‘Gorezone’ magazine set to return

Quiet, tasteful covers such as this are part of what made Gorezone legendary.

The fine folks at Fangoria magazine made a quiet little announcement earlier this week that will be welcome news to gorehounds everywhere – they are bringing back Fango‘s sister publication, Gorezone.

Gorezone was a child of the late 1980s, when there was too much bloody goodness flooding theaters for Fangoria to handle alone. With horror output from the Hollywood studios coming at a rapid pace, the magazine was giving more space to sequels and slick serial killers like Freddy and Jason, which meant other stuff its readers were interested in – extreme horror, foreign horror, etc. – was getting squeezed out. So Gorezone was born to handle the overflow.

Apart from the covers, which sometimes featured Leatherface (or Freddy or Jason) but were more likely to have nasty FX shots from more obscure films, Gorezone became a fan favorite (and frequent censor target) thanks to columns from the likes of Chas. Balun and Tim Lucas, more in-depth articles on special effects, and its refusal to shy away from any photograph, no matter how bloody or gross. I mean, they called it Gorezone – what did people expect?

The magazine had a short run beginning in the late 1980s before being shelved, but it’s still a fan-favorite today. And now it’s coming back as a bi-monthly publication. It won’t be available on newsstands, but copies and subscriptions will be available through Fangoria‘s website. Keep an eye on that site for more details, including a date for the first issue, as they become available.

‘Crystal Lake Memories’ release date announced

It’s not often that I talk about horror movies here. I love ‘em just as much as love the books, but I’m usually not compelled to write about them the way I am about fiction. But every now and then an exception comes along.

This won’t be the first time I’ve talked about Peter Bracke’s excellent book on the Friday the 13th franchise, Crystal Lake Memories. But it is the first time I’ve talked about the film documentary that’s coming to serve as sort of a companion piece to this companion piece. It’s also called Crystal Lake Memories, and a release date of August 27 has been announced. Also announced: a running time of over seven (7) hours.

Process that for a second. SEVEN FULL HOURS of behind-the-scenes goodness. Some of it, I’m sure, will be stuff that’s been seen before (there’s a lot of stuff out there thanks to the various home video releases these movies have enjoyed over the years). It will certainly sound like overkill to many, but I have no doubt there are fans out there ardent enough to mainline the entire thing in one sitting. (You know, fans like this.)

It’s coming out on Blu-ray only, and the pre-sale begins in July. You can find all the pertinent details here, and can check out the documentary’s official website here. You can also still order the book that started it all right here, and let me tell you – if this kind of thing is your thing, you won’t be sorry.

I’m honestly hard-pressed to explain why I love these movies as much as I do. There are tons of reasons not to like them. But there’s something about them, especially those first four (before Jason went full-on superpowered zombie, and was really just an insane man in a mask) that strike a chord with me. There are scenes and images in those early entries that are frightening to me on a primal level. Some of the others are just pure fun.

At any rate, if you’re fond of the fellow in the hockey mask, be sure and check out this upcoming documentary. It’s from the same production team that produced the amazing Never Sleep Again, which examined the Nightmare on Elm Street series in ridiculous detail. I expect it will be well worth our time.

Cemetery Dance announces new Stephen King hardcover, ‘The Dark Man’

Cemetery Dance has been teasing something big the last couple of weeks, saying only that “something dark” was coming.

Well, it’s here.

The publisher announced today a new collaboration between Stephen King and artist Glenn Chadbourne, the black-and-white specialist who has worked on a number of King projects for CD, including their Secretary of Dreams books. This latest venture is the first hardcover publication of King’s poem “The Dark Man,” a piece the author wrote in college about a character who would later come to figure prominently in much of his work. We’re talking, of course, about The Walkin’ Dude, Randall Flagg.

There are a number of editions on the way (and quickly, as CD’s website has at least the trade version listed for a July release), ranging from a $25 bookstore edition all the way to a deluxe signed edition that will run you a cool $1,750. All the details and ordering instructions can be found at the links above.

Between this and yesterday’s Joyland news, it’s been a big – and expensive – couple of days for King collectors. The good news for the average fan (such as your humble host) is that these new works will also be available in affordable additions that may not have all the bells and whistles, but will have the most important part – the story. As these books hit the shelves, please feel free to let us know which editions you grab and what you think of them.

Stephen King’s ‘Joyland’ gets special treatment from Titan Books

Titan Books has announced that three special limited editions of their upcoming Hard Case Crime release by Stephen King, Joyland, are now available for preorder.

Subterranean Press has released special editions of Hard Case Crime books in the past, but these appear to be directly produced by Titan. The three editions are:

• A signed, lettered hardcover edition, limited to 26 copies, signed by King, housed in a clamshell box and featuring the Hard Case Crime logo in gold foil;
• A signed, numbered hardcover edition, limited to 724 copies, signed by King; and
• An unsigned hardcover edition limited to 1,500 copies.

All editions will feature artwork by Robert McGinnis and a map of Joyland, the amusement park that serves as the novel’s setting, by Susan Hunt Yule.

Here’s the synopsis straight from Hard Case Crime:

College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life—and what comes after—that would change his world forever.

A riveting story about love and loss, about growing up and growing old—and about those who don’t get to do either because death comes for them before their time—JOYLAND is Stephen King at the peak of his storytelling powers. With all the emotional impact of King masterpieces such as The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, JOYLAND is at once a mystery, a horror story, and a bittersweet coming-of-age novel, one that will leave even the most hard-boiled reader profoundly moved.

The paperback version is set for a June 4 release, and these special editions are listed as coming out on June 11. I’d suggest jumping on these quickly if you’re interested, as Stephen King special editions don’t tend to stay available for long.

Hill and Rodriguez to bring the Keyhouse down with two-part ‘Locke & Key’ finale

Over the past six years or so, writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez have been crafting one of the finest comic series on the shelves - Locke & Key. I’ve not been shy about professing my appreciation for their work in the past, and I’m anxious to see how they wrap up this intricate, intimate story of a family haunted by demons of both the internal and hellishly external natures.

The series is currently in the middle of its concluding arc, Locke & Key: Omega, and it’s killing me because I wait for the nice hardback collections to come out so I have no idea at this point what’s going on. And now comes along this news, which is great because it means we get just a little bit more Locke & Key than was originally planned, but awful because now we have to wait just a bit longer to see how everything plays out.

While adding an extra issue may scream “cash grab” to some, it’s clearly not the case here. Hill gives me the impression of being a guy who is all about the integrity of the story, first, last and always, so if this is the space they need to tell the ending, then I’m glad they are getting it.

Hill has also promised that, while this is the definitive end to the story of the Locke family, there are still more stories to tell involving the rambling Victorian mansion known as Keyhouse.

Can. Not. Wait.

NOS4A2 gets a cover, Abe Sapien gets a ‘Dark and Terrible’ series

Just…awesome.

I shy away from doing “news” posts here because, let’s face it, by the time I’ve read something I consider newsworthy it’s likely been splashed across a dozen or more websites that do “news” far better – and faster – than I can hope to. Still, every now and then something really cool catches my eye and I just want to share it…

Today, two cool things caught my eye.

One, Subterranean Press has unveiled the cover of their limited edition of Joe Hill’s upcoming novel NOS4A2. It’s painted by Hill’s Locke & Key partner-in-awesome Gabriel Rodriguez, and it’s stunning. Subterranean is planning two editions: a limited of 750 signed and numbered copies, oversized, with a novella (“Wraith”) that was cut from the book’s manuscript, an alternate ending, and more illustrations by Rodriguez; and a lettered edition that’s already sold out, so it’s not even worth mentioning that it comes with custom-made autopsy bone mallet (a device that apparently figures heavily into the book’s plot) because we can’t order one anyway. $125 for the limited edition is steep for one book in my corner of the world, but the temptation is growing.

Cover art for ABE SAPIEN: THE DARK AND THE TERRIBLE #1, as seen originally at Robot 6/Comic Book Resources.

Two, Dark Horse Comics has announced that 2013 will see longtime Hellboy partner Abe Sapien get his own ongoing series, The Dark and the Terrible. Titles don’t get much more foreboding than that, and considering Mike Mignola had no qualms about killing Hellboy, it’s likely the upcoming years aren’t going to be a walk in the park for Abe. I’m not even going to try and summarize what’s been going on in Mignola’s ever-shifting universe as of late – suffice to say Hellboy is, literally, in Hell, and Abe is mutating, and all sorts of beasts and creatures have overrun the Earth. I’m contemplating a larger writing project about the Hellboy series for later this year, but for now I’m in an almost hopeless game of catch up. Thankfully, Dark Horse continues to let Mignola and his crew run wild, so there’s lots of good stuff ahead.

A new Tom Piccirilli book, and a new chance to help the author

A new Tom Piccirilli book is always cause for celebration, but these days it’s also a sobering reminder of the fight the author has found himself in.

As we’ve discussed before, Piccirilli is currently fighting brain cancer. Reports indicate that he’s doing a pretty good job of kicking its ass so far, but he’s got a long and expensive fight ahead of him. Fortunately, the horror genre is all kinds of awesome, and several publishers, authors and fans have stepped in with gestures and donations and support of all kinds.

Now here’s another opportunity to throw some support and encouragement his way. Dark Regions Press will be releasing a new Piccirilli book, The Walls of the Castle, on November 13 via its Black Labyrinth imprint. The synopsis (which you can read at the previous link) is pure Piccirilli, describing a twisted, surreal pyschological thriller that touches on his familiar themes of family, grief and redemption. Dark Regions has five different editions planned for the title, ranging from a digital edition to an ultra-deluxe version of 13 copies bound in cowhide and containing a bonus novelette and essay by the author. Best of all, 20% of all hardcover proceeds and 100% of the digital proceeds will go directly to Piccirilli.

So, you get a new book from one of the most unique voices in the genre today, and you know that a good portion of your cash is going directly to where it’s needed the most. Sounds like a win all around to me.

Here are some more opportunities to help Tom Piccirilli:

Brian Keene on making donations directly to Tom Piccirilli
Tom Piccirilli at Crossroads Press

Author Tom Piccirilli needs your help

I was going to kick off a new series here on October Country today, but things have a way of changing when you least expect it.

Just ask Tom Piccirilli.

A few days ago, Tom announced that he’s been diagnosed with brain cancer. He’ll be undergoing surgery today to remove a tumor the doctors estimate is roughly the size of a tennis ball.

He’ll have a long and difficult recovery ahead, a recovery that will be both aided and hampered by radiation and chemotherapy.

I’ve seen cancer at work – not in me, but in my father and in plenty of people around me. It’s a tough disease. Even when it’s gone, it lingers. The possibility of it popping up again is a shadowy threat that never really goes away.

I’ve never met Tom Piccirilli. I’ve exchanged emails with him. I’ve posted on his Facebook page. I’ve reviewed his books and interviewed him (via email) about his work.

I get the impression he’s one tough SOB.

Here’s a guy who is one of the most supremely talented writers working today, a guy who the major publishing houses should be falling all over themselves to sign. But he’s had to scratch and claw for every ounce of recognition he’s received. Most people read a Piccirilli book and they’re hooked – the challenge has been getting the books in their hands.

As tough as that battle for recognition has been, the fight he’s got on his hands now is far tougher. His recovery is going to be both difficult and expensive. There’s a way we can help him on both fronts.

Here’s a link to Tom’s work at his digital publisher, Crossroads Press. They are giving up their percentage of sales on Tom’s material so he’ll get 100% of what is spent there, an amazing and generous gesture on their part. You can also donate to the IndieGoGo fundraiser that’s been set up on Tom’s behalf. And, of course, you can check out his page at Amazon.com.

Buy some of Tom’s books and share them with people who’ve never read his work. Stuff your e-reader full of that unique Piccirilli goodness. Let’s greet Tom on the other side of this thing with some heavy financial ammunition and a legion of new fans.

If you’re the praying kind, send some prayers Tom’s way. Especially today. If you’re not, good thoughts will do just fine.

And Tom? Get well soon.

What will October bring to October Country?

So, yeah. October is almost here. And it’s going to be a very busy month here at October Country.

For one thing, I’ll be continuing my story-by-story reviews of The Devil’s Coattails and A Book of Horrors. Those have gotten put on the backburner the last couple of weeks as I prepared for the Halloween season, but they’ll be returning with a vengeance next week. For now, you can catch up on those reviews (and all October Country reviews, for that matter) right here.

I’ll also be continuing my in-depth discussions with Kealan Patrick Burke about the Timmy Quinn series, which is drawing to a close. We’re going through the series one book at a time, and so far we’ve covered The Turtle Boy and The Hides. Vessels is up next, followed by Peregrine’s Tale and, hopefully before the month is out, the climactic Nemesis.

Finally, I’m putting a new spin on something that’s become an October tradition around here: the Ten Essential October Reads series. In years past I’ve written about the books and the comics that captured the essence of Halloween for me. This year I decided to ask some of my favorite authors to talk about their Essential October Reads and, frankly, I’ve been overwhelmed by the response. Some of the biggest names in the genre took the time to contribute, and I’m proud to feature them on my humble little corner of the Internet. Who are they? What are their favorite October reads? Stay tuned throughout October to find out!

The ‘Nightmare’ begins in October

It’s almost here.

I’m talking about October, of course. Hands down it’s my favorite month of the year. That autumn weather is rolling in, and the Halloween season is in full swing. Scary decorations are the norm, horror movie marathons are in the planning stages, haunted houses and haunted hayrides are popping up all over, and there is a permanent chill – both literally and figuratively – in the air.

But that’s not all I’m talking about.

Back in May I directed you to the Kickstarter campaign for a new digital publication called Nightmare Magazine. The campaign hit its goal (and then some), which means that the Nightmare is about to become a reality. The first issue of the magazine, edited by John Joseph Adams and published by Creeping Hemlock Press, is now up for preorder and will go live on October 1.

While future issues will feature two reprint stories and two original stories each month, the Nightmare crew is pulling out all the stops for their debut, which will contain all original fiction by Laird Barron, Sarah Langan, Jonathan Maberry and Genevieve Valentine.  There’s no word on the site about the nonfiction features of the first issue, but I’m sure there will plenty.

Each issue’s contents will be serialized online throughout the month, but you can pick it all up at once for your electronic reading device of choice for $2.99 per issue, or $24.99 for a 12-issue subscription.

Start the month off right with this brand-new Halloween treat – I know I plan to.