I FIND MYSELF STUCK BETWEEN

The real terror comes from Helen, a white, upper-middle class graduate student. After hearing about the urban legends of the Candyman, she intrudes into Chicago’s inner-city to photograph the lives of underprivileged black communities. She takes pictures of the private and forbidden worlds of others in distress: walls defaced by graffiti, abandoned apartments in which Candyman slaughtered his victims, a giant portrait of a face with sharpened teeth and the darkest of eyes. For her, these photographs are not doorways into the lives of real people. They do not inspire curiosity or compassion. They are simply evidence of her power and privilege. She plans to use these “authentic” images of “urban despair” to make herself appear important in front of her professors, and, even more monstrously, get published, ensuring a career as an academic.

This never happens, of course. Candyman has other plans for Helen, and she comes to think of things differently . . . after a few monstrous encounters.

There is much more to say about these stories, these monsters, these photographs, but I don’t want to ruin anything for you. I hope you’ll watch Candyman , inhabit for a time the lifeworlds of these monsters, think about these photographs, and come to your own conclusions. For my part, I will conclude with my confession: as an adult who studies trauma and horror stories, the thought of being photographed still unnerves me. I find myself stuck between wanting to be seen and wanting to hide, wanting to be normal and wanting to be monstrous, wanting to be accepted and wanting to stay on the margins. I find myself stuck, always, between the monster and the photograph.

creatives instantly become best friends. It’s spending long and tedious hours alongside the creative team to put together the final copy of the magazine, our eyes tired but anticipatory. I tried a few different publications at Ohio University, but the creative energy that buzzes throughout the meetings is what made me fall in love with VARIANT. While I’m sad to be leaving, I am thankful that I have found some of my best friends through this publication and was lucky enough to see it flourish.

Anna Birk Executive Editor

Starting my college career as a diehard news writer, I never could have imagined that I would end up on the executive board of a fashion publication. This year at VARIANT, I found what I truly love; I love the anticipation while we come together to think of our semester’s theme, behind the scenes waiting for models to be called to the front of the camera, and my niche: helping writers come up with strong articles that they are proud to put in the final copy. Thank you for showing me that I do, in fact, have some creative parts to my brain and for listening when I attempt to give creative direction. Getting to learn and grow into myself has made this year so incredible. So thank you, VARIANT, for making it so hard to say goodbye.

Bekah Bostick Associate Editor

The time I spent with Variant was a whirlwind of frenetic, creative energy. Every endeavor brought new challenges that lit up my soul. Thank you to all the passionate people who worked with me. For everyone who assured me we were on the right track, who showed up every day with brilliant ideas, and all who dared to make a fashion magazine with the terrifying theme, Horror. I’m not a writer, so I hope as you look through this magazine you can see how much love has been poured into making it.

Madison Bailey Creative Director

As I bid farewell to Variant, my heart overflows with appreciation for the journey that led me here. Working with this exceptional team has been an honor and a privilege. Thank you for sharing your passion, creativity, and talent with me, for it has made me a better person in countless ways. Though I will miss each and every one of you, I am excited for the bright futures that lie ahead.

To our readers, thank you for allowing us to inspire and connect with you. Your support and engagement have been the unwavering foundation of our work. As I embark on my next chapter, I do so with a grateful heart and a renewed commitment to inspiring others. I’m confident Variant will continue to flourish under the leadership of our next executive board.

Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.

With love,

Marguerite Augier Editor in Chief