life.  It does get nasty every 4-5 episodes though, and I'm trying to figure out how exactly to handle those scenes. I'm either going to keep them as is, which wouldn't require any detailed gore, or tone them down.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Hook Echo

[DoctorWhovian1902 596]

Cheerilee's Garden? Grimdark

 

Haven't heard of that one, what's your word on it? Is it worth reading? Is it really worse than "Cupcakes"? I've read a few grimdarks in my time, albeit all of them made me sick, but I've seen my fair share of gore and...what do you even classify that stuff as?

[dad george 105]

The majority voted for yes.

I am not disappoint. 

Finally it comes out what kind of fucked up assholes we really are. Jkjk. Not really.

[DeiStar 248]

Haven't heard of that one, what's your word on it? Is it worth reading? Is it really worse than "Cupcakes"? I've read a few grimdarks in my time, albeit all of them made me sick, but I've seen my fair share of gore and...what do you even classify that stuff as?

 

Cheerilee's Garden is a gore bloodfest. It's not recommended for soft people. The fic is heavily grimdark and it will make you cringe, a lot.

[Argos 191]

(content has been removed)

Edited March 16, 2014 by Argos

[Fluttermena 1,223]

I don't mind gore at all, so if "grimdark" refers to things like cupcakes, I love that, grimdark is fine if it only involves murderous insanity and gore.

I can't stand social grimdark however, things like Rainbow Factory creep me the hell out. I can't even watch the first season of Game of Thrones without getting traumatized.

I do make an exeption if it's satirical or unrealistic, for example I'm a fan of Warhammer 40000 even though it practically invented the term "grimdark", the over-the-top ridiculous aspects of the 40k universe makes it entertaining despite all it's horrors.

[Vinyl Scratch (Filly)™ 936]

Personally, I'm not real big on grimdark.   I liked reading it until I read "Cherilee's Garden."  I'm not sure what made me decide not to read it anymore, but that story just killed it for me.

you know what, I have to agree cheerilees garden took it too far in my opinion, I cried :/ not full fledged tears but I did shed a tear because I found it quite distressing, it was little kids being brutally tortured, using kids crossed the line for me...

[qqq 217]

Yes! I usually find it more funny than scary with people just trying too hard and things intended to be scary usually become silly (to the point where I was laughing so hard I cried.) The annoying thing I find is that authors of Grimdark too often end up ruining the atmosphere with pointless "mature themes" (If you know what I mean

[Leatherbehlt 465]

I hate the idea of cupcakes or Rainbow factory stuff. I watch MLP to get happy and jittery, and the idea of imagining RD getting her wings mutilated and fluttershy being forced to watch her animals get crucified absolutely KILLS the feeling of MLP (no pun intendead) Although dark humor is the (2nd) funniest thing in the world, and if somepony makes a pun about another dead pony, I'm probably gonna wet myself laughing.

[DoctorWhovian1902 596]

Cheerilee's Garden is a gore bloodfest. It's not recommended for soft people. The fic is heavily grimdark and it will make you cringe, a lot.

That coming from personal experience? Yeah I'm a bit "soft" as you put it, but I'm still thinking of giving it a read. At least the first chapter or so.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

I read grimdark if it serves a purpose. If it has a story behind it, and has some kind of conclusion, I'll like it. If it's grimdark for the sake of being grimdark, well then, not so much. It can be good, it can be bad. More often than not though, it's bad.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Harmonic Revelations

[qqq 217]

Fluttershy being forced to watch her animals get crucified.

 

Where did you find this? That sounds sickening but also intriguing. If it is badly written, it should be funny (From previous experience.)

[Jack Durango 119]

Yeah, grimdark is pretty cool, in its own little fractured way. I love reading about how the killers evade getting caught, and whether or not they actually do fall to justice. I always have violent imagery to accompany the violent music I listen to, kind of like crafting violent music videos in my head.

[Bardock 139]

For those who do enjoy the genre, I highly recommend the sequel to Cheerilee's Garden, Scarlet Harvest. It's a great read, and well-written too.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Bardock

[Moog the Kvlt 1,460]

Yes I am a grimdark fan

But it really depends

If it's one of the ones

Where it's just plain blood and gore

Thrown in a disturbing way

Then I don't like it

[Descant 1,898]

I mean, I like dark humor as much as the next guy, sure. But sometimes it's can just be taken altogether too far. I just read Cupcakes for the first time, literally just now... I made it a little under halfway through the Second Human Centipede movie...  Can't say I'm a fan. Honestly, I don't understand why people would enjoy stuff like that, and doubly so when it's a TV show for little girls being thrown into the spotlight. I need to take a Motrin...

Edited January 23, 2013 by Descant

[Moog the Kvlt 1,460]

I mean, I like dark humor as much as the next guy, sure. But sometimes it's can just be taken altogether too far. I just read Cupcakes for the first time, literally just now... I made it a little under halfway through the Second Human Centipede movie...  Can't say I'm a fan. Honestly, I don't understand why people would enjoy stuff like that, and doubly so when it's a TV show for little girls being thrown into the spotlight. I need to take a Motrin...

 

Cupcakes I don't think has anything to do with Dark humor

The whole purpose of it was to disturb and gross out people

That's what grotesque grimdark is meant

Maybe try some of the Grimdark that isn't a fanfic

[Descant 1,898]

Cupcakes I don't think has anything to do with Dark humor

The whole purpose of it was to disturb and gross out people

That's what grotesque grimdark is meant

Maybe try some of the Grimdark that isn't a fanfic

I saw someone post something about dark humour and Cupcakes... Well... *bangs head repeatedly against wall*

 

Thing is, some people like stuff like that. I can't stomach it. I'd say it's in the same league as Human Centipede, which I couldn't finish. I just don't have the stomach for it. I mean, graphically described violence is okay, like describing a war scene, but when you read about your favourite pony wearing entrails like a scarf... 

[SparklingTwilight 109]

I do kinda enjoy it; even though I'm a woos when it comes to those kind of movies. I never get scared by it, though. Still, I prefer other kinds of writing better, like Slice of Life, Sad or Comedy.

Edited January 23, 2013 by 20%CoolerMuffins