Fitz-James O’Brien’s Exuberant Morbidity
Fitz-James O’Brien’s exuberantly morbid stories, set amongst mid-century New York’s boarding houses and alleyways, are works of comic skepticism and cosmic messiness.
supernatural
A ‘Midnight Mass’ for Post-Trump American Christianity
No work has so passionately tapped into the anxieties of Christianity in the wake of Donald Trump as Mike Flanagan’s mini-series, Midnight Mass.
Decode the Pre-Code: Four Hot Early Talkies Hit Blu-Ray
Sinuous camera moves and stylish direction, endings that surely wouldn't have flown after the Code crackdown: four pre-code talkies from Cecil B. DeMille, Phil Goldstone, Victor Halperin, and Stuart Walker.
The Catharsis of the Void in Anime Horror, ‘Vampire Princess Miyu’
Within the 26 hard-to-find episodes of Vampire Princess Miyu, there are murders, suicide, and even murder-suicides. There really is something for everyone. So why did it fail?
When Rationalism Tangled with Magic: ‘A Supernatural War’
Exploring the charms and rituals believed to safeguard WWI soldiers makes A Supernatural War a fascinating read.
It Doesn’t Always Get Better: Patrick Nathan’s ‘Some Hell’
Nathan explores the hyperbolic mind of the teenager, a time bomb of unresolved emotion that can be unleashed at any perceived slight, no matter how minor.
‘The City of Lost Fortunes’ and How Writing Goes from the “Goo in a Cocoon” Stage to a Fully-Realized Tale
Bryan Camp read academic works, self-published occult-y stuff, and primary sources to help craft his beautifully-realized tale of a New Orleans in which "the fantastical is possible."
‘Fanfiction and the Author’ Gives Well-Blended Discourse for Maximum Fan Enjoyment
Scholar Judith May Fathallah's work blurs lines between author and ethnographer, fan experiences and genre TV storytelling.
‘Supernatural’: Season 12 Ends With a Bang, Not a Whimper
The wayward sons carry on in a two-part finalé full of action, surprises, and death.
Supernatural Sets the Stage for Season Finale With ‘There’s Something About Mary’
A busy episode in which at least one character dies, two become puppets, and three are trapped and left for dead in an unlikely place.
‘Supernatural’: “Twigs and Twine and Tasha Banes” Recalls the Past, Suggests the Future
A dark and dreary chapter that ends up being one of the season's most memorable stand-alone episodes.
‘Supernatural’: “The Future” Starts Bleak, Then Meanders Into Rehashed Plots
A deeply disturbing opening and several bad plot devices inch us closer to the finalé.