Chloe Adams
Candle Cove is a fictional horror story written by Kris Straub, which was posted to Creepypasta.com in 2009. The story is written in the form of a thread on a fictional forum, where users discuss a disturbing children's television show called Candle Cove that they remember watching in the 1970s. The show features a young girl named Janice who imagines herself to be friends with marionette pirates, including a character called the Skin-Taker. The story's popularity inspired numerous fan-made videos, music, and even a television show.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of work | Creepypasta |
| Format | Online story in the form of a thread on a fictional forum |
| Author | Kris Straub |
| Year published | 2009 |
| Website | ichorfalls.com |
| Inspiration | A satirical Onion article titled "Area 36-Year-Old Still Has Occasional Lidsville Nightmare" |
| Plot | A group of users discuss a disturbing, low-budget children's TV show they watched as children, featuring pirates and a character called the Skin-Taker |
| Impact | Inspired numerous YouTube videos, fan fictions, and a self-published collection of short stories by Straub |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Candle Cove's author, Kris Straub, was inspired by an Onion article
Kris Straub, the author of Candle Cove, is a web cartoonist and author. Candle Cove is an online creepypasta horror story that centres on a fictional television show of the same name. The story is presented in the format of a thread on the fictional "NetNostalgia Forums", where a group of users discuss the unusual low-budget children's television show, Candle Cove, that they all remember watching as children in the early 1970s.
Candle Cove was originally published by Kris Straub in 2009 on his website ichorfalls.com, under a Creative Commons license. The website hosted Straub's horror stories about the fictional town of Ichor Falls. In a 2011 interview, Straub stated that he got the concept of Candle Cove from a satirical Onion article titled "Area 36-Year-Old Still Has Occasional Lidsville Nightmare".
The story centres on a young girl named Janice, who imagines herself to be friends with marionette pirates. As the users continue to reminisce, they begin to recall more disturbing details about the show, such as a character known as the "Skin-Taker".
The story quickly became popular, inspiring numerous YouTube videos and fan fictions. In 2015, Straub self-published Candle Cove in a collection of short stories entitled Candle Cove and Other Stories. The Verge commented that Candle Cove differed from other creepypastas in that while most creepypastas have an "anonymous folkloric quality", Candle Cove originated from a known source and author.
Detect Paraffin in Candles: Quick and Easy Ways
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The story's format is a thread on the fictional NetNostalgia Forums
Candle Cove is a fictional horror story written by web cartoonist and author Kris Straub. It was originally published on Straub's website ichorfalls.com in 2009 under a Creative Commons license. The story is presented in the format of a thread on the fictional NetNostalgia Forums, where a group of users discuss a low-budget children's television show called Candle Cove that they remember watching as children in the early 1970s.
In the story, the characters reminisce about the show's unusual content, including a young girl named Janice who imagines herself to be friends with marionette pirates. As the discussion progresses, they recall more disturbing details, such as a character called the "Skin-Taker", a skeleton pirate who wears a brown top hat and cape made of children's skin. The story ends with one of the characters revealing that they asked their elderly mother if she remembered the show, and she responded that there was only static on the screen whenever it was supposedly airing.
The story's format as a forum thread contributes to its effectiveness as a horror narrative. It presents the events as a series of personal testimonies, creating a sense of authenticity and immersing the reader in the shared recollection of a disturbing childhood memory. This format also allows for a gradual revelation of the show's eerie details, building suspense and a sense of unease as the characters uncover long-forgotten aspects of the program.
The NetNostalgia Forums thread format also enables interaction and dialogue between the characters, adding depth to their individual experiences. Their collective recollection of the show reinforces the idea that Candle Cove was a shared traumatic experience, enhancing the sense of dread and unease surrounding the program. The forum setting provides a space for the characters to express their fears and confusion about the show, as well as their attempts to make sense of its bizarre content.
The story's presentation as a forum thread also contributes to its viral spread and evolution. As the story was shared across different forums and platforms, it took on a life of its own, with fans creating videos, fan fiction, and even fake footage of the fictional show. This unsanctioned evolution is a testament to the impact and popularity of the original story, as it took on a life of its own in the depths of the internet, becoming a modern urban legend.
Candles in Wicca: Are They Essential?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Candle Cove centres on a disturbing children's show
Candle Cove is a fictional horror story centred on a disturbing children's show. It was written by web cartoonist and author Kris Straub and was originally published on his website ichorfalls.com in 2009. The story is presented as a thread on the fictional "NetNostalgia Forums", where a group of users discuss the unusual low-budget children's television show, Candle Cove, that they watched as children in the early 1970s.
The show-within-the-story, Candle Cove, is about a young girl named Janice who imagines herself to be friends with marionette pirates. As the forum users continue to reminisce, they recall more disturbing details about the show, such as a character known as the "Skin-Taker", a skeleton pirate with a brown top hat and cape, whose jaw slid back and forth. Other eerie memories include an episode where all the characters were screaming and crying, and another where the Skin-Taker tells the little girl, "TO GRIND YOUR SKIN".
The story of Candle Cove quickly gained popularity, inspiring numerous YouTube videos, fan fictions, and even a wiki for the fictional show. Its popularity led to its self-publication in a collection of short stories entitled "Candle Cove and Other Stories" in 2015. The story has also been adapted into a season of the TV show Channel Zero.
The concept of Candle Cove was inspired by a satirical Onion article titled "Area 36-Year-Old Still Has Occasional Lidsville Nightmare", about a man who experienced nightmares about a show he watched on television as a child. Straub has acknowledged the evolution of his work by fans, describing it as flattering and serving "the mythos way more".
Candles Overnight: Safe or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The story's evolution: YouTube videos, fan fiction, and TV shows
Candle Cove is an online horror story, or creepypasta, written by Kris Straub and published on his website ichorfalls.com in 2009. The story centres on a fictional children's television series, also called Candle Cove, which is discussed by a group of users on an internet forum.
The story's format and its spread across various internet forums and websites led to its popularity and inspired numerous YouTube videos and fan fiction. Within a month of its original publication, YouTube videos discussing the fictional show had emerged. As the story spread, it took on new and unapproved shapes, with some contributors sharing their supposed memories of the show and even creating a wiki for Candle Cove that lists and describes its episodes. Fans also produced videos and music either about the show or claiming to be footage of the fictional show itself, including videos of people reading the original creepypasta.
In 2015, Straub self-published Candle Cove in a collection of short stories entitled Candle Cove and Other Stories. The story has been described as differing from other creepypastas in that it originated from a known source and author.
The story's evolution continued with its adaptation into a TV show. In 2016, it was reported that Syfy had acquired the rights to Candle Cove, intending to develop it into a television series. The show was eventually produced by Syfy as part of their Channel Zero series, with one season based on Candle Cove.
Profiting from Rejection Candles: A Trader's Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Candle Cove's copyright and ownership
Candle Cove is an online creepypasta horror story written by web cartoonist and author Kris Straub. The story centres on a discussion of the titular fictional children's television series on an Internet forum. The story was first released in June 2009 on Straub's website ichorfalls.com, under a Creative Commons license. The website hosted Straub's horror stories about the fictional town of Ichor Falls.
Straub has cited an article on the satirical humour site The Onion as being part of the inspiration for Candle Cove. The article was about a man who still experienced nightmares about a show he watched on public access television as a child. While Straub is protective of his copyright and ownership of the idea, he has also acknowledged that the adoption of his work by others and its subsequent morphing and alteration is inevitable. He has described the process as flattering, clarifying that this organic group ownership "serves the mythos way more than me being a litigious dick about it".
The story quickly became popular, inspiring numerous YouTube videos and fan fictions. In 2015, Straub self-published Candle Cove in a collection of short stories entitled Candle Cove and Other Stories. The Verge commented that Candle Cove differed from other creepypastas in that while most creepypastas have an "anonymous folkloric quality", Candle Cove originated from a known source and author.
In 2015, the SyFy Channel announced their intent to adapt the Candle Cove story as the first season of a newly announced series, Channel Zero. The season, named after the creepypasta, expands on the story and centres on a child psychologist who has returned home to investigate the 1980s disappearances of his brother and other children.
Soy Candles: Are They Safe or Toxic?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, Candle Cove is a creepypasta, a short horror story written by Kris Straub and published on his website ichorfalls.com in 2009.
Candle Cove is about a group of people discussing a low-budget children's television show they watched as children. The show-within-the-story, Candle Cove, is about a young girl named Janice who imagines herself to be friends with marionette pirates.
A creepypasta is a neologism for horror stories circulated around the internet.
Kris Straub has cited an article on the satirical humour site The Onion as part of the inspiration for Candle Cove. The article was about a man who still experienced nightmares about a show he watched as a child.
Yes, Candle Cove has been adapted for television by Syfy as part of their Channel Zero series.
