Is He Back?

While I taking a stroll beyond Belltown's confines today, I saw this at 9th & Olive:

Why, if it isn't my old pal, Scary Skull Guy! You know, I don't get to 9th & Olive very often, so for all I know, this has been there for months. No, I don't think Scary Skull Guy is back - sorry to get your hopes up. I think this is just a "farewell skull" or something like that. I haven't seen anything new by him in Belltown in more than two months. He's packed up, gone bye-bye, hit the trail, taken a powder and other idiomatic expressions meaning "departed from here." But Scary Skull Guy, in case you're reading this and contemplating a comeback, just keep this in mind: if you make a scary skull outside of Belltown (to summarize: not between Stewart & Denny and Western & 6th), it doesn't count. Let's see what you got.

This Totally Doesn't Count as a Scary Skull Guy Sighting

My quest for Scary Skull Guy has ended, as you know, in disappointment. I accept that. However, I did spot something of his the other day. Here it is:

Yeah, it's not his best work, but it was definitely done by him. It's on the back of a load zone sign on 1st, between Blanchard and Bell. You'd think that by now he'd understand that what makes his skulls scary is their size. This one is tiny and not scary at all. OK, so I'm done with Scary Skull Guy.

In terms of strange and interesting graffiti, my interest turns to someone I'm calling the Eye Guy. He puts up large, half-opened eyes on the sides of buildings, giving the impression that we're looking at a very large and drowsy beast. You can find this at 3rd & Blanchard on the side of the Cornelius:

See what I mean? It gives the impression that the building is alive and very lazy. His work is not uncommon around Belltown, so I'll be bringing it to you quite often.

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 7

Sweet people, I won $170 playing poker last night, yet my heart is heavy. I was unable to predict the next move of Scary Skull Guy. I have failed in my quest. He didn't paint a scary skull in the Blanchard-Lenora alley, between 1st & 2nd (pictured above). I have documented his various works around the neighborhood and I thought that he was leaving them in my path as part of some grand scheme. Instead, he's just somebody who likes to paint scary skulls on random things. Who knows, Belltown might not be the only place he works. And he might be doing this for reasons that I can't fathom. And he might be the second half of my dual personality - a half I'm completely unaware of. Sure, I wake up in the morning with black paint all over my hands, but who doesn't every so often? But if that's true, why aren't my scary skulls, y'know, better? Why do they look like a five-year-old did them? That's a mystery. And it also sounds like a possible screenplay - to the world's worst suspense film!

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure that Scary Skull Guy and I are two different people. And I'm positive that I will find additional works by him in the future somewhere in Belltown. When that happens, I will develop another theory about him.

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 6

Time is running out - just like I'm running out of angles to photograph this alley. Either you're looking at it from 1st Ave., or you're in it, looking toward Blanchard or Lenora. And that's it. It would be the perfect place for Scary Skull Guy's next creation! What's the big hold up!

OK, so one more day left.

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 5

Just two days left, but I've just about run out of different angles for the Blanchard-Lenora alley. Have I done something like this yet?

Not exactly? OK, let's go with it. SSG hasn't shown and I'm really starting to doubt my powers of reason. The good news is that I have a power of trivia. Even if SSG doesn't leave his mark at this predicted spot, I'll put my sub-par detecting powers out to pasture and just answer random questions about Brazil for fun.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - but this time louder - it's your move, Scary Skull Guy!

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 5

Still nothing, but my faith abides - somewhat...

In SSG's defense, I have to say that it rained last night and this morning. Everybody knows that painting scary skulls while it's drizzling is no joyful task. This evening should offer ideal painting conditions. The above hellish cityscape is your canvas, SSG. I want some scary skull action!


This seagull looked untrustworthy. He was nervous, flinchy and not at all friendly. Who is he waiting for?

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 4

I'm beginning to have doubts. It's day 4 and nothing's doing nowhere with SSG. I did, however, locate another one of those cool Clockwork Orange-like stencils:

Obviously, it's been there for a while. What I'd really like to know about it is why this is in just this alley? I haven't seen it anywhere else. Why here?

Anyhow, I'm still waiting for SSG to show. And this is how I occupy myself.

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 3

All's quiet on the scary skull guy front. And why not? It's Sunday and he's probably in church. I still have faith (get it?? church - faith) that he'll leave his mark in the area. And if he is the arch-nemesis I'm thinking he might be, it will be his scariest skull ever.

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 2

Still nothing. Here's the deal: I'll keep this up for seven days. If he shows, I will accept the accolades. If he doesn't, I'll figure out some other way of luring him out into the open. How does that sound?

Scary Skull Guy Vigil: Day 1

Nothing. This is where he's supposed to strike next. It's familiar territory to him, because his largest work was here for a time, but was sadly removed in order for the wall to achieve a more zen-like state. All I found anywhere in the alleythat was remotely head-like was this stencil on the Borg Building:

Yeah, it's kind of cutely Clockwork Orange-esque, but it's no scary skull, brother.

Here's the thing: if we are to be arch-nemeses, I'll have to be able to predict his next move. Otherwise, he'll just be a guy who does bad graffiti and I'll be just a guy who ridicules him mercilessly. So it's in his own best interests to play the game.

The vigil will continue.

This Is Getting a Little Freaky

Yesterday, also at 2nd & Stewart, but later in the day, I saw this:

Scary skull guy makes his distinctive mark on a metal monster once again. OK, so pitting his Moriarty against my Holmes and with some basic geographical math, I make this prediction: if you split the distance between the metal monsters at 2nd & Stewart and the other recent appearance at 1st & Wall, I would say that he will next strike in the Blanchard-Lenora alley between 1st & 2nd. That is what I think will happen.

Your move, scary skull guy.

Scary Skull Guy Strikes Again!

In the past few weeks, I've documented scary skull guy's contribution to Belltown's general visual squalor here, here, here and here. But now I feel like these newest works are being put up to attract my notice. Or maybe I'm just a paranoid narcissist. But it's like he's playing low-rent Dr. Moriarty to my bargain-basement Sherlock Holmes. But why? Who knows? I expect more clues to follow. Anyhow, here is the latest bit of scariness:

This is on the side of the traffic signal box at 1st & Wall. What's the significance of that location? Unknown, but I'm determined to make sense of it until I can plot his next move, corner him in an alley and scream "Checkmate, scary skull guy! Game over!" Go ahead, drop more clues in my path. The showdown will be dramatic. I promise.

Or maybe he's just some guy who likes to draw on stuff when the opportunity presents itself. That's also possible.

...And Again!

I was on my way to the gym this morning when I glanced at this metal monster near 2nd & Stewart:

Just an ordinary metal monster, right? Wrong!

OK, this is getting kind of weird. What do you want, scary skull guy? Money? Fame? Power? I have none of these, but I can tell you where to get Belltown's best sandwich. Is that what you want?