14 Strangely Frightening Versions Of Pop-Culture Characters That Are Otherwise Supposed To Be Comforting

Cartoon characters are supposed to feel safe, familiar, and a little nostalgic, but sometimes a costume or sculpture takes a hard left turn into nightmare territory.

This roundup pulls together strange versions of pop-culture favorites, from Mario and Ronald McDonald to Popeye, Homer Simpson, Sonic, and even early Disneyland character looks.

By the end, you may never look at a mascot costume the same way again.

1. Our beloved Super Mario facing execution

Sadly, Super Mario has been found guilty of war crimes in Nuremberg and executed on the spot. At least, that's how it appears in this photo. 

On the other hand, that Mario costume is already a little unsettling before you even consider the gun. If you ran into this person in an alley while in possession of a lethal weapon, there's no way a jury would find you guilty of the inevitable outcome.

To be honest, we're not convinced that reproducing an iconic Vietnam War photograph with a beaming German journalist and a giant-headed, tiny-handed Italian plumber is a smart way to promote a toy fair.

Anyways, there's more from where that came from.

2. Koala Mario

This failed Animorphs metamorphosis was created as part of a fundraising campaign for an Australian wildlife hospital.

It gets worse

That is not the kind of bounce you want from a Mario castle.

3. Which parent wants their child near this?

It appears that this big bouncy Mario castle is located somewhere in Europe. Keep your ears open for the long, prolonged scream if you're having difficulty finding it.

4. What have they done to Popeye?!

What you're seeing is an early attempt at a Popeye cosplay.

It seems someone took the Popeye theme more seriously than the cartoon creators themselves. This actually looks more terrifying than the original Popeye drawings intended to scare people.

5. Ronald McDonald commercial

Are you aware that Ronald McDonald has existed since the early '60s? He used to look like a homeless person who had fallen asleep inside a garbage bin packed with McDonald's leftovers.

In the commercial, a terrifying-looking Ronald strikes up a conversation with an unidentified youngster who informs him that:

Mom told me never to talk to strangers.

In response, Ronald claims that this does not apply to him since he is Ronald McDonald. To demonstrate this, he magically produces three hamburgers from a box and hands them to the youngster, saying:

I know you're not supposed to accept gifts from strangers either.

The kid exclaims:

But you're no stranger; you really ARE Ronald McDonald!

as the two run off holding hands.

This is the same kind of “what am I even looking at” logic-splitting as the visual anomalies that leave your logic spinning in the mud.

6. Ronald McDonald looking like a scarecrow

Bob Bybee

Here he materializes three hamburgers from thin air

Bob Bybee

The little boy staring in awe

Bob Bybee

8. Whose bright idea was this?

"It's both fascinating and disturbing"

9. The Simpsons have gone psycho

The costumes seen here were awarded 1st place at a carnival in the Welsh town of Barry in 1995.

10. This is so haunting

Bad Simpsons Costumes

11. Zombie Homer

Bad Simpsons Costumes

Unused alternate Hank Schrader costume design

Bad Simpsons Costumes

12. Marge Feat. Baby Nailed to Sternum

Bad Simpsons Costumes

It's difficult to pinpoint what makes these costumes so eerie. Everything appears to be straight out of a horror film.

13. This is not the Sonic we know

Perhaps this is the real Sonic after he was smashed in the face by a soccer ball with such force that he was forever damaged by it. This may actually be the case, based on photographic evidence.

Maybe, it's Sonic after all

14. A look at Disneyland back in the days....scary stuff!

Although Disneyland first opened its doors in 1955, Walt Disney had been hiring people to dress up as his characters long before he had the money to spend on things like roller coasters or ensuring characters don't scare youngsters to death.

Is this Disneyland or Zombieland?

It's crazy to think that some of our beloved cartoon characters could be made to look so frightening. I mean, some of these costumes and sculptures could literally give someone a heart attack!

Perhaps cosplayers and sculptors should seek a second opinion before releasing their works to the public. It could save a lot of people from nightmares.

Want more “good old days” chaos, like the vintage grandparents who look built different in every photo? See the 77 vintage photos that prove your grandparents were built different.