We all want to see the first ever Freaks Awards, with Lady Gaga as the main host and Die Antwoord as a sound engineer, just so we can figure out what are the other possibilities. After years and years labeled as an insult, ‘freak’ is now the coolest attitude or trend that you can adopt. Being addressed as such means you’re a little bit crazy, slightly mad, an eccentric, different, you don’t fit in. You see? Not necessarily ugly, deformed, insane or bizarre. Freaky, you said? Neither Mamoru Hosoda, the Japanese anime director that creates half-man, half-wolf characters, nor Laird Hamilton, who’s pretty proud of his water experiences that challenges your common sense, think so. Let’s not get fooled though! This trend has the creepiness that such a name takes. Disturbing freakeries of “lowbrow art” are here as a testimonial, and this issue (illustrated by Marion Peck and Alex Gross’ work) will leave you wandering in your mind, asking yourself tons of questions about today’s society. Also, viewer discretion is advised for the Isla de las Muñecas portfolio (which literally means “the Island of Dolls”), in Mexico. Apart from all of this, the only thing truly frightening remains the news on TV.