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Extreme Allergy Sufferer Sneezes His Head Off – Literally!

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Sneeze1
 
This hilariously macabre clip showcases a prank pulled by award-winning illusionist Rich Ferguson, who recently took to the streets of his home town of San Luis Obispo, CA to test it out on unsuspecting bystanders:
 
 
Ferguson, a.k.a. “The Icebreaker,” has showcased his illusions on Ellen, appeared in several movies and TV shows, served as a consultant on America's Got Talent, and has shared the comedy stage with Chris Rock and Jay Leno. See if you can figure out how Ferguson worked out this stunt, and learn more about his skills at his official site.

Check Out Two Exclusive Clips From Typhoid Mary Horror 'Paranormal Asylum'

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Paranormal Asylum is inspired by the real-life story of Typhoid Mary - with a supernatural twist. Mary Mallon was an Irish immigrant to New York who, at the beginning of the 20th century, was discovered to be an asymtomatic carrier of typhoid. She was forcibly quarantined on two separate occasions, and she died in isolation in a state hospital. In Paranormal Asylum, aspiring filmmakers head out to discover the truth about Typhoid Mary, but "what starts as a simple investigation turns into a battle for survival, as they discover Mary may be dead, but she’s certainly not gone."

In these two clips, exclusive to FEARnet, the filmmakers start their journey into madness...

Paranormal Asylum releases on DVD and digital download on September 17th.

Gift Guide: Nails to Die For - 'Insidious: Chapter 2' Nail Polish Collection

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So here is a tie-in you don't often see with horror films: nail polish. To tie in with Insidious: Chapter 2 (which opens in theaters Friday, September 13th) Duri Cosmetics has teamed up with Film District to release a collection of six nail polishes, all done in shades inspired by the film.

"Steel Shadows" is a dark gunmetal grey shimmer. "Red Door" is a bright, creamy red. "Into the Further" is a deep dark black. "Nightfall" is a metallic midnight blue. "Shocking Twist" is a bright yellow-green. "Lady in White" is a ghostly, iridescent white. 

$6 each at Duri.com

Tick Tock! Enter To Win Tickets to the 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire' World Premiere!

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FEARnet is counting down to the release of Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The second installment in the blockbuster series hits theaters on November 18th - that is 11 weeks away. Lionsgate knows you can't wait, so they are counting down with you. Every week, visit The Hunger Games Explorer for a new #TickTock moment.

Even better FEARnet is giving away a pair of tickets to the world premiere! We are one of 75 outlets (because Catching Fire will mark the 75th Hunger Games / Quarter Quell) giving away tickets. One lucky winner will join the cast and crew of the record-breaking movie franchise for a star-studded red carpet premiere in Los Angeles on November 18th. The catch? All you have to do is Tweet #TickTock11 to @FEARnet now until September 23rd. A winner will be chosen at random, and tweeting to @FEARnet multiple times will not affect the decision. Not a winner? Need to see it many, many more times? Ticket presales begin October 1st.

See Full Terms & Conditions

'Escape From Tomorrow' Trailer Shows the Weird Side of Disneyland

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escape from tomorrow

It's the movie that everyone assumed would never get distribution. Escape From Tomorrow is a surrealistic neo-noir film about a father who starts to lose his mind while on a family vacation to Disney World. Shot almost entirely on location in Disney World's Magic Kingdom and the original Disneyland park, director Randy Moore shot the film guerilla-style: his cast and crew bought season passes; scripts were carried on smart phones; and the only equipment used was consumer-grade cameras so they could blend in with other tourists. Moore even did all the post-production in South Korea, all in an attempt to keep Disney off the scent.

Escape From Tomorrow premiered at Sundance to positive reviews and extreme secrecy, but it was generally thought that the litigious Disney Corporation would bring swift and costly legal battles upon the film that was shot for around $650,000. And yet here we are, eight months later. The film will screen at Fantastic Fest, and has been picked up for distribution (a limited theatrical and VOD release is currently slated for October 11th) and it seems that Disney has opted to ignore the film's very existence. Hey, whatever means that it will be around long enough for me to check it out.

Anyway, a trailer for Escape From Tomorrow was just released, and it is unmistakably Disney - if shot by David Lynch.  

Oklahoma Town's Water Supply Invaded By Bloodworms

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Being a former resident of Oklahoma for several years, I feel pretty qualified in saying that summers there can be... well, the exact opposite of comfortable. Temperatures and humidity levels reach triple-digits (and yes, I know 137% humidity is not scientifically possible, but it sure felt like it sometimes), and weird bugs start showing up that have no damn business on planet Earth. But in all my years there, I'd never seen red worms oozing out of my bathtub drain like something out of the 1976 movie Squirm. Here's a handy visual aid in the form of that film's trailer, which features – you guessed it – a bathroom just overflowing with bloodsucking worms:
 
 
This summer, in the town of Colcord, OK, these red wrigglers bypassed the city's filtration systems and started showing up in people's tap water, and late last month the city authorities actually had to close schools and warn residents not to wash, drink, cook with or brush their teeth with the worm-infested H20.
 
Worms3
 
Bloodworms are the larva of a non-biting species of mosquito, and don't suck blood themselves; they're actually named for their blood-red color. Still, since the species is commonly found in polluted waters, they can potentially carry dangerous diseases... and they're in the drinking water, for crying out loud. Plus, they're damn near impossible to kill; they can even survive in pure bleach for extended periods of time.
 
The cause of the infestation has not been determined as of this writing, and this is not even the first time this has happened: the same worm invasion occurred 20 years ago in the nearby town of Drumwright.

Short Story Review: 'Dermot' by Simon Bestwick

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What is the price of working with evil in order to defeat evil? Featured in The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Four edited by Ellen Datlow, Simon Bestwick's “Dermot” raises this question, and unlike in many stories that deal with the same, the answer isn't so reassuring.

It starts off with the description of Dermot himself. The kind of man you want to avoid. Not because of his looks, but because of his essence – that incomprehensible evil that seeps off of him like a toxic leak. And you know you want no part of whatever he has planned. 

From there, Bestwick takes us to a police unit called “Special Projects.” They deal with the things and the people not even the most jaded cops want to face. And this is Dermot's destination.

Throughout the story, there's the tension of anticipation. Dermot's, the officers' and the reader's. But each is a different type of anticipation. For Dermot, it's the giddiness and foul joy of knowing that his reward is waiting for him once his task is complete. For the officers, it's knowing that they are exchanging the reward for information they desperately need – and yet…. And for the reader, it's wondering what that reward is, how repulsive can it be, and if what the police officers get in exchange is worth the price?

Bestwick doesn't disappoint – Dermot's reward is as evil and reprehensible as expected. However, one is still left wondering if there was another way, if what the officers get in return is truly worth the sacrifice.

There's a lot of character description in this story, but some scenes (one in particular, thankfully) are glazed over. It doesn't take away from the story, but it does make one question motivations of the officers, and whether or not the exchange can be reasoned away (though, really, it can not).

Overall, “Dermot” is a well-written, disturbing and quick read, full of unanswered questions.

- - -

Nancy O. Greene started writing at the age of nine. Her short story collection, Portraits in the Dark, received a brief mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2007. Other works have appeared or will appear in ChiZine; Lovecraft eZine; Cemetery Dance; Tales of Blood and Roses; Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror; Shroud Publishing's The Terror at Miskatonic Falls; Dark Recesses; Flames Rising; Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! and others. She has a BA in Cinema (Critical Studies) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Southern California, and is a Fellow of Film Independent's Project: Involve.

Unexpected Horror Sequels

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Horror movies far too often abide by the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." These days it's no shock to see a sequel treading familiar ground. Whether the original director wants to return to his or her vision or a studio wants to strike gold twice, it's rare to see a sequel that really breaks the mold. But what's more exciting than a fresh take on an established franchise? We started thinking about all the times a sequel challenged our expectations and put together a list of our favorite sequels that veered from the course. They're nothing like their predecessors... and we love them for it!

Aliens
 
Aliens
 
The Predecessor: Ridley Scott's 1979 classic Alien was a tight, white-knuckled horror story set in space. Adrift in the galaxy, the crew of the Nostromo discover a derelict alien spacecraft and slowly, agonizingly discover just how screwed they really are. The first film is all about tension as the alien (Xenomorph, for you old pros) stalks the crew like inferior prey.
 
The Sequel: James Cameron's Aliens says it all in the title. This isn't just one very dangerous alien stalking a crew; this is about a swarm of them attacking a task force sent to hunt them down. The film still has plenty of terrifying scenes full of tension and dread, but the bulk of the film is action-oriented. Whether the characters are firing off machine guns, driving around in tanks, or getting into a cargo-loader fist-fight with the alien queen, this film is all about high-octane craziness! Definitely a far cry from John Hurt giving chest-birth during lunch in the first film.
 
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Phantasm II
 
The Predecessor: Don Coscarelli's Phantasm tells the tale of a pair of recently-orphaned brothers Mike and Jody and their rad-as-hell ice cream man pal Reggie, who are investigating a series of strange deaths in their town. The mysterious mortician, known only as The Tall Man, is their prime suspect. With the death of Mike & Jody's parents still fresh in their minds, they skulk around the mausoleum, are chased by a silver flying orb of death, and eventually discover a gateway between worlds and miniature monsters made up of dead people. Whoa.
 
The Sequel: Phantasm II picks up six years later, with Coscarelli again at the helm. Mike (played here by another actor) has been stuck in a mental institution and no one believes that Jody was killed by the Tall Man. Once Mike's premonition comes true (in which Reggie's house is blown up), the one-time ice cream man and a now grown-up Mike hit the road, searching for The Tall Man. They create awesome shotguns and booby traps, cruise the open road, and eventually encounter their target. This sequel takes the original idea of exploration and turns it into a road movie. A strange turn... but then again, the first film wasn't that normal either.
 
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Halloween III: Season of the Witch
 
The Predecessors: John Carpenter's legendary 1978 Halloween and its successful sequel... what needs to be said about these two masterpieces? The slasher genre was practically created, honed, perfected, and deconstructed in these two movies alone. The story of Laurie Strode, Dr. Loomis, and (of course) Michael Myers will forever resonate with horror fans and casual viewers alike. That iconic mask, the dead-eye stalking, the baby-sitter in trouble motif… what more could you ask for? When you've got a screaming success on your hands twice, it only seems natural to repeat the process a third time, right?
 
The Sequel: Wrong. Halloween III: Season of the Witch features no Michael, no Laurie… hell, we don't even get to see Dr. Loomis' big old noggin! But that's what makes this film so special. The original idea for the Halloween franchise was for it to be more of an annual anthology that would be about something scary that happened on Halloween. But when the first film turned out to be such a hit, they just continued the same storyline instead. I bet if Halloween II wasn't about Michael and his estranged family, Season of the Witch wouldn't have been so reviled, but today it's been re-evaluated as a classic of cheesy, fun, weird horror cinema. The plot revolves around androids, Halloween masks that melt the heads of children, and Stonehenge! It may be a huge WTF-fest, but it's an amazing offshoot of a very powerful brand. If you haven't seen it, you must! Just don't go in looking for the man in the white Shatner mask, because you won't find him (unless you count a brief TV cameo).
 
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The Devil's Rejects
 
The Predecessor: Rob Zombie's first foray into feature films, House of 1000 Corpses, was a taught, scary-as-hell psychological funhouse ride. The whole film plays out like an homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and other "hillbilly horrors" where young city folk get trapped in a weird, old house by a weird, psychotic, abusive rural family. In this case, it's the Firefly clan who attack and torture their newfound captives. The film is about the family, the house, and the victims, which all adds to the tension of the film. The setting acts almost as another character, in much the same way Chainsaw's dinner table scene defined that film.
 
The Sequel: Rob's follow-up The Devil's Rejects took the characters everyone loved (or loved to hate), Baby, Otis, and Captain Spaulding, and set them on the run. Instead of this film being about how these monsters tortured people in their home, the focus shifted to their actions while pursued by the cops... and believe me, they still act plenty nasty. Even the film's color palate was completely different: instead of deep, dark blues and greens, this film is filled with burning-hot oranges, yellows, and white desert heat. This movie has a very 1970's bad-guys-on-the-run feel, and while it is at times quite horrific, it's much less of a "horror" film than its predecessor. 
 
Army_Darkness
 
Army of Darkness
 
The Predecessors: Ahh, Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2... you wonders of interesting "cabin horror!" In these two seminal Sam Raimi classics, the star of the show, Ash Williams (the immortal Bruce Campbell) is on an all-out warpath against an evil force that stalks, possesses, and kills most of his friends and loved ones. There's not much of a thematic shift between these two films: both take place in the same cabin, and both feature the evil force trying to get to the good guys. But the sequel delved more into "splatstick" horror comedy, inspired by Raimi's beloved Three Stooges routines, and that humor continued into the next installment in a major way...
 
The Sequel: Boy, do things change in Army of Darkness. Picking up at the end of Evil Dead 2, Army is all about Ash… but he's definitely not in the cabin anymore. He's now been teleported to the 1300s, and while he may still have his "boom-stick" and his awesome chainsaw-arm, he's definitely not in the woods anymore. But the setting isn't the only thing that changes in this flick: in addition to playing up the previous film's comic elements, this one goes all-out action on us. We see huge battles against the Deadites and tiny Ash clones, and epic struggles play out in a fast-paced comic fantasy romp. Army of Darkness has the distinction of being one of the only films to intensely break from the mold of its predecessors and still be universally loved by fans of the series.
 
Honorable mentions go to Lucio Fulci's Zombi 2 (known simply as Zombie in the US) and Dan O'Bannon's Return of the Living Dead for being "sequels" of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead… kind of. These flicks, inspired by and made in spite of Romero's vision for the series, change the zombie movie mold and challenge the notion that a horror sequel has to be directly tied to and produced by the makers of the original, copyrights be damned. We also give a special shout-out to the much maligned Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 for barely utilizing the original's gritty, first-person, mockumentary style.

Dangerous Games: 'Zombie Fluxx' Card Game Review

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The chair creaks as you settle onto it. The candlelight flickers. All around you the ravenous faces of your so-called friends twist in delight as you slowly open the box laid out on the table. Welcome to Dangerous Games! Each week, we'll feature a horror/thriller/monster tabletop game you should be playing. Don't be scared… roll the dice… what's the worst that could happen?
 
Zombie_Fluxx1
 
Zombie Fluxx
 
You race across the yard, looking desperately for anything you can grab to fight off the hordes of undead. Those rotting, gnawing monsters used to be your friends, your neighbors… and now they're out for your brains. You know if you could just get that shovel you'd be able to start bashing some zombie heads and make some progress. You search and search until you finally find the shovel. All right, zombies, come and meet your maker. Suddenly, out of nowhere, shovels don't work on zombie heads anymore. Now you need the baseball bat... and suddenly you can't carry the shovel and the bat at the same time... and the rules of this world change again... and again!
 
Don't worry, you're not caught in some twisted nightmare - it's just a game of Zombie Fluxx! A new edition of the classic 1996 game Fluxx by Looney Labs, Zombie Fluxx is a game about changing rules and fighting the undead. The card game, for two to six players, features chaotic rule-switching and fast-paced undead fun.
 
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Gameplay Mechanics
 
The idea behind all Fluxx games (their themes include Cthulhu, The Wizard of Oz, Monty Python's Holy Grail, and many more) is that the rules constantly change. Each game starts with a core rule or objective to win the game. By playing cards you work toward the current objective. But whenever someone plays a new rule, or a new objective, the mechanics of the game shift wildly.
 
For instance, you may be trying to collect two specific items and just as you're about to snag that last item you need from an opponent another player plays a new objective card. The new card requires you to have two completely different cards. Now all your hard work has gone to waste, and it's time to start over. The first player to complete a goal before it switches over wins the game.
 
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Replay Value
 
When a game is this chaotic, it usually holds up very well for replay. Games don't last longer than about fifteen minutes to a half an hour, and that keeps the excitement fresh. You can play this ten, maybe fifteen times before you start to get tired of the objectives and goals you're out to get. Plus, this is a very social game, full of interactivity, so as long as your friends aren't boring, the game won't be boring either. The artwork on these cards are wonderful, tame, and full of colorful zombie gore. It doesn't look like any other game, and that keeps it feeling very fresh.
 
Overall Impressions
 
This is another one of those fun, light-hearted games. You don't need to agonize over strategy or ruminate over misplays or mistakes you made. It's not going to give you something deep to chew on, but it's perfect for the quick bite. Speaking of bites and chewing, my friends and I often bring this to dinner when we go out to eat, and bust it out while waiting for our entrees to arrive. Nothing like playing cards about eating brains while waiting for burgers!

'Kill Her, Mommy!' The Women Who Were Mrs. Voorhees

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Whenever the 13th day of any given month falls on a Friday, the internet horror community spends that entire week celebrating the Friday the 13th franchise, and we feel it is our duty as horror fans to plop down on our couches and ingest as many of the films in the franchise as possible... and it sort of is our unwritten duty, isn't it? It's what Jason and his mother would want us to do, and if there's one thing we've learned from the series, it's to not piss off the Voorhees family on Friday the 13th.

Many blog posts are written about the various actors/stuntmen who brought Jason to life over the years, guys like Kane Hodder and Derek Mears, whom we will forever love for putting on the hockey mask. But I wanted to go in a bit of a different direction today, and instead shine the spotlight on the character that started it all: Mrs. Voorhees, the mother who launched nine Friday the 13th sequels... and a spin-off film... and a remake. More specifically, I want to focus on the actresses who brought Mrs. Voorhees to life throughout the series. Though our first introduction to the character in the original Friday the 13th was the most memorable, Pamela Voorhees has been portrayed by five different women over the years. So let's spread that love around, shall we?
 
Mrs1
 
Betsy Palmer - Friday the 13th & Friday the 13th Part 2
 
When you hear the name "Mrs. Voorhees," the image that no doubt pops into your head is that of Betsy Palmer, who portrayed the original incarnation of the vengeful mother. An actress who had appeared in countless films, television shows and stage plays prior to the 1980s, Palmer was chosen for the role because of her wholesome and motherly image, and readily admits to taking the part only because she needed money to buy a new car. She also admits that she felt the movie was going to be a total dud, having no idea it would become such a massive success, and that the role would forever cement her status as a horror icon. Palmer briefly reprised her role in the sequel, appearing as the ghostly visage of Mrs. Voorhees that Jason sees, superimposed over final girl Ginny's face. It's been several years since Palmer has taken on new screen roles, but she can be found from time to time on the horror convention scene, embracing the role she once frowned upon.
 
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Connie Hogan - Friday the 13th Part 2
 
Have you ever wondered why the severed head of Mrs. Voorhees that the camera zooms in on at the end of Part 2 looks less like a prop (as it did moments earlier) and more like an actress in make-up? Well, that'd be because it was actually an actress named Connie Hogan, made up to look like the mummified remains of Jason's ill-fated mommy. The original plan for the ending of the film was to have the severed head open its eyes and smile before cutting to black, which is why the actress's head was placed through the table. Because the scene ended up looking too silly, the filmmakers decided to cut it right before Hogan opened her eyes, forever confusing fans as to why there was a build-up for a payoff that never came. The footage is thought to be lost, and not much is known about Connie Hogan, who doesn't even come up when you search her name on IMDb.
 
Mrs3
 
Marilyn Poucher - Friday the 13th Part 3
 
Many different ideas were tossed around for Chris Higgins' dream sequence at the end of the third installment, and a scene was apparently even shot where Jason decapitated her, the same way his mother got the chop years prior. Ultimately, it was decided that Chris would have a nightmare involving Mrs. Voorhees, a scene that was obviously intended to recapture the magic of Alice's dream sequence in the original Friday the 13th. Of course, it doesn't make much sense that Chris would have a nightmare involving a person she'd never even heard of, but since when was making sense a requirement for a horror film? Associate producer Peter Schindler's wife Marilyn Poucher was made up to look like the rotten corpse of Mrs. Voorhees for the brief scene. Poucher's name appears in the credits as Second Assistant Director, but she was not credited for the role of Jason's momma.
 
Mrs4
 
Paula Shaw - Freddy vs. Jason
 
Mrs. Voorhees is only briefly seen in Freddy vs. Jason, early on in the film when Freddy uses her to manipulate Jason into spreading fear and murder throughout Elm Street. The producers worked very hard at trying to get Betsy Palmer to reprise the role, feeling that the fans would really appreciate seeing her back in the blue sweater. Unfortunately, the budget prevented them from paying Palmer what she wanted, and even when they upped her salary, she ultimately turned down the offer because the role was such a minor one. Palmer was replaced with actress Paula Shaw, who rented Friday the 13th and studied Betsy's performance, so that her own would essentially feel like a continuation of the original. As awesome as it would've been to see Palmer reprise the role after all those years, I don't think anyone will disagree when I say that Shaw did a hell of a job embodying the character.
 
Mrs5
 
Nana Visitor - Friday the 13th (2009)
 
Though barely seen in the Friday the 13th remake, the decision to open the film with a recreation of the fight between Alice Hardy and Mrs. Voorhees was a smart one, and a way to essentially remake the first film right off the bat before getting into the action fans would want to see from a remake: Jason killing people, rather than his mother. Best known for her role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Nana Visitor was brought in to portray Mrs. Voorhees in the opening moments, finding herself without a head before the opening credits even finish rolling. Many fans were bummed to see such an important character get disposed of so quickly, but I'm just thankful that she was included in the film at all... especially considering early reports from test screenings were indicating that all footage of Mrs. Voorhees had been cut from the film!
 
 
It wouldn't feel right not to give a shout-out to Kathleen Garrett, who voiced Mrs. Voorhees for the narration in the remake's original teaser trailer. So spot-on was Garrett's voiceover work that the trailer caused much controversy, as Betsy Palmer was convinced that they actually used her voice from the original film without asking her permission. Paramount stated that it would be impossible to pull clean audio from the original film, since the dialogue was tied to music and sound effects, which is why they brought in Garrett to recite the iconic lines.
 
There were originally plans for Mrs. Voorhees to appear in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood,Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, and Jason X, but those plans never came to fruition. New Blood director John Carl Buechler wanted to have a scene in the film where Tina Shepard would have a vision of Jason holding his mom's severed head in his arms, but it was deemed too over the top. As for Jason X, Betsy Palmer was reportedly asked to reprise the role for the futuristic film, in which she was to appear in the holographic projection of Crystal Lake. The idea was brought up to even have Jason attack the hologram of his mother, to show that he was more evil than ever before, but Palmer declined participation and the character ended up not being used in the movie at all.

Short Story Review: “Through the Cracks” by Gary McMahon

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Featured in The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, #20, “Through the Cracks” by Gary McMahon is, in a way, about what can be described as an idea virus. However, it's much more than that. Prentiss is a man that knows about the cracks, knows about the evil that lives there. And whether anyone believes him or not, the things in the cracks are real – and they want out.

His ex-girlfriend, Emma, is one who does not believe him. But she listens and she cares. And, despite what appears to be insanity and decrepitude on his part, she is drawn to him. Shortly before a visit to her sister's place, she gets a call. He wants her to visit. Even though her sister protests, she does.

What she finds is a man that has completely lost his grasp on the world in order to—as he believes—save it. Emma wants nothing to do with this. She wants him to seek professional help. Before she leaves, he gives her a scrap book. She discovers that it contains news articles about different types of monsters crawling from cracks in the earth and causing death and destruction. Of course, she thinks all of it is nonsense.

Before she finishes her stay at her sibling's home, she decides to visit Prentiss one last time, just to see if he's okay. What Emma sees changes her view on reality nearly as much as it changed his.

“Through the Cracks” is an interesting horror story, with just enough suspense to make you wonder about the dark crevices and the things that lurk just beneath the surface. 

- - -

Nancy O. Greene started writing at the age of nine. Her short story collection, Portraits in the Dark, received a brief mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2007. Other works have appeared or will appear in ChiZine; Lovecraft eZine; Cemetery Dance; Tales of Blood and Roses; Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror; Shroud Publishing's The Terror at Miskatonic Falls; Dark Recesses; Flames Rising; Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! and others. She has a BA in Cinema (Critical Studies) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Southern California, and is a Fellow of Film Independent's Project: Involve.

Sean Cunningham Talks''Freddy vs. Jason,' a New 'Friday the 13th' Film, and 'Crystal Lake Chronicles'

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Legendary horror producer, writer, and director Sean Cunningham hasn’t produced anything since 2009’s Last House on the Left remake, but it doesn’t mean that he’s slowed down any. Not at all. Instead, he’s brimming with excitement as we connect over the phone on the heels of the Friday, September 13 release of Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection to discuss his thirty-three year old slasher series and his many upcoming projects. It’s almost as if Cunningham himself is just as (if not more) excited for fans to finally have the chance to grab all twelve Friday… films in one Blu-ray box set for the first time. So excited, it seems, we even got him to spill the beans on a possible new Freddy vs. Jason, another F13 entry, and a TV series called Crystal Lake Chronicles.

It’s been 33 years since the original Friday the 13th was released.

Oh, Jesus. Don’t say that.

Can you believe it?

No. No no no no. There was a time a few years ago – the 25th anniversary thing – and I was like, “Really?! Oh my god.”

Did you ever imagine you’d be talking to a journalist about a twelve-movie box set thirty-three years later?

No. God, no. [Laughs] Well, it was always part of my grand plan, you see. [Laughs] Now, I can finally rest. It’s like getting to the top of the mountain. [Laughs]

I’m delighted that they’re all actually going to be in one place and people can have them and work out the different genealogies and whatever. Then they can explain it to me. [Laughs]

For years, fans were making their own box sets and cover art in an effort to “complete” their collections. What finally led to this happening?

It started when Warner Bros. / New Line and Paramount decided to cooperate and co-finance the reboot of Friday the 13th, there was talk about putting all the discs together. I guess it took a couple of years, but they finally decided that it would be a good thing to have on the shelf and that it would be a win-win. I wasn’t in the room, but that’s how it was presented to me and it seemed like a really obvious, really good idea.

A lot of the extra features in the box set were already created for the previous Blu-ray and DVD releases. Was there ever a thought to go back and fully remaster the prints again with the new technology we have now, or is it just too cost prohibitive?

That was my thought for the original one. I think that would have been wonderful to be able to transfer to 4K and be able to do a complete color correction to deal with the blacks and the rain. It would be the same movie, but I just think it could be so much cleaner and nicer. I think that’ll just be a question of when it’s worth the money.

What’s the status of some of the harder-to-find items? Uncut Part 2 and all the other stuff. Is that really out there sitting somewhere or is it just gone forever?

I think it would probably depend on the stuff. Let me put it this way: I never kept track of any of it. The reason it was cut was because we didn’t think it was any good or worth anything. [Laughs] I don’t think anybody, at the time, was trying to “preserve their legacy” or anything. If there’s stuff out there, there’s not much of it. Keeping the film, or some scene that was cut, I think is the least likely because it would be predicated on keeping outtakes in really good condition and then being able to reconstitute them with sound and everything that goes with it. That would be really, terribly difficult.

Back then, I’m sure you guys weren’t thinking about living in this ecosystem of the Internet where everybody picks up on every single piece of everything.

No, not at all. That was hard to imagine even five years ago although it was starting to go on. The amount of information that we have at our fingertips, and we just take for granted, today is stunning. I marvel at it every day.

What’s your take on some of the more independent-minded studios like Scream Factory and Synapse, that are taking cult films and giving them special edition releases. Are you a fan of their work?

I’m a fan of the better quality. I think what’s going to happen is that horror films, in general, are going to find a primary location outside of movie theaters. It will probably be delivered by the broadband, in some way. Rather than delivering something that’s a stepchild, we have to think about delivering to a high-definition television set first quality because that’s going to ultimately be the place where most people will see this movie. That way, they’ll respect it and enjoy it and we’ll make better business if you can deliver the kind of experience that you would get in the movie theater.

Do you have a favorite memory, either on screen or off, from all your work on the Friday the 13th series?

The time, ultimately, when it all came together was when we started to screen the finished movie and watched the audience enjoy it. Especially the last three minutes. That was fun. The audience left with smiles on their faces. They’d paid their five bucks and they’d had a good time and they were laughing and punching each other and pointing at each other. It was a fun moment for them and, by extension, a fun moment for us.

It started when we were screening it for Paramount. We had screened it for two or three executives, and maybe their secretaries or someone else in the office, and all these hardened men and women (when the moment came) just got lifted out of their chairs, gasping. Within a week, they had scheduled a second screening, which was at a bigger theater with as many young people and women as the executives could get in the there. It was just for their fun so they could watch these people jump at the end. [Laughs] You could see the people who had already seen the movie and knew it, when that time came, they weren’t watching the movie. They were watching audience. That was a great deal of fun.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since Freddy vs. Jason. We’ve seen reboots of both franchises since then. What are the chances we’ll get another Freddy and Jason faceoff?

I think the chances are good, for a couple of reasons, but I think it will ultimately be a marketing concept. Right now, I think the audience would have to start getting bored with the Friday… movie by itself or the Freddy movie by itself. I don’t think it’s going to happen in the next short period of time. Conceivably in five years.

The other reason that I think it’s a possibility is that we spent so much effort in trying to find a way to get the two of them together in a movie that was action-packed and unpredictable that we had lots of material that was unused. It becomes possible to use it, or at least basic ideas or structural ideas that are already in place. We don’t have to start from scratch.

The last thing you produced is the Last House on the Left remake. Do you have anything else in the pipeline right now?

I do. There will be another Friday the 13th, which will probably get shot in the spring. If it all goes as I would like, it would then be released at the beginning of 2015.

Is that going to carry on some of the characters and cast from the reboot or is this going to be a completely new story?

That’s not likely, but it’s hard to know. It won’t be a continuation of that story, though. It’ll be a fresh story.

I think there will also be Friday the 13th: Crystal Lake Chronicles, which is sort of a Smallville. We’ve been on-again off-again with that for years and there are a bunch of great stories to be told, but I think the way that it’s finally going to get delivered is not through a conventional television network, but through the Internet. I can’t tell you who the delivery people will be, but it won’t be the traditional route. There’s also the possibility of webisodes, and I think we even have an idea for a terrificFriday the 13th video game.

There’s a bunch of stuff out there. And, of course, a gift shop. What says Happy Birthday better than a machete and a hockey mask? [Laughs]

Crystal Lake Chronicles sounds like something tailor-made for someone like Netflix.

Yeah, it does. It’s also more than just me saying, “You know, Friday the 13th would be a great series!” We’ve got a couple of really good writers that have been working and writing. It can’t be just Jason killing someone new every week. That’s not going to make it. [Laughs]

Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection hits stores on Friday, September 13.

Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do to, so we’re asking for some help.  What are you waiting for?  It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet.  Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7?  Tweet your cable provider now!  Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here – www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

GWAR: 'Battle Maximus'– Album Review

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GWAR_2013
 
Considering today is Friday the 13th, I couldn't imagine a more fitting date to serve up a review of GWAR's thirteenth studio album... which also happens to sport thirteen tracks. Battle Maximus marks a major turning point for the Scumdogs of the Universe in nearly three decades of debauchery on Planet Earth: as you probably know, it's the first GWAR album recorded after the passing of lead guitarist Cory Smoot, alias Flattus Maximus, who served as one of the band's core members for years (in fact, he first joined them thirteen years ago... again, that magic number) and a fan favorite. While his supreme talent cannot be replaced, his musical duties have been ably assumed by another skilled axe-man, Brent Purgason of Cannabis Corpse. Brent has also officially been assimilated into the vast GWAR canon, taking on the stage role of Pustulus Maximus (a relative of Flattus, of course), who arrived with his clan after the band called upon “The Horn of Hate” to summon a new rock warrior to the front lines. The “Battle Maximus” of the title refers to the musical trial-by-combat within the Maximus tribe, with the winner taking his place alongside front-beast Oderus Urungus and his mutant crew.
 
This saga becomes the launching point for a concept album – an approach the band has embraced many times in the past, as in 1992's America Must Be Destroyed (dramatized in the feature-length video Phallus in Wonderland) or 2006's Beyond Hell– and one which plays well into their notorious stage show. While the majority of their gore and slime-spewing sets involve the ritual slaughter of famous figures of politics and pop culture, or characters from many of their songs make appearances onstage to kill and/or be killed, some of their best work involves a running theme, with armies being raised and villains vanquished amid geysers of blood, green slime and other unmentionable bodily fluids. Battle Maximus presents a new super-villain in the form of “Mr. Perfect,” a being from the future who vows to steal the band's secret of immortality in a quest to create his own master race of mutants.
 
GWAR_Battle_Maximus
 
In more earth-bound terms, Battle also breaks ground as the first album recorded in the band's new Slave Pit Studios (which Smoot helped design), with award-winning producer Glen Robinson at the helm, working again with the band for the first time since War Party in 2004. In addition to Purgason, another new player has joined the GWAR ranks: bassist Jamison Land (former guitarist for The Burial), who takes over the long-standing (and often revolving) role of Beefcake the Mighty from Casey Orr, who left the band in 2011. These multiple behind-the-scenes changes add up to a decided shift in style and tone from GWAR's 2010 release Bloody Pit of Horror, and the result is a faster, more frantic fusion of the band's early punk/thrash roots and their darker, chunkier style of metal that began in 2000 with Violence Has Arrived (and has basically remained their fighting standard ever since).
 
The album's acoustic intro, accented by some spacy lead flourishes from Purgason, opens the gateway for this newly-shaped sound, while Oderus dramatically sets the stage with a surprisingly melodic monologue (he even channels a bit of Ozzy here), before launching into the album's first single "Madness at the Core of Time," which brings the thrashiest elements to the foreground, and the more menacing "Bloodbath,” which calls back to the band's primal moshpit roots with surging, hyperspeed riffs and anthemic call-and-response vocals, but with more robust and layered production, resulting in the best of both worlds.
 
 
Just about every phase of GWAR history is kicked around from this point forward, beginning with the schizoid riffs and polyrhythms of "Nothing Left Alive," colliding with half a dozen other styles that will leave your head spinning, while "They Swallowed the Sun" melds the raw brutality of Scumdogs of the Universe with elements of progressive and symphonic metal. They stick fairly tight to the punishing main riff of "Torture," which is driven home by some incredibly powerful rhythms by drummer Jizmak da Gusha (Brad Roberts), a fist-pumping chorus and a thunderous breakdown. "Raped at Birth" features one of the more dramatic solo lines from Purgason, and also contains the most perverse lyrics on the album (you can always count on GWAR for maximum gross-outs), mostly delivered in hardcore call-and-response mode. 
 
More variety kicks in at the midpoint with hilariously off-kilter rap vocals of "I, Bonesnapper" (a callback to War Party), lending it a more playful vibe, and a bit more time is spent building a fun haunted-house atmosphere in the opening moments of "Mr. Perfect" (note the cheesy stock scream we've heard in just about every horror movie trailer), which finally steps up into a mid-tempo thrash pattern. Appropriately enough, the instrumental title track is one of the mightiest cuts on the album, an apocalyptic burner with furious double-kicks and plenty of urgent shredding from Purgason, who steps into the lead position, weaving some supreme harmonies with Balsac (Mike Derks), briefly parting the waves for a slam-tastic bass roll from Land. Creepy riffs and leads bring maximum horror to "Triumph of the Pig Children," which has a certain danceable Rob Zombie groove (although I have a feeling Oderus wouldn't welcome that comparison), and serves as a third-act climax before the more pensive, down-tempo "Falling," which is also one of the most melodically pure songs I've heard from the band in years. Old-school thrash melds with a touch of doom for the celebratory closing track "Fly Now," reasserting the vintage vibe that permeates so much of this record.
 
GWAR_Live_2013
If you ever wondered how GWAR could possibly rebound from the devastating loss of one of their most influential players, Battle Maximus will not only assure you that the band is still as strong as ever, but proves that they can mold their unforgettable energy and attitude to fit almost any musical style (as long as it's unrelentingly violent), and fans of old-school thrash, which is already enjoying quite a renaissance lately, will find that genre clicks into the GWAR mold very nicely, maintaining the heaviness of their post-millennial mode with a nod to their '80s thrash influences. The end product is not only a fitting tribute to a fallen musical warrior, but asserts that his mutant brothers-in-arms are ready to charge back into battle at their skull-cracking, gut-ripping finest.
 
Battle Maximus drops next Tuesday, September 17th, via Metal Blade Records.
 
 
Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do too, so we’re asking for some help. What are you waiting for? It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet. Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7? Tweet your cable provider now! Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here: www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

Gift Guide: Vigo Kong T-Shirt

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Two of the greatest gifts that the 1980s pop culture gave the world are now, finally, together. That's right, Donkey Kong and Ghostbusters have been combined into one, glorious t-shirt. The Vigo Kong t-shirt, designed by Mike Handy, features all your favorite parts of Ghostbusters - Slimer, ectoplasm, Dana and Oscar, and of course, Vigo - set amongst the Donkey Kong outpost.

$25.56 at Red Bubble

Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do to, so we’re asking for some help.  What are you waiting for?  It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet.  Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7?  Tweet your cable provider now!  Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here – www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

The Top 10 Must-Own Horror Toys: 'Friday the 13th' Edition!

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If you haven't yet looked on your calendar, today is Jason Voorhees' favorite day: Friday the 13th. As tempting as it is to head out into the woods and go camping with some friends, I instead encourage you to wait out the day at home, and lock yourself in your bedroom until Jason's done doing what he's gotta do.
 
In an effort to keep you in your computer chair, I thought it only fitting to give the Friday the 13th franchise the Must-Own Toys treatment today... a task that's quite a bit easier said than done. In fact, given that so many incredible Jason toys have been released over the years, this was no doubt the hardest time I've had to date when it comes to narrowing the awesomeness down to just ten selections. But just as Jason has to brutally slaughter any horny young teens who wander into his neck of the woods on a day like today, I had to do what I had to do!
 
Toy1
 
The dream sequence from the end of Friday the 13th is one of the most iconic moments in the history of the franchise: a jump scare that gave us our very first glimpse of Jason Voorhees. Mezco Toyz immortalized the scene in the first series of their "Screen Grabs" line, mini-dioramas that brought our favorite horror movie moments to life. It's worth owning not only because it's awesome, but also because it marked the first and only time young Jason and final girl Alice Hardy were immortalized in toy form. You can buy these today for around $25.
 
Toy2
 
When it comes to the Friday the 13th franchise, Sideshow Collectibles dug deeper into the series than any other toy company over the years, releasing 12" figures of Jason as he was seen in every installment of the original franchise, other than that time he (sort of) took Manhattan. Hardcore fans will probably want to own them all, but if you're not one of them, or don't exactly have hundreds of dollars to burn, picking up your favorite Jason should suffice. Having too hard of a time selecting just one from the bunch, I decided to go for Sideshow's 12" Mrs. Voorhees doll, a character as important to the franchise as Jason, but who has never been given all that much love when it comes to toys. Mrs. Voorhees' very first toy came equipped with a host of weapons and even her own severed head, and you can snag her on eBay for anywhere between $50 and $100.
 
Toy3
 
In 2005, NECA paid tribute to the 25th Anniversary of the release of Friday the 13th by putting out this incredible box set, which came with the only other Mrs. Voorhees toy that's ever been made. A mash-up of the first two films in the franchise, the set included Pamela Voorhees and Part 2 Jason, as well as the shrine Jason built to his mother after Alice cut her head off. Both figures can be displayed alone or together with the base, and Jason comes with his sack-head mask and an alternate head without the mask. This ultimate tribute to the Voorhees family has recently been selling for around $50 on eBay.
 
Toy4
 
In 2010, Japanese company Kaiyodo released this figure as part of their "Revoltech" line of highly-articulated toys. Measuring only 5 inches tall, the toy is nevertheless one of the most detailed and impressive-looking Jason figures ever made, based on his appearance in the third film. Featuring interchangeable heads and masks (before and after the axe to the head), the toy came with a whole host of weapons as well as a barn display base, and featured 12 ball-joint points of articulation. Perhaps coolest of all, one of the other accessories was the severed head of Chris Higgins, who actually survived her battle with Jason. Why is he holding her bloody head then? Because the original plan was to have him decapitate her at the end of the film, a scene that was apparently shot but forever lost. Big ups to Kaiyodo for paying tribute to that never before seen moment, a little touch that makes this toy all the more awesome. I picked up mine a couple years back for around $50, and that's about the price you can still expect to pay for one today.
 
Toy5
 
In addition to their 12" offerings, Sideshow also released a few other incredible Friday the 13th collectibles over the years, including this Part 3 statue. Measuring an impressive 23" tall, the Premium Format figure was a whole lot more than a mere toy, cast in polystone and hand-painted with a hand-tailored fabric costume. No doubt the most coveted figure based on the franchise's third installment, the statue was limited to just 750 pieces and originally sold for $280. As you'd probably expect, it now sells for far more, typically going for at least $500. Let that be a lesson to you: when Sideshow releases a Premium Format figure that you want, buy it directly from them while you've got the chance!
 
Toy6
 
It was earlier this year that NECA returned to Crystal Lake and put out two brand-new Jason toys, inspired by the third and fourth installments in the franchise. Since a couple of Part 3 figures have already found their way onto this list, I chose this one to give some love to my favorite film in the series, which also brought to the screen my favorite depiction of the character. NECA's Final Chapter Jason toy is available as both a regular version and a battle-damaged variant, and it's of course the blood-covered variant that I prefer. Oh, and if you're wondering if Jason's head has a piece cut out of it so that you can stick his machete into it and recreate his awesome final battle with young Tommy Jarvis (unfortunately sans Tommy), you'll be happy to know that NECA thinks the same way us fans do... and that's why we love them. You can grab this one for about $20.
 
Toy7
 
Mezco put a few different incarnations of Jason into various series' of their "Cinema of Fear" line, based on his looks in installments like Final Chapter and Jason Goes To Hell. My personal favorite of the bunch was their Series 2 offering, which was based on the film that is in my opinion the last great film in the original franchise: Jason Lives. Jason came packaged with many accessories, including a bloody hunting knife, his own tombstone, and even a severed arm from the awesome "paintball massacre" scene. Also included? Sissy Baker's decapitated head, one of the few times a Jason victim was immortalized in plastic... even if it's only her head! This figure usually sells for around $100.
 
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Rounding out the Sideshow releases on this list is no doubt one of the coolest Friday the 13th collectibles ever made: a gravity-defying statue that depicts Jason in his watery grave. The statue is of course based on the seventh installment, The New Blood, and was part of the company's "Scream Scene" line, which also included a Freddy vs. Jason statue that was pretty damn close to making this list. Hand-painted, the diorama was cast in polystone and limited to 750 pieces, and will nowadays cost you a few hundred bucks more than its original $200 price tag. Mezco released their own underwater Jason figure in Series 2 of the "Screen Grabs" line, which saw Jason strangling Tommy Jarvis from the ending of Jason Lives. It's not nearly as impressive as Sideshow's offering, but worthy of note for being the only Tommy Jarvis toy ever made.
 
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Say what you will about Freddy vs. Jason, but I thought it was a hell of a good time, and found the final fight scene between the two to be one of the more satisfying and kickass moments of the decade. NECA paid a fitting tribute to that battle with this awesome box set, which features both villains and a fiery base on which they could be displayed together. When displayed separately, they're just your standard Freddy and Jason toys, but put together, the battle scene from the movie really comes to life, NECA perfectly capturing that moment in the film when the music kicks in and the two finally come face to face. The set came with three different Freddy heads, including the more demonic look he took on towards the end of the movie, and even his severed head, which is magnetized so it can be held in Jason's hand. Of all the Freddy vs Jason toys, this set is definitely my favorite, and should only run you somewhere in the ballpark of 50 bucks.
 
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This list would of course not be complete without mentioning this figure NECA put out just a couple months back, which is without a doubt the most unique Jason toy any company has ever made. Inspired by Jason's colorful and bizarre look in the 1989 Friday the 13th NES game, 8-bit Jason was housed inside of packaging inspired by the game box, and was exclusive to this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Not surprisingly, it became one of the most sought-after horror toys of all time, and I think it's safe to say that no Friday fan's collection is complete without it. Love the game or hate it, NECA delivered something truly unique and exciting with this release, thinking outside the box to bring us fans something really special. These can be found on eBay for around $100, and you can trust me when I say they're worth every penny.
 
Which of these ten toys are your favorites, and what other Friday the 13th toys are you mad at me for leaving off the list? Comment below and let me know!
 
 
Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do too, so we’re asking for some help. What are you waiting for? It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet. Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7? Tweet your cable provider now! Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here: www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

 


Bagged and Boarded Comic Reviews: Buffy, Psychic Heroes, and more!

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New comic book Wednesday has come and gone. The dust at your local comic shop has settled. An eerie silence descends as you finish reading your last superhero book of the week. Now it's time for something a little more sinister. Welcome to Bagged and Boarded: comic reviews of the sick, spooky, twisted and terrifying!
 
BuffyBuffy The Vampire Slayer: Season 9 No. 25
 
This is it! The final, climactic battle to plant the seed of magic. If the heroes can pull it off they will once again restore magic to the world. But they're deep in a pit, fighting a giant bat-monster, and an evil anti-slayer, or at least a dude who seriously wants Buffy dead, is standing between them. Can they defeat the villains and escape before it all detonates in their faces?
 
Bag it or board it up? The action in these Buffy comics are so high-octane it's no wonder the series has survived on paper. This is good fun. Good, silly, exciting, snarky fun. I'm most impressed with the fact that they can still hold onto the flavor of the series while huge, climactic, end of the world stuff is going on at the same time. It's a careful balancing act they pull of gracefully.
 
Brain_BoyBrain Boy No. 1
 
Matt Price is the world's most gifted telepath. He's been trained since childhood to hone his skills, and now works as a contractor for the government. Most of the time he plays babysitter to dignitaries while scanning the area for psychic clues to danger. But in this thrilling first issue, the telepath is forced into a panic when his client goes missing. He can levitate, he can read your mind, he's brilliant… but don't call him Brain Boy.
 
Bag it or board it up? It's always nice to jump in on a first issue. And this is definitely a first issue worth jumping in on. The action is great, the artwork is clean and evocative, and the storyline is weird, creepy, and wonderful. This is spy stuff the way we like it… way off-kilter! Based on a series from the 1960's, this revamp is full of mind-melting fun! It's like Scanners meets Skyfall.
 
Mars_DreddMars Attacks Judge Dredd
 
The martians from Mars Attacks can't help but invade all other franchises owned by IDW. This mini-series shows them bustling into Mega-City and infiltrating a local mafia. With Judge Dredd on the case he's bound to punch and shoot his way into trouble over his head and pay-grade. But when you're a judge sometimes you've gotta bust some martian brains, right?
 
Bag it or board it up? Ooh, I usually really dislike these Mars Attacks crossovers. But this is everything I want in a comic. For real! The action is amped up in this comic. And it seems like the martians and the Judge are just made for each other. Also, the artwork on this issue (by John McCrea, of The Demon and Hitman fame) so perfectly matches the mood of the comic, and is so wonderfully, carefully executed. I, for the first time in a long time, highly recommend this crossover.
 
Locke_KeyLocke & Key: Alpha No. 1
 
This is the end. It's all over here. There's a lot of action left in this horror mainstay. With just a few more issues left to tell the six-year-long story started by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, it's all out there in the open. The Omega Key has turned in the Black Door, all hell's breaking loose, and you're favorite characters are in deep, deep sh*t. This is the beginning of the end, as the cover exclaims, and it's going to be awesome.
 
Bag it or board it up? Reading this issue, I feel much the same way I felt when iZombie ended. I'm sad to see a comic I really enjoy coming to a close, but I'm so happy that the creators have had the time to tell the story they want. This isn't a surprise cancellation of the comic, this isn't the rug getting pulled out from under the creators, this is a purposeful end to a wonderful comic. Check it out, pay your respects.
 
 
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Small Press Spotlight: JournalStone Publishing

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In four short years, JournalStone Publishing has positioned itself as an attractive home to established authors and new talents alike. With a depth chart that includes Jonathan Maberry, Rick Hautala, Lisa Morton and Christopher Golden, and a deep catalog of horror, science fiction and fantasy novels and anthologies – not to mention an acclaimed quarterly magazine and a prominent genre website – I’d be shocked if you haven’t happened across this imprint already. But just in case you haven’t, consider this your formal introduction.
 
JournalStone was founded in 2009 in San Francisco by Christopher Payne. It started out as a blog before transitioning into a publishing company the following year. JournalStone followed the unconventional route of building its initial slate via a novel writing contest. The first winner, That Which Shall Not Be by Brett J. Talley, was nominated by the Horror Writers Association in the “Superior Achievement in a First Novel” category for the 2011 Bram Stoker Awards, which helped establish JournalStone early on as a company with an eye for quality.
 
Limbus
 
JournalStone continues conducting writing contests to this day, and this has helped the company build a diverse roster of authors in a variety of genres. They also offer a range of packaging, from trade paperbacks and hardcovers for casual readers to more expensive, bells-and-whistles limited editions for collectors.
 
Recently, JournalStone has ventured outside of the book publishing business by acquiring Hellnotes.com, a genre news and review staple that was one of the earliest online watering holes for horror fans and professionals. They recently entered into a similar relationship withDark Discoveries magazine, a popular quarterly publication focusing on short horror fiction. By keeping a thriving short fiction market alive in a time when such markets are becoming more difficult to sustain, and by shoring up one of the genre’s most trusted websites, JournalStone has cemented its standing as one of horror’s biggest supporters.
 
What it all boils down to is this: JournalStone is spotlight-worthy because it brings horror fans the good stuff. The latest issue of Dark Discoveries contains fiction by David Morrell, Eric Red and William F. Nolan. The company has an impressive slate of scary stuff coming out just in time for Halloween, including a massive two-volume tribute to the late Rick Hautala titled Mister October (the entire profits from which, it should be mentioned, will be going to Hautala’s family) that includes original artwork from Clive Barker and contributions from F. Paul Wilson, Peter Straub, Brian Keene, Tim Lebbon and a host of other big names. 
 
Mister_October
 
JournalStone produces books that are well written, professionally edited and beautifully packaged. Anthologies, novellas, novels, short fiction – the company is putting its stamp on the genre in a big way, and we the fans are better off for their efforts.
 
 
Blu Gilliand is a freelance writer of fiction and nonfiction. He covers horror fiction at his blog, October Country, and contributes interviews to the Horror World website. Follow him on Twitter at @BluGilliand.
 
Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do too, so we’re asking for some help. What are you waiting for? It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet. Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7? Tweet your cable provider now! Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here: www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

 

Electron Microscope Images Reveal Hideous Mini-Monsters

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Most of us are at least aware that we're sharing our world – and our bodies – with an endless variety of microorganisms, tiny parasites and other strange creatures, most of which are invisible to the naked eye.
 
Micro5
 
But thanks to electron microscopy, we can now have lots of colorful nightmares once we get a closer look at some of these monstrosities.
 
Micro4
 
io9 compiled some of the strangest, scariest and most alien-looking examples from various galleries, including some terrifying images from the Microcosmos collection by DSLR ImageryUnder these super-microscopes, a fish embryo is transformed into a ghostly apparition...
 
Micro2
 
...butterfly egg casings look amazingly like facehugger eggs from the Alien franchise...
 
Micro1
 
...and as if maggots weren't disgusting enough, here's one that looks like it oozed out of the movie Galaxy of Terror (you know the scene I'm talking about).
 
Micro3
 
 
 
Want to watch more scares on TV?  We do too, so we’re asking for some help. What are you waiting for? It’s the 13th of the month and it’s time to tweet. Want more Thriller, Horror and Suspense 24/7? Tweet your cable provider now! Spread the word and come back next month to request FEARnet. Your ticket to horror is here: www.fearnet.com/iwantfearnet

 

New Poster For Dario Argento's 'Dracula 3D'

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Dario Argento's Dracula 3D is getting a theatrical release - and with it, a beautiful new poster inspired by the classic European posters of the 1960s and 1970s.

argento's dracula 3d

Official Synopsis: Horror master Dario Argento returns with a bloody, luridly creepy 3D version of the classic vampire tale, drenched in gore and sex. An unsuspecting Englishman arrives in Transylvania, lured by a job with a local nobleman. But the undead Count Dracula’s real target is the man’s innocent young wife. Featuring the iconic Rutger Hauer as vampire hunter Van Helsing and the inimitable Asia Argento (the director’s own daughter) as a local all-too-eager to fall under the Count’s sway.

Argento's Dracula 3D will have a limited theatrical release, as well as distribution on VOD and digital download, beginning October 4th.

Short Story Review: 'How Th'Irth Wint Rong by Hapless Joey' by Gregory Maguire

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Gregory Maguire is probably best known as the author of Wicked. Featured in the anthology After, this somewhat adorable yet disturbing tale is about a young protagonist who writes about a world half-destroyed, and how that came to be.

While the future-world (mis)spellings are different, to say the least, it's easy enough to get through. And Hapless Joey—along with his teacher, Big Ant—move the story forward at an interesting, fast pace.

What Joey describes is a planet that dissolved, leaving the inhabitants in “The Cold Time.” Joey can't remember the time before that because he was just a baby, but his Grandfather told him stories. And he writes an essay to tell a special committee what he knows.

But what he doesn't know is that Big Ant and the committee have other plans for him and other promising children just like him. 

What makes this story disturbing isn't so much that the world is only half of itself (that's a fascinating premise, but the story doesn't make that the central focus). What is unsettling is the system that rises up in the aftermath. Regardless of what happened, some people within that new world still chose to retain much of the corruption found in the previous one. It's an interesting read that can be expanded into a novella or novel, but works just as well as a short story.

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Nancy O. Greene started writing at the age of nine. Her short story collection, Portraits in the Dark, received a brief mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2007. Other works have appeared or will appear in ChiZine; Lovecraft eZine; Cemetery Dance; Tales of Blood and Roses; Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror; Shroud Publishing's The Terror at Miskatonic Falls; Dark Recesses; Flames Rising; Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! and others. She has a BA in Cinema (Critical Studies) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Southern California, and is a Fellow of Film Independent's Project: Involve.

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