CFP: Global Horror-Local Perspectives, May 2022

From Renfield's newswire: Horror pervades our lives. The emotional experiences based on fear and dread it provides affect us both individually and collectively, and the fascination it exerts is undeniable and ancient, as evidenced by its lurking recurrence in mythologies, folklore, literature, cinema, historical narratives, and virtually every other field of human knowledge and realm of storytelling. 

Growing awareness and appreciation of the rich horror traditions of other countries around the world, including Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, Sudan, and Thailand, has highlighted the importance of considering horror in a global context. 

Inside FANGORIA 138 (November, 1994)

In November, 1994, I watched Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire for the first time, at a theatre in North Vancouver. Having been a fan of Anne Rice's books since the late 1980s, I eagerly anticipated this film adaptation--and was not disappointed. That is why I pretty much bought any magazine with an article about that movie, such as Fangoria 138, so many of these "inside look" posts will likely feature a few magazines from that time. 

This one has an excellent preview of the film, plus a great article about renowned artist Basil Gogos. And there are ads--many, many ads--for a lengthy trip down memory lane. 

Inside HAUNT OF HORROR 3 (September, 1974)

The first two issues of this short-lived magazine were more prose-oriented, while the subsequent three issues were random horror stories. Published by Curtis Magazines, an imprint of Marvel, these black and white tales did not have to follow the restrictions imposed by the Comics Code Authority. 

This issue ran no third-party ads, but there were some ads specific to Marvel titles, which appear below.

Inside FANGORIA 116 (September 1992)

Next up in my quest to preserve horror pop-culture ads come from the pages of Fangoria #119, published in September 1992. 

This was a special "All-Vampire" issue, featuring a great interview with Anne Rice. There are also some great ads, from horror masks, spooky attractions, and horror makeup schools. Enjoy!

Inside EERIE 125 (October 1981)

In an effort to downsize, I decided it was time to clear out some of my collections (there are too many!). This round, I've chosen to sell off a number of vintage horror magazines. 

As I go through each one, I thought--as a pop culture nut--it was worthwhile to preserve the various ads that appeared in these magazines. Although I don't recall mailing away for anything in my youth, there were many opportunities to get anything your heart desired: from Star Wars, Superman, Mego toys--you name it.

The Running Man (1976) by Jon Ruddy

With the cover declaring "demonic cultists torture and murder in their ruthless hunt for The Running Man" I expected, well, demonic cultists, torture, and murder. But this debut novel from renowned Maclean's journalist Jon Ruddy is less about those things, and more about the protagonist's interest in booze, sleeping around, and getting high. 

Online Gothic Fairies Conference, April 2021

The Open Graves, Open Minds Project announce their online conference, ‘Ill met by moonlight’: Gothic encounters with enchantment and the Faerie realm in literature and culture. This conference is uniquely situated at the intersection between folklore, fairy tale, and the Gothic. It celebrates the darker aspects of fairies and their kin and marks the centenary of the publication by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of the infamous Cottingley Fairies photographs in the Strand Magazine (Dec 1920). 

Robert Eighteen-Bisang: A Tribute

The COVID-19 pandemic has made life more insular, and in my case I had to focus so much more on work and family that I lost touch with great people whose friendship I cherish immensely. One of those friends is Robert Eighteen-Bisang, noted vampire literature aficionado and Dracula scholar, whom I had the great fortune to have met in 1998--and who was responsible for not only getting me my first professional writing gig, but also encouraged me over the years to continue researching and writing about our shared areas of interest. Rob passed away in September, 2020, and sadly I only found out about it today. This is devastating news, especially considering I've been telling myself for months now that I should call him to see how he's been faring during the pandemic. Regretfully, that opportunity is now lost. But I'd like to tell you more about my friend Rob.