He was a meme created for an Internet photoshop contest. A few short years later he would drive two young girls to stab their friend 19 times. In the early 2000s, Slender Man popped up as a ubiquitous Internet meme on platforms such as YouTube and the various forums that power the underbelly of the Internet. Much lore was created about the origins of the mysterious tall man in a black suit with no face, bu in reality he was created as part of a Photoshop contest in which the goal was to create the creepiest image possible. Somehow that initial image blew up into a cultural phenomenon that spawned multiple web series, video games, feature films, and thousands of internet posts and videos from obsessed fans. He also compelled two young girls from Wisconsin to attempt to murder their best friend in his name. On this episode of Deep Cuts we delve into the mysterious and fascinating world of Slender Man! -- NEW! Pick up some Deep Cuts T-Shirts and other merch! https://bit.ly/deepcutsmerch -- Get the official Deep Cuts shoulder patch! http://bit.ly/deepcuts_patch -- Listen to our new album, a 9 song rock opera about the rise and fall of Napster! https://open.spotify.com/album/63C5uu1tkzZ2FhfsrSSf5s?si=q4WItoNmRUeM159TxKLWew -- Additional incidental music credits: The Deadboy Detectives D. Catalano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices