How do horror comics use visual techniques to create fear?

Horror comics expertly employ visual techniques to generate fear. Panel layouts are often unconventional – using fragmented panels, unusual perspectives, or deliberately obscured views to disorient the reader. Color palettes are typically dark, utilizing blacks, deep reds, and muted tones to create a sense of claustrophobia and impending doom. Imagery is crucial, featuring grotesque character designs, disturbing body horror, and unsettling symbolism. Line work can be scratchy, jagged, or deliberately unfinished to evoke unease. Sound effects are also visually represented, with onomatopoeia (e.g., 'CRACK,' 'GROWL') rendered in dynamic and often aggressive ways to enhance the auditory impact and trigger the reader's imagination.