Faust Animated

 

This animation gives the basic plot to the "Faustian Bargain" theme in art, literature, and real life. At its core, a "Faustian Bargain" is the trading of spiritual and moral values for money, fame, sex, riches, etc. At first, the trade seems pretty good. Eventually, however, it turns out to be a very bad deal: painful death, infamy, poverty, loneliness, etc. Lynd Ward's Gods' Man follows this pattern. 

It can't be coincidental that Scott McCloud, author of the justly famous Understanding Comics, put a Faustian Bargain at the center of his graphic novel, The Sculptor. Check out this video.