New article up at my website! I’m a big fan of Bachelor Pad, the #1 digest for pinup and retro models. Earlier this year they launched their debut issue in their Nylon Nightcap line of issues and now they’ve recently published their second issue.
Cover art of Nylon Nightcap #2. Provided by Bachelor Pad.
As a stockings connoisseur I was excited to see the line continue. I did a review of the first issue, which can be read here, and now my review of the second issue is online and can be read here. Check them out and consider supporting the magazine and plucking up a copy./
New Edge Sword and Sorcery
The next three issues of New Edge Sword and Sorcery (numbers 5, 6, and 7, with one of them focused on the sword and planet genre) will be out soon! It sounds like digital and softcover copies will be out the last week of November and the hardcovers the first week of December. A reminder: I have a cocktail in each issue! Each cocktail is inspired by a different S&S and S&P character.
Collage of the three upcoming New Edge Sword and Sorcery Magazines.
Copies of these upcoming issues (along with some older issues, in both softcover and digital) can be pre-ordered at Backerkit.
Scholars from the Edge of Time
There’s a brand new Scholars from the Edge of Time now online!
Poster of Serpent of the Nile from Wikipedia.
In this episode Michele and I dive into the world of William Castle peplum by taking a look at his Egyptian toga and sandal film, Serpent of the Nile (1953). The episode can be watched on Youtube here.
Publishing Recap
Below is a recap of my external publishing endeavors so far in 2025.
Panthans Journal #332
Comic Book Review: “The Moon Maid: Catacombs of the Moon #2″ reprinted in the National Capital Panthans Journal #332.
Panthans Journal #333
Comic Book Review: “The Moon Maid: Catacombs of the Moon #3″ reprinted in the National Capital Panthans Journal #333.
Panthans Journal #335
“Tarzan Cocktail: Deconstructed – Reconstructed” reprinted in the National Capital Panthans Journal #335.
“There’s Always Room” in Merry Creepsmas: The Red Book. Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty. Wicked Shadow Press, 2025.
Burroughs Bulletin #109
“Tagliolini al Tarzan: Interview with Actress Bella Cortez on Taur the Mighty” in The Burroughs Bulletin #109. Edited by Henry Franke III. February, 2025.
Autographs from the Archive
Here are some autographed treasures I’ve shared on social media recently.
Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS
Kino Lorber has been doing Blu-ray re-releases of the different entries in the infamous Nazisploitation Ilsa series: Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (1975), Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks (1976), and Ilsa, Tigress of Siberia (1977). No Ilsa, The Wicked Warden (1977) though.
Personal copy of the Ilsa She Wolf of the SS DVD signed by director Don Edmonds and actress Dyanne Thorne.
Many, many moons ago, an online DVD website (like DiabolikDVD – it may have been them? I don’t recall, but an online place like them) were able to coordinate an autograph run of Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS signed by director Don Edmond and star Dyanne Thorne. They are kind of gray-market DVDs, but they did 50 of them and I, of course, scooped one up. So, in honour of these new re-releases, here is my old school, autographed DVD.
New Sword and Sandal Acquisitions
The ever growing peplum research library grows with these recent sword and sandal acquisitions.
The Ten Commandments 4K Steelbook
A brand new, 4K steelbook release of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments came out at the tail end of November.
4K Steelbook edition of The Ten Commandments.
Another classic Biblical epic from the Golden Age of Hollywood epics that I have not seen (it’s like 4 hours!). So, on the to watch list. It’s got Yul Brynner! I love seeing Brynner in epic films, Michele and I covered him in Kings of the Sun (1963) and Solomon and Sheba (1959) on Scholars from the Edge of Time (see podcast list for links).
Soundtracks: The Egyptian and Gladiator II
A trip to our local used record/movie store, Zia Records, produced lots of great treasures, including finding two sword and sandal soundtrack: The Egyptian (1954) and Gladiator II (2024).
Cool kids I know have been busy lately! Here are some signal boosts I’d like to give out.
New Ride the Stream Episodes
Michele Brittany and Travis Lakata are back with brand new episodes of their Ride the Stream vidcast and they dive into season 2 of the cult television series Lost.
They also did another non-Lost episode where they talk about the 2015 film The Martian:
Prior episodes of Ride the Stream can be found on their YouTube channel, so please give that a subscribe. There is also a Bluesky account, so feel free to five them a follow.
New Fan2Fan Episodes
Brand new episodes of the Fan2Fan podcast are now online. Here are the most recent three episodes:
Reflections of Fear: How Horror Remakes Mirror Their Times Part 2 –
Fan2Fan Podcast
Older episodes of Fan2Fan can be found at its Libsyn page or via your podcast app of preference
Travis Lakata Thankful For Article
Aside from the above episodes of Ride the Stream, Travis Lakata has been busy with lots of other projects, such as his Substack,The Never Ending Streamer, and writing articles for his “Geeky Parent Guide” at Fanbase Press. In his newest article, “Geeky Parent Guide: Sharing Some Love – What We’re Thankful for…”, Travis talks about the folks he is thankful for. I’m sincerely humbled that I am mentioned!
In January of 2025, Bachelor Pad, the premier digest-sized periodical devoted to modern-day pinup starlets, launched a new product line: Nylon Nightcap. While Bachelor Pad’s original Nightcap edition showcased pinups in tasteful nude poses, and Tattoo Nightcap took the concept a step further by featuring models with inked bodies, Nylon Nightcap put the emphasis on ladies wearing stockings and not much else.
The nylon stocking is a key element of the pinup and burlesque arts (both historic and contemporary), so having an entire magazine line devoted to the adoration of hosiery and the models who wear them is a boon to the craft (and readers and connoisseurs as well). The first issue of Nylon Nightcap (review of issue one can be read here) was successful which, of course, led the creation of a second issue of the series, which was recently published in October.
Cover art of Nylon Nightcap #2. Provided by Bachelor Pad.
Nylon Nightcap #2 highlights eight pinup models dolled up and wearing a variety of nylons and stockings, in different styles and colours: Christina Michelle, Penelope Pink, Charlotte La Belle Araignée, Brittany Jean, Abby Costello, Stella St. James, Heather Marie, and Leela Minx. Many of the models featured within have graced prior issues of Bachelor Pad, with some having participated in the inaugural issue of Nylon Nightcap. Each pictorial in the issue positively depicts an alluring pinup who in turn show off their stocking-clad legs.
The first model to be featured in Nylon Nightcap #2 is Christina Michelle, a veteran with numerous appearances in prior issues of Bachelor Pad. Michelle kindly spoke about her numerous collaborations with the magazine:
Bachelor Pad Magazine is the last true vintage magazine of its kind! I just adore it! I’ve always fancied being one of the vintage “under the table” magazine gals, as my own personal style reflects a little bit nice and a whole lot of naughty, but always with class! You’ll find Bachelor Pad holds a certain standard throughout and it is truly an honor to be published with in those semi glossy pages.
Michelle’s pictorial is an excellent start to the issue. Wearing a white fez, dark tan stockings with black seams, heels and toes, with a lacey white girdle/garter, she has an energetic vibe and smile that conveys she is having a lot of enjoymeny. This is best exemplified in a photo showing her sitting atop a bar, holding a stocking across her eyes as if she is about to blindfold herself, and letting out a visible laugh.
Nylon Nightcap #2 promo photo of Christina Michelle, provided by Java.
About her pictorial, Michelle says:
I am ultimately so proud of my entire set in the Nylon Nightcap #2! As a true nylon fetishist, I feel as if we captured the playful and seductive vibe I enjoy while engulfing myself into the art of dressing. The angles Sveinn Photography captured were under my professional suggestion and personal perspective to fully embrace the whole experience from a voyeur’s point of view. The entire magazine is interesting cover to cover, but our set is for those who really, really enjoy those nylon adorned stems and the way down to our perfectly polished piggies!
Miss Penelope Pink, who appeared in the inaugural issue of Nylon Nightcap, returns for the sophomore issue. Pink’s photo set is incredibly special as it is shot in her home tiki bar, which sports some wonderful Witco-style decorations, retro seating, and floral wallpaper. Definite inspiration for folks thinking of constructing their own tiki bar. She appears wearing a black garter, connected to seamless black stockings, tall red heels, and sporting a lei around her neck to complete the tropical vibe.
Nylon Nightcap #2 promo photo of Charlotte La Belle Araignée, provided by Java.
The third model showcased in the issue is the turquoise-haired Charlotte La Belle Araignée. Her outfit is themed around playing cards: her white garters have a heart, spade, club, and diamond on each one, her seamed stockings are flesh coloured, but black at the top with lots of small red hearts below. Aside from the attire, the photo incorporates playing cards as a prop, either with her holding them, fanning them out, or having them stick out of her stocking tops, as if she was hiding them to cheat in a future game. Though Araignée’s accompanying text ties with the card playing/poker motif, her theme (combined with her background in burlesque) could double as an illusionist. Her photoset is certainly magical!
Following Araignée’s spread is cover model Brittany Jean’s set. Jean goes for a luxury look: her set a fern decorated boudoir, and her attire is black garters, heels, knickers and black seamed, tan stockings. She does a variety of poses in a white lounge chair, giving off major luxurious and elegant vibes. The epitome of affluent glamour.
Next in Nylon Nightcap #2 is burlesque performer Abby Costello, whose photo set is a chronological strip tease. Her outfit begins with pink-patterned knickers, garters, and heels, with pink seamed, tan stockings (her bra is already off and sitting on the couch). Each photo has her removing an article of clothing one at a time: undoing her garters, removing a stocking, then the other, until finally she is reclined, in the nude, stretching her stockings out. It is a clever and fun set that captures a burlesque act in a sequential style.
Nylon Nightcap #2 promo photo of Stella St. James, provided by Java.
The sixth star of the issue is Stella St. James who makes her Bachelor Pad debut with her photo set. St. James has been gracious to talk about her appearance in the magazine:
This is indeed my first appearance in Bachelor Pad! I really jumped into the deep end by starting with a Nightcap issue – this is also my first topless publication, and I can think of no better home for it than Bachelor Pad. I’ve been a fan for a long time, and when I had the opportunity to work with Jason Kamimura [photographer], I jumped at the chance! The Nylon Nightcap happened to be the next upcoming issue, so it was mostly serendipity that led me to submitting for this specific issue, but I will also say I’ve always loved the aesthetic of stockings, especially with a back seam (as the ones I’m wearing in this set have). I just feel like they perfectly encapsulate the fantasy of vintage femininity, and I love that the line of the back seam draws the eye from the ankle all the way up. As a burlesque performer, I incorporate stockings of various types into almost all of my costumes!
St. James’ photo set takes place in an old study, with a red leather chair and a wooden dresser decorated with a rotary phone, a decanter of spirits, and a tiffany desk lamp. St. James’ attire consists of opaque, black seamed stockings, connected to a garter belt that is a network of black straps coming in at different triangular angles:
I [specifically] choose poses that highlighted the legs and stockings themselves, since they’re the star of the show! So, you’ll see me in poses that have me tugging at my garter straps, bending over to extend the legs, etc.
For her debut in Bachelor Pad, St. James knocks it out of the park with her fun and glamorous photo set:
I’m just happy to be here! I know that sounds trite, but as I said, I’ve been a fan of Bachelor Pad for a while, so being able to be a part of it is a dream come true. I’m hopeful that this will be the start of a long and beautiful collaboration. As a burlesque performer, I’m of course also hoping to introduce myself and my art to a new audience, and if this photoset leads to stockings coming back into fashion, I wouldn’t be opposed to that either!
The penultimate pinup of the issue is Heather Marie, another returning model from the first issue of Nylon Nightcap. Marie has an aura that projects strength and commands attention, like the Italian maggiorata fisica actresses from the 50s and 60s. Marie, as with Brittany Jean, goes for an intimiate-luxurious look, with golden hued and flowered garters, knickers, and seamless stockings. The flavour text for Marie’s pictorial has her regaling a tale of her and her paramour having a passionate get-together on their way to Caesar’s Palace.
Nylon Nightcap #2 promo photo of Leela Minx, provided by Java.
Nylon Nightcap #2 concludes with Leela Minx, the cover model of the first issue of Nylon Nightcap. Minx has the biggest, epic smile, and just radiates “fun” with her photos. As with Penelope Pink, Minx’s set is a tiki bar: red hued, filled with rum bottles, tiki mugs, and a bar that is decorated with a zebra print and wooden masks. Wearing leopard print heels, tan-coloured stockings with a black back seam, and sometimes a black floral print pair of knickers, Minx brings a variety of poses in her pictures: sitting on the bar, leaning over a stool, doing a Yoga plow pose, and so on. Because of the sheer (pun intended) variety of poses, Minx’s is the most kinetic pictorial in the issue.
In addition to the eight pictorials, issue two of Nylon Nightcap contains one fiction story (“Glorious Revenge” by Bachelor Pad mastermind Java himself) and numerous single panel comics whose punchlines revolve around stockings. The funniest one is by Dennis Davis, which depicts a woman hanging up wallpaper and wearing brown seamed stockings. Her Romeo steadies the ladder, with her proclaiming “Hold it steady, I don’t want the seams visible”, referring to the wallpaper of course, but to readers, her stocking seams are quite visible.
All in all, the second issue of Nylon Nightcap continues with the successes that the first issue brought. All eight pinups are lovely to behold, and their respective emphasis on stockings is extremely welcomed by nylon enthusiasts. Bachelor Pad certainly publishes great issues, themed or not, and the Nylon Nightcap series is definitely a high watermark.
Sincere appreciation to Christina Michelle and Stella St. James for letting me ask them a few questions to add to this interview. More information about Bachelor Pad, the models featured within, and other contributors can be found at the below links:
My first website content for 2025! I dig Bachelor PadMagazine, and I love stockings and nylons, so I was totally excited when they announced they were going to start a new line called Nylon Nightcap. When announced, I pre-ordered a copy immediately, and it is a fantastic issue.
Cover art of Nylon Nightcap #1. Provided by Bachelor Pad.
I’d like to do what I can to help get the word out about this issue, so I’ve done a write up about it and included quotations from Jason “Java” Croft, Miss Corsair Debonair, and Miss Penelope Pink. Check out my write up here!
Burroughs Bulletin #109
I have not one, not two, but three publication announcements!
Firstly, as part of Michele and my retrospective of the peplum work of Bella Cortez that we did in 2024, I conducted an interview with Cortez about her work on the Italian Tarzan knock off, Taur the Mighty (1963).
Burroughs Bulletin #109
This interview has now been published in issue 109 of The Burroughs Bulletin, the journal of the Burroughs Bibliophiles. This is my first time being published in the journal and I am super excited.
Queen Akiba (Bella Cortez) as Queen Akiba in Taur, The Mighty.
Sincere appreciation to Cortez for her time in being part of this interview.
For more information on the Burroughs Bibliophiles, how to join, and how to get copies of the Bulletins, check out https://www.burroughsbibliophiles.com or contact editor Henry Franke III at BurroughsBibliophiles AT gmail.com.
Merry Creepsmas
I have a sword & sorcery dark comedy/horror short story appearance in the anthology Merry Creepsmas: The Red Book from Wicked Shadow Press. My story is called “There’s Always Room.”
Merry Creepsmas – The Red Book
This is actually a short story I wrote 8-9 years ago for a different Christmas themed anthology that didn’t get accepted. The story has been in my repertoire for all this time, and when I saw this call for story submissions, I thought why not dust off the story, spruce it up a bit, and submit. Chuffed that it was accepted!
The newest issue of the The National Panthans Journal has been published. This issue contains a re-print of my review of The Moon Maid: Catacombs of the Moon #3.
Panthans Journal #333
Paraphrased from the zine: The National Capital Panthans Journal is a monthly publication issued as a .PDF file on the Saturday before the first Sunday of each month. Contribution of articles, artwork, photos, and letters are welcome. Send submissions to the editor: Laurence G. Dunn at laurencegdunn AT gmail.com in a Word document for consideration.
Podcast Stuff
HP Lovecast Podcast is still going, we’re just a bit erratic about it. We will have an episode for The Prophecy up, and we’ll be exploring doing some shorter comic-book reviews in between bigger episodes, perhaps resurrect the old Fragments line.
BlogTalkRadio shut down in January. This means all the podcasts I appeared on (Voice of Olympus, Chatting with Sherri) are no longer available, which is unfortunate. However, I have saved all my appearances as mp3s. I’ll be looking into having them edits and published elsewhere (with permission), perhaps at Archive.org or another venue.
This past week I’ve been a guest on Fan2Fan and also on the Castle of Horror Podcast. Stay tuned for when those become published online.
Michele is also cranking out episodes of her Ride the Stream vidcast with Travis Lakata. She’s also done an episode of Fan2Fan as well.
So, we are both still heavy in the world of vidcasting and podcasting. We are just kind of all over the map now. As always, if you’d like me to be a guest on your podcast or vidcast, do reach out! I love appearing on other folks’ shows.
ECOF 2025
In September of 2025 there will be an Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship (ECOF) event down in Willcox, AZ. This event is to celebrate the 150th birthday of Burroughs while also honoring him with a plaque in the town due to his stationing with there the 7th U.S. Calvary in the 1890s. (Note: another ERB convention was held in Willcox back in 2019 and an event recap of that can be read at ERBZine #7059).
Here is a flyer for the 2025 event:
Flyer for the Edgar Rice Burroughs Circle of Friendship (ECOF) Gathering in Willcox, AZ 2025.
I’ll share more information about the event as I find out more on my website updates. Michele and I will be in attendance for this convention, so I’ve added it to the appearances section of my website as well.
Publishing Recap
Below is a recap of my external publishing endeavors so far in 2025.
Panthans Journal #332
Comic Book Review: “The Moon Maid: Catacombs of the Moon #2″ reprinted in the National Capital Panthans Journal #332.
Panthans Journal #333
Comic Book Review: “The Moon Maid: Catacombs of the Moon #3″ reprinted in the National Capital Panthans Journal #333.
Merry Creepsmas – The Red Book
“There’s Always Room” in Merry Creepsmas: The Red Book. Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty. Wicked Shadow Press, 2025.
Burroughs Bulletin #109
“Tagliolini al Tarzan: Interview with Actress Bella Cortez on Taur the Mighty” in The Burroughs Bulletin #109. Edited by Henry Franke III. February, 2025.
Calls for Papers/Proposals
Here are some new pop culture CFPs that have crossed my path. Links to these will also be in the CFP page on the navigation bar.
Horror Studies Now 2025
Horror Studies Now: A Two-Day Conference (29-30 May 2025, Northumbria University, UK)
Researchers working in the broad field of “Horror Studies”, are invited to submit abstracts about their research for an in-person conference, hosted by the Horror Studies Research Group at Northumbria University, on 29-30 May 2025.
Speakers will each deliver a 15-minute talk about their research, followed by extended discussion and questions from the conference delegation. We welcome submissions from scholars at any career stage, but are particularly open to hearing from early career researchers and new voices in the field. The event is intended to provide a welcoming space in which to develop ideas, network, and forge collaborations with fellow Horror Studies researchers.
The event seeks to explore areas and approaches that have not yet been adequately accounted for or represented in the field, encompassing (but not limited to):
The diversity of perspectives, identities, and voices that comprise Horror Studies and horror production
Independent horror production, alternative histories, and horror produced outside of Europe and North America
The field’s methodological richness, including archival approaches, audience research, practice-based research, and new theoretical perspectives
The breadth of cultural perspectives that inform Horror Studies and horror media
Papers that address horror in all its media forms including games, film, comics, music, social media, television, literature, art, and so forth
We seek to foreground scholarly excellence within the field by embracing a wide range of approaches, confronting representational biases within the canon, highlighting strategies to counter these biases, and contributing to a more diverse and inclusive academic landscape. We encourage and welcome expressions of interest from members of the global majority and people from underrepresented or marginalised groups.
Special guests include:
Dr Cüneyt Çakırlar (Nottingham Trent University; editor of Transnational Horror: Folklore, Genre and Cultural Politics [Liverpool University Press, 2025])
Dr Maxine Gee (Bournemouth University; screenwriter of short film Standing Woman [2020] and web series Tales of Bacon [2018])
Professor Maisha L Wester (University of Sheffield/Indiana University, Bloomington; author of African American Gothic in the Era of Black Lives Matter [Cambridge University Press, 2025])
The deadline for abstracts (of 250 words) is 23:59 (GMT) Friday 14 March 2025. Abstracts should be accompanied by a biographical statement (of 50-100 words) and submitted at the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/FgdAxxxWxy.
A small fee will be required to attend to cover catering expenses; however, we are striving to keep this cost as low as possible. All speakers, unless they choose to decline, will have their work considered for the new Peter Hutchings Award for Outstanding Contribution to Horror Studies. The award includes a certificate for the winner and a publication (subject to revision) in Studies in the Fantastic.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their proposal within 14 days of the deadline. Any questions should be directed to horrorstudies@northumbria.ac.uk
The Horror Studies Research Group at Northumbria: Northumbria University is internationally renowned as the home of horror scholarship. This research specialism was founded by our late Professor Peter Hutchings, and the Horror Studies Research Group formalises Northumbria’s concentration of experts in this area. Our core team are widely recognised as leaders in this area, publishing field-defining monographs, presenting keynote lectures at major conferences, delivering talks at numerous European film festivals, holding positions on the editorial boards of the field’s primary book series and winning major research grants. Our global reputation for research excellence in Horror Studies is further proliferated by our many genre-based PhDs and alumni.
Dracula: A Companion
Dracula: A Companion is intended to both be an essential guide to interpreting Bram Stoker’s Dracula and a collection of new perspectives supporting a reshaping of the way the text is taught and engaged with by students.
Fundamental to the approach of this companion is placing the text at the epicentre of its own cultural afterlife and pop culture status. Beginning with the novel’s inception and influences, Dracula is positioned as a ‘spark’ that ignited the character’s enduring popularity and presence across the globe. From here, the familiar topics the novel is understood through will see novel perspectives, accounting not only for new and exciting research, but exploring how Dracula’s immortality stems from how it can be subjected to new approaches, showcasing the versatility of the book, and its continued capacity to lend itself to readings that speak of topical cultural concerns.
The final sections prioritise the way the text has been reshaped to suit contemporary audiences, distanced from the ‘original’ novel through adaptation and literary pastiche. Every ‘version’ of Dracula has the potential to be someone’s first encounter with the character, and may be what they think of when hearing the name. By giving this aspect a clear focus it establishes to students and readers alike that ‘Dracula’ is not contained within the novel, but has become a myth recognised across the globe.
We kindly request abstracts of no more than 250 words for either full essay style chapters of 4,500 words or shorter case studies focusing on individual texts of approx 2000 words. We are also open to further ideas, suggestions, and questions. The deadline for abstracts is Monday March 31st 2025. Full contributions are expected to be due at the end of Summer 2025.
Please email abstracts or any other enquiries to madeline.potter@ed.ac.uk & m.crofts@hull.ac.uk
Potential topics (but by no means limited to):
Theatrical Influences on the novel’s form Historical influences
Transylvania as a mosaic (Hungarian and Irish Parallelism)
Stoker: a biographical reading
Global Dracula Stoker’s own travels
Dracula in translation
New perspectives on sexuality: LGBTQA+ readings/drag
New scientific & medical readingsNew perspectives on race
Romany enslavement
Dracula as Sensation fiction/Victorian popular fiction
Publishing practices
Reception of Dracula
Reading Dracula as a werewolf text
Neo-Victorian readings
Wider cultural understanding of Dracula [Intended as shorter chapters, akin to case studies of texts]
Dracula adaptations, appropriations and pastiches
Neglected adaptations (eg. The Claes Bang/Gatiss version, The 1977 Louis Jourdan version)
Neglected adaptations from non-anglo/American countries
Non-Western Draculas
Dracula for children: eg. Hotel Transylvania eg. Count Duckula
Dracula games (computer and table-top)
Dracula in New Media & Fandom
Twenty-First Century Neo-Victorian Gothic: Deviance and Transgression on Page and Screen
For a volume in the Genre Fiction and Film Companion series published by Peter Lang Oxford, we solicit papers on the topic of Neo-Victorian Gothic literature and film adaptation in the twenty-first century.
Neo-Victorian Gothic represents a contemporary revival of Gothic themes, often exploring deviance and transgression in the context of Victorian society as a challenge to the rigid structures imposed by Victorian society and a re-examination of marginalized voices and experiences. This genre not only revisits the aesthetic and narrative structures of the Gothic, but also critiques and reinterprets the cultural anxieties of both the Victorian and modern societies. Neo-Victorian texts frequently engage with themes of sexual and social deviance thus reflecting on contemporary concerns about identity, gender roles, and morality too.
The neo-Victorian Gothic critiques historical injustices, especially regarding gender inequality, violence, sexual transgression, and neurodiversity through intricately weaving together themes of deviance and transgression, with a critical lens on both Victorian history and contemporary culture. By revisiting Gothic conventions such as encounters with the uncanny in all its manifestations, with ghosts and the doppelgënger, neo-Victorian works illuminate the persistent shadows of social constraints and anxiety while advocating for a deeper understanding of identity and morality in both past and present contexts. Moreover, the genre heavily relies on intertextual references to Victorian literature, thus drawing parallels between the past and the present and reflecting on the continuity of certain social issues across time.
While aware of the many renowned masterpieces of neo-Victorian Gothic literature from the previous century, the proposed volume will explore how our twenty-first century engages with the topics of deviance and transgression. Will Self’s Dorian, An Imitation (2002), Julian Barnes’ Arthur and George (2005), Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale (2006), John Harding’s Florence and Giles (2010), Rosie Garland’s The Palace of Curiosities (2013), Gregory Blake Smith’s The Maze at Windermere (2018), Nell Stevens’ Briefly, A Delicious Life (2022) are some of the many novels published in the past twenty-odd years. What is more, neo-Victorian novels are frequently adapted for the screen: for example, the novels of Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet (2002), Fingersmith (2005), Affinity (2008) and Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White (2011) or more recent productions such as Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films, and TV series like Sherlock, Ripper Street, Whitechapel, and Penny Dreadful. The Companion will therefore revisit the issues of deviance and transgression as embodied in literary texts and adaptations in the context of the challenges set by the contemporary reading audiences and viewers.
Please send abstracts of about 300 words and short bios for consideration by 1 April 2025 to Prof. Rossie Artemis at: artemis.r@unic.ac.cy
Authors will be notified about the status of their proposals by 1 May 2025, and the first drafts of essays (about 4500 words) will be expected by 1 November 2025.
Some fun things and shout outs from these past few weeks.
Rest in peplum David Lynch
David Lynch passed away last month, and he deserves as rest in peplum (Dune is sword and planet enough for me!). Lynch is one of my all time favorite directors, and many of his films, especially Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, had a huge impact on my and my appreciation of cinema as a whole. I’d like to recap some of my Lynch thoughts, my exposure to his work, and share some of my Lynch treasures.
Personal copy of Lost Highway DVD signed by Greg Travis.
The first David Lynch movie I ever saw was Lost Highway. This was in the late 90s and I checked it out because I was a hardcore Rammstein fan at the time and Rammstein was in the soundtrack.
I recall renting the movie on VHS and watching it, and my dad walked in and decided to sit down and give it a watch too. And then Patricia Arquette pops on screen and does a striptease. Awkward!
It was a surreal movie, and I didn’t know too much about film noir at the time, but I remember enjoying it! The soundtrack was rocking, Bill Pullman was fresh of ID4 and he ruled, and the movie was mysterious and interesting. I was a fan!
Years later Michele and I would meet actor Greg Travis, who played the aggressive motorist who gets beat up, at a convention were he autographed my DVD of Lost Highway (and Michele’s copy of Starship Troopers).
Nicholas Diak, Michele Brittany, and Greg Travis at a Hollywood Collectors show in 2010.
Years later Mulholland Drive came out. I was a student working on my bachelors and I was hyped about this film. This was the agonizing days of waiting months and months for a film to be released on DVD after it had been released in theaters.
I watched Mulholland Drive and it was basically Lost Highway done even better. The noir elements, the erotic elements, the recreation of people into other people. While Lost Highway had a “distance” to it, Mulholland Drive was more emotional. I was a super fan of it immediately.
Personal copy of Mulholland Drive DVD signed by Rena Riffel.
At a different convention Michele and I met Rena Riffel, perhaps better known for her appearance in Showgirls and various women-in-prison films by Lloyd A. Simandl. She had a small part in Mulholland Drive where she is under the employ of the seedy Mark Pellegrino. I was so happy we got to meet her and she signed my Mulholland Drive DVD.
Nicholas Diak, Michele Brittany, and Rena Riffel at a Hollywood Collectors Show in 2010.
After Mulholland Drive I was pretty much a Lynch convert and watched nearly all of his movies. I dug Elephant Man. I could never get through Dune. I don’t recall Wild at Heart too well unfortunately. Blue Velvet was amazing. I have a Twin Peaks boxset, but have been afraid to dive into it unfortunately.
In the late 2000s there was a Twin Peaks anniversary convention at the Hollywood Collectors show that Michele and I went to and met lots of awesome actors and actresses.
I met Jennifer Lynch who signed the documentary she did about her father’s painting, Pretty as a Picture.
Personal copy of Pretty as a Picture DVD signed by Jennifer Lynch.
Jennifer, Charlotte Stewart, and Catherine E. Coulson all signed my Eraserhead boxset. This boxset I purchased from Scarecrow Video up in Seattle. Eraserhead is, well, it’s an odd film. It’s surreal, and I dug it, but nowhere near the level of Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive. But I appreciate the hell out of it.
DVD boxset for Eraserhead 2000, signed by Stewart, Coulsonm and Lynch.
Notice the little squiggly face by the vertical 2000 on the right side? That’s Jack Nance. When Coulson signed my DVD, she closed her eyes and reached out to the long departed Nance, who guided her to draw his face. I was so flattered she did that. RIP to Coulson who sadly passed away 10 years ago.
Nicholas Diak and Catherine Coulson at the Hollywood Collectors Show in 2010.
One other artifact I was to share is this boxset of Dumbland. It’s in the same dimensions as the Eraserhead boxset, so I believe it was put out by the same company. This boxset I also bought at Scarecrow (plug: hear me talk about Scarecrow Video at the Fan2Fan podcast!)
Personal copy of the Dumbland DVD boxset.
I remember watching this and thinking… well.. that’s David Lynch for you!
One last note, my friends over at the Fan2Fan Podcast have dropped a new episode, and it is on Lynch’s Blue Velvet. Give it a listen!
Since 2007, Jason “Java” Croft has been creating and publishing the digest-sized pinup magazine, Bachelor Pad (for more information about the history and production of Bachelor Pad check out the interview with Croft in Vilioti Vintage. My review of this book can be read here). Filled with comics, reviews, articles, and of course, many images of pinup/cheesecake/glamour models, Bachelor Pad is the de facto leader in literature for the “mature” and “sophisticated reader.”
Cover art of Nylon Nightcap #1. Provided by Bachelor Pad.
With almost twenty years of publication, the need to innovate and experiment with Bachelor Pad has led to the creation specialty lines of issues: spotlight issues, Nightcap Edition (which focuses on topless pinups), and Tattoo Nightcap (which focus on topless tattooed models). Nylon Nightcap is the newest endeavor from Bachelor Pad to deep dive and showcase an iconic component of pinup photography and history: the stocking. Per Croft
“I am always looking for new ideas or new themes to expand the Bachelor Pad brand. I like to mix things up. I like to give myself a challenge every once in a while. Nightcap editions have always been our most popular issues (nudies girls, who knew?). Several years back we started doing our Tattoo Nightcap and way back when we did a X-mas Nightcap. This [Nylon Nightcap] seemed like a natural addition to the lineup. And, when you think of the types of retro pin-ups we feature, the classic stockings and garter look are right at home with what we do. It really is the foundation, if you will, to most pin-up looks.”
The inaugural issue of Nylon Nightcap showcases eight models (Heather Marie, Annette Coquette, Abby Dandy, Leela Minx, Peach Venom, Alaina Rose Lee, Lady Gold Moon, Miss Penelope Pink) and a story + photoset from Miss Corsair Debonair. If these names sound familiar, they should be, as most have appeared in prior issues of Bachelor Pad Magazine, with many of them making their Nightcap debut in this stockings-centric issue, an aspect that Croft is proud of:
“Most of the models had been in regular issues of the magazine. Three had been in other Nightcap projects. Six made their first Nightcap appearances with this issue. I don’t think we’ve ever had that before. I think that says something when lots of folks want to make their Nightcap debuts with this particular issue.”
For veteran readers of Bachelor Pad, seeing their favourite pinups in their (debut) appearance in a Nightcap iteration provides a more intimate venue to appreciate their craft. For brand new readers of Bachelor Pad, Nylon Nightcap provides an excellent introduction to these retro-inspired models.
Since Nylon Nightcap’s focus is on stockings, the photosets contained within showcase a variety of stocking colours and styles that guarantee an appeal to everyone. Colour-wise, Marie Heather is blue, Annette Coquette is white, Abby Dandy with black-brown, Leela Minx with transparent, Peach Venom and Lady gold Moon with black, Alaina Rose Lee with red, and Miss Penelope Pink with tan-brown. Style-wise, all the models wear stockings save Peach Venom who sports a pair of French-cut pantyhose. Abby Dandy, Leela Minx, Alaina Rose Lee, and [especially] Heather Marie all show off their seams while Annette Coquette’s white stockings feature small white flowers on down her ankle sides. With all this variety and emphasis on hosiery, Croft made sure to account for this in designing the issue:
“Fundamentally, it’s still your standard Bachelor PadNightcap issue. I still try to give each layout its own personality and try to write fun copy for each model. The big difference this time was to keep in mind that we were doing an issue focused on nylons and the legs that wear them. So, in the layouts, you see a lot more full-length photos as well as shots of just legs. Had to make sure the nylons were the focus of what people were looking at.”
To further cement this nylon philosophy home, the last comic in Nylon Nightcap (by Becca Whitaker) depicts a pinup wearing layers of different stockings, stating “I didn’t know which ones to pick, so I wore them all!”
Heather Marie promo picture provided by Bachelor Pad.
The first pinup in Nylon Nightcap, Heather Marie, wears a killer colour combo of black gloves and blue-seamed and blue topped stockings with matching blue garters, posing on a blue sofa. She appeared in Nightcap #14.
Annette Coquette brings a cabaret vibe with her gemstone garters and seductive teacher glasses while posing in front of a piano. This is her debut Nightcap appearance, but she previously appeared in Bachelor Pad #50.
Abby Dandy promo picture provided by Bachelor Pad.
Abby Dandy is the third model showcased in Nylon Nightcap and she projects the classic Irving Klaw/Eric Stanton fetish vibes with her black corset and seamed black-brown stockings that look delicate with a vintage vibe. The presence of a floor length mirror ensures readers are treated to double Abby Dandy. While this is her Nightcap debut, her prior appearance was in issues #69 and #68, sharing a photoshoot with the iconic Bernie Dexter in the latter.
Three issues of Bachelor Pad magazine. The center one is signed by Bernie Dexter.
Following Abby Dandy is the photoset for cover model Leela Minx who brings a radiant Claire Sinclair vibe. Leela Minx’s outfit is a translucent black nightie with transparent black seamed stockings. The purple background goes with the purple ribbon that she uses to tie herself up with while sitting on a chair, recalling retro-bondage photography, but with a much more feminine touch. She previously appeared in Bachelor Pad #64.
Next, Nylon Nightcap takes a slight break from the singular photoshoots to showcase a collection of different photos of Miss Corsair Debonair along with a short missive of her’s. Debonair is a veteran of Bachelor Pad and sums up her experience initially becoming featured in the magazine:
“In 2020 as I was testing the waters with pinup photography and using myself as a subject, I sent a submission to Bachelor Pad as my biggest goal. Bachelor Pad has high standards for image quality and doesn’t churn out issues as fast as photographs come in, so I knew if I could make it into Bachelor Pad, my images were on the right track. Those first ones weren’t accepted, but Java gave me some great tips and I continued to improve until I made it in.”
The photos of Debonair in Nylon Nightcap include bonus photos from her prior appearances in Bachelor Pad which had not been published before. These photos are coupled with a short commentary piece about wearing hosiery written by Debonair.
“I’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to do a whole new set of photos for this issue, and Java said it wouldn’t be right to do a Nylon issue without something from me. So, I wrote about what first attracted me to nylons and how I wear them now.”
Following Miss Corsair Debonair’s section is Peach Venom who previously appeared in Bachelor Pad #65. Peach Venom has a fun set, with her black pantyhose and elbow length gloves, and a powerful look underscored by her yellow eye makeup, all giving her a distinguished aura.
Burlesque performer and tiki aficionado Alaina Rose Lee dominates the colour red that emit from her seamed stockings, heels, straps, hair, and bedroom-boudoir set with fluffy blankets and valentines’ pillows. Lee can also be seen in Bachelor Pad #57.
The second to last pinup is Lady Gold Moon, who like Abby Dandy, channels a retro-dominating look with her black stockings and top. Lady Gold Moon enhances the vibe she is going for by using props such as whips while her set echoes an old school “man cave” with wood paneled walls. It would not be hard to imagine that there is a camera club outside frame taking pictures of her sultry poses. Nylon Nightcap is Lady Gold Moon’s Nightcap debut, but she can be previously seen in Bachelor Pad # 69.
Three issues of Bachelor Pad.
The final model showcased in Nylon Nightcap is Miss Penelope Pink, complete with her iconic look of pink hair and sporty tattoos. Miss Penelope Pink made her Bachelor Pad debut in Tattoo Nightcap #6. Miss Penelope Pink recalls:
“I’ve been a long-time follower and fan of Bachelor Pad for many years. I was so excited to see that Java added a special Nightcap edition specifically for tattooed models. It blended my love of vintage/pinup and tattooed look perfectly, I just knew I had to be part of it!”
Miss Penelope Pink brings her love of vintage and hosiery to her photoshoot, wearing a pink corset that matches her hair with garters that connect to old school solid brown stockings. For Miss Penelope Pink:
“I wear stockings for most of my shoots, nothing beats the look of nylons! I’m inspired by classic pinups of the 50s and have quite the collection of stockings: seamed, Cuban heel, different color stocking tops. For this shoot, I wanted to pair my nylons with a corset, as I have several and just love being cinched down.”
Between the photosets, Nylon Nightcap features stockings-centric comics by Jaimie Filer, Misha Pinup Art, Jerry Carr, Carlos Carrillo, and the aforementioned Becca Whitaker. An erotic short story by Sasha Dahl about a display worker at Marshalls working on a lingerie display who winds up attending to a peculiar customer’s needs rounds out the features of the magazine.
Overall, the inaugural issue of Bachelor Pad’s Nylon Nightcap is a tremendous success. The photoshoots are professionally shot with interesting and retro sets. The pinup ladies are all exciting and gorgeous to look at, with each one showcasing a different facet of the allure of stockings. Aside from the nylons continuity, the issue in its entirety is adventurous and fun, as was the intent of Croft:
“With all my issues I want it to be fun for the readers, and I want for those people who are involved to be proud to be in it. I think I accomplished both of those. On top of that, I got to see a lot of models who weren’t in the issue get excited about the concept. So, we made a showcase for those who were in it and inspired others to want to be in future issue. I would call that a success.”
With the publication of Nylon Nightcap, Croft reflects on its impact of readers and models and the future for the new line of the themed magazine:
“The response has been amazing. Besides other models and photographers being inspired, our readers have really taken to it. It really struck a chord with pin-up fans. But, I’m really not surprised. It’s fun to have themes every once in a while. Sometimes folks need a creative prompt. And I’m happy to supply it. […] I already have people asking about the next [issue of Nylon Nightcap]. My hope would be to be able to do another at the end of 2025. All I need is for folks to start sending me those photos!”
Sincere appreciation to Jason “Java” Croft, Miss Corsair Debonair, and Miss Penelope Pink for their time providing quotations to use in this write up. For more information on Bachelor Pad, Nylon Nightcap, or the models, artists, and writers featured within, check out the following links:
