High Farce

The flip side of harsher drug laws and tougher authorities is even greater recklessness among those desperate for a hit. Krokodil (desomorphine) combines over-the-counter codeine with other easily sourced but more dangerous ingredients like phosphorous and gasoline. It’s named for the reptile-like skin texture users rapidly develop (a web search will show you the later effects, but they’re not for the faint-hearted). Most liberal democracies can offer saner substances like ice (!) but Krokodil’s a growing scourge in ex-Soviet communities.

It might have been an accident or a whim of my subconscious, but on finishing the pencil sketch I realised this character looked a lot like Zayats (Hare) in Nu Pogodi (literally “Well, you wait” but perhaps better translated as “Just you wait!”) an old Soviet cartoon with a Tom and Jerry feel. The other half of the comic duo, a chainsmoking, pot-bellied, often drunk Volk (Wolf) wouldn’t look out of place in my folio. Cute and boring doesn’t seem to fare so well when I’m in charge!