Fang

23-year-old Billy Cochran is a cartoonist who lives with his mother Gina in a decaying industrial neighborhood of Chicago. He works at a meat processing warehouse under a demanding boss and relies on prescription drugs, which heighten his dissociation and paranoia. Billy’s drawings reveal a vivid sci-fi world about Graixians, foreshadowing his descent as reality bleeds into fantasy. As the story progresses, his mental state deteriorates, culminating in brutal acts of violence.

Billy’s mother, Gina is a chronically ill woman with Stage 5 Parkinson’s who requires 24/7 care. Her condition triggers hospitalizations and volatile outbursts, including hallucinatory episodes that transport her elsewhere and blur the line between reality and dream. Her deteriorating state strains their relationship and leads to moments of coercive and disturbing behavior under delirium.

A physician who diagnoses Gina’s severe condition and emphasizes the need for constant care. He provides medical context within the story’s escalating crisis and interacts with Billy as his mother’s health deteriorates.

Gina’s new caregiver, Myra becomes a focal point for Billy’s affections. She shows interest in Billy’s drawings and tries to steer him away from crime, while encouraging him to engage with self-improvement materials. Their evolving relationship adds emotional tension to the escalating chaos.

Billy’s unscrupulous boss at the warehouse, a man obsessed with money and control. He hints at cash hidden at home and pressures Billy to hide documents, setting the stage for the ensuing break-in and violence.

A co-worker at the warehouse who appears in Billy’s social circle, contributing to the workplace dynamic and Billy's sense of camaraderie and tension with colleagues.

A humanoid rat figure that appears in Billy’s nightmares, chanting 'We need red meat' and embodying the horror of Billy’s psyche as his grip on reality weakens.

A towering humanoid rat creature that Billy envisions, notably during a TV fantasy in his breakdowns. It symbolizes the fusion of fear, fantasy, and moral decay as Billy’s state deteriorates.