When we get word that a new Haunted House novel is on the horizon, we get a little anxious. Haunted Houses are our jam, but we may go a little overboard with anticipation and imagination. Unlike vampire, werewolf, and aquatic horror, when we finish a chapter in a Haunted House novel, turn out the light, and settle into bed, we’re essentially IN the novel. Every creak and groan becomes an ominous portent of doom. Pipes settling are 100% rattled chains in the attic. Don’t even get us started about the furnace kicking in. Let’s just say we’re lucky we had fresh underpants. There’s only so much rationalization you can do until you have to accept the fact that you’re going to be dragged kicking and screaming into the deepest recesses of Hell…and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Evoking that dread is the key to a great ghost story, and “Accumulation” by Aimee Pokwatka does so subtly at first, and then really finds its groove, dragging you straight into nightmare territory by its thrilling conclusion.

Aimee joined us to talk about the essentials of a cracking good Haunted House story, the delight of creating an atmosphere steeped in dread, how domesticity is its own haunting, and so much more. Aimee is a newfound favorite, and “Accumulation” is one of the best Haunted House novels we’ve read since Mark Z. Danielewski’s “House of Leaves.” You’ll be both amused and amazed by this conversation with Aimee. She’s one of the nicest people we’ve ever had the pleasure of chatting with, and we’re still tickled that someone so genuinely nice can create such atmospheric terror, but boy howdy does she!

You can purchase “Accumulation” here.

You can follow Aimee Pokwatka on Instagram here.

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As stated in a previous list, one of which may test the limits of many, extreme horror and splatterpunk lit isn’t for a general audience. These subgenres are very touchy and sometimes too triggering or uncomfortable for some. And it’s nice to have a woman handle particular stories for certain books.

It doesn’t have to be Women’s History Month to celebrate women in any form of media. Especially when it comes to niche communities like extreme horror or splatterpunk, for that matter. It’s not simply a boy’s club, nor should it be considered as such, and at least one of these books will make your thumbs go up, as well as your stomach turn. 

Jump into one of these books and enjoy the journey as much as you can. As always, check the content and trigger warnings! 

“Degenerate” (2016)

Rayne Havok

If you want a story that’ll knock you to the ground out of shock, Rayne Havok is certainly a woman in the extreme horror lit scene to seek out. “Degenerate” by Rayne Havok follows Tyler, an extremely misogynistic young man, who travels back to his hometown due to the death of his father, only to discover secrets that he never could’ve imagined. The book will challenge people because of how awful Tyler is as a character. But it goes to show the effectiveness of Havok’s writing in this book, and you’re sure to be disturbed as shocking details begin to unfold in the story. It’s a worthwhile read if you can handle a despicable main character. 

“Bluejay” (2023)

Megan Stockton

“Bluejay” by Megan Stockton follows a trio of horror fans who make the silliest decision to attend an exclusive club by way of stolen tickets, and the club is much more insidious than they’re prepared for. All three of the friends are written to be far from perfect, potentially unlikable depending on your threshold, and that only makes you question how much sympathy you can extend to their treacherous situation. Stockton makes sure that you at least feel grossed out, as well as stressed, because there’s nobody on their way to save any of these men. If you want a story about underground clubs, like in “Hostel,” you may very well enjoy reading this one.

“For the Sake of”  (2023)

Judith Sonnet 

Your stomach is most likely going to be turning like mad if you decide to read this. “For the Sake of” by Judith Sonnet follows a mother who is thrust into a disturbing game, run by a sick individual, in hopes of getting her daughter back after many months of her being missing. Sonnet aims to make you feel like you’ve been rolling around in a dirty pit, and you get very little reprieve from that feeling throughout this book. If you want an extreme horror book where there’s even an ounce of hope, you won’t find that here. Otherwise, this is a book to read if you want to support trans authors, as well as go on a nasty ride from start to finish.

“Dollface” (2024)

R.J. Powell

Dolls that can come to life and take out abusers sounds like a dream come true. “Dollface” by R.J. Powell follows Dolly, a doll that comes to life and takes vengeance against the disgusting man who owns her. Powell weaves a story that’s satisfying and does indeed belong to a series called the Dollhouse series. There are a lot of gross scenes, but they’re happening to a man that you won’t feel sorry for whatsoever. If you want a story that’ll gross you out, but make you nod while thinking “good for her”, you should check this out.

“A Girl’s Girl” (2025)

Deathly Rose

Folks who love revenge-driven horror will likely get their fill while reading this book. “A Girl’s Girl” by Deathly Rose follows a dedicated group of women who hunt individuals involved in snuff films. The book is packed to the brim with vigilante feminism, and it definitely tackles some uncomfortable topics for folks. Though Rose writes all of it in a way that doesn’t make light of or diminish the seriousness. It’s a brutal book with a headstrong protagonist that you want nothing but the best for. 

“Red Womb” (2025)

C.M. Guidroz

There’s no lack of evil men suffering in this gem of an extreme horror story. “Red Womb” by C.M. Guidroz follows a serial killer who is put to death by his prison, and he goes to a hell realm where the most despicable men are sent to suffer unimaginable horrors forever. Feminine rage thrums so hard in Guidroz’s book, and it’s marvelous in its descriptions of everything. There’s no feeling sorry for any of the men who end up in the Red Womb; they are right where they belong for eternity. If you need a story that does terrifying things to evil men, you’re in luck with this.

“Good for Her: A Splatterpunk Collection” (2026)

E.T

If you want a deeper look into E.T.’s sophomore book, then you are free to read the review that was posted before. “Good for Her: A Splatterpunk Collection” by E.T. focuses on a collection of stories with the same theme: good for her. There’s something for everyone in this collection, which makes it a wonderful collection to indulge in. The collection kicks off with a heavy hitter and ends with a story that’ll leave your eyes widening. If you want to read something where you get a taste of different flavors, you’ve come to the right place.

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The year is 1992. Arcades are popping, but the console market is growing exponentially thanks to Nintendo and Sega, both of whom are fighting to be the king of 16-bit home gaming. For years, “Street Fighter” was the best fighting game in town, but a Chicago developer by the name of Midway was about to change everything with their release of “Mortal Kombat.” It wasn’t the first time violence had made its way into gaming, but it was the first time that we were treated to something so visceral and visually exciting. Instead of animated sprites, we had motion-captured fighters, adding a level of realism to the violence that would spur controversy. 34 years later, “Mortal Kombat” has 32 games, 5 animated films, 3 live-action movies, and a bunch of impressive fan-made content. The latest live-action adaptation, “Mortal Kombat II,” is a direct sequel to the 2021 film and picks up right where the previous one left off. Is this sequel a flawless victory, or a fatality of the series in film form?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

The fan favorite champions -- now joined by Johnny Cage himself -- are pitted against one another in the ultimate battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

HOW IS IT?

2021’s “Mortal Kombat” was fine. Better in some ways than Paul W.S. Anderson’s 1995 film adaptation, and lesser in others, it certainly proved that there was still room for a truly great “Mortal Kombat” film. As it turns out, “Mortal Kombat II” is that film. Expanding upon the first film by introducing more characters and increasing the stakes, while leaning heavily into the audacity and silliness that these games are known for, and doing fan service the right way by implementing game-accurate representations of locations and special moves, “Mortal Kombat II” feels like the “Mortal Kombat” movie that fans have been waiting for. It’s not perfect, and it’s not going to make waves during awards season, but it knows what it is and is bloody proud of it!

If you’ve been playing the games, particularly the last few, you know that story isn’t the franchise’s strong suit, and that’s no different here. The good news is, the only story that really matters in “Mortal Kombat” is in the title: kombat, with a “k.” The series has always been a “Bloodsport” x “Enter the Dragon” mashup with Marvel-style fighters, so the idea of adding some sort of compelling story arc and character development is a nice-to-have, but not essential for enjoyment. In “Mortal Kombat II,” Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) has been tapped to join the Earthrealm fighters in their last tournament before Shao Khan (Martyn Ford) takes over the Earthrealm and turns it into another Outworld parking lot. In fact, it’s almost the exact plot of the 1995 film, save for the fact that there are a lot more characters now and a subplot involving the Amulet of Shinok and Shao Khan’s attempt to use it to cheat his way to victory. It’s very standard stuff that pays homage to the games for those that keep score, but doesn’t require prerequisite knowledge to enjoy as is.

All of the actors from the first film reprise their roles here, and while the first film was content with killing some characters, “Mortal Kombat II” throws that book out of the window, and that’s a good thing! The violence this time is turned up to 11, and while the first film wasn’t prudish, it did leave a lot to be desired since many of the characters hadn’t found their powers yet and thus were limited by what they could actually do. “Mortal Kombat II” starts with every engine revved, jumping right into the action, and while it may feel rushed to some, it does feel like it respects the viewer's time more by not padding things so we can get to what we all come for: the fighting. Where the first film was more focused on character development, “Mortal Kombat II” is committed to replicating the fights from the games in film form, and it achieves that goal in spades. Every character demonstrates at least one, usually more, of their signature moves interwoven into the fight choreography. Instead of these being just one-offs or buildup moments, these moves are elegantly stitched into the fight sequences that are complemented by set and production design that takes direct inspiration from the arenas in the game. And not to forgo the series’ claim to fame, the violence is even more cartoonish and brutal than the first film by a wide margin, including some fatalities that will have you cheering as you did in the arcade days, as you observed others pulling off finishers and decimating their competition, so another challenger can approach. It’s a love letter to the games, and for some, that could be a problem.

Yes, the dialogue can be a bit corny and the storyline very pulpy, but anyone who's played the games will know that’s par for the fucking course here, and to try and make something compelling from that is a gamble too risky to give almost any filmmaker. “Mortal Kombat II” is pure entertainment from start to finish, and it is closer to the 1995 film in terms of pacing and structure than any other film before it because it knows that what makes the games work is the same sauce for a film adaptation, to show these people beating the piss out of each other. The production design, costuming, makeup, and visual effects all work in symphonic fashion to curate something as wildly entertaining and engaging as this. And believe us when we say that you won’t give a damn about the story when you’re watching an evil Kung Lao (Max Huang) teleport through his hat mid-fight with Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) in the Hidden Portal arena.

LAST RITES

“Mortal Kombat II” delivers exactly what fans of the games have been asking for with more fighting, more special moves, and killer representations of their favorite characters on screen. From bloody fatalities, authentic game locations, and epic battles, “Mortal Kombat II” is not only better than its predecessor, but it also sets a high bar for any future fighting game film adaptations to come!

THE GORY DETAILS

“Mortal Kombat II” will be released in theaters on May 8, 2026, from Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema!

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The Monkey’s Paw is one of the most adapted stories and premises in the genre, and it makes sense as to why. Wish fulfillment scratches all of our itches as human beings because it gives us what we want without ever having to work for it. It gives us something that we innately crave: control over our destiny. That control, like most things, comes at a cost. The price is that your wish is often granted in a way that is counter to it being seen as an outright positive, and in the worst case, it puts you in a lesser and more compromised position than before. When Curry Barker exploded onto the horror scene with his breakout YouTube film, “Milk & Serial,” and that catapulted the filmmaker into his next film, “Obsession.” Is this the making of a future horror auteur, or just another flash in the pan for an influencer turned filmmaker?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

HOW IS IT?

Sometimes, when a film is heaped with praise prior to release, my immediate reaction is to question it. As I’ve tried to think about the reasons why this could be, what I come back to is the amount of hyperbole that we often lather onto horror films. Sometimes it’s the byproduct of marketing hype, other times it's what happens when social media influencers are confused with media critics, only to realize that they’re just talking billboards with light editing skills. So going into “Obsession,” my presumption was there was no way this could be that good, and I’m happy to say I was so very wrong. “Obsession” is a relentless endeavor that explores heavy themes like consent, entitlement, and incel-like culture and lets them run wild to violent ends. At times darkly funny and then shockingly uncomfortable, “Obsession” not only lives up to its hype but exceeds it.

Bear (Michael Johnston) has a big crush on Nikki (Inde Navarette), except Nikki doesn’t know it yet. It’s a situation that feels oddly familiar to ones we have in grade school, where we play coy with our emotions out of fear of rejection and the confidence to sit in the discomfort of the decision. We are at our most vulnerable when we express these kinds of feelings, and Bear dreads this with every ounce of his being. Instead of discomfort, Bear takes the “easy” route by jokingly using a novelty gift to grant a wish that Nikki loves him “more than anything in the world.” As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for,” because Nikki’s sudden change of heart for Bear isn’t a genuine turn of heart, but rather a hijacking of her autonomy for the pleasure of Bear’s infatuation that is yielding terrifying consequences.

There’s no need to go further into the specifics, because that would rob so many of you of the joy of experiencing just how twisted things get. And that’s part of the charm here. “Obsession” presents a premise that feels stale, but injects new life into it with an entirely unredeemable character and some of the most shocking violence on screen this year. Bear doesn’t just make bad decisions; he knowingly makes choices that put himself and others in danger, all for the sake of maintaining proximity to Nikki. To that end, Johnston plays Bear as sympathetically as he can, and while the character lacks any sort of redemption arc due to their choices, Johnston effectively keeps us engaged with his character even though we lose our compassion for him at an exponential rate. The true victim and star of “Obsession” is Navarette as Nikki. Her performance is equal parts Toni Collette in “Hereditary” mixed with Isabelle Adjani in “Possession” as she descends further into madness and claims her crown as queen of the unhinged. In fact, if it weren’t for Navarette’s performance, “Obsession” would certainly feel like a more exploitative and lesser film. Navarette demonstrates a tenderness in Nikki that is juxtaposed with a diabolical glee for ultraviolence when her connection to Bear is under even the lightest suspicion or attack, and it goes from heartfelt to horrifying in record time. On its own, this violence is simply for shock, but it further drives home the danger that Nikki and, more directly, Bear’s decision instigates. It’s the most extreme endpoint for the idea of wish fulfillment that went awry, and it’s intensely entertaining.

Alongside tremendous performances, “Obsession” is also a masterclass in bone-crunching brutality. Some horror films tend to rely on a slow burn that casually ramps up the tension before releasing it all in one final act burst, but “Obsession” is more like a minefield in that every step is fraught with the potential for mayhem. When things get bloody, and they most certainly do, there’s no room for the squeamish as the camera lingers on the aftermath and lets the images seep into your pores. And as great as “Obsession” is, it’s not without some room for improvement. Specifically, as it relates to the explanation of the One Wish Willow (or rather, lack thereof), the attempts to try and ground the concept with some sort of reasoning actually raise questions that we don’t need answers for. There’s a compelling conceit at the heart of how the One Wish Willow works, but it’s a thread that is only tugged at without ever being pulled through. It provides context for the theme of autonomy and how entitlement can usurp that, but it’s an area that feels underexplored and may have been best alluded to rather than leaned into. Still, the minor gripes are just that and don’t really get in the way of what is sure to be not just one of the best horror films of this year, but one of the better ones of this decade.

LAST RITES

"Obsession" is one of the rare films that not only lives up to its hype but exceeds it. A corrosive examination of lust, entitlement, and autonomy, this monkey's paw tale shifts elegantly from darkly hilarious to genuinely shocking, keeping audiences white-knuckling their armrests while waiting for a reprieve. A fascinating film that demands your attention and examination, and definitely not for the squeamish.

THE GORY DETAILS

“Obsession” will be released in theaters on May 15, 2026, from Focus Features and Blumhouse!

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It isn't often that an adult film superstar collaborates with an up-and-coming cinema auteur and achieves an R rating, but in the case of "Rabid" (1977), that's exactly what happened. Conceptualized for Canadian distribution by Cinépix, a company that began with works of softcore erotica and wanted to break into the commercially successful independent terror sphere, with Roger Corman's New World Pictures acquiring the title in the States, this fourth feature by David Cronenberg attempts to cross the veil and bridge the gap of hardcore horror and sexploitation fare in a way that still feels significant. It mostly followed a traditional pre-production process with auditions, script reads, and local character actors rounding out the cast. Still, in a transgressive twist for the time, producers chose Marilyn Chambers to lead the picture. Much of the crew, including the director himself, hadn't personally seen her pioneering contribution to the XXX industry; from her image rising to prominence in American households as the “99 44/100% pure” model for Ivory Snow laundry detergent, and almost being destroyed simultaneously with the release of "Behind the Green Door" (1972), this was an opportunity to take the reputation she had and evolve as a legitimate "straight" actress.

Also produced by Ivan Reitman, well before his gateway supernatural comedy hybrid "Ghostbusters" (1984) was even a thought, the film comes at the height of a professional and romantic relationship between the leading lady and Chuck Traynor, whose notoriety for abuse fueled an unspoken rivalry with Linda Lovelace in the wake of "Deep Throat" (1972). In many ways, the production story of "Rabid" is one of an American pornstar making her proper screen debut for mainstream audiences internationally; it was shot in rural Québec and the city of Montréal in the fall of 1976, and is centered around the complications from an experimental skin graft surgery Rose (Marilyn Chambers) receives after a motorcycle accident with her boyfriend, Hart, played by Dennis Hopper dead ringer Frank Moore.  Conceived with the working title "Mosquito," it feels like a pseudo-sequel to "Shivers" (aka "Orgy of the Blood Parasites," 1975) in the sense that it is a companion piece dealing with the spread of disease, deformity, and inhuman transformation. Flesh is removed from the thigh, neuralized, and placed under the arm with healing and regenerative properties beyond scientific explanation — the opening scene is a catalyst for body horror that would ultimately define Cronenberg's career.

Sissy Spacek was intended for the central role, but investors were not terribly enthusiastic about her look and origins; "Carrie" (1976) didn't release until principal photography had already begun, and the poster for the Brian De Palma monolith can be seen casually in the background of establishing shots throughout the film. Fully committed to the terror and the stakes, Chambers comes off as an extremely capable horror lead, waking up out of nightmares and screaming at the camera, and luring her victims to a bloody demise by way of seduction. "Rabid" predates the HIV/AIDS crisis by at least four years, though it feels like an uncanny anticipation of epidemic tragedy, as death is a direct result of the carnal embrace, even when sex is never featured. To enhance medical material accuracy, Cronenberg watched real surgeons perform in the operating room, and while Dr. Dan Keloid (Howard Ryshpan) isn't exactly a mad scientist, he is dangerously oblivious to the impact and chain of carnage his ambitious procedure would soon set forth. Furthermore, the emergency clinic acts as an increasingly unnerving liminal space; a location where patients are forcibly sequestered from the rest of society with a balanced degree of isolation and surveillance.

Throughout the film, Rose acts entirely on instinct, unaware of her newfound vampiric qualities, which are initially misrepresented as an insatiable appetite; she grows stronger by draining others of their primary life source, and sucks blood from their bodies by way of a phallic stinger. Framed as a goddess amidst the carnage and chaos, this particularly feels like a follow-up to Chambers' iconic role as Gloria in the aforementioned X-rated rape fantasy — she can often be seen wearing white as a symbol of purity in contrast to her monstrous nature beneath the surface. She is the personification of fears surrounding the sexual liberation movement of the 1970s, and the viewer is required to suspend their disbelief in the spirit of hardcore penetration when it is revealed that a deadly, penis-shaped organ is hidden in her armpit's unique vaginal structure as a result of the experimental surgery. "Rabid" explores the medical grey area that these attacks fall within, where hospital horror stems from the unknown, and Rose is effectively patient zero, her intestines apparently crushed with the inability to digest meat. It is the first feature by writer-director David Cronenberg truly executed as an auteurist foundation in line with the boundaries being pushed in the genre at the time.

"Rabid" is a welcome subversion of the vampiric canon, trading a Gothic environment for contemporary society, where the villain retains a glimmer of queerness and beauty that feels almost meta when taking into account the crossover between cinematic industries. It is not a lesbian vampire film, but it does have something to say about women and sensuality and the means by which they have to control those around them; the poster shot is of an early victim, Judy Glasberg (Terry Schonblum), who is practically irrelevant to the larger narrative, found petrified in a freezer after her fated encounter in a spa swimming pool. Cronenberg explores vampirism as addiction, Rose living exclusively within a lull until she obtains her next fix; she is driven into the realm and mindset of an outsider because she has been forced there at the genetic level with unthinkable mutations to her physical and emotional security. Her only methods of travel are hitchhiking on public highways or stumbling upon unsuspecting farmers in the Canadian countryside during the dead of winter, and the epidemic unfolds in greater detail through television broadcasts that are being played in front of bystanders who find sanctuary in their high-rise apartment buildings.

Most fascinating about the project is the way it exists on the periphery of two underground worlds: Cronenberg's avant-garde efforts from "Stereo" (1969) and "Crimes of the Future" (1970), as well as Chambers' adult filmography, are teased in an equal capacity. Rose struts down to the cinema, buying tickets to a fictitious porno double feature of "Party Swappers" and "Models for Pleasure," before using the advances of a man in the theater to fully give in to her predatory hunger, feeding surrounded by unsuspecting patrons. "Rabid" never denies the appeal of its leading lady, but nods to her XXX history feels merely coincidental; it opens with Marilyn Chambers in leather on a motorcycle, the public domain soundtrack at times evokes the atmosphere of a softcore sex film, the marquee reads Cinema Eve four years after she starred in "Resurrection of Eve" (1973) for the Mitchell Brothers, and in the following sequence, she writhes around drenched in sweat on the bathroom floor, her breasts visible through her shirt in a sudden bout of withdrawal. Topless material is plentiful for the benefit of the uninitiated and longtime fans alike, and at the 24-minute mark, Marilyn's 1976 disco record "Benihana" can be heard playing over the radio in Hart's workshop, a further ode to the late movie star that solidifies this piece as a twisted love letter.

While Marilyn Chambers' cinematic career gravitated back to adult entertainment with the "Insatiable" trilogy, "Rabid" is living proof of the link between horror schlock and the golden age of porn. Beyond the hospital staff, illness inevitably spreads to innocent victims who find the trajectory of their lives changed in broad daylight. One of the most memorable sequences sees a passing stranger fatally bitten and gunned down by authorities, alongside a shopping mall Santa Claus sitting nearby. Phone calls convey crucial character development as the rise of technology is handled before we were plugged in; this is also a tragic love affair and thematic inverse of Cronenberg's later adaptation of "The Fly" as our male hero, Hart, is completely unaware of the severity of the situation, removed from the action until the final ten minutes, when the two are reunited and ultimately sacrifice their commitment. Creative constraints are rarely visible, and handheld camera work establishes a sense that you're part of the police procedural in real time; a subplot about government agencies and military personnel intertwining to eliminate Rose soon blossoms into a pointed jab at the October Crisis of 1970 and the very concept of martial law. Virtually any period of breakdown for a population plagued by disease can apply to the film, and it therefore feels like a timeless exposition of human contagion and the unaffected in bliss. It's no surprise that this spawned a 2019 remake of the same name, equally effective in a world shaken by COVID.

“Rabid” is available now on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from Scream Factory!

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Salem, Massachusetts, has always been one of my favorite cities, even before I finally went there.  Tourists from all over the world walk the cobblestone streets and visit museums featuring one of America’s most shameful periods (so far!) to get a glimpse of a past, preserved by its devoted residents.  Since it’s also one of the best destinations on earth for horror fans, it only makes sense that they’d have a kick-ass weekend featuring films, events, and luminaries celebrating the genre.  The annual Salem Horror Fest was just held this past weekend, and it was a spooktacular good time.

While the festival was spread out over downtown, everything in the Fest was, at most, a 10-minute walk away. Every screening felt like a DIY affair as screens were erected in various locations around town, from stores like Die With Your Boots On to the basement of the Hawthorne Hotel to the local public access station, which acted as a sort of hub for the weekend.  It was a little jarring at first, but I learned to appreciate it as a community-run bespoke endeavor meant to give visitors an experience.

Notch Brewery was jumping all weekend as vendors sold merch, and celebrities gabbed with fans.  Dee Wallace was there signing autographs, as well as scream queen Linnea Quigley.  Journalist and VHS vendor Alex DiVencenzo (aka Broke Horror Fan) was there selling tapes, including some customs, across from the talented Chris Butler Designs. During his signing, Michael Berryman bought a “bloody VHS” of “The Hills Have Eyes” from Madam Macabre (no relation)  and signed one for her.  Well, maybe it would be for a lucky fan, but I’d hold onto it. Just sayin’...

The meet-and-greet continued to Residency Records, which held a listening party for the soundtrack to “The Hills Have Eyes,” which of course featured both Berryman and Wallace.  The celebrity guests appeared to be doing triple duty, and loving every second of it, as evidenced by Wallace’s “Cujo” Q&A on opening night. Victoria Price gave the Keynote speech at the Peabody Essex Museum and was on hand to sign autographs with her adorable dog. It wasn’t off base to see horror icons wandering down the town’s famous Essex Street.

Since the key art for this year’s fest was cat-centric, the “Stephen King animal horror” continued with a screening of the original “Pet Sematary” at Salem Access TV.  Afterwards, the audience was treated to a live podcast recording by Kate Beach and Rosalie Kicks from Movie Jawn.  Many of us saw the film as kids, terrified of the undead murder baby Gage Creed, but Kicks saw it for the first time last year and was acutely aware of the camp aspect (where DID that baby Victorian outfit come from, anyway?).  They also discussed how director Mary Lambert is perhaps the only female director for a significant Stephen King adaptation.  Also, once Beach pointed out a certain funeral scene reminded her of a sketch from “I Think You Should Leave,” I don’t think I’ll watch “Pet Sematary” the same way again.  The duo lamented they’ve never seen the capital-B Bonkers “Pet Sematary Two,” and I can’t wait for THAT episode.

After panels and Q&As featuring friends of Macabre Daily, Clay McLeod Chapman and Toby Poser, my last night ended at Bit Bar, where my team won trivia (Go “Tom Atkins’ Mustache!”) and we saw one of the most entertaining drag shows I’ve seen.  Not that I’ve seen a ton of drag shows, but the performers in this coterie, hosted by Wretched Lydia, were truly creative. There are also great horror-themed turns from the vampiric Miss Michael, Pee Wee Vermin (who at one point dressed as a shark and performed to the Aquabats), and Dick Kayin, who channeled “Little Shop of Horrors” and Bonnie Tyler in a set you had to see to believe. The creativity of Sybill Disobedience walking out to the Deftones, then transitioning to Billie Eilish and back to the Deftones was truly inspired. Though you truly haven’t lived until you’ve seen Geya Jenda do the Trash dance from “Return of the Living Dead” in front of Linnea Quigley.  And yes, she was a generous tipper. 

This year marks the ninth Salem Horror Fest, and the bar is set for its entry into double digits. If the staff is any indication, the tenth year is in great hands.  They’re already smart enough not to hold it in October (Seriously, don’t go to Salem in October unless you’re the kind of person who enjoys Times Square on New Year’s Eve.  If you are that kind of person…have fun!) Fans of the dark and the eerie don’t need another excuse to visit Salem, but the Fest is another feather in the town’s pointy hat.

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One of the most interesting exciting things happening on the internet doesn’t take place here on Earth, but rather in outer space. That’s right, the infinite beyond of our universe also plays host to one of the strangest, funniest, and most original pieces of programming that internet has ever seen, “Art Show! With Captain Skinner.” The show is the brainchild of artist Skinner and Filmmaker Allen Cordell (who we spoke with last month) and has been building a cult following over the last few weeks via Etch.

The show’s 10th episode, which premieres on Etch’s YouTube channel on Friday, May 8, 2026, features none other than actor and filmmaker Sky Elobar who takes on the holy role of God in this episode, and Macabre Daily is honored to share an exclusive clip from that forthcoming episode below!

“ART SHOW! WITH CAPTAIN SKINNER” follows the misadventures of a doomed PBS-style television series. As Skinner and his tiny crew (including the stop motion animated Space Cowboy) attempt to produce a television series in outer space, their efforts are constantly thwarted by – well – everything from meteor showers to intrusive thoughts to the stark horror of an uncaring cosmos. 

“ART SHOW! WITH CAPTAIN SKINNER” is comprised of 10 episodes, each running around 15 minutes in length. In each episode, we watch as Skinner creates a unique and stunning piece of artwork. 

The show is a bombastic, futuristic, gore and color-saturated love letter to shows like “The
Joy of Painting with Bob Ross” and “Commander Mark and the Secret City.” ART SHOW! flips the script by oozing hyper-phantasmagorical slapstick, body-horror, and off-the wall comedy. 

Viewing links of clips and ALL available episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@EtchFilm

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There’s a sprawling Gothic library in the midst of Manhattan. Outside, gargoyles glare over the city streets as snow sifts down through the city’s orange glow. Inside, a labyrinthine series of rooms stretches in every direction. The ceiling looms distantly overhead, supported by layers of balconies and galleries ornamented with statues. Deeper within, the stacks house every rare and obscure book imaginable. It sounds like a book-lover’s dream—but for our main characters in Andi Pliego’s “The Library After Dark,” the scenario quickly becomes a nightmare. Midway through their late-night private tour, the power’s cut and the doors are locked. An unseen enemy has trapped them inside paradise, and before long, they’re being picked off one by one. As our characters race to find an exit, their secrets begin to bubble to the surface. Everyone on the tour has something to hide. And someone is making sure that their darkest secrets won’t remain hidden for long. “The Library After Dark” will be released May 5th from Bantam, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

SYNOPSIS:

Not all fairytales were meant for children.

Aria Stokes is finally feeling settled—she lives in a tiny New York apartment, works as a bookseller at a local shop, and has even taken a leap of faith in love by indulging her attraction to bookstore regular Jasper. And he seems to already know her so well.

As a Valentine’s Day surprise, Jasper gets the two of them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library—the grandiose establishment famed for its immersive genre-based reading rooms and, more notoriously, its rumored hauntings. While Aria normally loves all things ghastly, this place holds more dark secrets than she’d prefer Jasper to know. Like that the last time she was here, she left a body behind.

But when the automatic-door entry malfunctions and Aria, Jasper, and the five other people in their tour group become trapped in the library, they are forced to venture through the storied rooms and hidden passageways of the Daedalus in search of escape . . . and Aria quite literally has nowhere to hide from the shadows of her past. Then the group learns there’s a murderer in their midst.

Now, as she tries to break out of the library’s intricate reading rooms, Aria has to decide who she can trust—and what secrets are best kept buried—if she wants to make it out alive.

MORE TWISTS AND TURNS THAN A GOTHIC LIBRARY’S FLOORPLAN!

When it comes to soapy thriller tropes, Pliego makes sure everyone’s included—and for us, that’s a strength and a compliment. There’s not a single character in this multi-perspective thriller who doesn’t have a deep, dark secret lurking in their past. That includes who the characters are—there’s more than one instance of mistaken identity, and at least one convincing disguise. In no particular order, “The Library After Dark” also offers: poisoned books, flesh-eating beetles, bodies rolled up in carpets, inheritances gone awry, hidden passageways, blackmail, and a variety of elaborate deaths (including one by guillotine). For readers—though certainly not for the characters—it’s a joyous romp in which every possible plot twist is invited to the party. 

The novel’s extravagant plot plays out in an equally ornate setting. Guided by the dim glow of flashlights, our victims must try to escape through a series of themed rooms that house the library’s many collections. Will they find egress in the hall of death masks? Among the Natural History collection’s taxidermied creatures and skeletons? Or perhaps underneath the silk leaves of the library’s indoor forest? Their attempts are overseen by hulking gargoyles and stone skeletons, some holding swiveling cameras that track their every move. 

It’s hugely atmospheric, and as our British friends might say, great fun.

A SURPRISINGLY SWEET SUBPLOT

Pliego’s thrills could easily have gone off the rails, had she not wisely grounded the story in a surprisingly tender lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance subplot that offers emotional heft. Our main couple, Aria and Jasper, arrive at the library in a courtship that’s reached a critical tipping point. They’ve been dating for about four months—not quite long enough to have divulged their baggage, but long enough for feelings to be developing fast. Aria once had to make a terrible choice to ensure her own survival, and she fears it has condemned her to a life of loneliness. But Jasper has a hidden past of his own, and the couple’s connection runs deeper than Aria could guess. 

As the night becomes more desperate and bodies pile up, Aria and Jasper confront external threats and internal fears in equal measure. They soon realize they have no choice but to stick together if they want to survive the night. The result is a novel that pairs truly zany plot twists with a sweetly reassuring message about what it means to be deserving of love. 

Finally! A Beach Read for Morbid Minds

If Lucy Foley wrote “The Thirteenth Tale,” the result might be similar to “The Library After Dark.” For horror readers who crave a little more mystery (and a lot more blood) in their beach reads, Pliego has crafted something truly special. We’d recommend it for fans of Ruth Ware and Paula Hawkins, if their thrillers were retold by PBS’s “Wishbone.” 

You can purchase “The Library After Dark” here.

You can follow Ande Pliego on Instagram.

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Haunted House novels are unlike most horror because of their innate ability to hold a mirror up to not just one facet of life, but multiple simultaneously. Everything is on the table, from family, cultural, sexual, and political dynamics. The Haunted House is the most ironic as well. While the action takes place within a physical structure, the stories themselves can often feel like cascading silk, almost impossible to contain. This freedom can be a double-edged sword, however. It can be too tempting to escalate the calamity beyond reason, even when dealing with the supernatural. That’s why the very best Haunted House novels ground themselves under the weight of domesticity. “The Shining,” “The House Next Door,” “The Elementals,” “Burnt Offerings,” House of Leaves,” all represent the fractured family put upon by unseen, outside forces that either band together to overcome the spectral threat, or fracture further. Aimee Pokwatka’s “Accumulation” is a new entry into this horrid hall of fame, and we’re here to tell you it deserves a place at the table.

SYNOPSIS:

When documentary filmmaker-turned-stay-at-home mom Tennessee Cherish moves into the dream house her husband bought for her, a brighter future seems to be on the horizon. Even if her husband is frustratingly absent due to his new high-paying job. Even if their two young children begin acting strangely. Even if she feels lonelier than ever.

Distracted by the endless details that come with moving into a new town, a new house, and new schools, Tenn doesn’t notice when odd things begin happening at home. The faucet that runs at all hours. The creepy doll that seems to show up in every room. The human tooth they found in the floorboards.

As the kids’ outbursts and strange events escalate, the family finds itself caught in loops, repeating everyday actions with dangerous—and then devastating—effects. Tenn realizes she must find the source of what is haunting her family before it kills them all.

WHY WE LOVE THIS NOVEL:

Let’s start with the title. At first glance, “Accumulation” seems like such an odd choice for a Haunted House tale. Not that it's a bad choice, not at all, but not one we could easily put our finger on as a representation of the novel. However, as we began to read, the genius of its simplicity became apparent. We, as a species, accumulate. Whether it’s the detritus that fills our lives while we’re on this mortal coil, or the relationships we foster, or the experiences that shape our joys and sorrows, we collect, and by proxy, accumulate. But so do our dwellings. A house will have decades, maybe even centuries, of inhabitants. Now think of all those people living within those walls, under that roof, all the various energies coursing through its structure year after year. We’ve all felt that energy in places. A warm, inviting sense of welcome that makes you feel at home. But we’ve also all felt the opposite. Places that felt off, that immediately gave off a bad vibe. These are the homes that broke bad and feed on the negativity and suffering of their inhabitants. These are dangerous places, but oh boy, do they make for fantastic fiction. 

Pokwatka takes this concept to the extreme, and does so with such calculated care that you’ll be going back to previous chapters to spot the clues she’s sprinkled throughout the passages to pinpoint exactly where things started to turn. The slow, deliberate pace at the start of the novel lures the reader in. Not with a false sense of security, not a chance, Pokwatka lays the groundwork for weirdness almost immediately, but it's subtle, and those moments accumulate (see what we did there) until it’s undeniable that something is seriously amiss here. Well, at least for some of the characters. That’s as close to a spoiler as we'll get.

We’ve never read a novel that so accurately portrayed the monotony of domesticity as its own sinister version of a haunting. That endless cycle through the same routines eventually bleaches the joy and spontaneity out of our lives as we shamble through various rooms, ultimately becoming ghosts of our former selves. Pokwatka shows the futility of striving for suburban perfection and the ultimate price one pays for losing their identity to become what they consider the “ideal.” There’s something so quintessentially 2026 about a house that feeds off negative emotions and the domestic labor of its inhabitants to sustain itself, possibly even give itself pleasure. It’s chilling to read and shockingly prescient when we have a billionaire class that adheres to this notion like scripture and an alt-right propaganda machine that mass produces fear and hate for power.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

While the story certainly mirrors some of the worst of what our world is about these days, Pokwatka creates these insights with a scalpel, not a chainsaw. The way in which she creates passages of everyday life and shifts it slightly askew with a word here, a description there, is masterful, and we broke curfew more than once to read well into the night. Horror literature is chock full of great stories about things that go bump in the night, but when one comes along that is so clever, so well written, and so timely, it's cause for celebration.

You can purchase “Accumulation” here.

You can follow Aimee Pokwatka on Instagram here.

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Welcome back to the world of psychic spies and mind-boggling conspiracies as Matt Kindt’s “MIND MGMT” returns, now as “MIND MGMT: New and Improved”. Part reboot, part sequel, this twisty, mind-bending story of mental warfare is back and possibly even better than ever. Kindt’s bold, ambitious and singular vision is as strong as it was the first time around, with more of a modern millennialist mindset.

[Spoilers for the original run of MIND:MGMT lie ahead]

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Years since the fall of MIND MGMT and the collapse of it’s the international psychic spy network, the world has seemingly forgotten and moved on. Not quite everyone has though, as a series of mysterious and impossible murders start to dredge up the past. Someone is killing psychics, and Detectives Delphi and Swan, with a little transcendental power of their own, are on the case. 

HOW IS IT?

“MIND MGMT: New and Improved” opens with the most potent question in the world: “Are you okay”. The question is posed from one detective to another, but it might be directed at the audience, or perhaps society at large. The response seems to indicate belief from Matt Kindt that we very much are not okay, and in fact are consciously or subconsciously falling apart at the seams. This bravura opening monologue from Swan pierced straight into my soul, and yet is only the opening salvo of this brilliantly acerbic first issue.

Detective Swan seems to be experiencing the millennial malaise “funny feeling” Bo Burnham sang about on “Inside” “Carpool Karaoke, Steve Aoki, Logan Paul. A gift shop at the gun range, a mass shooting at the mall. There it is again, that funny feeling. Oh that funny feeling.” Swan wants to know if can you remember the name of the man who shot the President? When was the last time you tried to memorize a poem? Does anyone know? Does anyone care? Are we falling apart as a society or is something or someone pushing us to the brink of collapse?

“MIND MGMT” was structured on cold war paranoia, consumerism and conspiracies. The CIA, MKULTRA, X-Files style tin-foil hats were the driving energy for the original series, which has given way towards a more millennial mindset. The driving thrumming panic of Maru’s journey down the rabbit has evolved into more of the vague sense of wrongness that we live with every day in 2026. If “MIND MGMT” was about the dark forces controlling the world, “MIND MGMT: New and Improved” is about the world left behind when those forces have lost their grip. Things are coming apart at the seams, but it’s a slow death, an air of apocalypse that nobody wants to acknowledge.

Kindt’s storytelling choices for the first issue are bold, the pacing is slow and measured, almost meandering. As the detectives investigate a murder in a coffee shop, the writing is slow, almost reflective. Detective Swan’s powers of olfactory deduction draw as much philosophizing as they do clues, he spends as much time pondering the state of the world as he does his case. Matthew McConaguhey’s nihilistic Rust Cohle from “True Detective” comes to mind, but Detective Delphi is a lot more sympathetic to Swan’s rambling than Woody Harrelson’s Marty Hart was. This is not your typical buddy-cop dynamic, although these two are more than just buddies, and it’s questionable if they’re even cops.

Mystery comics that spend so much time navel-gazing can be difficult to read, and it’s something a writer can truly only pull off if they have something genuinely interesting to say. “From Hell” is a brilliant and masterfully written comic but sometimes I do feel like quoting Detective Hart to Alan Moore, and asking him to “Stop saying odd s**t”. I didn’t feel this urge once during “MIND MGMT: New and Improved #1”, Kindt keeps the story at a good pace and the abstract musing is genuinely quite thought provoking. Finding that balance is hard, but Kindt has managed to nail it for this first issue.

As always character illustration is incredibly important in dialogue heavy comics, and Kindt’s art is key here in making his writing work. I know Kindt’s art has always been the most divisive part of MIND MGMT, but the scratchy, scribbly style very much works for me. His long faced, big eyed paper people are distinctive and expressive. “Empire Strikes Back” Director Irvin Kirschner liked to say “There’s nothing more interesting than the landscape of the human face”, and Kindt really understands that.

Achieving life in a 2D image is a challenge, and great comic artists create this the same way actors do, with action and motion. Kindt’s characters are always doing something with their hands and faces; drinking, smoking, sniffing, crying. Their eyes move, their arms move, nobody is ever static on the page. Rafael Scavone is a master of this, and so is Danielle Corsetto, realism is comic art is overrated, what matters is emotion and expressiveness. Good art makes you feel something, and every page of “MIND MGMT: New and Improved” is packed to the brim with emotion. It’s cutting and searing, Kindt’s work is incisive and this comic is clinking around in my skull like a loose screw. We’re only one issue in but already the idea that “We all carry around the thing that will kill us” has clamped to the back of my brain.

Kindt could’ve opted to simply retread MIND MGMT with this new comic, but the energy and vibe of this reboot/sequel is genuinely new. It’s a different comic for a different time, the themes are the same, but how Kindt is expressing has changed heavily. This moodier, more modern MIND MGMT is just beginning, but it’s a promising start and Kindt so far hasn’t lost a step. Where this story goes is impossible to tell, but that’s part of the fun. If Kindt can keep this up, he’s got another masterpiece on his hands. 

LAST RITES

“MIND MGMT: New and Improved #1” is a triumphant resurrection of Matt Kindt’s Magnum Opus series, and a worthy continuation of a modern classic. Emotional, intelligent, and full of mystery and intrigue, the story of Detectives Swan and Delph is off to an absolutely phenomenal start.

“MIND MGMT: NEW AND IMPROVED #1” will be available from FLUX HOUSE and ONI PRESS in June!

THE GORY DETAILS

STORY, ART, COLOR & LETTERS BY

MATT KINDT

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It’s hard to imagine that the guy who played Justin Redman in “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” would become such a horror legend. And we don’t talk about that nearly enough. Justin Long has always dabbled in horror, but within the last four years, he has carved out an impressive repertoire of essential titles. When he’s not playing the unsavory, lecherous older man, he’s the charming father trying to keep his family and sanity alive. The scope of his talents can not be understated.

In a recent perusal of his catalog, we’ve put together a list of his 10 best horror performances and ranked them all. Check out our picks!

10. “Drag Me to Hell” (2009)

Long’s Clay Dalton in Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell” might not cross your mind when thinking about the actor’s career-best performances. But there’s plenty to enjoy with him and his character. Clay is Christine’s (Alison Lohman) boyfriend, a wealthy college professor, who actually proves to be fairly sympathetic to Christine’s bizarre plight. After becoming cursed by an elderly woman, whom she denied a loan extension request, she and Clay head to a fortune teller, who reveals that a dark entity is attached to her. It becomes a race against time, and despite doing everything right to rectify the situation, it might be too late. For his part, Long gives up a grounded performance that we just don’t talk about enough.

9. “Dear David” (2023)

Look, “Dear David” might not be the best overall, but Justin Long can make any role work in his favor. As BuzzFeed boss Bryce, Long plays the sleazy, TMZ-type pretty well. After two teens troll David, now dead, in his old chat room, nothing but murder results. An employee named Adam (Augustus Prew) follows Bryce’s demands to create some authentic content for the site, and when Adam fights back against online trolls, he triggers a dark path of David’s wrath. While the execution could have used some work, there’s nothing better than Justin Long doing what Justin Long does best.

8. “Coyotes” (2025)

Colin Minihan’s “Coyotes” is a criminally underrated and underappreciated slice of animals-gone-wild horror. Playing patriarch Scott, of a wealthy Hollywood Hills family, Justin Long injects the story with gravitas. In anyone else’s hands, Scott would come across as a lifeless character. Because it’s Justin Long, Scott feels like an honest human being with deep flaws that lead to absolute carnage. When a pack of coyotes circles their home, Scott’s family fights for their lives in every way they can. Through it all, it’s Long’s world, and the other characters are just living in it.

7. “Creepshow” Season 2, Epiosde 5 (2021)

In the “Creepshow” episode, titled “Night of the Living Late Show,” Long plays Simon Sherman, an inventor who comes up with a way to insert himself into his favorite movies. But at what cost? Reality and fiction blur, leading to terrible consequences for Simon. It’s not a new conceit (“Black Mirror” does it all the time), but what makes the episode work as well as it does comes down to Long’s commitment to showing the humanity to our culture’s most absurd creations. Imagine if Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos had a heart?

6. “House of Darkness” (2022)

Rarely does the internet talk about Neil LaBute’s “House of Darkness,” a reimagining of the classic “Dracula” tale. Long plays Hapgood "Hap" Jackson, a wealthy, misogynistic elite who ventures to a secluded, castle-like estate owned by Mina Murray (Kate Bosworth). Mina and her friends harbor a dark secret, and Hap will have to learn the hard way that his actions come with dire, and perhaps deadly, consequences. You have to hand it to Justin Long; he plays the scumbag very well–maybe too well.

5. “Goosebumps” (2023)

Long’s tenure on the short-lived “Goosebumps” series is one to truly remember. Not to delve into spoilers, but Long plays double duty (sort of) as Mr. Nathan Brat, a new teacher at a local high school. As Pandora’s Box is opened, all hell breaks loose in more ways than one. And at the center of the chaos is Mr. Brat. Long perfectly displays both mousy vulnerability and unhinged madness. When a group of high schoolers arrives at his newly inherited Biddle house, things aren’t what they seem. Long unearths an iconic performance in the process.

4. “Night Patrol” (2026)

“Night Patrol” is one of 2026’s most surprising films and sees Long slipping into one of his most real-life horrifying roles to date. Director Ryan Prows, who co-wrote the script with Shaye Ogbonna and Tim Cairo, fuses fictional horror and too-close-to-real-life horror, creating a pulverizing story about police brutality and creatures of the night. Long takes on the cloak of despicable humanity that doesn’t stop getting the blood racing. While the film is quite polarizing, Justin Long’s performance is irrefutably among his best.

3. “Barbarian” (2022)

Justin Long plays shady Airbnb owner AJ in Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian.” When the film does an ol’ switcheroo in the film, AJ pops up in his convertible as he barrels down the highway. He’s been “canceled,” and he’s on the phone trying to cook up a PR spin with his agent. He soon arrives at one of his properties, where Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgård) remain at the mercy of a creature hiding in the basement. Long delivers an appropriately slimy performance that’s equal parts cringe and weirdly charming. But maybe that’s just because it’s Long, and he’s always pretty charming.

2. “It’s A Wonderful Knife” (2023)

“It’s a Wonderful Knife” is better than it has any right to be. Writer Michael Kennedy, who wrote “Freaky,” among many other horror films, brings together the Lifetime drama of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and your typical slasher for a ho-ho-ho slash in the snow! The characters, particularly Justin Long’s Henry Waters, live as exaggerations of archetypes we’ve seen countless times in Lifetime movies. Director Tyler MacIntyre takes the material into the stratosphere with crisp directing. Even if you don’t care for the cheeseball storyline, you’ll likely be captivated by Long’s very strange performance–possibly his most off-the-wall outing so far.

1. “Tusk” (2014)

Justin Long’s turn as Wallace Bryton, an obnoxious, narcissistic podcaster, who heads into the Canadian wilderness to interview an old man, in Kevin Smith’s “Tusk,” is easily his best performance. And that’s nothing to sneeze at. His body of work, particularly during this Justin Long Renaissance, has been… chef’s kiss. When Wallace learns the old man’s secret, he falls into a body-horror nightmare. It’s certainly a high bar, but here’s hoping Long returns to this pinnacle very, very soon.

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Free Comic Book Day is (almost) here, the most glorious day of the year for comic fans, and an opportunity for publishers and small presses to put their new books in front of those fans’ eyes! This year, FLUX HOUSE and Oni Press are releasing the “MIND MGMT / FORT PSYCHO FCBD 2026 SPECIAL” with two exclusive short stories from the world of Matt Kindt’s upcoming comics “MIND MGMT: New and Improved” and “Fort Psycho”!

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

“MIND MGMT’s” brain-breaking entry to the Flux House double feature, “Mind Cleanse”, is a scrambled and screwy short story of an agent (perhaps the reader) being inducted into the forces of MIND MGMT. “Desert”, by contrast, is a sci-fi action prequel to “Fort Psycho” featuring a mercenary raid on a bunker that goes sideways.

HOW IS IT?

Kindt goes all in on the “MIND MGMT” story, which is a delightfully bonkers journey through the completely insane comics world that he’s created in his magnum opus series. Speaking directly to the reader before putting them in the comic and then taking them back out again, Kindt flips through a dozen perspectives in a dozen pages, zapping around in a mindbending metanarrative that almost defies description. Kindt’s story warps so fast and so hard that it takes a very close read to try and wring some basic comprehension out of it, but doing so is extremely rewarding. 

Spouting societal observations and philosophy while dropping plot details and possible hints for his upcoming series, Kindt’s narrative feels freewheeling but is actually extremely tightly controlled. Every single panel leads perfectly into the next one, every single word specifically leading to the next one. Reading MIND MGMT often feels like untangling a twisted knot of old headphone wires. Maybe on the surface it can be a little frustrating, but once it’s all done and freed up, the result is immensely satisfying. 

There are very few people who can craft a narrative with this degree of precision while making it look so effortless. Abby Luck’s recent graphic novel “Pig Wife” and the works of Johnathan Hickman come to mind, but Kindt does it all while seeming like he’s scrawling off the top of his head on a napkin in a diner. His art, which has been similarly derided as scrawling by his detractors, is truly also incredibly precise, especially in this short narrative, which flies through perspectives and treats the proscenium like a prop. His medium-breaking artwork on the last few pages is some of the best I’ve seen in a comic all year, and is a brilliant feat of imagination. This is some of the most effort I’ve ever seen put into a Free Comic Book Day giveaway, and somehow it seems effortless. The full return of “MIND MGMT” cannot come soon enough.

“Fort Psycho,” on the other hand, is a vastly more straightforward affair. Taking place on a bright desert world, “Borderlands” vibes abound as a colorful group of mercenaries hunts for a flash drive containing billions in cryptocurrency. As sci-fi fare, it’s pretty standard. There’s a commando-looking beret-wearing merc named Lycan, a somewhat superhero-inspired shooter named Shiv, and Dragonfly, who is either a cyborg or wearing hi-tech armor. Their journey takes them across the desert in an ATV to a vault containing their desired loot. Truly, this comic could not be more “Borderlands” if it were licensed; the title even contains the word “psycho”.

This short and succinct “Fort Psycho” prequel isn’t bad; artist Brian Hurtt’s character designs are somewhat generic, but Bill Crabtree’s coloring really pops. His colors evoke a golden age of comics’ pulpy style; everyone and everything is bright and fun. Whether pink, purple, teal, or red, everyone is dressed to stand out against the background as much as possible, and it sets the comic tone well. Which is good, because Kindt’s script is quippy and light-hearted, focused more on jokes and banter than any kind of actual story. There’s some mild social satire going on, but it’s simple stuff. 

While “MIND MGMT” is certainly deeper, more creative, and more interesting, it’s also dense and more than a little oblique. It’s a comic that expects you to engage with it as much as it engages with you, and it’s far from light reading. The “Fort Psycho” half of this double feature has a lot less to say and aims far lower, but if you’re just looking for some casual action, it’s certainly sufficient.

LAST RITES

Matt Kindt delivers one brilliant short story and one perfunctory one in this two-part Free Comic Book Day offering. As an introduction for new readers to the tone and style of “MIND MGMT”, Kindt unapologetically dials the weirdness all the way up to eleven. “Fort Psycho” proves less interesting as a sample of what’s in store. 

The “MIND MGMT / FORT PSYCHO FCBD 2026 SPECIAL will only be available Saturday, May 2nd, as part of FREE COMIC BOOK DAY at participating comic shops. 

THE GORY DETAILS

“MIND CLEANSE”

STORY, ART, COLOR & LETTERS BY

MATT KINDT 

“DESERT”

WRITER 

MATT KINDT

ARTIST 

BRIANT HURTT

COLORS

BILL CRABTREE

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THE MUST-READ CREATOR-OWNED COMICS EVENT OF THE SUMMER BEGINS THIS SATURDAY ON FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Oni Press – the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997 – and FLUX HOUSE are proud to reveal an extended look inside the “MIND MGMT / FORT PSYCHO FCBD 2026 SPECIAL,” only available this Saturday, May 2nd, for Free Comic Book Day 2026! The radical piece of shrapnel-laced propaganda will introduce readers to the shadowy world of “MIND MGMT: NEW & IMPROVED” – the compulsively page-turning new series from New York Times best-selling creator Matt Kindt (“BRZRKR,” “Dept. H”) tracking Mind Management, the secretive agency rumored to influence global affairs from the shadows through assassination, sabotage, and psychic espionage. Featuring two exclusive and brand-new stories unavailable elsewhere, the “MIND MGMT / FORT PSYCHO FCBD 2026 SPECIAL” marks the first official release from Kindt’s new signature publishing imprint FLUX HOUSE at Oni Press and will be available in participating local comic shops everywhere this Saturday, May 2nd.

Welcome to “MIND MGMT: NEW & IMPROVED!” In the hands of our elite instructors, you will be schooled in the exotic arts of mental manipulation, information warfare, subliminal conditioning, and more. This comic book is part of your training, so read on to discover who we are, who we are fighting, and why our lives are no longer our own in this self-contained, educational introduction to the vast underground network we call “MIND MGMT: NEW & IMPROVED #1,” as written and drawn by Matt Kindt. Fear not: The voices in your head can tell no lies!

In addition to your introduction the world of “MIND MGMT: NEW AND IMPROVED,” the “MIND MGMT / FORT PSYCHO FCBD 2026 SPECIAL” will also contain an all-new, high-octane prelude to the events of “FORT PSYCHO #1” – the extreme action action comic locking a strike team of highly trained covert operatives trapped on a secret island prison with no hope of escape, as they contend with secret betrayals, and the long-buried truth about the mission that brought them there. The two-fisted spectacle of subversion leads directly into two of the year’s biggest creator-owned comics launches: June’s “MIND MGMT: NEW & IMPROVED #1” by Matt Kindt (“BRZRKR”) and August’s “FORT PSYCHO #1” by Kindt and co-creator/artist Brian Hurtt (“The Sixth Gun”).

• “MIND MGMT: NEW & IMPROVED #1”: Ten years ago, the extra-governmental agency known as Mind Management exploded in a barrage of bullets and brain matter. Those that survived have gone underground—forging new lives with unremarkable identities and falsified pasts to obfuscate the strange abilities that once made them highly prized assets in the global war for psychic control. Now, two investigators—Detective Delphi and Detective Swon—have found themselves at the center of an unexpected puzzle. Here: A man poisoned in a coffee shop with a sophisticated neurotoxin. There: A supposed suicide victim run over by a train . . . with his arms found in a trash can five miles from the tracks. Their connection: Someone is killing former Mind Management agents in improbable and arcane ways . . . Seemingly impossible crimes committed by a faceless killer capable of evading even the most pervasive digital surveillance. What secret are they killing to protect? Who will be next? Has Mind Management returned? Did it ever go away? You are paranoid . . . but are you paranoid enough?

• “FORT PSYCHO #1”: BOOM! BANG! DUCK! For the international commandos codenamed SHIV, LYCAN, and DRAGONFLY, a routine mission to catch-and-kill a fugitive from the world's most wanted terror sect is about to go very, very wrong. Who are THE SEVEN SEALS? And what terrible price will the men and women of FORT PSYCHO pay to bring them to justice? Find out when FORT PSYCHO #1 launches its attack on readers this August!

Oni Press and FLUX HOUSE were gracious enough to share a lengthy preview of the comic available on Saturday, and you can check that out below!

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Author Angela Sylvaine is a lot of things to us here at Macabre Daily. Eyewear icon, vibe ambassador, favorite interview guest, we could go on and on, but of all the fantastic things she brings to the table, above all else, it’s her amazing fiction that floors us every time. We discovered Angela’s writing back in 2023 when we stumbled upon “Frost Bite,” a fun, frantic ode to creature features of the 50s and 80s. Shortly after, in 2024, we scooped up her novella  “Chopping Mall,” and if you can’t surmise the premise from the title alone, maybe the book isn't for you. That would be a shame, though, because it’s everything you want in a love letter to Roger Corman, slashers, and the very best of the 90s YA horror you couldn’t get enough of back in the day. Now, Angela, along with the fine folks over at Dark Matter Ink, has released “Cold Snap,” the follow-up to “Frost Bite” and one of the best times we’ve had reading a sequel in ages. Angela follows the sacrosanct rules of Part 2’s “go big or go home!” and this book does so in every possible way. Let’s take a look at what makes this novel work so well.

SYNOPSIS: WORMS GONE WILD!

It’s 1998, and the town of Demise, North Dakota, is recovering from the Meteor Murders, hundreds of deaths caused by alien worms but blamed on a mass poisoning by a doomsday cult. While nineteen-year-old Realene’s heroic actions saved the lives of many, she wants nothing more than to hide from the world and mourn the ones she couldn’t save. When a second half of the meteor is found north of the border, where her best friend Nate is on a spring break trip, she’ll have to face her fears and venture into Canada to find him. The only thing standing in her way is rampant alien worms, a covert military op, and the cold snap of the century.

THE RIGHT CHOICES:

Angela could have easily churned out a second installment to the “Frost Bite” series that was a carbon copy of the first, and honestly, we wouldn’t have blamed her. Readers connected with the novel's nostalgia, body horror, and cinematic style. It all worked incredibly well. The decision to take the characters out of the first novel's environment, layer the story with beautiful “X-Files”-style paranoia, and lean into the beloved subgenres of UFO conspiracy, Sci-fi horror, and dark comedy is inspired, hitting all the marks. 

We pick up a few months after the carnage of the first novel with what is now being referred to as “The Meteor Murders.” Unlike film sequels that feel compelled to hit the gas right from the start, Angela eases us into the story, expanding on the characters and the shattered world they now live in. While the story is just as fun and frantic as “Frost Bite,” it also offers serious takes on trauma, survivor's guilt, and the massive effort it takes to shoulder that weight. This adds so much to the story, fleshing out already well-drawn characters and, by doing so, adding depth and stakes to the narrative. We care about Realen and Nate and are fully invested in not only their physical and emotional well-being but also the survival of all the characters, well, at least the good ones. We wouldn't dare spoil anything here, but what happens to some of the books' baddies we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy.

We don’t often do this, but we have to take a moment to highlight the magnificent cover art from Eric Hibbeler and the cover design by Rob Carroll. It’s gorgeous, evocative, and made us think of the master of poster art himself, Drew Struzan. While we often take the time to praise minimalistic book covers that illicit a mood, we felt compelled to champion a cover that’s the complete opposite. If you want to know what awaits you inside this novel, look no further that it’s amazing cover.

FINAL WORD:

In a spring season that’s already crowded with banger after banger of hit horror to choose from, it’s important to highlight the indie offerings that don’t get as much of the spotlight as they deserve. “Cold Snap” isn’t just for the horror literature aficionado; it’s for any reader looking to lose themselves in a crackerjack story. We couldn’t think of a better way to get into the summer blockbuster headspace than to pick up Book 2 in the “Frost Bite” Series. What’s better than characters you care about, horror, sci-fi, and action that hits you in successive waves, building upon itself until the phenomenal conclusion? Angela Sylvaine has delivered a second book that is better than the first, and that’s saying something, because we loved “Frost Bite.” Now we just need to be patient and hope this series is a trilogy. Fingers crossed!

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As the world becomes enshitified by AI and tech companies trying to commoditize creativity, there’s never been a more important time to celebrate artists who are paying respect to the mediums they work in. While everyone on LinkedIn will have you believe that AI is inevitable and we will all be left behind in some apocalyptic skill gap problem, the truth is that craft is more vital than ever. One of the best ways to see this is in independent comics, and “Otherkin,” written by Marco Vito Oddo and illustrated by Victor Costa, is a reminder that truly outstanding work isn’t going to come from a prompt, but from passionate creatives.

Synopsis

“Otherkin” is a comic book series filled with mystery, written by Marco Vito Oddo and illustrated by Victor Costa. The story follows Alex, a shapeshifting spell-caster in a personal crusade against the Wizard, a reclusive man who's said to lead a secret organization known as the Concealed Council. Each issue of “Otherkin” offers new pieces of a twisted puzzle as readers slowly unveil the origins of Alex's mysterious power and the events that thrust them into their dangerous pursuit.

How Is It?

“Otherkin” wastes no time dropping readers right into the middle of what feels like a much longer story, and cryptic is the name of the game as readers piece together who the characters are, as well as what they are. We are introduced to Alex, a shapeshifting spell-caster who uses sigils to manipulate his appearance, making him capable of replicating another person, or even transforming into a vaporous cloud. Issue #1 establishes that Alex is on the hunt for something or someone, but it’s not entirely clear who, as they spend countless weeks at a library researching and catching the interest of Lorelai or Lo. When a disturbed man in the library goes berserk and becomes a literal monster, Alex saves Lo and brings her into the fold of his work to uncover a secret society and its leader.

The first issue establishes a good foundation, but doesn’t offer much in the way of explanation, something that will become a mainstay in the 4 issues we read. The kind of mystery is both intriguing, as it constantly makes you want to read on to learn more, but those who prefer their exposition hand-fed to them may find this difficult to keep up with. From our perspective, the mystery is part of the fun, and each issue offers more cryptic clues as to how this world works.

Issue #2 picks up right where the first one leaves off as Alex and Lo escape and hide out at Lo’s, planning their next move. We learn more about Alex’s powers, without fully understanding them, as they sneak back into the library to try and recover security cam footage to trace back just who that monster was, and how they got into the library. We also become aware of the scope of Alex’s abilities, not only as a shape-shifter, but a necromancer of sorts who communes with the dead. Issue #2 also introduces us to Damian Sterling and his proclivity for capturing spell-casters.

What becomes apparent as the story progresses is how admirably “Otherkin” wears its inspirations proudly. The art style from Costa is reminiscent of Mignola’s, with a minimalist approach to art that is light on realism and heavy on orderly chaos. It brings a lightness to this darker world that is both welcome and enjoyable to look at. Vito Oddo’s writing is certainly inspired by the lore of books like “Hellblazer,” but not as dark in tone, despite being just as heavy on the magical and mystical elements. It’s a nice reprieve to enter a world with high stakes that aren’t drowned in despair, but each issue does make the world larger and the circumstances more daring.

The third issue continues the mystery and expands the world of “Otherkin” by introducing, in more detail, what is shaping up to be the story’s main antagonist, “The Wizard.” We also get more exposure to the rich, tech-bro who attacks Alex, Damian Sterling. Sterling is the epitome of the detestable billionaire class who, like so many with mass wealth and power, seems intent on grabbing more and more. A great fight scene opens up the issue, and concludes with the beginnings of a heist that will find Alex and Lo attempting to break into Sterling’s skyscraper to learn about his connection to The Wizard.

One of the things that “Otherkin” does so well is slow-drip just enough information to keep you invested without ever giving up the whole ghost. There are still some unexplained elements, like the skin tone changes that Alex experiences on the page (which we assume are part of his shapeshifting ability), but it never interferes with the plot to take you out of the reading. In many ways, it encourages readers to continue because each issue expands the lore in interesting ways, which, while inspired by other works, have carved out a niche position in this series.

Issue #4 goes full “Mission: Impossible” as Alex breaks into Sterling’s office building hoping to find more clues about his connection to the nefarious, The Wizard. As Alex traverse the floors of the tall skyscraper, he discovers that Sterling isn’t just running a massive corporation, he’s also torturing people and videotaping it. While we don’t want to ruin the surprise that awaits at the end of this episode, it’s safe to say that this is the most brutal the comic has gotten thus far, and provides perhaps the first of many confrontations between Alex and Damian.

Lots of action in this issue, and at the same time, the ending pages offer more clues into how this world works. Alex’s powers are derived from hand signs and sigils, and we are also exposed to some potential weaknesses as well. Costa’s art in this issue is one of the stars, particularly a staircase panel that should win an award for both composition and design. The story still shows plenty of signs of life, which is perfect as the series is currently crowdfunding the fifth issue now!

Last Rites

“Otherkin” is an outstanding independent comic that fuses magic, techno espionage, and dark delights into one tightly written and beautifully realized series. Vito Oddo and Costa have created something truly special that imbues its inspirations while also carving a novel path for itself, steeped in mystery and mysticism. We can’t wait to see where this series goes, and hope folks support it so we can see it through to it’s ultimate end!

What would H.P. Lovecraft think about his namesake being used to classify an entire subgenre of macabre media? He would probably say something racist, because he was a miserable piece of shit, but he may also take some issue with how haphazardly the term is thrown about these days. To Lovecraft’s credit, someone rarely has a lock on an entire subgenre simply because of their name, but it’s hard to deny how much the cosmic and unknown horrors foretold on the page have made an undeniable mark on the screen. “The Behemoth,” from writer/director Kai Edmund Bogatzki and Black Mandala Films, attempts to make a mark in Lovecraftian lore. The question remains: is it any good?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Rebecca and Ryan retreat to a secluded mountain cabin in search of peace, where they are welcomed by Christine, their seemingly kind and supportive host. What begins as a quiet escape soon unravels into a nightmare as unsettling events tied to a long-forgotten cult, the Servants of Blood, begin to surface. As Christine attempts to flee a toxic relationship, she is abducted and prepared for an apocalyptic ritual. Rebecca, caught between love and mounting terror, discovers that she and Ryan are not mere witnesses, but essential pieces of the cult’s design.

HOW IS IT?

The film opens with a Lovecraft quote, but it’s hard to understand why it was included, considering it’s taken out of context. The quote from a letter Lovecraft penned is part of a larger work that articulates how silly superstition is and how uniquely human it is. Lovecraft’s intention with this letter was to lambast our reliance on religion, but without that context, it just seems like a nifty and ominous quote to kick things off. It’s kind of a perfect metaphor for “The Behemoth,” a film that doesn’t really know what it’s trying to accomplish and why, but lathers itself in ideas that seem like they could be interesting because we’ve seen them before. A couple goes to a secluded location where a cult is hiding. Check. The cult interferes with the couple, thus entangling them in a game of cat-and-mouse. Check. A demonic entity is summoned, and it’s up to the couple to save the day. Check. It’s something we’ve seen before, and the struggle with “The Behemoth” is that it doesn’t do anything to advance this formula forward, or at least put forth a refined version of well-worn tropes.

Where “The Behemoth” tries to stand out is through the excessive use of blood, but blood with no purpose is just a gag for gag’s sake. Here, our titular demon vomits “Evil Dead” (2013) amounts of blood onto people, but why or for what reason, we aren’t sure. “The Behemoth” makes a bold decision to bring what would normally be the climax of a film like this to the mid-point of the film, but instead of using this to greater effect, we just get more of the same chase scenes we’ve gotten up to that point, making the reveal land without much fanfare. None of this would matter if the film were entertaining enough to keep you engaged, but it’s pretty tough to get through because of how stop/start the pacing of it all is. The performances are solid enough, and the actors are doing the best they can with what they’ve got, but this script and story are what hold this back more than anything else.

There is a familial sub-plot (shocker) that attempts to make things grander in scope, but it fails to engage because you just don’t care about these characters or this situation that they’re in. It’s also a clear example of what’s so frustrating about “The Behemoth,” it has no ideas of its own. While influences and derivation are a part of genre filmmaking, we are living in an era where there is vastly more content to consume than time allotted to watch it. Combine that with attention spans that are being slowly rotted by the dopamine slot machine that is social media, and horror films must be, at the very least, entertaining. Slow burns or fast-paced fare, it doesn’t matter; with so many horror films coming out, the magnifying glass that inspects quality becomes clearer and harsher in their assessment. Something like “The Behemoth,” while well-intentioned, would’ve worked far better if it spent time building the dread with the couple and the location, while not making the cult so obvious from the start, and not having to divulge the reveal midway through. The creature design is so blah, and regardless of budget, that should’ve been a priority to create something lasting and worth waiting for.

LAST RITES

“The Behemoth” attempts to use both religious and Lovecraftian horror to unnerve audiences, but its reliance on tropey ideas, combined with a lackluster story, makes it a chore to get through. Good commitment from the cast doesn’t do much to make up the difference for what this lacks in entertainment value, even if we wish it had gone further and been more focused. 

THE GORY DETAILS

“The Behemoth” is awaiting further distribution through Black Mandala Films

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Hope you like roommates. As spring rolls in with pastel eggs and hollow chocolate bunnies, it seems only fitting to consider a darker side of the gastrohorror buffet: the guest who isn’t interested in eating your food, but is instead intent on slowly (or not) digesting you. Horror has long been fascinated with parasites because we as humans are conditioned to think of ourselves as top of the food chain . . . until we’re not. Parasites make us the meal, and therein lies the core terror. Are you getting itchy yet? Feeling that creeping dread in your intestines?

Wait.

Parasites 101

The word parasite comes from the Greek parasitos, meaning “one who eats at another’s table.” Nothing too sinister about that. It was originally meant as a description of a person enjoying temple meals at another’s expense. Of course, ask anyone who has found a tick happily bleeding them dry after a hike, and it’s not so innocent. From mosquitoes to tapeworms to botflies, becoming host to a hungry critter means our bodies are no longer temples. We are no longer the masters of our domain, so to speak (sorry, Seinfeld). We are food. We are nothing more than cows or chickens with the gift of gab and a mastery of fire. And that’s disconcerting enough.

Parasites can kill, sure, but it’s the thought of being invaded, helpless, as they linger, siphoning nutrients while we continue with our lives. And that is exactly why parasites are such effective villains: the horror is slow, insidious, and intimately personal.

Slow Food vs. Fast Killers

Look, no one will argue that death by a Jason Voorhees or a Michael Myers is quick. The thrill of the very slow chase eventually catches up with each victim, and then it’s lights out. But the xenomorph from Alien (1979), yes, the end result (machete versus chest-busting) is still as sudden and violent, but the incubation period—the waiting—is where the true terror lies. Parasites, whether a xenomorph or some other thing that needs us to survive, force us to reckon with the idea that we might be digested while sipping tea or filing taxes. That’s why they make horror so viscerally compelling. It’s a sneak attack.

Parasites are also deeply unfair. Predators attack once, maybe twice, and leave a corpse behind. Parasites move in, redecorate your internal organs, and insist on long-term residence. They are horror’s ultimate freeloaders—and aren’t we all just a little terrified of freeloaders? What’s more, parasites violate the hierarchy of dominance, according to law professor William Ian Miller. This inverts the idea that the largest and smartest are the top of the food chain, provoking a strange sense of shame for becoming the victim. And really, horror and shame make for a heady mix!

The Canonical Parasites of Horror

Let’s nibble through some classic parasitic examples:

Alien’s xenomorphs (1979) – The quintessential parasite. Not content with subtlety, it stages a dramatic exit through the host’s chest, turning the body into a smorgasbord of gore and destruction. Slow dining, indeed. Granted, in the Alien film series, there are two types of hosts—those who know they’ve been invaded and those who don’t. I genuinely don’t know which is scarier.

Cordyceps in The Last of Us – A fungus that commandeers the host’s nervous system, turning humans into walking extensions of itself. It’s farm-to-table horror with extra screaming. See also: the “Field Trip” episode of The X-Files (6.21, 1999), or more recently, Wendy A. Wagner’s Girl in the Creek (2025).

Junji Ito’s Larval Nightmares – In Ito’s work, parasites consume and redecorate. Skin, flesh, and sometimes hair become mediums for grotesque artistic expression. One doesn’t just host an Ito parasite; one becomes the exhibit. Even the suggestion of larvae is enough. I mean, who didn’t entertain the idea of trypophobia while watching American Horror Story: Cult (2017), thinking about all the things that could be living in those little holes or pores?

Tapeworms everywhere – From Thomas Ligotti to obscure 20th-century pulp, the tapeworm can be both existential and funny. Not that the book is considered a horror novel, but Irvine Welsh’s novel Filth (1998) filled me with horror and dread when I read it. Hey, horror is what we make it, no?

Each case demonstrates a core truth: parasites are horror’s long-game chefs. These invaders surely consume. More importantly, though, they orchestrate, manipulate, and leave a lasting impression on the menu that is your body.

Parasites as Metaphor

Horror loves a parasite because metaphor writes itself. Colonialism? Check. Capitalism? Check. Toxic relationships? Triple check. Parasites dramatize the unbearable truth that sometimes you can’t simply get away from the awful things that are slowly destroying you.

And yes, parasites have a funny side, too. The early 20th-century “tapeworm diet” promised weight loss while quietly digesting your dinner. The horror is immediate; the comedy comes later, when you realize the “miracle diet” involved hosting a live creature in your gut. Consider the horror of U.S. antivaxxers embracing horse and cow de-wormer to treat a potentially deadly virus—which is hilarious in its own way because the resulting uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting seems so… preventable. One could argue that zombies are the result of parasitic infection (as in the actual plot of Night of the Creeps, 1986), making the Zombieland (2009) franchise part of this gastrohorror subgenre. It’s so easy to imagine Columbus adding a rule to his list: Never take the Ivermectin.

The juxtaposition of the sublime and the grotesque—human life casually coexisting with a body-eating squatter—creates a uniquely dark humor... that fully embraces the gastrohorror ethos. It also presents us with a frightening conundrum that requires a nervous laugh: parasites aren’t us, yet aren’t exactly Other, either. It’s a perfect example of philosopher Noël Carroll’s concept of “art horror” as the juxtaposition of fear and disgust, scary because monsters are presented as impure and a violation of the norm.

You Are What Eats You

This month, won’t you please spare a thought for the humble parasite? As horror’s most patient chef, they remind us that consumption is rarely one-way. The eater becomes the eaten. The host becomes the buffet. We ourselves become a liminal space. And just a tip: Candida albicans (a yeast that’s also a parasite) and intestinal worms love a good sugar high. So as you’re reaching for that half-price box of Peeps or chocolate truffles, ask yourself if it’s you who wants a snack… or if the parasite within is feeling peckish. 

Enjoy!

REFERENCES:

• Carroll, Noël. The Philosophy of Horror, or Paradoxes of the Heart. Routledge, 1990.

• Miller, William Ian. The Anatomy of Disgust. Harvard University Press, 1997.

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Earlier this month, we reviewed a killer horror short titled, “Feast.” In this short, a group of friends reunites for a friendsgiving celebration, only to realize that one of the couples is different than before. We won’t go any further to keep the reveal and surprise under wraps, but needless to say, things get bloody. Even at 7 minutes, we are given heaps of character development through dialogue rather than exposition, and a bit of levity before a dramatic shift in the final act. It’s a riot, and a reminder that some of the most creative work isn’t happening in features, it’s happening with shorts.

Director Aron Rudner-Stokell and actor Harriet Bridgwater, who plays Clara, were kind enough to speak with us at Macabre Daily about working on the film. From the lush location they shot at, to the camaraderie that many of them developed through indirect and direct connections, and a shocking reveal of three films that Aron has yet to see, we are sure we will be back to talk more. For now, enjoy our discussion below, and as “Feast” is wrapping its festival run, we hope to have news about a wider release to share soon!

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We came across author John Collins last year when we picked up his debut novella, “The Leeds Point Horror,” and realized we had a favorite new author. That story was a dark carnival ride to hell and back, reminiscent of the very best of Block, Bradbury, and Barker. You can read our review here and check out our chat with John about the book here. Now this nightmare maker is back with “Alters in Abandoned Houses,” a collection of twelve stories set in the most chilling of all locations…suburbia.

This collection promises to explore and expose the darkness behind those perfectly pleated curtains. to cast as cold, chilling light on what lurks beneath fanatically manicured lawns, and to let the reader know there are no safe havens amongst those white picket fences. John and Michael Dolan were kind enough to get Macabre Daily the exclusive first look at the amazing cover by renowned author and illustrator Meg Ripley. It’s a thing of terrifying beauty, and complements the stories perfectly. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this beast now; you won’t regret it.

You can pre-order ‘Alters in Abandoned Houses” here.

You can follow John Collins on Instagram here.

You can follow Michael Dolan on Instagram here.

You can follow Meg Ripley on Instagram here.

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When we decided to throw our financial support behind RFN Pictures and their new feature, “HELLMARE,” we had a feeling that they were cooking up something special. It wasn’t just how fun and entertaining their previous film, “Blood Gorge,” is, but that certainly played a part; it was an understanding that horror movies needed to be fun as fuck again. Filmmaker Victor Gabriel and his crew have cooked up something that reminds us what it’s like renting that unknown movie because it had a cool cover, and discovering the film that could become your personality. It’s regional filmmaking that has the attitude of an underground feature, the practical effects of a peak ‘90s monster movie, and laughs that come from earnestness rather than cheap nostalgia tricks. Sure, we’re biased, but “HELLMARE” may be the most fun you’ll have with a horror movie this year.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

The year is 1997, and on a gloomy evening in Detroit, a group of friends is sucked into a horror movie when they gather at the house of a recently deceased occultist to screen a film entitled...HELLMARE!

HOW IS IT?

Meta horror movies have become somewhat of a good/bad thing in horror. At one point, it was a novel storytelling technique that didn’t entirely break the 4th wall, but at least tapped it like fingers on the glass of an aquarium. The problem with a good thing is, it gets pummelled to death once it becomes popular (see, the “Scream” franchise). Then a film like “HELLMARE” comes along and reminds us why meta horror movies aren’t just awesome, they are heaps of fun! In this case, take the foundations of movies like “TerrorVision” and “Stay Tuned” and combine it with the sensibilities of a stoner comedy and the gore of an extreme horror film and you get something that is unhinged and extremely special!

“HELLMARE” opens with one helluva gnarly scene that sets the tone for what is to come. A group of friends go to the newly inherited house one of them receives from their deceased grandfather (played by Troma found, Lloyd Kaufman) and finds a rare horror vhs tape that they decide to watch. It’s how all great horror movies begin, with people doing something they’re not supposed to. The group gets sucked into the film, and has to survive the onslaught of a horse-headed killer, and the villains of the trailers that preceded the titular film. What follows, is a series of horror-centric escapades, and heaps of gore and good times.

The strength of “HELLMARE” can be boiled down to three areas: excellent premise, characters with chemistry, and practical effects that amaze. The premise is just so much fun, and given we are huge fans of films like “Stay Tuned,” the channel-changing chaos is replicated here by way of similarly meta- takes on horror tropes and ideas. From an aging, Lugosi-style vampire to the T-1000 adjacent Witchcraft Cop, the blending of different concepts into one singular idea allows of this to be more than just a slasher film, and something that defies genre expectations to become truly singular. Attention to detail is so important here, and Gabriel and crew have done a great job not just tying this world together in the film, but even giving themselves ideas on how to expand the lore further if they choose. Next to that are the characters, and that’s usually some of the hardest parts to get right in independent filmmaking. Thankfully, “HELLMARE” features some of the candid and authentic relationships we’ve seen on screen. It may have to do with a lot of the collaborators being familiar with each other, but it shows up on-screen where it matters the most. Even down to the dialogue, which a lot of screenwriters struggle with, these words feel like they come from these characters, and will even leave you with a few earwrom catchphrases like, “It’s April as hell outside.” Some of the humor may not land, but honestly, if you’re not laughing, you’re probably too tense.

The cherry on top of this bloody sundae is of course, the practical effects. Folks who have seen RFN’s previous picture, “Blood Gorge,” already know that this crew is capable of some pretty outrageous effects, and “HELLMARE” represents a huge boost not just in quality, but volume of effects on screen. Consider the film was made for under $15,000, it’s a testament to how creativity and excellence are not bound by budgets, but rather by limited imaginations. From weedwhackers to the face, to arterial spray that would make Japanese samurai films proud, “HELLMARE” is a love letter to the kinds of makeup effects so many of us grew up seeing in horror. Even the designs of somewhat common creatures like the vampire are given a new, sinister look, and it all plays into the enjoyment of not only a supremely entertaining film, but one that pays homage to the reason so many of us are fans of genre in the first place, the craft.

LAST RITES

“HELLMARE” represents a turning point in indepdentdent horror by establishing a bar that is ridiculously high for other indie features. Not only is it authentic and entertaining, it exemplifies the grit and passion for fun as fuck horror filmmaking that is sorely needed in a world that is immersed in dread and despair. From jaw-dropping practical effects to a theme song that will be stuck in your head for days, “HELLMARE” is the what horror movies are supposed to be.

THE GORY DETAILS

RFN Pictures is working on getting “HELLMARE” out into the world as soon as possible. We will keep you up to date as we get word of any festival dates and/or wider distribution.

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